Bruce Barker

Economic threshold for lesser clover leaf weevil in red clover CATEGORY Insects | The economic threshold when insecticide application should be initiated was calculated at 6 larvae per 10 shoots at the low market price, 4 larvae at the average price and 3 for the high price. A decision matrix was developed based on a full range of treatment costs and market seed prices to allow growers to use their own treatment and market prices to guide insecticide application.

Pea aphid thresholds in faba bean CATEGORY Insects | The average economic threshold (ET) was calculated at 34 to 50 aphids per main stem. This ET offers a 7-day lead time prior to aphid populations exceeding the economic injury level of 96 to 142 aphids per faba bean main stem. A major insect pest of faba bean is pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum. They cause damage by feeding on phloem sap, and can cause yield losses of up to 100 per cent.

The importance of stupidity in scientific research CATEGORY Agronomy | Martin Schwartz, a researcher in the Department of Microbiology, UVA Health System, University of Virginia, Charlottesville published this essay in the Journal of Cell Science in 2008. The content is still relevant today for researchers, agronomists and farmers who are struggling to solve a problem. I recently saw an old friend for the first time in many years.