How can farmers protect their crops from pests and diseases?

Farmers employ a variety of pest control strategies to control weeds, insects, fungi, viruses and bacteria. They till their soils, rotate their crops, explore their fields and carefully consider factors such as plant density and planting dates. They also apply organic and synthetic pesticides. Mechanical crop protection controls help farmers physically eliminate pests.

They include barriers that prevent insects and animals from entering the field, traps, mulching, soil solarization, and steam sterilization practices. Crops are vulnerable to attack, damage and competition. Insects, plant diseases, nematodes, rodents, weeds and air pollution are some of the many enemies that can reduce crop yields and deny humans the use of some of the crops they store on farms. Crop rotation is an effective way to keep pests from getting used to the types of plants being grown.

The method consists of alternating the species of crops that are cultivated each year. In addition to controlling pests, this cultivation method also increases soil fertility. In addition, the industry is constantly evolving, providing farmers with increasingly effective methods of pest control.

Sustainable agriculture works

with nature to keep crops, pests, diseases, weeds and soil life in balance.

While most farmers today rely on chemical pesticides, they cannot foresee the impact of such pesticides on the environment. The use of reflective aluminum strips, placed as mulch in vegetable fields, has reduced or prevented the attack of aphids and, therefore, has protected cucumbers, pumpkins and watermelons from mosaic diseases. It will allow EOSDA Crop Monitoring to update satellite images more frequently and provide updated information on the state of the fields. Nematodes and plant diseases can sometimes be controlled quite well by rotating crops, deep plowing, and burning the stubble and debris left over after harvest.

Insurance companies can monitor their customers' fields to determine the causes of crop damage and objectively assess the quality of agricultural work. Students will learn about the different types of pests and the damage they cause, including an example of pests on corn. Planting different types of crops provides places for useful insects to live and makes it difficult for pests to find the crop they like to eat. Control agents include parasites, predators, diseases, protozoa and nematodes that attack insect pests.

By watching them eat, or by looking at the remains of their food under the place where they sleep at night, you can tell if they are eating the fruit on your trees or if they are eating the insects that bite you or eating your crops. Therefore, in addition to introducing modern innovations in the sector, the protection of agricultural plants is an essential tool. Growing flowering plants that produce a lot of pollen will attract these wasps, and wasps will protect crops from pests. They cannot eliminate weeds at the same time, but farmers use them before planting or preventing new pests.

By following the pesticide label, they can ensure that they are applying the correct amount, as applying too much pesticide could seriously damage the crop.