American scientists from the California University of Agriculture and Natural Resources have warned that farms will face a sharp increase in the number of agricultural pests as a result of climate change. This will threaten the cultivation of peaches, almonds and other nuts. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Total Environmental Science (STTE).
According to the article, populations of three major pests—codling moth, peach moth, and eastern codling moth—will increase as temperatures rise.
The study showed that due to warming, these insects will emerge 28 days earlier in the spring and the interval between generations will be 19 days shorter.
“The weevil moth is the main pest in walnut plantations, covering more than 141 thousand hectares in California alone. Likewise, peach moths and eastern codling moths are the insects that most threaten peaches. Farmers need to control almost every generation of these creatures to protect fruits and prevent economic losses,” said co-author Jalendra Rijal.
The research will be critical in providing growers with support and advice on the latest developments in pest control and how to adapt these techniques.
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