Every year we get asked whether lady bugs can be used to manage pests. In this episode, we discuss a review paper on the effectiveness of exotic lady beetles to manage insect pests, but we'll also discuss the use of lady beetles in biological control in general.

Randoni et al. (2020). Exotic ladybirds for biological control of herbivorous insects – a review. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 169: 6 - 27.

A new invasive snail has been observed near Miami (Florida) in August of 2020. If established, the snail can be problematic in nursery, greenhouse, fruit and vegetable production. Recognition is vital - if you see this snail, please report to state regulatory agencies right away (i.e. Texas Department of Agriculture). We also talk about the practical challenges with growing plants on Mars; something we're all going to encounter in the next 5 years or so... probably.

Horntail Snail: https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/93400/file/horntail-snail-pest-alert.pdf

Growing plants on Mars: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mars-farming-harder-martian-regolith-soil

ACC, or more commonly known as 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid on the streets, is a precursor to ethylene, the compound most known for its ability to ripen fruit. ACC was not thought to have its own set of functions, but this recent article supports otherwise. A better understanding of plant physiology can lead to a whole new area of plant research, which includes potential management strategies.

Citation:

Van de Poel, B. 2020. Ethylene’s fraternal twin steals the spotlight. Nat. Plants. 1–2.