Very small #mites are subject of my research as they are associated with other arthropods (#phoretic#dispersal), and even #influence the #microclimate in their #habitats in complex ways, by fungal #spore transport+chemical fungal growth regulation via own #fungicides. #Histiostoma #sapromyzarum is subject of my current#Behance project exploring it also #aestheticslly.

©#StefanFWirth

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Behance S F.Wirth
https://www.behance.net/gallery/244398767/Fragile-Transparency

So,
@BrightFlame, here's what I found out about the nematode (Litylenchus crenatae mccannii) that causes #BeechLeafDisease . The best way to treat the trees is with a potassium-based fungicide (that would have the least environmental impact). Here's a couple of helpful links...

Beech Leaf Disease

This article discusses the cause of beech leaf disease (BLD), the lifecycle of this nematode (Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii), the symptoms of BLD, and treatments.

"BLD can be treated in yard trees by injections of thiabendazole (like Arbotect 20-S). According to the label, inject 2-8 fl oz of thiabendazole for every 5 inches of trunk diameter and dilute with 16-32 parts water for one part chemical. For large trees (stems with a DBH of 8 inches or more), stems may be injected with up to 12 fl oz thiabendazole per 5 inches of trunk diameter. Always read and understand the chemical label prior to applying. Other products that show promising results against BLD are potassium phosphite, potassium polyphosphate, and other potassium fertilizers. The recommended application rate is 2 fl. oz. of phosphite products mixed with 14 oz. of water for every inch of diameter and applied at the base of the infected tree. Trees that have been damaged for multiple years may not be saved as the damage is too much for the trees to overcome. Long term research is still underway."
https://extension.psu.edu/beech-leaf-disease

Potassium phosphonate: use, advantages and environmental decomposition in agricultural crops

"Advantages of potassium phosphonate

Potassium phosphonate offers several advantages over conventional fungicides:

Lower environmental impact: It breaks down rapidly to phosphoric acid, which is less persistent in the environment compared to other fungicides such as fosetyl-Al. This minimizes residue accumulation and reduces environmental impact (Hofgaard et al., 2010; Graham & Feichtenberger, 2015).

SAR Induction: Provides broader and longer lasting protection by activating natural plant defenses, reducing the need for frequent applications and additional fungicides.

Safety and efficiency: Compared to many chemical fungicides, potassium phosphonate has low toxicity to the environment and humans. It leaves no toxic residues on crops, which makes it safe for human consumption and decreases environmental impact."

https://lainco.com/en/potassium-phosphonate-use-advantages-and-environmental-decomposition-in-agricultural-crops/

#SolarPunkSunday #TreeHealth #Fungicides #SaferFungicides #BeechTrees

Beech Leaf Disease

This article discusses the cause of beech leaf disease (BLD), the lifecycle of this nematode (Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii), the symptoms of BLD, and treatments.

Environmental #pesticide exposure and the risk of irritable bowel syndrome: A case-control study

Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology
Volume 98, March 2023, 104076
Lola Rueda-Ruzafa, Pablo Roman, Diana Cardona, Mar Requena, Carmen Ropero-Padilla, Raquel Alarcón

Highlights

• The risk of irritable bowel syndrome is higher in areas of high pesticide exposure.
• Agronomic criteria were used to categorize pesticide exposure in the study population.
• A total of 18,807 cases of irritable bowel syndrome were studied.
• Environmental pesticide exposure is linked to irritable bowel syndrome.

Abstract
The agricultural model in southern #Spain is highly productive, mainly due to the intensive cultivation under plastic. Despite strict pesticide regulation, human exposure to pesticides in the environment has been connected to an increase in diseases such as #CeliacDisease. Certain pesticides have also been associated to the disruption of the intestinal #microbiota, which has been xtied to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A case-control study was conducted in Andalusia, south #Spain, to assess the prevalence and risk of IBS related to pesticide exposure. This research found a high prevalence of IBS in #Andalusia between 2000 and 2021 in areas with high pesticide exposure using agronomic criteria. Furthermore, the odds ratio for IBS was significantly higher in the population with high pesticide exposure. This study suggests that pesticides may be involved in IBS, whereas more research is needed to determine the role of pesticides in IBS symptomatology.

Excerpts: "[In the locations of the study], the most commonly used insecticides are #organophosphates (primarily chlorpyrifos), N-methylcarbamates, macrocyclic lactones, #neonicotinoids, and pyrethroids. #Fungicides frequently used in plastic greenhouses include (di) thiocarbamates, conazoles, dicarboximide), anilino-pyrimidines, and copper salts. Bipyridyl (paraquat, diquat), organophosphonates (#glyphosate), chlorotriazine, and phenylurea are the herbicides most popularly used in the study areas (García-García et al., 2016)."

[...]

Studies on Rats

"A wide range of environmental pollutants, including heavy metals, insecticides, herbicides, and pesticides, can cause gut dysbiosis (Jin et al., 2015, Lin et al., 2020, Reygner et al., 2016). As suggested in our findings, there is also an increased risk of IBS precisely in pesticide-heavy areas and particularly in women. Previous research have found sexually dimorphic metabolic effect after pesticides exposures (Lukowicz et al., 2018). In this regard, #Roundup®, a glyphosate-based herbicide (#GBH) widely used in Andalusian crops, can increase the #Bacteroidetes group while decreasing the #Lactobacillaceae family in fecal samples of female rats (Lozano et al., 2018). Similarly, chronic glyphosate exposure reduces Corynebacterium, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Lactobacillus in mice following GBH administration (Aitbali et al., 2018). Exposure to fungicides such as imazalil can also alter the composition of the GM after acute and chronic administration. Specifically, in mice, imazalil increases the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria while decreasing the abundance of Bacteroidetes (Jin et al., 2016). Insecticides such as chlorpyrifos, diazinon and aldicarb also disrupt the GM of rats and mice (Aitbali et al., 2018, Gao et al., 2019, Gao et al., 2017, Joly et al., 2013). This modification has been associated with increased intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation in the case of chlorpyrifos (Condette et al., 2014). Diazinon inhibits several SCFA-producing genera in the Lachnospiraceae family, which operate as an energy substrate for colonic epithelial cells, altering energy harvesting in the intestinal epithelium (Gao et al., 2017)."

Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668923000170

#IBS #Bayer #ToxicPesticides
#Monocrops #Monocrap #BigAg
#BigChem #Poison #RoundUpKills #USPol #WorldPol #Roundup #Glyphosate #Herbicides

#Hemp cultivation contributes to the European Green Deal objectives

Excerpts:

"Hemp has a number of #Environmental benefits.

- #CarbonStorage: one hectare of hemp sequesters 9 to 15 tonnes of CO2, similar to the amount sequestered by a young forest, but it only takes five months to grow.

- Breaking the cycle of diseases: hemp helps to break the cycle of diseases when used in #CropRotation. In addition, weeds are not able to grow due to the fast growth and shading capacity of hemp plants.

- #SoilErosion prevention: dense leaves of hemp become a natural soil cover, reducing water loss and protecting against soil erosion. Hemp covers the ground just three weeks after germination.

- #Biodiversity: flowering cycle usually occurs between July and September, coinciding with a lack of pollen production from other crops. Hemp produces large amounts of pollen. It also provides shelter for birds and hemp seeds are a food for animals.

- Low or no use of #pesticides: hemp is susceptible to few pests because of the lack of natural predators, which means that the use of #insecticides, #herbicides, and #fungicides can be avoided in most cases."


"Uses of hemp

1. Textile industry (#HempFibre)

Hemp fibre is very similar to linen and the interest of the textile industry in using hemp fibre is growing. The European Commission, in its circular economy action plan, considers the textile sector as one of the cornerstones in the transition towards a greener and more sustainable economy and it has encouraged stakeholders to seek new materials and new economic models. To this end, the EU has adopted a strategy for sustainable and circular textiles aiming to create a more sustainable, innovative, circular economic model.
Hemp fibre and textile material
Hemp fibre is a sustainable raw material for the textile industry.

2. Food and feed (#HempSeeds)

Hemp seeds contain high levels of protein and considerable amounts of fibres, vitamins, Omega-3, and minerals. As a result, de-hulled hemp seeds serve as a food for human consumption, while whole hemp seeds are used as feed for animals.

3. #Construction (#HempFibre)

There are three main hemp-based products used in construction: #lime hemp concrete (#hempcrete), #HempWool, and fibre-board insulation. The construction sector is responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of GHG emissions, and 75% of that energy goes to waste. This has led to a search for construction practices and materials that are carbon neutral or carbon sequesters. Hempcrete is a carbon sequester as the amount of carbon stored in the material is higher than the emissions generated during its production, and it continues to store carbon during the building’s life. Improving energy efficiency in the building sector will play a key role in achieving carbon-neutrality by 2050, a goal set out in the European Green Deal. Hemp can play a significant role in reaching this objective.

Hempcrete, hemp wool and fibre-board insulation are used in the construction sector due to their energy efficient properties.

4. #Paper production (hemp fibre)

There are multiple advantages to using hemp fibre to make paper: hemp stalks only take up to five months to mature, #HempPaper does not necessarily require toxic bleaching chemicals and hemp paper can be recycled seven to eight times.

Hemp fibre paper is a more sustainable alternative to paper made from wood pulp.

5. Other uses

Hemp-derived products are used in different industries and for different purposes. Negative environmental effects of plastic have pushed manufacturers to seek alternatives. Hemp is a good option given its light weight and durability. As a substitute for plastic, hemp-derived products are used in different sectors such as car manufacturing, railway, aviation and aerospace.

Other uses of hemp include #cosmetics (oils, lotions, shampoos, etc.) and energy production (#biofuels). There is also interest in the production and marketing of hemp extracts, notably cannabidiol (#CBD), due to its possible uses in cosmetics, health products and food. These possible uses are, however, subject to the relevant EU requirements. In November 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union determined that the marketing of legally produced CBD is permitted under EU law."

Read more:
https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/crop-productions-and-plant-based-products/hemp_en

#SolarPunkSunday #HempFiber #HempUses #EUGreenNewDeal #EuropeanGreenDeal #Birdseed #HempFiberBoard #Cannabis

Hemp

An overview of hemp production in the EU, its different industrial uses, applicable legal rules and support available under the CAP

Agriculture and rural development
The Impact of a Ghostwritten Paper on the Fate of #Glyphosate - A downsized #EPA faces a deadline to review the #herbicide #safety without much of its in-house expertise. In Oct 2026 EPA must release decision on use of America’s most widely used herbicide. It will mark milestone in the 15-year registration review cycle for #pesticides (the umbrella legal term in the U.S. which includes #herbicides, #insecticides #fungicides #rodenticides) mandated under federal #law https://undark.org/2025/08/15/opinion-ghostwritten-paper-glyphosate/
The Impact of a Ghostwritten Paper on the Fate of Glyphosate

Opinion | A downsized EPA faces a deadline to review the herbicide’s safety without much of its in-house expertise.

Undark Magazine
Banned in Europe, sprayed in America: The fungicide threatening our pollinators

Macquarie University researchers reveal that chlorothalonil, still commonly sprayed on American and Australian produce, cripples insect fertility by more than a third at residue levels typically found on food. The unexpectedly sharp drop in fruit-fly egg production suggests cascading damage to pollinator populations vital for crops and ecosystems. Although the fungicide is outlawed in the EU, Australian growers often apply it preventively, underscoring regulatory blind spots. Scientists urge scaled-back spraying and sustainable alternatives to stop a hidden contributor to global insect decline.

ScienceDaily

‘Parkinson’s is a man-made disease’.

Europe’s flawed oversight of pesticides may be fuelling a silent epidemic, warns Dutch neurologist Bas Bloem.

His fight for reform pits him against industry, regulators — and time.

https://mediafaro.org/article/20250414-parkinsons-is-a-man-made-disease?mf_channel=mastodon&action=forward

#Parkinson #Health #BasBloem #Neurology #Science #Pesticides #Fungicides #MPTP #Paraquat #Glyphosate #EFSA #Healthcare #Europe #EU #Longread

‘Parkinson’s is a man-made disease’.

Europe’s flawed oversight of pesticides may be fuelling a silent epidemic, warns Dutch neurologist Bas Bloem. His fight for reform pits him against industry, regulators — and time.

Politico.eu

‘Parkinson’s is a man-made disease’.

Europe’s flawed oversight of pesticides may be fuelling a silent epidemic, warns Dutch neurologist Bas Bloem.

His fight for reform pits him against industry, regulators — and time.

https://mediafaro.org/article/20250414-parkinsons-is-a-man-made-disease?mf_channel=mastodon&action=forward

#Parkinson #Health #BasBloem #Neurology #Science #Pesticides #Fungicides #MPTP #Paraquat #Glyphosate #EFSA #Healthcare #Europe #EU #Longread

‘Parkinson’s is a man-made disease’.

Europe’s flawed oversight of pesticides may be fuelling a silent epidemic, warns Dutch neurologist Bas Bloem. His fight for reform pits him against industry, regulators — and time.

Politico.eu
Deadly mold strains highly likely to acquire resistance to new drugs

Scientists have identified strains of one of the world's most dangerous fungal pathogens, already resistant to our most effective antifungal drugs, which are also five times more likely to acquire resistance to desperately needed new treatments in development.

Phys.org