Mealybugs and scales

on this honeydew, which, as well as the white, waxy secretion of the mealybugs, reduces the ornamental value of the affected plants. Fruit and flowers are [...] is mainly the great quantity of honey-dew that causes the damage because of the sooty mould that grows on it. Ants are also attracted by the honeydew. [...] In fact, the honeydew with its sooty mould is usually the first sign of the presence of this type of pest. Among ornamental crops, ferns are particularly

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Plant Health

they transfer sugars to the root system, stimulating the soil food web. This interaction releases essential minerals, enabling the formation of complete [...] Embracing biological pest control Over the years, biological pest control has proven effective in managing pests without the drawbacks of chemical pesticides [...] ss and compliance with stringent chemical residue standards. Nurturing plant-soil interaction Understanding how plants interact with their environment

Cottony soft rot

sclerotia. The fungus grows quite rapidly inside the plant and kills the host cells. On the infected plant tissue white, fluffy mycelium occurs with new dark [...] grows on the lesions, giving this disease its name cottony soft rot. In the mycelium, big, dark sclerotia are formed. They can easily be seen with the naked [...] base and the roots, whereas the ascospores infect the above-ground plant parts. In greenhouses, usually only mycelium is produced by the germinating sclerotia

Damping-off

bulbs. At first, the plants recover during the night, but later the plants wilt irreversibly. In potted plants the flower buds fall off. The side roots rot [...] of the root system survives. On the border between air and soil or substrate the plant turns brown. A typical symptom of a Pythium infection is the easy [...] easy stripping of the skin from the root cortex with a finger nail. Life cycle and appearance of Damping-off Pythium belongs to the Oomycetes, a separate

Cotton bollworm

reddish-brown with dark spots. In later instars the head is mottled, and the body is marked with three prominent longitudinal dark bands with numerous lighter [...] about 40 mm. The grey-green males are smaller. The forewings are edged with a line of black spots, and the hindwings in both sexes are cream with a dark brown [...] long. The first instars are the most mobile, and move like loopers. The caterpillars are often aggressive and cannibalistic. Pupation occurs in the soil

Mediterranean fruit fly

suffused with greyish yellow and the abdomen mainly yellowish orange with 2 silvery crossbands. The wings are clear with black veins and marked with black [...] hatching, the larvae feed on the flesh of the fruit. As each fly lays several eggs in a fruit and different flies may lay eggs in the same fruit, the number [...] black mouth hooks. The puparium is 4-5 mm long, yellowish brown to reddish brown and barrel-shaped. The eggs are laid below the skin of the host fruit. After

Fusarium spp.

This species is the only Fusarium that actually grows inside the vascular system of the host plant and spreads upwards inside the plants. The other species [...] towards the foot of the plant and enters the vascular system. Inside the vessels, the fungus produces mycelium and many spores (microconidia), which are [...] upwards. At the same time, the plant produces gum as a defence mechanism to stop the fungus from spreading. This gum blocks the xylem and causes the wilting

A dive into organic hop farming and biological crop protection

However, amidst the challenges, there have been significant successes. Lukas recognizes the need for resilience and innovation in the face of change, [...] on addressing issues like the red spider mite. The promising future of organic agriculture For Lukas Locher, the experiences gained from using beneficial [...] techniques, and conduct numerous tests, highlighting the dynamic nature of embracing change in the agricultural landscape. As Lukas steers his hop farm

Diamond back moth

pointed toward the apex. The tips of the wings appear to turn upward slightly when viewed from the side. In males, the upper two-thirds of the forewings are [...] suffused with ochre or mixed with whitish scales. The lower one-third of the forewing is ochreous-white, with a nearly white upper edge. In females, the upper [...] and active. Except for the first instar, which mines in the leaf tissue, the larvae are voracious surface feeders. The pupae of the diamond back moth (Plutella