Author: Admin

Regulation of Biological Control Agents

This book presents a comprehensive compilation of registration requirements necessary for authorisation of biological control agents (viruses, bacteria, fungi, active substances of natural origin and semiochemicals) in OECD countries. It also reviews data requirements for invertebrate agents (insect, mites and nematodes) and provides proposals for harmonisation of the regulation process and guidelines for completion of application forms. Based on results of the EU REBECA Policy Support Action, which gathered experts from academia, regulation authorities and industry, risks and benefits of the specific agents were reviewed and proposals for a more balanced registration process elaborated, including recommendations for acceleration of the authorisation process and discussions on trade-off effects and policy impacts. All these aspects are covered in detail in this book, which points the way forward for enhanced utilisation of biological control agents.

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Sprinklers and Watering Systems

• Practical advice for planning watering zones appropriate to climates and landscape varieties.

• Tips for successful do-it-yourself installation or for planning a system with a professional.

• Complete how-to for installing sprinkler equipment from a variety of manufacturers.

• Illustrated step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips, and do-it-yourself hints.

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Does organic farming benefit biodiversity? [An article from: Biological Conservation]

This digital document is a journal article from Biological Conservation, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The intensification and expansion of modern agriculture is amongst the greatest current threats to worldwide biodiversity. Over the last quarter of the 20th century, dramatic declines in both range and abundance of many species associated with farmland have been reported in Europe, leading to growing concern over the sustainability of current intensive farming practices. Purportedly ‘sustainable’ farming systems such as organic farming are now seen by many as a potential solution to this continued loss of biodiversity and receive substantial support in the form of subsidy payments through EU and national government legislation. This paper assesses the impacts on biodiversity of organic farming, relative to conventional agriculture, through a review of comparative studies of the two systems, in order to determine whether it can deliver on the biodiversity benefits its proponents claim. It identifies a wide range of taxa, including birds and mammals, invertebrates and arable flora, that benefit from organic management through increases in abundance and/or species richness. It also highlights three broad management practices (prohibition/reduced use of chemical pesticides and inorganic fertilisers; sympathetic management of non-cropped habitats; and preservation of mixed farming) that are largely intrinsic (but not exclusive) to organic farming, and that are particularly beneficial for farmland wildlife. However, the review also draws attention to four key issues: (1) It remains unclear whether a ‘holistic’ whole-farm approach (i.e. organic) provides greater benefits to biodiversity than carefully targeted prescriptions applied to relatively small areas of cropped and/or non-cropped habitats within conventional agriculture (i.e. agri-environment schemes); (2) Many comparative studies encounter methodological problems, limiting their ability to draw quantitative conclusions; (3) Our knowledge of the impacts of organic farming in pastoral and upland agriculture is limited; (4) There remains a pressing need for longitudinal, system-level studies in order to address these issues and to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of the impacts of organic farming, before a full appraisal of its potential role in biodiversity conservation in agroecosystems can be made.

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The Agriculture Manifesto: Ten Key Drivers that Will Shape Agriculture in the Next Decade

How to Stay Informed About the Future of Agriculture… Whether you are; – a farmer who wants to stay connected with consumer trends – an agribusiness person interested in where our industry is headed – or a consumer trying to separate hype from truth. I am willing to share what I see out in the field every day. The good news is, I am profoundly optimistic about the ability of agriculture to feed our planet, despite the population growth, because I see what science and technology are doing to improve our food production and because every day I work with dedicated, passionate people who care deeply about agriculture, the world’s most important industry. If you’d like us to help, just send an email to: Trends@AGRI-TREND.com I have a blast on Twitter and hope you follow me @RSaik

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