Insect Management (Biological Control) in Organic Farming

It is wondering you to know how to manage Insect Management in Organic Farming. But it is too important to make your farming organic for a long time. If you are not serious to manage it your efforts may worthless or your crops may not organic. So here I am presenting some research on how to manage insect for your Organic Farming.

In organic systems, insect pests are managed preventively rather than curatively. The idea is to alter the system so that pests do not find the plants, are controlled by natural enemies, or their damage is kept to a minimum. Insect management is also dependent upon having a healthy organic system. This includes a proper balance of nutrients in the soil and in the plant. Plants that are vigorous have a much better ability to withstand damage caused by insects and disease. Healthy soil and plants, therefore, are the best defense. This section describes the general principles of insect pest management in organic production.

In organic systems, much of the “control” of insect pests is by natural enemies. These natural enemies can be broken into two major categories: predators and parasitoids. Predators catch and eat their prey much like wolves or other carnivores.

There are several predator species commonly found in gardens. Lady beetles are oval and usually red, orange, or yellow with black spots. Lady beetle eggs, laid in groups of 5-20, are oblong and orangish/yellow. Eggs are almost always laid near some prey, so that when the eggs hatch, larvae will have a food source. Larvae are alligator-shaped and are black with yellow or orange spots.

Lacewings are green or brown and have iridescent eyes of green or gold. Their wings have many veins and, as their name implies, appear lacey. Immatures are alligator-shaped and have long sickle-like mouthparts that they use to impale their prey and suck out juices. Lacewing eggs are laid near prey and on the ends of silk threads.

Another common predator is the syrphid fly (flower fly). The adult syrphid has two wings and therefore is a fly, but resembles a bee with its black and gold stripes. The im­mature is a maggot, which feeds on aphids and other soft-bodied insects. The adult is called a “flower” or “hover fly” and it feeds on nectar and pollen. Other less commonly seen predators are minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, assassin bugs, certain stinkbugs, spiders, and soldier beetles.

Some predators spend most of their time on the ground, and climb plants at night to search for prey. The most common of these are the carabids or ground beetles. These are dark-colored, sometimes shiny iridescent beetles that run rapidly along the ground when disturbed. The adults eat many types of things, which is a benefit because these predators will be present even if there are few pests. The immatures of carabid and staphylinid (another group of predators found in the soil) beetles are predaceous and feed almost exclusively on other insects such as caterpillars. Other predators found in the soil are centipedes, and wolf, garden, and jumping spiders.

The other group of natural enemies is parasitoids (or parasites). These are adult insects that usually do not eat their prey, instead they lay their eggs on or in the host (insect) such as a caterpillar, and when the eggs hatch, immatures use the host as food. Some parasitoids are very specific in selection, while others are more general. Many parasitoids are relatively small wasps that will be seldom seen, but the results can be detected if one knows what to look for. For instance, parasitic wasps often attack aphids and other sucking insects resulting in mummified prey. A parasitized aphid will be about two times its normal size and be brownish-tan. The parasitized aphid will not move. If there is no hole in the parasitized aphid, the wasp is still inside. The im­mature wasp completes its development within the mum­mified aphid, until it emerges, leaving a hole in the para­sitized pest. If mummified aphids are present on a leaf that is infested with aphids, no action should be taken.

Tachinid flies are another group of common parasitoids. These flies look like large houseflies and lay their white, oval eggs on the backs of caterpillars and other pests. The eggs hatch and the fly larvae enter and kill the caterpillar.

Two other types of natural enemies are birds and bats. Birds will eat a variety of pests and some beneficial insects too, as will bats. Attracting birds to your farm is possible, but a large scale (larger than just a vegetable field) is usually necessary. Bats can be encouraged to roost nearby by putting up bat houses or being sure not to disturb a nearby colony.

In the field it should NOT be necessary to purchase these various bio-control agents. All of these natural enemies are quite common. A grower just needs to know how to invite and keep these bio-control agents in their system. If they are not present in your field, it could mean that environmental conditions are not conducive to their presence and purchasing them would not help, as once they were released they would leave the area. Purchase of bio-con­trol agents does however; make good sense in greenhouse situations where the beneficial insects can be contained.

Since many adult predators and parasitoids feed on nectar and pollen, it is essential to have these resources nearby. A variety of plants will be more effective than a single species. An example would be several types of clover (red, crimson, sweet, white, etc.) along with more traditional flowers like marigolds, zinnias, etc. The objective is to have continuous nectar and pollen source throughout the season. The closer these flowering plants are to the vegetables the more often the vegetable plants will be searched by the parasitoids or predators. In addition to natural enemies, flowering plants will attract a wide variety of pollinators such as honeybees, bumble bees, wasps, and butterflies.

How to Fertilize Organic Vegetables

How to Fertilize Vegetables Organically

You should use organic fertilizers for the constant supply of slow-release nutrients your vegetable plants need to thrive. Provide your plants with the right food and they'll feed you well in turn future, definitely.

1) Know what organic fertilizers to use for vegetables, and where to place them. Build soil with slow-release, elemental nutrients, then nourish plants at key points in their growth.

2) Begin a new vegetable garden by feeding your soil and worms at least one month before planting time.

3) Start to add organic matter to your established organic vegetable garden early in the season. Spread 1 inch of compost or composted manure over the growing area, and dig it into the top few inches.

4) Dig in extra manure to a depth of 6 inches, then plant perennial veggies like asparagus, horseradish and artichokes. Water them in with compost tea so they'll be well-established for many seasons.

5) Plant seeds or transplants of your favorite annual vegetables. Mix up some compost tea or fish emulsion (at half-strength) to water in plants, but wait to use it on seedlings until they sprout to 1 inch tall.

6) Provide additional fertilizer - called side-dressing - as annual vegetables grow. Read up on the crops you're cultivating, and know that your goal is continuous sturdy growth to flowering and fruit.

7) Use fish emulsion (mixed full strength) twice a month on leafy greens. Wait for tomatoes and corn to reach 1 foot tall, then 3 feet tall to side-dress twice with a balanced granular organic formula - keep feeding tomatoes after each flush of fruit.

8) Pull back mulch around the base of plants, then put fertilizer in a circle 3 inches away from the stem. Or open a trench an inch deep along the middle of a double-planted row.

9) Dig in the debris from beans and peas after harvesting, and grow a green manure crop (see "How to Grow a Green Manure Crop," under Related eHows) in the vegetable garden in the off-season. Let both organic matters nourish your vegetable garden for next season

Organic movement “School to Home” in Nepal

Nepal is land linked and developing county lies between two giant economy growth countries China and India. Though this is small country it is rich in natural resources, flora and fauna. In Nepal organic farming is not a new concept of agriculture. In ancient times, the farmers had engaged in this farming and gained a lot of knowledge on it. The prime aim of organic farming is applying/using natural materials in agriculture and prohibiting the use of the chemical fertilizers and pesticides which ultimately ruins the land.

The development of Science and Technology has made huge changes in various sectors resulting in tremendous development in the world economy. Agriculture is such a sector which has played vital role in this regard. The immense use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has been the usual practice of modern farming in most of the countries for growing agricultural production. This practice has also been a compulsion for all to increase agricultural production and feed their ever increasing population. However, though this has solved the problem for now, it does not bode well for the future with the point of view of human health and destruction of eco-system of the globe. The heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has affected and will certainly affect, directly and indirectly, the surrounding land, water, flora and fauna and insects and animals.

With the use of chemical fertilizers, in the beginning, there is a huge increase in production from the land, but after a while of regular use, the production capacity of the land decreases reaching to a point where one day the production capacity may reach zero – resulting in cascading economic problems and lack of food in certain areas.

Though it may take a while to embrace organic farming, we must surely move in that direction. The move has slowly begun in Nepal with some farmers embracing it. The government of Nepal is also paying attention towards this and making various programs in this direction.

"Going Organic from School to Home" is a project launched to educate the community and students of Sankhu Suntole VDC Ward No. 8 Palubari and Ward No 9 Bishambhara about the benefit of organic farming and supported by Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF), Nepal.The main objective of the project is to:

• provide appropriate training and informational resources to the community about the sustainable practices of organic farming

• educate the community about the effects of conventional farming on their health and the environment

• integrate a new curriculum focusing primarily on key issues such as safe and sustainable farming practices, nutrition, health, usage of clean water, environmental science and global climate change

• provide hands on lesson and activities to the community of Sankhu and surrounding areas

• provide vocational training about organic farming to the students of Sankhu Palubari Community School grade six to eighth.

• train the villagers about organic farming so that it helps every individual and the overall community to generate income source for their living and to educate their children.

What is Organic

The term “Organic” usually refers to a crop management sys­tem that promotes biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. Organic production concentrates on natural processes and how to manage them. Other materials and products are additions to, not replacements for, manage­ment. It is a total approach. One cannot convert to organic production by substituting an “organic” insecticide or adding manure. The system will fail if this approach is taken.

An organic system takes time to develop. It may be achieved in stages, for example by starting with organic soil amendments and other soil improving procedures. Then, try biological control of pests, some companion plants, etc. Even­tually, the entire system will be changed. It will take YEARS to convert to a healthy organic system.

Organic produce is usually marketed separately from conventionally grown produce in order to be profitably sold. Because of the amount of management and time invested in developing the system, organic produce should bring a premium price compared with non-organic vegetables. In the Midwest, most organic growers usually cannot compete with the volume produced by non-organic growers. Niche or specialty markets, which require lower volumes, will often pay a premium for organic produce. These markets include CSAʼs (Community and Sup­ported Agriculture), restaurants, roadside stands, and farmers markets. It is ESSENTIAL to thoroughly investigate markets and develop a marketing plan BEFORE you decide what or how much to grow.

Chariot Festival in Kathmandu

An ancient period the Indra, Aryan god of rain, was once captured in the Kathmandu Valley while stealing a certain flower for his mother, Dagini. He was imprisoned until Dagini revealed his identity and his captors gladly released him.

The Indra Jatra festival celebrates this remarkable achievement (villagers don’t capture a real god every day of the week). In return for his release Dagini promised to spread dew over the crops for the coming months and to take back with her to heaven all those who had died in the past year.

The Indra Jatra festival thus honours the recently deceased and pays homage to Indra and Dagini for the coming harvests. It begins when a huge, carefully selected pole, carried via the Tundikhel (Kathmandu’s parade ground), is erected outside the Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu. At the same time images and representations of Indra, usually as a captive, are displayed and sacrifices of goats and roosters are made; the screened doors obscuring the horrific face of Seto (White) Bhairab are also opened and for the next three days his gruesome visage will stare out at the proceedings.

The day before all this activity, three golden temple chariots are assembled in Basantapur Square, outside the home of the Kumari Bahal (a living goddess). In the afternoon, with Durbar Sq packed with colourful and cheerful crowds, two boys emerge from the Kumari’s house. They play the roles of Ganesh and Bhairab and will each ride in a chariot as an attendant to the goddess. Finally, the Kumari herself appears, either walking on a rolled-out carpet or carried by attendants so that her feet do not touch the ground.

The chariots move off and the Kumari is greeted from the balcony of the old palace by the president. The procession then continues out of Durbar Sq towards Hanuman Dhoka where it stops in front of the huge Seto Bhairab Mask. The Kumari greets the image of Bhairab and then, with loud musical accompaniment, beer starts to pour from Bhairab’s mouth! Getting a sip of this beer is guaranteed to bring good fortune, but one lucky individual will also get the small fish that has been put into the beer – this brings especially good luck (though probably not for the fish).

Hot Air Balloon

History of Balloons:

The first hot air balloons are successfully tested in China by Zhuge Liang of the Shu Han kingdom, in the Three Kingdoms era (220–80 AD) used airborne lanterns for military signaling. These lanterns are known as Kongming lanterns. There is also some speculation, from a demonstration led by British modern hot air balloonist Julian Nott in the late 1970s and again in 2003. That hot air balloons could have been used by people of the Nazca culture of Peru some 1500 to 2000 years ago, as a tool for designing the famous Nazca ground figures and lines. The first documented balloon flight in Europe was demonstrated by Bartolomeu de Gusmão. On August 8, 1709, in Lisbon, he managed to lift a balloon full of hot air about 4.5 meters in front of King John V and the Portuguese court.

The first clearly recorded instance of a balloon carrying passengers used hot air to generate buoyancy and was built by the brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier in Annonay, France. After experimenting with unmanned balloons and flights with animals, the first tethered balloon flight with humans on board took place on October 15, 1783. It is fitting that Etienne Montgolfier was the first human to lift off the earth, making at least one tethered flight from the yard of the Reveillon workshop in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. It was most likely on October 15th, 1783. A little while later on that same day, Pilatre de Rozier became the second to ascend into the air, to an altitude of 80 feet, which was the length of the tether. The first free flight with human passengers took place on November 21, 1783. King Louis XVI had originally decreed that condemned criminals would be the first pilots, but de Rozier, along with Marquis François d'Arlandes, successfully petitioned for the honor. The first military use of a hot air balloon happened during the battle of Fleurus where the French used the balloon l'Entreprenant as an observation post.

Modern Balloons:

Modern hot air balloons, with an onboard heat source, were pioneered by Ed Yost, beginning in the 1950s; his work resulted in his first successful flight, on October 22, 1960. The first modern-day hot air balloon to be built in the United Kingdom (UK) was the Bristol Belle in 1967. Today, hot air balloons are used primarily for recreation.

Hot air balloons are able to fly to extremely high altitudes. On November 26, 2005, Vijaypath Singhnia set the world altitude record for highest hot air balloon flight, reaching 21,027 meters (68,986 feet). He took off from downtown Bombay, India, and landed 240 kilometers (149 miles) south in Panchale. The previous record of 19,811 m (64,997 ft) had been set by Per Lindstrand on June 6, 1988 in Plano, Texas. As with all unpressurized aircraft, oxygen is needed for all crew and passengers on any flight that exceeds an altitude of about 15,000 ft (4,572 m).

Tiger

Tigers are the largest of all the Asian big cats, at the top the food chain, and are one of the most culturally important and beautiful animals on this planet. However, they are also among the most vulnerable and threatened species on Earth.

For over a million years, the “King of the Jungle” lorded over a territory stretching from eastern Turkey to the Russian Far East, with its home extending northward to Siberia and southward into Bali. But by the end of the last century, the Bali, Javan and Caspian tigers were extinct. Tragically, the remaining six subspecies risk the same fate as the Javan and Caspian because of illegal wildlife trade, poaching, and conflict with people.

If we do not respond to the plight of wild tigers and the needs of the communities that share their home with tigers—most of which is outside protected wildlife areas – we will witness the loss of one of the world’s most irreplaceable natural wonders of our lifetime. The static data shows that there are as few as 3,200 left in the wild.

Facts & Figures

• Tigers are found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia (Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Russia (Far East), Thailand and Vietnam.
• The 6 living subspecies of tigers are: Amur, Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, South China and Sumatran.
• The Bali, Caspian and Javan tiger subspecies have all become extinct.
• Wild tiger numbers have fallen by about 95% over the past 100 years.
• Tigers survive in 40% less area than they occupied a decade ago.

Subspecies

Three tiger subspecies - the Bali, Javan, and Caspian - have become extinct in the past 70 years. The six remaining subspecies - Amur, Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, South China, and Sumatran - live only in Asia, and all are threatened by poaching and habitat loss.

White Rhino

The White rhinoceros is one of the largest Northern subspecies ever to be described by scientists. This subspecies was classified in 1908. Today, it is very close to extinction in the wild, and few have ever been brought into captivity. The first captive White rhinos were received at the Antwerp Zoo, Belgium, in 1950. However, while they grew to maturity, these animals never bred. They have only bred at the Vychodoc'eska Zoo at Dvur Kralove in Czechoslovakia. The first southern white rhino that was ever born in captivity was born at Pretoria on June 8,1967.

The most successful breeding of the White rhino in captivity has occurred in the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Seventy-five white Rhinos have been born as of 1988.

The white rhino is slightly larger than the black rhino with a larger head and body. They can weigh up to two tons and have a maximum age of up to fifty years. The horns of the rhino are the exact same substance as fingernails (keratin). The rhino is quite active and swift and can reach speeds of up to thirty m.p.h. This animal is surprisingly agile for its large size and can make sharp turns as it runs.

With a very acute sense of smell, it plays a large role in their social life. Mothers can identify their children or members of a particular "home-range". Their sense of smell also helps identify the territory of others. The female rhinoceros has a gestation period of fifteen-sixteen months, in which only one calf is born.

Benefits of Green Tea

China and Japan is the country where lots of green tea has been consumed since many centuries. The researchers found that there are many health benefits by consuming the green tea, few are as below.

The main health benefits from Green Tea are primarily due to its anti oxidizing properties which come from its Caffeine, Catechin Polyphenols and Theonine, which has lots of properties to make you healthy as followings:

1. Anti Ageing: The free radicals created in body are responsible for corroding the body, i.e. for ageing and the related symptoms. The main job of anti oxidants is to neutralize the oxidants or free radicals present in the body and green tea is very rich in anti oxidants. The Catechin Polyphenols present in green tea are mainly responsible for the anti oxidizing effects, the most powerful among them being the Epigallocatechin Gallate. Thus, regular consumption of green tea can effectively delay symptoms of ageing.

2. Stimulating: The main reason behind acceptance of any kind of tea, be it green, black, by human civilizations and its popularity, is its stimulating effect. This effect, again, is due to the Caffeine and Tannins present in it. Caffeine & Tannins, despite their adverse effects on health in the long run, are very good as stimulants. That is why; a cup of tea makes you feel fresh and highly energized. Tea is ideal to counter fatigue, laziness, sleepiness and lack of energy and to improve blood circulation. No doubt it is so popular with any kind of professionals, housewives and students.

3. Immunity Boosting: Researches show that people who regularly drink green tea do not fall prey to common bacterial and viral infections easily, and even if they do, it is far less frequently than those not consuming it. The message is clear. Green Tea boosts immunity. The Catechins present in green tea prevent bacterial and virus from attaching themselves to cell walls and thus infecting them. These Catechins also counter the toxins released by microbes. This anti microbial property also protects from bad breathe, dysentery, diarrhoea, tooth decay, indigestion, flu, cough & cold, colitis etc. which are caused by microbial & fungal action.

4. Astringency: This is yet another benefit from green tea. It triggers contraction in muscles and tissues and tones up muscles and skin. Even if you do not wish to drink green tea, a mere mouthwash with this daily will cause sufficient contraction in gums to keep them firm and tight on teeth and thus prevent loosening and falling of teeth for long. Wash your hair with it and see them grow stronger each day.

5. Anti Carcinogenic: Apart from ageing, free radicals are also responsible for causing certain types of cancer. The Catechins present in green tea neutralize these free radicals, prevent formation of carcinogens like nitrosamines and reduce the chances of cancer. Green tea is now being clinically used in prevention of cancer, particularly those pertaining to colon, rectum, pancreas and intestines.

6. Reducing Cholesterol: Green tea has been seen effective in reducing cholesterol level to some extent, probably due to its alkaline nature.

7. Cardiac & Arterial Health: Certain components in green tea prevents thickening of blood, thereby reducing chances of Arterial Sclerosis, Thrombosis, Cardiac and Cerebral Strokes etc.

8. Anti Diabetic: If not taken with sugar, the alkaline nature of green tea helps reduce the blood glucose level. Moreover, the anti oxidizing and astringent nature of its constituents ensure good health and better functioning of pancreas and thereby better secretion of insulin and resultant better decomposing and absorption of sugar. This helps keep diabetes away.

9. Weight Loss: You believe it or not, but green tea also helps lose weight by enhancing rate of metabolism and thereby faster consumption of fat storage of the body. Recently green tea has replaced other beverages in the western world as its helps in weight loss. Drink a cup full of green tea in the morning and you are sure to lose a few pounds of excess weight.

10. Stamina & Endurance Booster: You can prove this yourself. Just have a cup of hot green tea after rigorous exercise and within no time you will be ready for a few more sets. Further, it effectively counters muscular pain due to over exercise of muscles. Haven’t seen any athlete taking this? You must visit Japan & China then, where it is a popular drink among practitioners of Martial Arts.

11. De intoxicating: Green tea is the best cure to get rid of hangovers and fatigue caused by consumption of alcoholic beverages and lack of sleep due to late night parties. A big glass of green tea with lemon, and lo, feels as if there was no hangover at all. Green tea with Lemon juice is a very good and popular remedy to cut effect of alcohols effect instantly.

So how do antioxidants work?
Antioxidants protect the cells from a natural process called “oxidative stress”. Although oxygen is vital for life, oxidation produces free radicals that damage human cells. This damaging, physiological process works against the immune system and is also responsible for ageing Antioxidants help our body eliminate these harmful free radicals.

In fact a decrease in the level of antioxidants is proportional to the increased risk from cancer, heart attacks and umpteen other health disorders. In fact a new research shows that antioxidants in tea may actually help fight cataract – one of the primary causes of blindness globally.

Green tea contains polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants. They favor those bacteria that are beneficial to the human body while killing those that are harmful.

Solar Energy

The solar energy is our best renewable clean energy. In future there is only solar energy which will widely be used in our daily life. It is said that the sun can produce 10,000 times as much energy as the Earth uses at the turn of the 21^st century. Very soon we will have solar heated swimming pools will come across us, do not amaze at that time, solar plane, solar rockets.

Solar energy has been successfully being used for cooking, cooling, heating, communications, driving space craft, lighting and many more purposes.

Facts about solar energy

Solar energy has become of increasing importance to industrially developed countries as the use of fossil fuels has become problematic, with its effects of global warming and pollution. Fossil fuel reserves are limited where renewable energy sources, by definition, are not.

Such facts of solar energy mean that solar energy is now also attractive to developing countries with remote isolated areas. This is because the possibilities of stand-alone solar appliances negate the need for expensive grid infrastructure.

As renewable energy technology develops and fossil fuel prices increase solar energy becomes more affordable. And there are no crippling, rising importation costs of coal, oil or gas.

In recent years manufacturing costs of photovoltaic cells has dropped by 3-5% per year while government subsidies have increased. While to some such facts about solar energy seem trivial, this makes solar energy an ever-more affordable energy source. The worldwide production of solar cells increased by 60% in 2004. However, the material these cells are made from, silicon, has been in short supply since then and has hampered production. The energy output of a 1 KW solar energy unit is roughly equivalent to the burning of 170 pounds of coal and 300 pounds of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. At the end of 2005 total global peak power of installed solar panels was about 5,300 MW.