The part of the fungus that we see is the mushroom or toadstool that actually is just the fruiting body or reproductive structure of the actual fungus. If you have some wood chip mulch around your flowerbed or perhaps in a shady area, you may also notice little toadstools start jumping out of the soil. Since we've had some decent rains lately, you may notice an increase in the number of mushrooms that just seem to pop up in your yard. Recently a friend asked me to look at some strange...

These chemicals are often found in fertilizers that are combined with herbicides. Regular insecticides can kill grasshoppers, but their sheer numbers and great mobility, combined with strong chemical constitutions, require very frequent re-applications of strongly toxic materials. OK, they're technically not (yet?) locusts, but the grasshoppers on my little acre of gardens and weeds must number in the hundreds of thousands. One potential consequence of pesticide overuse is the evolution of...

Nutrients from fertilizers become unavailable during times of drought, and fertilizers create undue stress on many plants, especially the conditions our soils are under now. Unfortunately, we are entering the time of the summer that typically produces scattered thunderstorms, resulting in inconsistent precipitation throughout our county. A majority of Carroll County's lawns, trees and shrubs have experienced dry summers the last two years, and we are now entering another summer with a...

Describing the investment proposal of the Japanese firm in sugar industry as a very positive one, the advisor urged Honda to set up urea fertilizer industries in Bangladesh. Shin-ichi informed the advisor that the Japanese industrial giant is also keen to extend its cooperation to the country's sugar mills. During the meeting, Shin-ichi said his company wants to invest in power generation and environment-friendly alternative energy bio-ethanol projects. It would help in boosting production...

It's a sector in transition, since its long-favored feedstock for making a wide array of chemicalsfrom ammonia to plant fertilizer to adhesivesis natural gas. By Marianne Lavelle Posted 7/6/07 Investors putting money into the chemical industry today should know that they are, in effect, placing a bet on who has the best strategy for riding the bumpy energy landscape ahead. Industry giants Dow and DuPont, as well as many smaller firms, have responded by announcing plans to move...

RNAi is an important new area of technology that agricultural researchers expect to use to develop new agricultural products. As part of the deal Bayer also received rights under Monsanto's intellectual property in the area of insect resistance but the companies weren't specific as to these in their announcement. Additionally, the companies cross-licensed each other to use their respective patents on RNAi technology as part of this recent deal. Expect to See Roundup Ready and LibertyLink...

These crops do not need costly nitrogen fertilizer applications and often leave some nitrogen for the next crop, which is commonly called the nitrogen credit. Often, grain crops are reported to produce 10- to 20-percent higher yields following a legume crop compared with the production of continuous grain crops. The factors that influence nitrogen fixation include crops and cultivars, soil type, texture, pH, nitrate levels in the system, temperature, water, availability of other nutrients,...

The Press . Friday, 6 July 2007 Email a Friend . Printable View . Have Your Say Related Links Subscribe to Archivestuff Have your say Ballance Agri-Nutrients has increased its main fertiliser prices by as much as 24 per cent because of high global demand and rising shipping costs, reports TIM CRONSHAW. The Press . Friday, 6 July 2007 Email a Friend . Printable View . Have Your Say Related Links Subscribe to Archivestuff Have your say Ballance Agri-Nutrients has increased its main...

It survived, Schneidmiller said, because what was once considered odd is now widely seen as a safer, smarter and environmentally friendly way to eradicate pest insects. The yellowjacket trap has sold millions and has become as much as a backyard fixture as hibachis and garden hoses across North America and parts of Europe. Once the trap fills up, consumers take off the top, dump out the bugs and refill the cartridge with a chemical lure developed inside Sterling's lab. A Spokane firm turns...