By Laura Reiley
New Cornell research offers alternatives to a class of insecticides that has devastating ecological impacts, especially to pollinators, beneficial insects and aquatic invertebrates. A paper published Aug. 5 in Crop Protection examines a number of alternatives to neonicotinoids (neonics) that might work for farmers who grow large-seeded vegetable crops such as snap bean, dry bean and sweet corn.
“We wanted to find other options for growers to protect their vegetable crops from major pests. The impetus was to identify new products including those in the registration pipeline,” said Brian Nault, corresponding author on the paper and professor and program leader in the Department of Entomology at Cornell AgriTech in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). “My program has shifted in recent years and has focused on this major issue.”
The task has not been easy, he added. “Insecticides kill insects, so it’s a tall order to find those that kill the pests but have minimal effects on pollinators and other beneficial insects.”
The race to find alternatives to neonicotinoids is urgent, Nault said, because the Birds and Bees Protection Act in New York state is phasing out the sale, distribution or purchase of certain neonicotinoid-treated corn, soybean or wheat seeds starting in the next few years. Governor Kathy Hochul signed it into law, the first of its kind in the country, in 2023, saying that it “underscores our commitment to fostering a thriving ecosystem while we prioritize sustainable farming and agricultural practices.”
Source : cornell.edu