• Pepper weevil

  Overview They belong to the Curculionidae family, which is made up of more than 40,000 species. They have very hard bodies and are small in size. They prefer [...] brown mandibles. When they hatch inside an immature fruit, they move towards the middle of the mass of young seeds; whereas, when they hatch inside the flower [...] especially the Capsicum genus (peppers); they feed on this fruit, lay eggs, and complete their lifecycle. They must be carefully and continuously monitored

• Crop Monitoring and Scouting

  Understanding crop monitoring and scouting In the world of agriculture and horticulture, the phrase "knowledge is power" couldn't be truer. Crop monitoring and scouting are crucial practices that can

• Apple scab

  released when they become wet. The ascospores are wind-dispersed to the fruit trees and will germinate if free water is available. They infect the plant [...] growers about conducive periods and when they are to be expected. Ascospores are released at heavy rainfall. They germinate between 6 and 26 °C. At optimum [...] harmed by for example application of compounds against stem canker, since they help in decomposing the infected leaves Prevent plant diseases by optimizing

• Tomato russet mite

  plants. When newly laid they are creamy white but turn to a patchy yellow as they age. The mites have two nymphal stages: sometimes they are also called larva [...] long. They usually develop to the 2nd stage within a day. All life stages look very similar. The adults develop after about two or three days. They are cream [...] the first time in Australia and is a pest in tomatoes in all areas where they are grown. Other members of the plant family Solanaceae may be affected to

• Beneficial microorganisms

  harnessed for pest control through applications like biopesticides, where they are introduced to target pests, providing an eco-friendly alternative to [...] pesticides, beneficial microorganisms pose minimal risk to the environment. They break down naturally, leaving no harmful residues. Precision pest control

• Bacterial spot

  which are first round and become more angular as they grow. The centre of the lesions may fall out as they become drier. Under humid conditions, the spots [...] round and small to start with and slightly raised from the leaf surface. They occur on the abaxial (underside of) leaf surfaces and may enlarge into dark [...] light brown. On fruits the spots are first small, circular and green but they turn brown, become raised and look like cracked scab. Life cycle and appearance

• Sciarid flies

  antennae. They have relatively long legs, and the wings show very clear venation. The fly has a small head equipped with sucking mouth parts, but they hardly [...] smaller than the females. They are not fast fliers, and prefer damp areas in dark places, with a lot of organic material. They occur the whole year round [...] colour. They are laid on the ground surface close to plant roots. The larvae can grow to 5 to 12 mm in length and 0.5 to 1.5 mm in diameter. They are legless

• Angular leaf spot

  initially causes small, water-soaked lesions on the underside of the leaf. They enlarge to angular spots, often limited by the small veins. The distinctive [...] is used, the lesions look dark green, but when transmitted light is used, they are translucent. When conditions are humid, a viscous bacterial exudate forms [...] This exudate changes to a white film when it dries. Lesions may merge as they grow and later also become visible on the upper side of the leaf as irregular

• May beetle

  a method which works for all species. They can best be identified based on examination of the male genitalia. They have a very long lifecycle, lasting between [...] early spring they either start feeding again or when the larvae are fully grown a kind of earthern cell is created in the ground in which they pupate. The [...] external physical similarities between the adults and larvae of this genus, they are usually treated as a single group, sharing similar habits and biology

• Wheat bunt

  and easily hybridize. There is debate whether they should indeed be considered separate species, since they cause the exact same symptoms. Tilletia tritici [...] showing the bunt (smut spore) they contain, which is larger than a normal kernel. The bunt balls are grey-brown. They rupture at harvest and release black