MAX FACTS
hydroponic news, tips and trivia
Controlling Whiteflies the
Green Way
A USDA study conducted in association with a scientist
from the University of Arizona has shown Arizona
cotton growers that controlling whiteflies with greener,
whitefly-specific pesticides is both more effective and
less damaging to the environment than continuing to
employ broad-spectrum insecticides that also killed all the
whitefly’s natural predators.
The study—conducted by Steve Naranjo, a scientist with
the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Peter
Ellsworth of the University of Arizona—showed that while
whiteflies initially died off at about the same rate in areas
treated with both the whitefly-specific and the broadspectrum insecticides, the area where the researchers
sprayed broad-spectrum insecticides had to be repeatedly
sprayed to control whiteflies, while there was no need to
re-spray the area treated once with the whitefly-specific
insecticide.
(Source: ars.usda.gov)
Carnegie Scientists Find
Sugar Pump
Scientists working with the Carnegie Institute have
identified a missing piece of the molecular pump system in
plants—the protein that moves sucrose to the inside of the
plant’s leaf cell walls.
The researchers believe that it is highly likely that the
animal-cell version of this same protein fulfills a similar
role in animals and humans, which could be a major
breakthrough for diabetes and obesity research.
The discovery is also good news for scientists researching
ways to increase food security by improving crop yields.
A spokesman from the research team said that “The
identification of these critical transporters is a major step
toward developing strategies to ensure food supplies and
keep food prices in check.”
(Source: sciencedaily.com)
Old Wine Bottles Upcycled into Hydrogardens
An article on EcoSalon.com reports that a United
States company is marketing recycled wine bottles as
hydroponic gardens for herbs like basil, mint, oregano,
parsley and chives.
Priced at $35, each Growbottle includes “Hand-crafted
recycled wine bottle, soil, USDA certified organic/
heirloom seeds, clay pebbles, wool wick, plant nutrient,
cork coaster [and] ribbon made from recycled
plastic bottles.”
The bottle gardens can be reused virtually endlessly
and buyers need only “to remember to water them and
let the wonders of hydroponics take over.”
(Source: treehugger.com)
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Maximum Yield USA | February 2012