Society is becoming increasingly aware of the value of healthy aquatic ecosystems as well as the effects that man's activities have on those ecosystems. In recent years, many urban and industrial sources of contamination have been reduced or eliminated. The agricultural community also has worked towards reducing off-site movement of agricultural chemicals, but their use in farming is still grow...

The inappropriate or unlawful use of pesticides on agricultural crops can result in unacceptably high levels of these compounds, and their metabolites, in produce destined for human consumption. To protect the health of consumers, many countries stipulate Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for each pesticide compound in a range of fruit and vegetables. Worldwide, there are over 800 compounds current...

For some polyphagous insects, adaptation to phytochemically novel plants can enhance resistance to certain pesticides, but whether pesticide resistance expands tolerance to phytochemicals has not been examined. Amyelois transitella Walker (navel orangeworm) is an important polyphagous pest of nut and fruit tree crops in California. Bifenthrin resistance, partially attributable to enhanced cytoc...

Constructed wetlands used to mitigate pesticide runoff from agricultural fields into receiving systems (e.g., lakes, rivers, streams) have been successful in reducing concentrations of non-point source pollutants such as agricultural insecticides (Moore et al., 2002; Leistra et al., 2003; Bouldin et al., 2005). Such wetlands also have important functions in enhancing the water quality and ecolo...

Pesticide residues in agricultural produce pose a threat to human health worldwide. Although the detoxification mechanisms for xenobiotics have been extensively studied in mammalian cells, information about the regulation network in plants remains elusive. Here we show that brassinosteroids (BRs), a class of natural plant hormones, decreased residues of common organophosphorus, organochlorine a...

Pesticide pollution of surface waters represents a considerable hazard for the aquatic environment. However, the mean amount of pesticides reaching the water resources varies considerably between regions and depends highly upon application rates, chemical characteristics of pesticides and natural conditions during application. In this study a model was developed which estimates loss of 42 activ...

Short rotation woody crop (SRWC) plantations use fast-growing tree species (such as Populus and Salix) grown under intensively managed conditions much like traditional agricultural crops (Dickmann and Stuart 1983). Typical rotation age ranges from 3-15 years, with the end products including energy and paper (pulp) products. Operational biomass plantations currently use a limited number of clone...

This paper surveys the level and distribution of economic impacts of GMOs in the Americas from 1996–2004. Key institutional factors influencing GMO diffusion are discussed. In 2004 the Americas accounted for 94%, of world GMO area. Diffusion has been concentrated; four countries, four crops and two traits account for the vast majority of area. The economic benefits of the diffusion of GMOs have...

This paper develops an econometric model to analyze the onfarm impact of adoption of genetically engineered (GE) crops on pesticide use and yields after controlling for other factors. The model, which corrects for self-selection and simultaneity and is consistent with profit maximization, is used to estimate the relationship between Bt corn adoption and insecticide use and yields using data fro...

An important factor in sustainable agriculture and economic management is to calculate areas under different crops that the inputs of agriculture connect to this topic. Planning of agricultural mechanization, fertilizer and pesticide requirements, pests and diseases control, estimates of agricultural production, income and tax and financial planning, all linked to the cultivated areas and estim...