An Improved Grading System For Measuring Plant Diseases Vol-36

Reviews Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

Environmental problems have always received immense attention from scientists. Toxicants pollution is a critical environmental concern that has posed serious threats to human health and agricultural production. Heavy metals and pesticides are top of the list of environmental toxicants endangering nature. This review focuses on the toxic effect of heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)) and pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides) adversely influencing the agricultural ecosystem (plant and soil) and human health. Furthermore, heavy metals accumulation and pesticide residues in soils and plants have been discussed in detail. In addition, the characteristics of contaminated soil and plant physiological parameters have been reviewed. Moreover, human diseases caused by exposure to heavy metals and pesticides were also reported. The bioaccumulation, mechanism of action, and transmission pathways of both heavy metals and pesticides are emphasized. In addition, the bioavailability in soil and plant uptake of these contaminants has also been considered. Meanwhile, the synergistic and antagonistic interactions between heavy metals and pesticides and their combined toxic effects have been discussed. Previous relevant studies are included to cover all aspects of this review. The information in this review provides deep insights into the understanding of environmental toxicants and their hazardous effects.

Heavy Metals and Pesticides Toxicity in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Human Health Implications.

https://bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1365-3059.1999.0411b.x

Biological Control of Weeds. A World Catalogue of Agents and their Target Weeds.

Increase in food production is the prime-most objective of all countries, as world population is expected to grow to nearly 10 billion by 2050 Based on evidence, world population is increasing by an estimated 97 million per year (Saravi and Shokrzadeh, 2011) The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has in-fact issued a sobering forecast that world food production needs to increase by 70%, in order to keep pace with the demand of growing population However, increase in food production is faced with the ever-growing challenges especially the new area that can be increased for cultivation purposes is very limited (Saravi and Shokrzadeh, 2011) The increasing world population has therefore put a tremen‐ dous amount of pressure on the existing agricultural system so that food needs can be met from the same current resources like land, water etc In the process of increasing crop pro‐ duction, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, nematicides, fertilizers and soil amendments are now being used in higher quantities than in the past These chemicals have mainly come into the picture since the introduction of synthetic insecticides in 1940, when organochlorine (OCl) insecticides were first used for pest management Before this introduction, most weeds, pests, insects and diseases were controlled using sustainable practices such as cultural, mechanical, and physical control strategies

/pdf/pesticides-environmental-impacts-and-management-strategies-59v0x0zo9d.pdf

Pesticides: Environmental Impacts and Management Strategies

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is a well-known onion pest worldwide. Onion thrips cause both direct and indirect damage to onion by feeding and ovipositing on leaves that may cause green onions (scallions) to be unmarketable and dry bulb onion size to be reduced. Onion thrips can also transmit several plant pathogens that reduce onion bulb size and quality. One of the most economically damaging onion pathogens transmitted by onion thrips is Iris yellow spot virus (Bunyaviridae: Tospovirus ). In this article, we discuss onion thrips geographical distribution, host range, biology, damage, monitoring, economic thresholds, and management in onion production.

Onion Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Biology, Ecology, and Management in Onion Production Systems

Four different types of organic mulches were evaluated for their effects on soil surface insects and related arthropods. Field experiments were conducted in fall 2007 and 2008 near Citra, Florida. In both the years, five treatments were compared: cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) mulch, sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) mulch, sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor Moench × S. sudanense ((Piper)] Stapf) mulch, pine bark nuggets, and unmulched control. Data were collected on insects and other arthropods using pitfall traps. Results indicate that organic mulches can affect a wide range of different insects. Diptera, dominated by Asyndetus spp. (Dolichopodidae), were most dense in pine bark plots in both years. Populations of small plant-feeding insects such as Aphididae, Thripidae, and Aleyrodidae were most dense in cowpea and unmulched control plots in one season. It is possible that these insects were affected by weed growth in cowpea and control plots. Ants, which tend or feed on small plant fee...

Effect of Organic Mulches on Soil Surface Insects and Other Arthropods

Diapause is defined as a period of suspended development in insects and other invertebrates during unfavorable environmental conditions. Diapause is commonly confused with term “quiescence” as both are dormant development stages. Here this paper aimed to review the research work done on different aspects of diapause. Attempt was made to explain definitions of diapause, incidence, stages and termination of diapause, genetic control, factors affecting diapauses, including temperature, photoperiod, moisture and food, etc..

Insect Diapause: A Review

Lesser cornstalk borer (LCB), Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), is a serious pest of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and many other crops. The effect of mulching as a management method for LCB was examined in 2 field experiments conducted in small plots (1 m2) at 2 different locations (experiments A and B) in Alachua Co., FL. Both experiments were conducted in the summer and repeated in the fall, 2007. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 5 replications at both locations. In experiment A, treatments were bare ground, plots with mulch, and plots with weeds (original weed cover); while in experiment B, treatments were bare ground and mulched plots. The mulch was obtained from a crop of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) planted at another location. Data were collected on bean plant mortality, plant growth parameters (fresh weight, height, and length including roots of surviving plants), and population levels of potential predators. LCB attack was less (P ≤ 0.10) in mu...

https://bioone.org/journals/florida-entomologist/volume-93/issue-2/024.093.0206/Mulch-as-a-Potential-Management-Strategy-for-Lesser-Cornstalk-Borer/10.1653/024.093.0206.pdf

Mulch as a Potential Management Strategy for Lesser Cornstalk Borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in Bush Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Harsimran K. Gill

Papers

Pesticides: Environmental Impacts and Management Strategies

Onion Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Biology, Ecology, and Management in Onion Production Systems

Effect of Organic Mulches on Soil Surface Insects and Other Arthropods

Insect Diapause: A Review

Mulch as a Potential Management Strategy for Lesser Cornstalk Borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in Bush Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)