Crop Protection

Answers sought regarding organic lettuce aphid mystery

Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdivia started his new job as University of California Cooperative Extension entomology advisor in the Salinas Valley last year, he immediately faced an urgent problem in organic lettuce production. Pest control advisers were finding lettuce... more »

Root-knot nematodes found in 60% of Georgia vegetable fields

A recent University of Georgia Cooperative Extension survey of 431 Georgia vegetable fields found that more than 60% contained root-knot nematodes, tiny parasitic worms that feed on roots and destroy plants. The survey was conducted... more »

Seican biopesticide distributed in US through Seipasa, Summit Agro USA

Seipasa, the Spanish international company specializing in the development and formulation of biopesticides, biostimulants and fertilizers for agriculture, and Summit Agro USA, dedicated to bringing innovative solutions to the crop protection market, have reached an... more »

7 questions with plant pathologist Chaks Mattupalli

Chakradhar “Chaks” Mattupalli’s experience in agricultural financing in India put him on a very different career path: plant pathology. In dealing with growers on a daily basis, Mattupalli was inspired by their stories of dealing... more »

How plant viruses can be used to ward off pests, keep plants healthy

Imagine a technology that could target pesticides to treat specific spots deep within the soil, making them more effective at controlling infestations while limiting their toxicity to the environment. Researchers at the University of California... more »

Anthracnose on strawberries increasingly problematic in Mid-Atlantic

Anthracnose is caused by fungi in the genus Colletotrichum, and has been affecting mostly plasticulture plantings, but also matted-row plantings of susceptible cultivars. Some strawberry growers in southeastern Pennsylvania have already been finding their green fruit to... more »

Flea beetles feeding, tomato early blight seen in Pennsylvania

I visited a few tomato fields this week and found 2 to 4-week-old tomato plants with some early blight (Alternaria solani) and in some cases bad early blight lesions. This is very early in the... more »

First Medfly threat a significant memory for longtime California official

California's first Medfly threat is a significant memory for longtime official James Deese. He recalled the circumstances recently in a video series from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Deese served in a... more »