Biotechnology

A new peer-reviewed work has been published (April 2013) that outlines some significant global economic and environmental benefits of genetically modified (GM) crops. Agricultural entomologist Mike Gray, University of Illinois, has conducted western corn rootworm research for many years and was particularly interested in the overall U.S. farm income gain attributed to corn rootworm Bt hybrids – $7.1 billion cumulative benefits since 2003....More

Wet soil conditions have caused delays in planting and in efforts to control existing weed vegetation. Much of the existing weed growth is comprised of winter annual species, such as common chickweed, henbit, purple deadnettle, etc., but emergence of several summer annual species also has begun....More

Dry soil conditions, such as such as those in Illinois in 2012, often slow the rate of herbicide degradation and increase the potential for damage to rotational crops from herbicide carryover, according to Aaron Hager, a University of Illinois weed science expert....More

Syngenta has responded to the failure of the European Commission to win support for an EU-wide ban on neonicotinoid pesticides. A majority of Member States refused to support the proposal to restrict their use on all bee attractive crops. The Commission must now decide whether to appeal the decision or amend its proposal....More