Conservation Biological Control Practices

Natural enemies are subjected to continuous deterioration in populations especially in modern agricultural systems characterized by complete removal of plants after harvesting as well as by insecticide applications. This complete removal of plants gives rise to disappearance of natural enemies after each crop season. Conservation biological control is the protection of NEs against adverse effects of pesticides and incompatible cultural practices and improving their efficiency via providing food sources. During non-crop periods, natural enemies may need of benefit from pollen and nectar. Preservation of natural enemies can be achieved by providing habitat and resources for NEs. This chapter aimed at discussing a suggested strategy for more efficient conservation biological control comprising collection, preservation and releasing the preserved natural enemies on target crops. The collection is mainly conducted before crop harvest and during winter from fruit orchards. Preservation greenhouses are dedicated for natural enemies rather than commercial production of crops. Natural enemies taken from preservation greenhouses are released in target crops during growing season. Different techniques used in collection, preservation and release of natural enemies are reviewed. Such a conservation biological control strategy might contribute to preserve the natural bio-diversity in the agricultural environment and provide natural alternatives to pesticides

Wheat midges and thrips information sytem - monitoring and decision making in central Germany

Die Weizengallmücken (WGM) Sitodiplosis mosellana und Contarinia tritici sowie Thripsarten zählen zu den wichtigsten Schadinsekten am Getreide. In den Jahren 2007-2009 wurden in Mitteldeutschland. Freilandversuchen durchgeführt, welche Überwachungsmethoden (Pheromonfallen, Ährenuntersuchung und Wasserschalen) testeten. Im Jahre 2007 trat aufgrund fehlender Koinzidenz ein signifikant geringer Schaden auf. Pflanzenschutzmaßnahmen gegen WGM können wegfallen, wenn keine Flugaktivität bis zu BBCH 65 dokumentiert wird. In 2008 & 09 zeigte eine gute Koinzidenz zwischen BBCH 47-65 und dem Nachweis von S. mosellana in den Pheromonfallen ein mögliches Schadrisiko an. Es konnten signifikante Sortenunterschiede bei der Anzahl der Thripse und der WGM Larven festgestellt werden.Expertensystem: Ziel war Support-Tools zu entwickeln die den Landwirten einen schnellen Zugang zu Detailinformationen bieten, die sie befähigen, angemessene Entscheidungen im Sinne des integrierten Pflanzenschutzes zu treffen. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit konnten Sorten ermittelt werden, die geringe Befallswerte zeigen und somit geeignet sind in der Praxis dazu beizutragen Ertragsverluste zu vermindern und den Einsatz von Pestiziden auf ein notwendiges Maß zu beschränken.Nawal Mohamed Fatoh Gaafa

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially