crop loss

The allium leafminer, a tiny but destructive insect, was identified in leeks and onions in Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania, say Penn State entomologists. "This is the first confirmed infestation in the Western Hemisphere."

Nematodes, tiny soil-dwelling animals, cause billions of dollars of crop losses each year. But researchers at U-Missouri and the University of Bonn "have found the first genetic evidence linking one method these animals use to attack plants," says a Missouri release. The scientists "proved that nematodes use a specialized hormone to help them feed."

Nearly one-fourth of the damage from natural disasters in the developing world is inflicted on agriculture, says a study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), which protects commodities not covered by crop insurance, is being modified to increase access for beginning, limited-resource and other producers who do not have risk protection from...

Two farm operations in southwestern Oregon filed suit in state court against a voter-approved ban on genetically engineered crops in Jackson County, says the Medford Mail Tribune.

From the Aral Sea basin in central Asia to the San Joaquin Valley of California, 20 percent of the world's irrigated land is degraded by salt buildup, says a study by United Nations University.