By: CropLife International

Like all agricultural innovations, crop protection products have evolved tremendously since their inception. From natural chemical elements to plant- and metal-based insecticides to synthetic products, formulations have drastically changed and for the better: today’s products are more sustainable, targeted, efficient and environmentally friendly than their predecessors. In honor of Earth Day on April 22, here’s a brief history of the evolution of crop protection products.

The first recorded use of an insecticide was about 4,500 years ago by the Sumarians, who used sulfur compounds to control insects and mites attacking their food sources. Then, in the first century B.C., Romans used a few techniques – a compound made from crushed olives, burnt sulfur and salt – to control ants and weeds in their crops. In 800 A.D., the Chinese used arsenic mixed with water to control insects in their field crops and citrus orchards. Other pesticides, derived from natural sources such as pyrethrum from dried Chrysanthemum flowers and nicotine extract from tobacco plants, evolved over time.

From 1750 to about 1880, farmers began using crop protection products more widely and international trade promoted the use of plant- and metal-based insecticides. Until the early 1900s, Europe and the U.S. used compounds made with sulfur, iron, copper, arsenic and sodium to control weeds in cereal crops and fungus in grapes. In the 1930s and 40s, effective and widely used fungicides were developed along with the first synthetic insecticides.

By the 1960s and 70s, farmers began to utilize Integrated Pest Management(IPM) to control pests. IPM is based on the idea that farmers can manage insect pests, using crop protection products only when needed. This practice paved the way for the development of more targeted and environmentally friendly products, such as pyrethrum-based formulations. In addition, with improved research, the plant science industry began developing more efficient products that were effective at lower rates, such as 1 ounce of active ingredient per acre rather than 2 pounds used previously. Herbicides like glyphosate, which are still commonly used today, were developed in the 1970s and have continued to improve and become more efficient over time.

In the 1990s, crop protection product development concentrated on finding active ingredients that better target pests. Through biotechnology, plant scientists also improved the IPM concept – using naturally occurring materials such as insect hormone or venom, microbes or plant material extracts like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) – to more accurately and selectively target pests. Finally, weed treatments, such as neonicotinoids, were developed during this time to protect emerging seedlings from pests while not impacting beneficial species like pollinators.

The plant science industry invests heavily in research to develop new products, ensuring that they do not pose unacceptable risks to humans or the environment. In fact, it now takes about $286 million USD and 11 years of research and development to bring a new crop protection product to market.

Today, crop protection products are more environmentally friendly, targeted and efficient, allowing farmers to better control target pests while allowing beneficial flora and fauna to prosper.

This article and the image included was published and created by CropLife International. See original post here. 

RNAi is Code for Crop Improvement

Plant scientists are saving food crops from near extinction by using a naturally occurring process called RNA Interference (RNAi) to combat pests and diseases, improve nutritional value, and reduce food waste. For example, RNAi was used to develop ringspot virus-resistant papayas, which saved Hawaii’s papaya industry. Orange trees that resist citrus greening, a devastating citrus disease, and maize resistant to corn rootworm are RNA-based products in the pipeline.

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RNAi occurs in the cells of living things in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression, thereby preventing protein production. Proteins are the building blocks of tissues and they carry out many essential biological functions. In some cases, decreasing the production of specific proteins can be beneficial. RNAi works like a “dimmer switch” to dial down the level of a protein, which can be used to modify food crops in useful ways. For example, RNAi can reduce the production of proteins responsible for the development of a disease or essential for a pest’s survival, thus protecting plants.

RNA-based technologies can also benefit crops in other ways – from the reduction of undesirable traits, to improved quality and nutrition. Already commercialized RNA-based products include non-browning apples, nicotine-free tobacco, decaffeinated coffee, and soybeans with less saturated fat. Research using RNAi methods include crops with lower levels of natural toxins, such as gossypol in cotton seeds and linamarin in cassava plants, as well as nutrient-fortified and hypo-allergenic crops.

RNA-based technologies can improve crop performance by increasing stress tolerance, inducing early flowering or delaying ripening or deterioration. These attributes help farmers increase yields or harvest crops at optimal times.

They may also be used to develop crop protection products that only affect targeted pests. For example, an insecticide could only impact corn rootworm in maize but not other insects, animals or workers. The possibilities are endless with RNAi for improving plant genetics!

This article and the image included was published and created by CropLife International. See original post here. 

Imagine your favorite fruit disappearing from the grocery store! Many food crops are seriously threatened by deadly diseases and viruses. Plant science is saving these endangered foods:

This post was published by CropLife International. See original post here.