In news– A technique dubbed “camo-cropping” is undergoing trials in England as a means to confuse pests.
What is camo-cropping?
- Under this process soil is being dyed red, blue and green to hide emerging sugar beet crops from disease-carrying aphids.
- The pests have become an increasing problem for farmers in the absence of banned pesticides.
- It is hoped the trial, held at Morley Farms in Norfolk, England, will produce a nature-based solution to protect the sugar beet crops.
- Food-based dyes are being used so they don’t impact the quality of the crop.
- The trial was led by the Norwich-based British Beet Research Organization.
- Under this system farmers spray the soil, and the aphids flying over don’t see the beet coming through so they are flying past.
- While the beautiful pastel-colored fields may seem like a silly spectacle, farmers are hoping that the camo-cropping strategy will ultimately be just as protective as chemicals.
Source: BCC
