Articles

What causes pesticide drift and how to avoid it

04 Dec 2022

Pesticide drift is a major concern, as it can cause damage to crops and harm people, animals, and the environment. Pesticides are commonly applied as sprays, which means they should stay within the target area...

ESG principles in the Agtech and foodtech industries

23 Nov 2022

ESG stands for Environmental, social and governance. It is a set of principles that companies use to evaluate their activities, including environmental, social and governance factors. Companies may have different approaches to ESG practices, depending...

Building resilience in the food supply chain

26 Oct 2022

Resilience in the food supply chain is a key driver for the healthy futures of plants and people. Climate change is leading to increasingly frequent and extreme whether events. Such events can cause damage to...

Certification in agriculture

20 Oct 2022

Certification is a set of standards and requirements that a product must meet in order to be certified. Certification ensures that producers follow certain rules during the production process; these rules include, for example, using...

How to grow cocoa trees

07 Oct 2022

Cocoa is a small tree that thrives in tropical climates such as Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia and Brazil . Cocoa trees produce fruit pods at their base, which contain cocoa beans. The beans are harvested...

Vertical farming

29 Sep 2022

Vertical farms are changing the way food is grown and distributed. They grow fresh produce in urban areas where it would be difficult or impossible to farm traditionally. Instead of using traditional soil-based agriculture, vertical...

Membrane bioreactors

19 Sep 2022

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are becoming increasingly popular as they provide an alternative to conventional activated sludge treatment processes that use secondary clarifiers and trickling filters. They combine membrane filtration technology with biological treatment, which allows...

Prediction of Pests Using Growing Degree Days

10 Sep 2022

Growing degree days (GDD) is a measurement of heat accumulated over time. Farmers use GDD to predict both the growth stage of the crop, as well as for predicting the occurrence of pests and the...

Using NDVI as a Tool to Monitor Crop Growth and Health

02 Sep 2022

Introduction NDVI, or Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, is a tool used to monitor crop health and growth. It is a measure of the greenness of a surface and provides an automated way to monitor the...

Soil Carbon Sequestration – An Approach to Mitigate Climate Change

13 Aug 2022

Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas. The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased in recent years, causing a stronger greenhouse effect and global warming. Carbon is stored in the atmosphere, vegetation, animals and...

Soil fertility and how to manage it

02 Jul 2022

In simple words, soil fertility, refers to a soil rich in nutrients. However, in the broader definition, it is determined by the physical and physiochemical properties of the soil. The physical properties include factors such...

Growing avocado

17 Jun 2022

Background Avocado (scientific name: Persea americana), It belongs to the family Lauraceae and originated from tropical America, particularly Mexico and Central America. Spanish explorers would later spread avocado to other parts of the world, many...

Using gypsum as a soil amendment

02 May 2022

What is gypsum? Gypsum is a naturally occurring di-hydrated calcium sulfate mineral, chemically represented as CaSO4.2H2O. This mineral dissolves in water and is found deposited below the earth’s surface in as a rock. Therefore, gypsum...

The coffee berry borer – a devastating pest

02 Apr 2022

Coffee berry borer (CBB), scientifically referred to as Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is the most devastating pest of coffee across the world. It originated in Africa but has spread to most coffee-growing areas across the world....

The beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua)

16 Mar 2022

The beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) is a a pest moth that was native to Southeast Asia before spreading to other regions of the world. It is found in warmer parts of Africa, America, Asia, and...

Ozone water treatment

12 Feb 2022

Ozone as a disinfectant in water treatment Ozone is a gas molecule composed of three oxygen atoms (O3). It was first discovered in 1840 by a German chemist, and in 1906 it was used for...

Irrigation with wastewater

31 Jan 2022

What is wastewater? Wastewater is water that has been used domestically or in the industry. Wastewater contains many pollutants, biological and chemical and, therefore, must be treated before it can be reused for other purposes....

How to choose the best cover crop

05 Jan 2022

Cover crops play a significant role in the farmer’s field. Typically, cover crops are planted between harvests or for winter protection. They are considered temporary plants that provide many benefits for the cash crop and...

Center pivot irrigation systems

11 Dec 2021

Center pivot irrigation is a mechanized sprinkler system that irrigates crops in a circular pattern. In this type of systems, a long pipeline rotates around a central pivot point. The system is gaining popularity and...

What is Carbon Farming?

11 Nov 2021

In effort to mitigate climate change, policymakers have advocated for the adoption of climate-friendly practices. Carbon farming has emerged as a way in which farmers can fight climate change and contribute to the global effort....

Nitrogen fixation by legumes

12 Oct 2021

Legume crops provide an important source of protein, carbohydrates and oils for humans and animals. One of their unique features is their ability to use atmospheric nitrogen as a nutrient source. Nitrogen is an essential...

8 Beneficial Insects that Will Actually Help Your Plants

15 Sep 2021

Although gardening is remarkably fun and healthy, it can also get a bit frustrating at times, especially when pests decide to make your plants their new homes. While many are handpicking aphids and smaller beetles,...

Aluminum toxicity in plants

15 Sep 2021

Aluminum is a metallic element with a valency of +3. It is the third most abundant element in earth’s crust. Despite the fact that aluminum is not an essential nutrient, it has an agronomic importance...

Global water usage and resources

05 Sep 2021

Global water demand is increasing sharply. One in nine people do not have access to clean water. That’s about 800 million people. In average, 200 people die every hour as a direct result of water...

How to identify and control aphids

22 Aug 2021

Aphids are a common pest of ornamentals, fruit trees and vegetables. Once spread, they may cause massive losses and transmit plant viruses. What are aphids and how you can identify them? Aphids are small, soft-bodied...

Are drones the future of agriculture?

04 Aug 2021

Using drones is not as new concept as you may think. In fact, the first drones date back to the first world war era in the military. However, the modern world’s ever-increasing problems have resulted...

Rust diseases – causes, symptoms, and treatment

17 Jul 2021

Rust diseases are common plant fungal diseases, belonging to the order Pucciniales. They have a significant economic impact in several key crops. It is estimated that the disease causes global losses of around $1B of...

Potato blight

15 Jul 2021

Late blight is a destructive disease that primarily infects potatoes and tomatoes, but also other members of the Solanaceae family. The causative pathogen for late blight disease is fungus-like oomycete (water mold), scientifically named Phytophthora...

Hydroponic systems

10 Jul 2021

Hydroponics is a growing method in which plants are grown in a mineral nutrient solution, with or without the use of a growing medium. There are several types of hydroponic systems, which will be further...

Slow and controlled-release fertilizers

05 Jun 2021

Slow-release (SRF) and controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) are compounds designed to supply the crop with nutrients, in a rate that meets its nutrient demand. Unlike quick release fertilizers (QRF) that quickly dissolve in the soil and...

Understanding the units on the soil test report

15 Apr 2021

Soil labs may report soil test results in different units. Often, growers may find this confusing, as their interpretation criteria they have available may use other units. Furthermore, for the same soil sample, different labs...

How to raise soil pH

09 Mar 2021

Soil acidity is a major cause of reduced yields. Toxicity of micronutrients such as manganese, iron and aluminum may occur, while nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium become unavailable. Furthermore, low soil pH impedes...

Iron in plants

20 Jan 2021

Iron is required for the biosynthesis of the chlorophyll molecule and functions as an electron carrier in the respiration and photosynthesis reactions. In addition, it participates in many enzymatic processes. Iron deficiency is a limiting...

Foliar feeding

02 Jan 2021

Foliar fertilization, also referred to as foliar feeding, is the application of plant nutrients directly to the foliage of the plant by spraying the crop with a liquid fertilizer solution. While it can be used...

Soil pH and acidity

27 Nov 2020

The degree of soil acidity or alkalinity is expressed in pH units. Soil pH affects many processes in soils, including nutrient availability, activity of microorganisms and root development. The pH of...

Water Alkalinity

20 Nov 2020

Alkalinity is the ability of the water to neutralize acidity. It refers to the presence of carbonates (CO32-), bicarbonates (HCO3–) and hydroxides (OH–) and expressed in mg/L (ppm) as calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It is also...

Silicon in plants

25 Oct 2020

After oxygen, silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in earth’s crust and is a constituent of most minerals. In soil solution, silicon is mainly present as monomeric silicic acid (H4SiO4), which is also...

Water disinfection

29 Sep 2020

Water disinfection refers to the inactivation of microorganisms that are pathogenic to humans, animals or plants. Inactivation involves destroying essential structures or altering essential functions of microorganism. A microorganism is considered inactivated where: It is...

How to identify and control weeds

02 Sep 2020

Types of weeds Weeds are plants that grow where they are not wanted. They can be classified according to their life cycle. The three types of life cycles are: annual, biennial and perennial. Annual weeds...

Powdery mildew

28 Jul 2020

Powdery mildew is a common, widespread fungal plant disease that a wide variety of crops. There are multiple species of powdery mildew, belonging to the order Erysiphales, each has its own range of hosts. Signs...

Water treatment

10 Jul 2020

The water treatment process consists of a series of steps to remove or minimize impurities from water and make the water suitable for a particular purpose. The purpose can anything from recreational use of water...

Types of fertilizers

19 Jun 2020

Fertilizers are compounds that are used in agriculture to supply nutrients for plants. They can be classified in a variety of ways. A specific fertilizer can belong to multiple fertilizer types. Classification according to the...

How to calculate fertilizer application rates

28 May 2020

Calculating fertilizer application rates starts with knowing the following: The required nutrient application rate The fertilizer grade / composition The field’s area Required nutrient application rate – this is the rate of nutrient to apply,...

Variable rate irrigation

19 May 2020

Variable rate irrigation (VRI) involves applying different amounts of water to different zones of the field, rather than applying one uniform irrigation rate to the entire field. Why use VRI? This innovative technology has many...

Principles of irrigation systems design

17 Apr 2020

Designing an irrigation system requires knowledge of the crop, field conditions, soil and water. Answering the following questions can help in determining the characteristics of the irrigation system. What is the soil texture? How much...

Soil Organic Matter

30 Mar 2020

Soil organic matter refers to the remains of plants, animals and microbes, in different decomposition stages. It consists of: Living soil organisms and plant residues Partially decomposed organic matter (detritus) Fully decomposed, stable organic matter,...

Thrips damage and control

06 Mar 2020

Thrips are a pest of many agricultural crops. Thrips belong to the order Thysanoptera and feed on plant sap. There are over 5,500 species of thrips and about 75 species of them are pests of...

Sanitation in the greenhouse

22 Jan 2020

Sanitation is one of the most important practices to reduce or avoid plant diseases in greenhouses. Pathogens, such as fungi, bacteria and viruses can survive well in the environment, including in crop residues, soil, tools,...

Compost: Benefits and quality parameters

29 Dec 2019

Compost is a decomposed organic material used as a soil amendment. It is created in a process called “composting”, which is an aerobic process in which microorganisms break-down organic waste, either plant material or animal...

Irrigation management in sugarcane

05 Dec 2019

Sugarcane is one of the most water-demanding crops and water availability is the single largest factors affecting its growth. According to studies, sugarcane yields can decrease by up to 70% under drought conditions. Climate change...

Scouting and monitoring for pests and diseases

23 Nov 2019

Scouting and monitoring are crucial steps in making informed decisions about pest and disease management, which can go beyond pest control and affect other important practices (e.g. identifying nutrient deficiencies, water issues etc.). Proper scouting...

Rapid sand filtration

15 Nov 2019

In urban areas the slow sand filter simply occupies too much space. Therefore, rapid sand filtration has been developed and has become the most common type of filter for treating municipal water supplies. Typical filtration...

Soil water content

22 Sep 2019

Water is held in soil in the pores between the soil particles, therefore the maximum amount of water that a specific soil can potentially hold is equal to its porosity (total volume of pores). There...

Ion exchange

07 Sep 2019

Ion exchange is a water treatment process used to remove undesirable ions from water and replace them with other, desirable ions. The applications of ion exchange in water and wastewater treatment include: Removal of Ca...

Copper in plants

27 Aug 2019

Copper is an essential plant nutrient, classified as a micronutrient. It has a role in various important processes in plants. For example: Copper is a structural element in numerous proteins Essential for the photosynthesis process...

Manganese in plants and soil

15 Aug 2019

Manganese is an essential plant micronutrient . It is absorbed by plants as Mn2+. Manganese is an immobile nutrient and, therefore, deficiency symptoms show up on younger leaves first. A manganese level of 20 to...

Grapevine – Nutrient uptake and tissue analysis

01 Aug 2019

The below nutrient uptake data of grapevines is based on an analysis of the different studies and research works. The nutrient uptake data must be adjusted based on soil and tissue analysis. Macronutrients – Nitrogen,...

Activated sludge – primary Control parameters

24 Jul 2019

Three major control parameters are used in the activated sludge process: F:M ratio (Food:Microorganisms ratio), CRT (Cell Residence Time) and RAS flow rate (Return Activated Sludge flow rate). Adjusting these three parameters controls the entire...

Using soil moisture sensors for irrigation management

21 Jul 2019

There are two main types of soil sensors used in agriculture to measure the availability of water to plants. Sensors that measure soil moisture. Sensors that measure the water tension in the soil (tensiometers)....

Irrigation and fertilization of apple orchards

28 Jun 2019

IRRIGATION OF APPLES Irrigation of apples should be managed according to growth stages. The main growth stages are: Budbreak-flowering Beginning of rapid shoot growth Beginning of fruit fill Harvest Leaf fall Irrigation is particularly critical...

Agriculture calculations and conversions

Unit conversions tables

26 Jun 2019

Nutrient form conversions Nutrient concentration units Fertilizer rates units From To Multiply by kg/ha (kilograms per hectare) lb/ac (pounds per acre) 0.892 lb/ac kg/ha 1.12 MT/ha (Metric tonne/hectare) tons/acre (short tons/acre) 0.446...

How to calculate nutrient solution formulas

26 Jun 2019

A nutrient solution is the mix of irrigation water with added nutrients. It is mainly used in soilless culture and hydroponics, where the nutrient solution is the only source of nutrients to the plants. Calculating...

How to correctly test your soil ?

10 Jun 2019

Soil testing is a key tool in fertilizer management. It reduces guesswork and helps in minimizing environmental pollution. When done and used properly, soil testing can save the grower money and increase crop yields. The...

What are urea fertilizers?

30 Apr 2019

Urea fertilizers are widely used in agriculture. They are considered an economic nitrogen source. The chemical formula of urea is CO(NH2)2 and, in nature, urea is excreted in the urine of mammals. Commercial urea fertilizers...

Beneficial insects

13 Apr 2019

The use of beneficial insects for pest control is becoming increasingly common. The principle behind it is that some types of insects are natural enemies of insect pests. Therefore, by using beneficial insects the use...

Electrical conductivity of water and soil

31 Mar 2019

The electrical conductivity of an aqueous solution is its ability to conduct an electrical current. The electrical conductivity is an important parameter used to estimate the level of dissolved salts in water and soil. Salts...

Pre-plant fertilizer application

29 Mar 2019

Depending on the soil type, fertilizers can be applied to crops before planting, right after planting or throughout the growth of the crop. Applying fertilizers prior to seeding or planting is referred to as pre-plant...

How to read a pesticide label

24 Mar 2019

All pesticides must come with a label, which must follow a certain standards. The pesticide label is a legal document that contains information on how to use the pesticide, handle, store and dispose it, as...

The Activated Sludge Process

17 Mar 2019

The primary treatment cannot remove all dissolved and fine colloidal organic matter. Therefore, a biological treatment is required for removing those remaining components. All biological processes are based on microorganisms that feed on the organic...

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