Arable
Pheromones deployed in war against midges and weevil
G
rowers will be able to use insect phero- mones to combat midges and weevils in legumes such as peas and beans. It follows a £200k grant from Innovate UK grant to PheroSyn – a company spun off by Roth- amsted Research to develop new ways of tack- ling pests. It is working with the UK Processors and Growers Association (PGRO). Over 18 months, the partners will establish manufacture and distribute pheromone prod- ucts to farmers to enable a smarter application of pesticides. PGRO agronomists will then trap and monitor midge and weevil popularions. Management of midges and weevils is notori-
ously diffi cult. Food can potentially be exposed to pesticides when targeting specifi c stages of their life cycles – leading to possible contamination of the human and animal food chain. PheroSyn business manager Daniel Bahia
said: “There is a growing global trend away from reliance on chemical pesticides in food produc- tion in favour of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies.
“Demand for our existing pea and pear midge pheromone products has been clear, and this
grant allows us to accelerate development of the next range of products, leading to afforda- ble, safe to eat food in a way that promotes zero carbon agriculture.” PGRO research and development manager
Becky Howard said: “We are really pleased to be working with PheroSyn to help develop IPM tools for growers and to ensure a sustainable fu- ture for UK legumes.”
Masterclass
Measuring pest populations should be carried out before any decisions are made on applying insecticides, says the PGRO. It hsd produced a masterclass video to help growers understand how to trap and assess pest populations. The PGRO says a range of preventative tools will be key for farmers looking to reduce cases of pea and bean weevil, while fi nding more sus- tainable ways of farming in line with new agri- cultural policy. Rotation, cultivation, drill timing, sanitation and forecasting are all options that farmers can take advantage of to prevent damage caused by pests and reducing the need for spraying.
Pheromones offer a new way to control bean weevil
LOWER OAKLEY, DISS, NORFOLK IP21 4AQ
Grain Handling & Milling Systems
• Manufacturers of steel framed building, grain stores, livestock buildings general purpose building and commercial building
• All building designed in house to EN1090-2, and erected with our own employed staff
• Grain drying and handling systems supplied and installed
• All ground and civils works under taken to provide a turnkey project
All groundworks undertaken All buildings constructed CE marked DIN1090
Tel: 01692 535444 / 07717 478196 E:
andrew@mconstructionservices.co.uk
W:
www.mconstructionservices.co.uk 20 ANGLIA FARMER • JULY 2021
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
