Root rot of carrot

at the generic level. Årsvoll was the first to identify and describe the fungus in Norway, in 1965. An infection can occur through the soil and the air [...] that can infect both roots and foliage. The infection starts with small black spots over the entire surface of the carrot. These spots gradually change into [...] to black lesions of various shapes. The lesions can merge and eventually cover the entire surface of the carrot. The affected areas are firm, shallow, and

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

Downy mildew of Cucurbits

Inside the plant, the pathogens produce haustoria, small organs with which the pathogen can take up nutrients from the living plant cells. The pathogens [...] For most downy mildews, the optimum temperature is around 15 o C and the closer the temperature is to this, the shorter the leaf wetness period that is [...] brown. On the underside of the leave fluffy growth appears which is first white and later turns grey-brown. This is actually the sporulation of the pathogens

Black sigatoka disease

one month old. The symptoms run parallel to the veins. Within a few days, the spots become a few centimetres in size and turn brown with light grey centres [...] conidia. The ascospores are wind-dispersed over longer distances, the conidia are splash-dispersed within the crop. Both types of spores cause the exact same [...] symptoms. They enter the leaf through the stomata. After infection, hyphae emerge from the stomata and either develop into conidiophores with new conidia or

Bacterial wilt, brown rot

s roots on the stem. The vascular stem tissue is coloured brown and when the stem is cut, bacterial slime oozes from the wound. This is the way to distinguish [...] browning is common with bacterial slime oozing from the cut. When the bacteria transfers to young plants through infected tubers, the wilting and collapse [...] signs of wilting during the day which may disappear in the early stages of infection. Under conditions favourable for the bacteria, the whole plant will wilt

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

Red palm weevil

morphology of the palms, direct or indirect destruction of the apical bud will lead to the death of the plant, which makes the red palm weevil ( Rhynchophorus [...] weevil The adults of the red palm weevil ( Rhynchophorus ferrugineus ) are typical weevils: the head extends with a long thin rostrum that holds the antennae [...] Africa and Europe with distribution through the Mediterranean since the 1980s. Damage symptoms It is very difficult to recognize the first signs of red

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

Click beetles

General Click beetles are elongate beetles with a hard exoskeleton, with the head deeply retracted into the thorax. When disturbed they lie on their back [...] into the air with a audible click. Hence their name. Their larvae are called wireworms and feed on the roots of many plants. Damage symptoms The click [...] to black. The eggs are laid in May or June in groups in the soil. They hatch about one month later and the larvae start to feed on roots. The larvae (‘

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