Cost of production and returns in growing mango orchard are estimated in different ways compared to annual crops. The present study has been designed to investigate cost of production, and returns per acre over the life time of mango trees. A sample of 20 mango growing farmers was taken purposively from various villages of Multan district. The objective was to work out benefit cost ratio and ne...

Controlling weeds in organic farming systems requires the use of many techniques and strategies in order to achieve economically acceptable weed control and yields. Weeds can always be pulled or cut out, but the question is simply how much can a grower spend in terms of time and money to reduce weed pressure. The more a grower is able to reduce weed pressure (seed and perennial propagules) the ...

ABSTRACT Pollination of the edible fig (Ficus carica cv. Calimyrna) is mediated by a small symbiotic wasp, Blastophaga psenes, that inhabits the syconium cavity of the spring crop of fig pollinator trees (caprifigs). These fig wasps also carry propagules, mainly of Fusarium verticillioides (formerly F. moniliforme) and other Fusarium spp., which cause endosepsis, from pollinator figs to the edi...

The sensitivity of Venturia inaequalis populations to the anilinopyrimidine fungicides pyrimethanil and cyprodinil was analysed by microscopic in vivo analysis of conidiophore formation. The sensitivity to the strobilurin kresoxim-methyl was analysed using an in vitro germination assay and by determination of the diseased leaf area and conidia produced in vivo. Baseline sensitivities were deter...

Hazelnut, a very important cash crop in Turkey, is frequently colonized by bark and ambrosia beetle species (Scolytinae). Some scolytine species may cause economic damage while other species do not; therefore, proper identification is important in orchard management. Extensive sampling demonstrated that the most common pest species in Turkey's hazelnut orchards are Anisandrus dispar, Xylosandru...

The grass sharpshooter, Draeculacephala minerva Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a very common and often abundant grass-feeding leafhopper in California. Its population dynamics and ability to transmit Xylella fastidiosa were monitored over a 2-yr period in California's San Joaquin Valley. Collections of individuals from natural populations in irrigated pastures and alfalfa, Medicago savita L...

Antibiotics are essential for control of bacterial diseases of plants, especially fire blight of pear and apple and bacterial spot of peach. Streptomycin is used in several countries; the use of oxytetracycline, oxolinic acid and gentamicin is limited to only a few countries. Springtime antibiotic sprays suppress pathogen growth on flowers and leaf surfaces before infection; after infection, an...

The codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), is a major pest of apple, pear and walnut orchards worldwide. This pest is often controlled using the biologically friendly control method known as pheromone-based mating disruption. Mating disruption likely exerts selection on the sexual communication system of codling moth, as male and female moths will persist in their attempt ...

This paper addresses the refactoring of an agricultural vehicle localization system and its deployment and field-testing in apple orchards. The system enables affordable precision agriculture in tree fruit production by providing the vehicle’s position in the orchard without the use of expensive differential GPS. The localization methodology depends only on the wheel and steering encoders and t...