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News & Articles By Michelle Simmons

01/23/2019 / By Michelle Simmons

Companion plants and crop rotation hold the answers to non-chemical treatments for superweeds and soil nutrient loss

Weeds are described as the greatest threat to cultivated plants with regard to their yield. To control this looming threat, traditional agriculture relies heavily on chemicals time and again. However, to preserve food security, alternative natural methods are important must be explored to lessen weed pressure in agroecosystems. This idea comes at a time when […]

11/14/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Your guide to growing figs in your backyard

The fig tree is one of the earliest plants that humans learned to cultivate. It’s easy to see why — Figs are hardy trees that can be used for both food and shelter, and it’s nice to look at. In North America, there are over 200 fig cultivars grown, varying in fruit shapes and colors. […]

10/21/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Ditch those toxic synthetic insecticides… Try citrus essential oil instead

Time to ditch those toxic, cancer-causing chemical insecticides and use natural ones instead. Researchers continue to search for natural pesticides that won’t harm human and environmental health. In a study published in the journal Crop Protection, it was found that citrus essential oil can be used to control pests like vineyard mealybugs. Mealybugs are pests […]

10/10/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Set of studies reveal what happens to the cancer-fighting phenolic acids in corn when they are processed

Do you like having cornflakes for breakfast? It may not be the best breakfast option after all. Research has revealed that the cancer-fighting phenolics in corn are lost when they are processed. A team of researchers from the University of Illinois conducted a set of studies to determine what happens to cancer-fighting phenolic acids in corn when […]

10/10/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Citrus essential oil is an effective alternative to synthetic insecticides

Research has found another powerful natural insecticide. The study, which was published in the journal Crop Protection, revealed that citrus essential oil could be a good natural alternative to synthetic insecticides against vineyard mealybugs. Mealybugs are pests that affect the vineyards around the world because of direct damage and spread of grapevine leafroll disease. A […]

09/30/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Natural insecticides are proven yet again to be more effective than toxic synthetics

Why use commercial pesticides that are harmful to human health and the environment when there are safe and more effective natural ones are available? A study published in the journal Industrial Crops and Products discovered that plants native in Chile, such as canelo (Drimys winteri), tabaco del diablo (Lobelia tupa), huevil (Vestia foetida), and violeta […]

08/23/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Natural pest management: Peach farmers are reducing crop loss to stink bugs by planting grains to lure them away

Scientists from Auburn University in the U.S. found a way to manage pest naturally. They discovered that planting different grain crops attract pests away from the fruit, resulting to lesser crop loss. For the study, the research team analyzed six winter host crops and six summer host crops as possible trap crops or attractant crops for […]

07/17/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

The welsh onion can combat the effects of a high-fat diet

More than just a cooking ingredient, Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum) has been used as a traditional medicine for treating colds, influenza, abdominal pain, headache, and heart disease. Research has yet discovered another health benefit of this superfood. In the study, published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers revealed that it could also […]

06/18/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Unique savanna in Brazil is being converted into cropland, losing biodiversity and endangering river basins that provide hydroelectric power

The Cerrado, a unique savanna in Brazil, is at risk of losing biodiversity because it’s being converted into cropland, as well as due to overall inefficient management, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. It’s also the only savanna in the world with perennial rivers that provide hydroelectric power, which means […]

06/04/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Modern farming has made it more difficult for honeybees to store food, new study concludes

Honeybees are facing an uphill battle when it comes to food storage as a result of modern farming practices, according to a study in the open access journal Ecology and Evolution. The study also suggested that commercial forestry and even our practices in the garden contribute to the challenges that honeybees face in storing food. […]

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