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New cicada threatens crops: farmers on alert!
Current threats to agriculture in the Alzey-Worms district caused by the reed leafhopper and measures to combat it.
New cicada threatens crops: farmers on alert!
What's going on in agriculture? The current threat posed by the reed leafhopper has alarmed farmers. This new pest is spreading rapidly in Germany and could endanger yields, particularly in sugar beets, potatoes and various vegetables. Loud General newspaper The cicada flies from April to August and can quickly infect crops with dangerous bacterial pathogens.
The transmission of these pathogens occurs through the sucking of infected cicadas, although not every cicada is automatically infected. Matters are serious, however, as the bacteria are responsible for sugar beet disease (SBR) and potato tuber wilt. To counteract this, emergency approvals for certain pesticides are necessary, but combating them remains a major challenge. As the Agriculture BW reported, monitoring measures are in progress by the Breisach Agricultural Office, in which sticky traps and landing net catches are used.
Required measures and their consequences
One proposal to combat it is to leave arable land fallow for long periods over the winter. However, this could affect soil protection and may require economical changes in crop planning. A problem because many farmers are aware of the balance between securing yields and environmental protection. According to an article by MD agricultural machinery Plant protection and pest control are central issues that are crucial not only for maintaining the quality of the harvest, but also for the livelihoods of many farmers.
It is therefore important to find the right mix between chemical and biological plant protection products, with greater emphasis on integrated approaches. Digital technologies also offer promising opportunities for working precisely and conserving resources. But this comes with challenges such as the development of resistance in pests and potential environmental pollution from chemical agents.
The look forward
The future of agriculture should not only secure yields, but also protect the environment. The development and research of new, environmentally friendly biological crop protection products is becoming increasingly important. Recommendations for monitoring and surveillance of pests are essential in order to be able to react to such threats at an early stage and thus secure the harvest.
It is important for farmers in the region to remain vigilant and closely monitor developments surrounding the reed leafhopper. This is the only way to overcome the challenges that these new pests bring with them.