Crop Protection Practices Research Articles

Pesticide use in Indonesian vegetable farming and its determinants

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse factors affecting the use of pesticides in intensive vegetable farming in Java, Indonesia. Evaluating such factors is expected to provide appropriate policies to reduce pesticides, and eventually, mitigates the adverse impacts of pesticides on human health and the environment.Design/methodology/approachData were compiled from a farm survey of randomly selected 240 vegetable farmers in three regions of Java in 2014. A concept of economic threshold was employed to analyse the pesticide use determinants, which were estimated using econometric models.FindingsFactors leading to the increase in the application of pesticides were the number of observed insect pests, prices of vegetables, use of local varieties, and use of mixed pesticides. Conversely, factors lowering the use of pesticides were the number of observed diseases, the cost of pesticides, and area planted to vegetables. The most important factor in influencing pesticide use was farmers’ perception on the correct prediction of yield losses associated with pests and diseases.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample for this research is somewhat low and the analysis was based on one-year data of the quantity of pesticides in a formulation.Practical implicationsThe use of pesticides can be reduced by training farmers on crop protection practices, which provide correct information on pests and diseases. Policies related to the price of pesticides would be ineffective, as farmers still highly relied on pesticides. These findings will be useful for reducing the use of pesticides in intensive vegetable farming in Indonesia, and in tropical countries in general.Originality/valuePesticides have two opposite properties: to increase income on the one side and to cause devastation of life on the other side. Because pesticides are generally less selectively toxic than would be desired, non-targets including humans and the environment must be protected from contamination by these agrochemicals. This study found the most important determinants for reducing pesticide exposures in Indonesian intensive farming.

When a Plant Resistance Inducer Leaves the Lab for the Field: Integrating ASM into Routine Apple Protection Practices.

Plant resistance inducers, also called elicitors, could be useful to reduce the use of pesticides. However, their performance in controlling diseases in the field remains unsatisfactory due to lack of specific knowledge of how they can integrate crop protection practices. In this work, we focused on apple crop and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a well-known SAR (systemic acquired resistance) inducer of numerous plant species. We provide a protocol for orchard-effective control of apple scab due to the ascomycete fungus Venturia inaequalis, by applying ASM in combination with a light integrated pest management program. Besides we pave the way for future optimization levers by demonstrating in controlled conditions (i) the high influence of apple genotypes, (ii) the ability of ASM to prime defenses in newly formed leaves, (iii) the positive effect of repeated elicitor applications, (iv) the additive effect of a thinning fruit agent.

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Chemical Fumigants Utilising an Earthworm (Eisenia andrei) Bioassay and Soil Microbial Communities

Fumigation is an important crop protection practice employed to control soil pathogens and diseases. Metham sodium and cadusafos are two commonly used soil fumigants for this purpose. However, little information is available on their effects on non-target soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the ecotoxicity of these chemical fumigants on earthworms (organismal responses and DNA damage) and soil microbial communities. Changes in soil microbial community function and structure were evaluated by means of Biolog™ Ecoplates and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses, respectively. Both fumigants had a significant (p < 0.05) negative impact on all earthworm endpoints. Earthworms did not reproduce; biomass was affected negatively and manifested significant DNA damage with metham sodium causing more pronounced effects in comparison to cadusafos. The fumigants had an inhibitory effect on microbial growth. No lasting effects were observed in the community structure but cadusafos had a pronounced effect on the microbial community functional diversity. Metham sodium and cadusafos had varying effects on earthworm and microbial endpoints. This illustrates the importance of using different bioindicators to get a better understanding of the overall effects on the soil ecosystem.

Achieving Durable Resistance Against Plant Diseases: Scenario Analyses with a National-Scale Spatially Explicit Model for a Wind-Dispersed Plant Pathogen.

Genetic resistance in crops is a cornerstone of disease management in agriculture. Such genetic resistance is often rapidly broken due to selection for virulence in the pathogen population. Here, we ask whether there are strategies that can prolong the useful life of plant resistance genes. In a modeling study, we compared four deployment strategies: gene pyramiding, sequential use, simultaneous use, and a mixed strategy. We developed a spatially explicit model for France and parameterized it for the fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (causing wheat yellow rust) to test management strategies in a realistic spatial setting. We found that pyramiding two new resistance genes in one variety was the most durable solution only when the virulent genotype had to emerge by mutation. Deploying single-gene-resistant varieties concurrently with the pyramided variety eroded the durability of the gene pyramid. We found that continuation of deployment of varieties with broken-down resistance prolonged the useful life of simultaneous deployment of four single-gene-resistant varieties versus sequential use. However, when virulence was already present in the pathogen population, durability was low and none of the deployment strategies had effect. These results provide guidance on effective strategies for using resistance genes in crop protection practice.

Antifungal activity of macrofungi extracts on phytopathogenic fungal strains of genera Fusarium sp. and Alternaria sp.

During the last decades, intensive application of synthetic fungicides in the agricultural crop protection practice caused growing concern for the existence of toxic chemical residues in food as well as in the whole environment. Instead of using synthetic fungicides, it is suggested that crop protection be carried out by using preparations based on compounds of natural origin (secondary metabolites of plants or microorganisms, including macrofungi from Basidiomycota) as biological control agents. The potential of macrofungal species as biocontrol agents was analyzed in this investigation of eight autochthonous species from different locations in Serbia. Both the terricolous species: Coprinus comatus, Coprinellus truncorum, Amanita strobiliformis, Hydnum repandum and the lignicolous species: Flammulina velutipes, Stereum subtomentosum, Trametes versicolor and Bjerkandera adusta were examined, with an aim to detect some novel sources of antifungal agents. This study surveyed antifungal activity of selected macrofungal extracts (MeOH, EtOH and CHCl3) against phytopathogenic Fusarium and Alternaria strains isolated from garlic, soybean and rice: F. proliferatum, F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, F. graminearum and A. padwickii. Microdilution method in 96 well microplates was applied for the estimation of antifungal effects of macrofungi extracts in the range from 24.75 to 198.00 mg/ml and determination of minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC). EtOH extract of mychorhizal species H. repandum showed antifungal activity against all analyzed phytopathogenic strains, with the strongest effect on Fusarium strains (MIC 24.75 mg/ml; MFC 24.75 mg/ml). Among others, MeOH extracts of S. subtomentosum and C. micaceus showed similar effects while only B. adusta showed slight effect on Fusarium strains (MIC 24.75-99.00 mg/ml; MFC 24.75-99.00 mg/ml) and none effect on A. padwickii. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using examined extracts as efficient antifungal agents and provide the basis for the new formulations of biocontrol agents against phytopathogenic fungi in the future.

Quantifying the impact of crop protection practices on pesticide use in wine-growing systems

Reducing pesticide use is a major challenge in agriculture, and farmers are encouraged to develop integrated practices. The aim of this study was to describe, analyse and assess the current contribution of various options to pest, disease and weed management on the reduction of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides by quantifying both their use and their effect on pesticide use intensity, within the context of different wine-growing regions. We conducted a statistical analysis of pesticide use and crop management over two seasons (2006 and 2010) for 11 French wine-growing regions (10,000 data). We used the Treatment Frequency Index (TFI) indicator to characterise the intensity of pesticide use. We analysed three crop management options: timing of first fungicide spray, type of soil cover cropping, and type of weed control. For each management option, we compared alternative or low-input practices to normal chemical-based practices, e.g., mechanical weed control (alternative option) vs. herbicide (normal chemical option). To strengthen the results, two quantitative variables completed the analysis: fungicide mean sprayed dose in the field and number of fungicides sprayed in the field. Results showed that each alternative or low input practice had an impact on TFI, but that this impact differed between wine-growing regions and between the management options under consideration. Regarding fungicides, our results showed that late timing of first fungicide spray (compared to regional reference) contributed to a reduction up to 50% of the part of the TFI due to fungicides, as compared to fields sprayed at median or early timing. Regarding herbicides, results of low-input/alternative practices were more homogeneous in terms of their relative impact on TFI reduction. The differences in use and impact of crop protection practices were more important between regions than between the two studied years. Our results may help policy makers to target methods for decreasing pesticide use, based on particularities of wine-growing regions and locally realistic practices.

Pests, diseases and crop protection practices in the smallholder sweetpotato production system of the highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Sweetpotato (Ipomea batatans) is a food crop of global significance. The storage roots and foliage of crop are attacked by a wide range of pests and diseases. Whilst these are generally well controlled in developed countries using approaches such as clean planting material and monitoring with pheromone traps to guide insecticide use, research into methods suitable for developing countries has lagged. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), sweetpotato is grown extensively as a subsistence crop and commercial production as a cash crop is developing. We report results from a survey of 33 smallholder producers located in the Highlands of PNG where the crop is of particular importance. Surveys of interviewees’ crops showed high levels of pest and disease impact to foliage, stems and storage roots, especially in crops that were several years old. Weevils (Curculionidae) were reportedly the most damaging pests and scab (caused by the fungus Elisnoe batatus) the most damaging disease. Most producers reported root damage from the former and foliar damage from the latter but the general level of knowledge of pest and disease types was low. Despite the apparency of pest and disease signs and symptoms and recognition of their importance by farmers, a large majority of producers reported practiced no active pest or disease management. This was despite low numbers of farmers reporting use of traditional cultural practices including phytosanitary measures and insecticidal plants that had the scope for far wider use. Only one respondent reported use of insecticide though pesticides were available in nearby cities. This low level of pest and disease management in most cases, likely due to paucity in biological and technical knowledge among growers, hampers efforts to establish food security and constrains the development of sweetpotato as a cash crop.

Interactive Effects of Fumigation and Fungicides on Potato Response to Nitrogen Rate or Timing

The availability and use of crop protectants including azoxystrobin in combination with fumigation has extended the Central Wisconsin effective growing season by 2 to 4 weeks. This study, evaluating the influence of these crop protection practices on the optimum nitrogen rate and time of application for Russet Burbank potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), was established as two 3-year field trials designed as split-split plot experiments. Both experiments used metam sodium as the main plots and fungicide treatment (chlorothalonil Zn alone or chlorothalonil Zn alternated with azoxystrobin for the first six sprays) as the first split. In-season fertilizer N rate (179, 224, 269, or 313 kg N ha−1) or in-season N timing (N split into two, three, or four applications at 269 kg N ha−1) was the second split. Not fumigating resulted in significantly higher verticillium ratings and severely repressed crop yield and tuber quality responses to both fungicide treatment and N rate. On average, fumigation increased total yield 13.6 Mg ha−1yr−1, U.S. No. 1 tubers by 9 % and U.S. No. 1 tubers >170 g by 5 % over where fumigation was not used. In 2 of the 3 years when azoxystrobin was included in the fungicide program early blight severity was reduced by about 50 %, and on fumigated areas yields were increased 4.8 Mg ha−1, whereas no yield increase was seen from this fungicide treatment on the non-fumigated plots. In these same years, fumigation increased optimum N rate by about 50 kg ha−1; however, there was no apparent interaction with fungicide treatment. Although fumigation, fungicide treatment, and time of N application each influenced tuber yield or tuber quality in some years, in the two more responsive years some interactions between these factors were statistically significant, with benefits generally only seen where plots were fumigated.

Environmental impacts of imported and locally grown fruits for the French market: a cradle-to-farm-gate LCA study

Introduction. Fruits are under growing scrutiny regarding their environmental impacts. However, fruit cropping systems have seldom been studied using life cycle assessment (LCA). As part of the Agribalyse® project, the cropping systems for apple and peach in France, clementine in Morocco, and mango in Brazil were evaluated with a cradle-to-farm-gate LCA in order to include the manufacturing, transportation and utilization of all inputs used on the farm. Materials and methods. Representative systems for each fruit were designed, relying mostly on expert knowledge for apple, peach and clementine, and on a detailed survey of eight commercial orchards for mango from the Rio San Francisco Valley in Brazil. Potential environmental impacts were calculated using the ReCiPe Midpoint (H) method. Results and discussion. For most impact categories, apple showed the least impacts, followed by mango, peach and clementine. For marine eutrophication, mango and small citrus had the least impact, followed by apple and peach far above. For ecotoxicity, mango had the least impact followed by apple, peach and clementine far above. For each fruit cropping system, margins of improvement were identified and associated with agronomic recommendations. Generally speaking, the key aspects driving the eco-efficiency of fruit cropping systems at the farm gate were the yield, the fertilizer rates, the use of toxic substances for pest management, the water requirement associated with its local availability and the energy source for irrigation. The ecotoxicity results revealed were uncertain due to the difficulty of determining representative crop protection practices for perennial crops. Conclusion. The Agribalyse® program represented an important step forward for the environmental assessment of fruits. Complementary research is needed to design better crop protection practices, field emissions and water-use impacts. (Resume d'auteur)

Genetic options for combating biotic stresses in cool-season food legumes

Cool-season food legumes, mainly faba bean (Vicia faba), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), field pea (Pisum sativum), lentil (Lens culinaris) and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), are economically and ecologically important crops in many countries. However, a number of biotic stresses (diseases, insects and parasitic weeds) constrain their productivity at farm level. Breeding efforts have been underway for many decades to address these biotic stresses at national and international levels. As a result number of improved varieties are developed and released along with proper crop management and protection practices. Due to the appearances of new pathogen population; absence of resistance sources for pests in the cultigen for pests with wide host range and emerging pests, continued breeding efforts have been required to come up with new cultivars. Molecular markers have started playing a major role to facilitate deploying complex traits to adaptive cultivars background. The purpose of this review is, therefore, to shed light on research progresses and challenges in cool season food legume breeding to major diseases, insect pests and parasitic weeds.

Apple Futures: a new crop protection paradigm for New Zealand apple exports

New Zealand apple growers have continually adapted their crop protection systems to meet international phytosanitary standards and supermarket demands for food safety from sustainable production systems. Until the mid-1990s crop protection programmes were dominated by organophosphate (OP) insecticides needed to meet phytosanitary requirements alone. The development of customer assurance programmes by European supermarkets from the mid-1990s led to changes in crop protection practices, leading to the widespread adoption of Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) by 2001. Total insecticide applications had decreased by 65% and OP insecticides by 99% with small increases in codling moth risk. Addressing stringent residue restrictions in European markets and codling moth phytostanitary requirements in other markets required a harmonised approach for pest management in export crops. Apple Futures was developed in 2008 to achieve average residues at harvest that were ≤10% of the EU residue tolerances, while still meeting the phytosanitary requirements of many pest-sensitive Asian markets. Apple Futures is now deployed on ~70% of national production and is based on selective and biological insecticides and increasing use of mating disruption for codling moth and leafrollers. Fungicide use remains relatively unchanged, albeit with much lower average residues at harvest, but insecticide use and residues have decreased significantly. Since the mid-1990s the total insecticide loading has declined from 13.7 to 1.3 kg a.i. per ha in 2014 while all residues were ≤10% of EU tolerances. Under Apple Futures strategies codling moth larval incidence has declined as have some previously important pest groups (e.g., leafrollers), through enhanced biological control.

Integrating Experience, Evidence and Expertise in the Crop Protection Decision Process.

Generically, farm-scale crop protection decision making may be characterized as a process beginning with an initial assessment of disease risk followed by the accumulation of evidence related to current risk factors, leading to a risk prediction. What action is then taken depends on the response of the decision owner, taking into account previous experience, advice from trusted sources, alongside policy or legislative constraints on crop protection practice that are intended to mitigate any impacts that may transcend the farm scale. This process has commonalities with decision-making in the strategy of preventive medicine. This article delves into the clinical literature in order to provide a perspective on some recent discussions of shared decision making presented there, discussions that relate to issues also faced in sustainable crop protection.

Vegetable production in Togo and potential impact of pesticide use practices on the environment

In West Africa, market gardening is considered one of the sectors in agriculture that consumes lots of pesticides. In order to study (i) the principal protection practices of vegetables and (ii) the inherent environmental risks to pesticide use practices, a survey was carried in Togo from 2010 to 2011. A random selection of 161 farmers were interviewed on their farms, which are distributed over the most important vegetable production sites located in dry Savanna, forests and littoral zones of Togo. The results showed that 88% of farmers interviewed responded that, insects are the most important vegetable pests in Togo. Crop protection practices are primarily based on excessive use of synthetic pesticides which in most cases include organophosphates (27.3%) and pyrethroids (18.2%), known to be dangerous to human health and environment. Despite the excessive use of pesticides, farmers revealed that insect pests continue to cause serious damages, which is an indication that they have developed a resistance to pesticides. Moreover, about 80% of farmers did not have adequate materials for handling and application of pesticides and are thus exposed to pesticide poisoning. An integrated pest management programme based on crop rotation, biological control and biopesticides is discussed.Keywords: Farmers, market gardening, crop protection, pests’ resistance.

Factors preventing the adoption of alternatives to chemical pest control among Pakistani cotton farmers

Providing pest control solutions that are less harmful to the farmers and the environment, while maintaining effectiveness on pests is a major goal in modern crop protection. A survey of randomly selected cotton farmers from two districts of Punjab in Pakistan was conducted to study common crop protection practices and related behaviors of farmers in an attempt to identify factors preventing the adoption of alternatives to chemical pest control in the area. Almost all farmers reported using pesticides extensively as the only way of controlling pests and often by mixing two or more different pesticide products. Most farmers felt that spraying with chemicals is not only highly effective, but it is also the only viable option available at the moment. Thus, despite significant health concerns, they felt forced to use pesticides. Almost half (49%) of the farmers, irrespective of age, showed a tendency toward pesticide overuse by spraying higher quantities of pesticides than those required. To model farmers’ behavior toward environmentally sound alternatives of pest control, a binary probit regression model was used expressing behavior as a function of age, education, farm size, income, risk perception levels, adverse health effects by pesticides, and training. Education and training were the main determinants of environmentally sound behavior in pest control, in the sense that high levels of education and training appeared to discourage pesticide use in the study area. In contrast, experience of health problems was not associated with behaviors toward pesticide reduction or adoption of alternative pest control practices. Additionally, governmental policies, such as the outdated extension system and the easy availability of pesticides under a non-existing or poor regulation system, which encourage farmers to utilize pesticides, should be considered as extra major barriers in the adoption of alternative pest control practices.

Transcription factors in resistance against pathogen Botrytis cinerea in Arabidopsis

A large number of defense genes are activated in plants when responding to pathogen infection. Furthermore, transcription factors are suggested to play important roles in regulating huge defense network in plants. The necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive pathogens which could result in massive economic losses in the agriculture. Our review summarized the study results of members from transcription factor ERF, WRKY and MYB families which function in resistance of Botrytis cinerea in Arabidopsis thaliana. The transcription factors come into more elaborate regulation network through interacting with target genes at mRNA or protein levels aiming at activating expression of defense genes which lead to resistance against the fungus. Some transcriptional factors were discovered to be the main nodes and regulators in different phytohormones crosstalk, illustrating and connecting the molecular mechanisms of plants against different types of pathogens. Study on the transcription factor mentioned above, provides us clues for the study of other plant pathogen defense mechanism. Further understanding of disease mechanisms will help researchers to utilize the resis-tance genes in crop improvement and protection practice.

Agroecological weed control using a functional approach: a review of cropping systems diversity

Agriculture since the 1950s has shown pronounced trends toward specialisation and intensification. Intensive measures have been taken for crop protection against pests through the widespread use of chemical pesticides in order to reduce the loss of agriculture yield. Although crop protection practices have reduced the overall potential losses of 50 % to actual losses of about 30 %, crop losses due to pests still vary from 14 to 35 % according to the country. Moreover, consequences of this intensive agriculture are now well known with an important increase of atmospheric CO2 concentrations, water pollution and biodiversity loss. Current challenge is thus to design alternative sustainable cropping systems which maintain food production while reducing externalities. Application of ecological principles to agroecosystems has been proposed for that purpose. Nonetheless, it is difficult since crop systems are characterised by frequent and high disturbances, high nutrient input and high pressure of human activities. Here, we review the current knowledge in weed science and functional ecology and propose a conceptual framework to analyse weed community assembly in arable fields. Cropping systems are highly variable in their combination of agricultural techniques. We designed a trait-based approach of functional diversity (1) to establish a comparative description of the environmental gradients created by cropping systems and (2) to characterise the response of weeds to environmental gradients. We categorise the effects of cropping systems on the environment into disturbance and resource gradients. Disturbances induced by actual and previous agricultural practices are split into physical and chemical components, whose regime are defined by disturbance timing and frequency. Resource availability in arable fields is described by the value of effect traits of crops, such as plant height, that are related to their use of resources. Finally, we provide a list of relevant response traits of weeds to each component of the two gradients.

Seasonal Patterns of Aster Leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) Abundance and Aster Yellows Phytoplasma Infectivity in Wisconsin Carrot Fields

In Wisconsin, vegetable crops are threatened annually by the aster yellows phytoplasma (AYp), which is obligately transmitted by the aster leafhopper. Using a multiyear, multilocation data set, seasonal patterns of leafhopper abundance and infectivity were modeled. A seasonal aster yellows index (AYI) was deduced from the model abundance and infectivity predictions to represent the expected seasonal risk of pathogen transmission by infectious aster leafhoppers. The primary goal of this study was to identify periods of time during the growing season when crop protection practices could be targeted to reduce the risk of AYp spread. Based on abundance and infectivity, the annual exposure of the carrot crop to infectious leafhoppers varied by 16- and 70-fold, respectively. Together, this corresponded to an estimated 1,000-fold difference in exposure to infectious leafhoppers. Within a season, exposure of the crop to infectious aster leafhoppers (Macrosteles quadrilineatus Forbes), varied threefold because of abundance and ninefold because of infectivity. Periods of above average aster leafhopper abundance occurred between 11 June and 2 August and above average infectivity occurred between 27 May and 13 July. A more comprehensive description of the temporal trends of aster leafhopper abundance and infectivity provides new information defining when the aster leafhopper moves into susceptible crop fields and when they transmit the pathogen to susceptible crops.

Behavioural avoidance and enhanced dispersal in neonicotinoid-resistant Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

The peach potato aphid Myzus persicae is a major agricultural pest capable of transmitting over 100 plant viruses to a wide range of crops. Control relies largely upon treatment with neonicotinoid insecticides such as thiamethoxam (TMX). In 2009, a strain denoted FRC, which exhibits between 255- and 1679-fold resistance to current neonicotinoids previously linked to metabolic and target site resistance, was discovered in France. Dispersal behaviour may potentially further enhance the resistance of this strain. This study investigated this possibility and is the first to compare the dispersal behaviour of aphid clones of the same species with differing levels of neonicotinoid resistance. Comparing the dispersal behaviour of the FRC strain with that of a clone of lower neonicotinoid resistance (5191A), and a susceptible clone (US1L) highlighted several differences. Most importantly, the FRC strain exhibited an increased ability to locate untreated areas when presented with an environment consisting of both TMX-treated and untreated plant tissue. The altered dispersal behaviour of the FRC may partially account for the high level of neonicotinoid resistance exhibited by this strain in the field. Since the dispersal of aphid vectors is key to the transmission of viruses across crop fields this has implications for current crop protection practice.

Short Communication&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Use of Indigenous Crop Protection Practices among Legume Crop Farmers in North-Central Nigeria

Legumes occupy a special position in Nigeria’s agricultural landscape. Apart from being relatively affordable sources of protein, legumes have the unique ability of soil enrichment, thus making them suitable in most farming systems in Nigeria. Unfortunately, legume production suffers from several challenges, chief among which is pest and disease infestation. This study investigated the level, types, determinants, and perceived effectiveness of the use of indigenous crop protection practices (ICPPs) among legume farmers in north-central Nigeria. A four-stage random sampling procedure was used to select 327 respondents, consisting of farmers cultivating cow pea, pea nut, and soya bean in Benue, Kogi, and Kwara States. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to elicit data from respondents. The study identified major pests and diseases of legumes, noted a rising trend in infestation, and revealed that traditional crop protection practices preponderated over chemical application. However, 29% of respondents used a combination of both methods. The most widely used ICPPs were crop rotation, bush fallowing, cutting of infected plant parts; and application of pepper (Capsicum Annum), neem (Azadirachta Indica) extracts and wood ash to control pests. The use of ICPPs prediction profile featured respondents’ socio-economic and occupational variables. Farm size, income, and age exhibited significant correlations with use of the ICPPs. Convincingly, most respondents perceived the ICPPs to be more effective than chemicals, and that the ICPPs posed minimal risks. It is thus worthwhile to improve ICPPs and incorporate them into the mainstream of agricultural extension service delivery, especially among low-income and youth farmers in Nigeria Nigerian Journal of Technological Research

The influence of organic and conventional fertilisation and crop protection practices, preceding crop, harvest year and weather conditions on yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum) in a long-term management trial

The effects of organic versus conventional crop management practices (fertilisation, crop protection) and preceding crop on potato tuber yield (total, marketable, tuber size grade distribution) and quality (proportion of diseased, green and damaged tubers, tuber macro-nutrient concentrations) parameters were investigated over six years (2004–2009) as part of a long-term factorial field trial in North East England. Inter-year variability (the effects of weather and preceding crop) was observed to have a profound effect on yields and quality parameters, and this variability was greater in organic fertility systems. Total and marketable yields were significantly reduced by the use of both organic crop protection and fertility management. However, the yield gap between organic and conventional fertilisation regimes was greater and more variable than that between crop protection practices. This appears to be attributable mainly to lower and less predictable nitrogen supply in organically fertilised crops. Increased incidence of late blight in organic crop protection systems only occurred when conventional fertilisation was applied. In organically fertilised crops yield was significantly higher following grass/red clover leys than winter wheat, but there was no pre-crop effect in conventionally fertilised crops. The results highlight that nitrogen supply from organic fertilisers rather than inefficient pest and disease control may be the major limiting factor for yields in organic potato production systems.