Ripening is the end of the maturation process of certain fruits, when they become sweeter, softer and juicier. Upon its onset, ripening only takes a few days before the fruit starts to decay. This unavoidable process can lead to great losses from the farm to consumer but plant biotechnology can help reduce spoilage by delaying fruit ripening. Continue reading…
Source: CropLife International
Five videos from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization show the magnitude of global food loss and waste. Check it all out at CropLife International’s post (Click here).
Can you imagine 1.3 billion tonnes of food going missing? It happens every year! This month, we look into food loss and waste.
Source: CropLife International
Like bacteria with antibiotics, weeds naturally develop resistance to herbicides over time. In fact, about 250 weed species have evolved to resist 160 different herbicides, according to the International Survey of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds. These herbicide-resistant weeds have been reported in 86 crops in 66 countries. Continue reading…
In Africa, farmers can lose anywhere from 25 to 100 percent of their crops if weeds are not properly controlled. This is because weeds crowd out and steal resources – such as water or nutrients – from crops, causing them not to reach their full potential or die. Continue reading…
The majority of weeds are invasive, outcompeting crops for nutrients, sunlight, space and water. Each weed can produce an average of 72,000 seeds, which can germinate in soil for up to 40 years!
Of the 30,000 weed species worldwide affecting crops, about 230 are responsible for 90 percent of yield losses. Here are examples of weed thieves in regions around the world that steal yield from crops. Without intervention, such as the use of herbicides and biotech herbicide-tolerant seeds, these thieves can take a lot of cropland!
Globally, farmers lose 30 to 40 percent of their crops due to pests and diseases, according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization. To help reduce these losses, farmers use an approach known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) where they use the best combination of cultural, biological and chemical measures to keep their crops pest free. When it comes to chemical intervention, there are three main categories:
Without chemical protection, global crop yields would be decimated – here’s a snapshot of what your local market might look like if farmers didn’t have this vital tool.
This article was taken from CropLife International Plant Science Post.
Fruits and vegetables contain many beneficial natural chemicals like proteins and vitamins, however, some can also contain natural toxins. The potato, for example, contains the naturally occurring pesticide solanine to prevent insect attack. Solanine could be deadly in high quantities but the amount found in potatoes is harmless. This infographic helps put these natural chemicals into perspective.
Farmers have a range of tools in their pest-management toolbox to protect our food from attack. Crop protection products are just one of those tools and farmers only apply them when they are needed and use as little as possible. But how little is little? Click here to see our video!