Bees provide essential pollination for many of the nut, berry, fruit, vegetable, and seed crops grown in the U.S. To supplement wild bee pollination, farmers often rent managed honey bee colonies. Demand is skyrocketing, but catastrophic die-offs are threatening the supply of healthy honey bee colonies. Parasitic mites, pathogens, pesticide chemicals, nutritional deficits, and environmental conditions have contributed to the …
Arkansas study shows nocturnal pollinators have similar pollinating potential as diurnal pollinators
The study overseen by Ashley Dowling, professor of entomology for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, was among the first to examine nocturnal pollination in agriculture and the first recorded study on night pollinators for apples. Robertson said apples were chosen because they are a primary food crop in the United States. Dowling said the night pollinator study was important because …
Safer, more sustainable pest management
Managing pests is essential to healthy, safe and productive agricultural, urban, residential and natural areas. However, chemical pesticides can cause air and water pollution and unintended harm to nontarget organisms. Exposure to pesticides has also been linked to human health problems. In addition, many pests eventually develop resistance to commonly used chemicals, rendering them ineffective. Researchers at land-grant universities across …
Taking care of America’s forests
Forests are a critical part of life on Earth. They purify air, filter water, store carbon, provide food and shelter for a diverse array of plants and animals, and produce natural resources like timber, paper and medicine. Forests are also important places for recreation and cultural practices. But forests across the United States are under threat from pests, pathogens, deforestation, …
Protecting habitats and biodiversity
Natural ecosystems provide clean air and water, food and shelter for wildlife and recreation opportunities. Agriculture, urbanization, climate change, pests and other stressors put America’s landscapes and native species, including essential pollinators, at risk. U.S. Land-grant universities are working to restore and protect ecosystems and biodiversity. Here are a few examples of that work: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) molecules …
Staying a step ahead of pests
Researchers at the nation’s land-grant universities are helping protect food crops from direct insect damage and diseases spread by insect pests. Their work helps improve crop quality, crop yield and farm profitability. Here are a few examples of that work: At Fort Valley State University in Georgia, researchers have found a combination of beneficial nematodes and a widely available insecticide …
Improving the health of livestock animals
Livestock producers are continually searching for new management strategies that will help them be both innovative and better animal stewards. Maintaining healthy animals may also protect human health. Here are a few examples of that work: A Georgia poultry scientist worked with a pharmaceutical company to redesign their Salmonella vaccine to reduce poultry deaths. The vaccine, which contains killed Salmonella, …
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