Glass -wing culinary threatens German potato harvest - rubber -like failures!

Glass -wing culinary threatens German potato harvest - rubber -like failures!

Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Deutschland - What's going in agriculture? A secret but serious problem is currently spreading through the fields of Bavaria: the reed glass-wing cigade, a small insect of only three to eleven millimeters, causes serious crop failures. This animal transmits a bacterium that causes Stolbur's plant disease, and this has several vegetables in its sights. The potatoes and sugar beets are particularly affected, which have already suffered massive quality losses in many companies. According to picture, the affected potatoes can often be rubber-like and therefore no longer usable.

In recent years, Stolbur has repeatedly provided red warning lights in agriculture - and not without reason. A spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture in Baden-Württemberg described the situation as a "serious threat" for domestic care with potatoes, vegetables and sugar. Bavaria has also reached the situation: since the beginning of June, the government has given warning calls to combat the cicadas in twelve counties, and farmers are allowed to use special insecticides with emergency approval.

critical crop failures

The numbers speak for themselves: In some regions of Baden-Württemberg, harvest failures of up to 70 percent in potatoes and up to 25 percent in sugar beet are reported. These drastic losses mean that many companies have to seriously ask themselves whether they can continue the extension. The cicada, which came to us primarily from France, spreads quickly over Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. But the location is also tense in Bavaria, because vegetables such as beetroot, celery, cabbage, onions and carrots are also affected, as SWR reported.

experts also report a worrying weather dependency: a hot and dry summer promotes the increase in the cicadas, which brings additional challenges for farmers. So far, there has been no effective protection due to this plant disease, so that farmers hope for sprays to at least limit the declines in the income.

a ray of hope for consumers

A consoler for consumers: Stolbur does not represent a health risk for humans. The affected potatoes and vegetable products do not go on the market. So, don't panic for the next purchases! However, it is clear that the situation remains critical. The President of the German Farmers' Association, Joachim Rukwied, expresses great concern about the spread of the cicade. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the zikade has already caused complete crop failures, which leads to further pressure on the market.

farmers now have hope for the emergency approval for pesticides, which was granted in April. This currently applies for 120 days, and at the end of May the approval was extended to further vegetables. However, this presupposes that effective funds will soon also be approved for regular use in order to master the continued challenge, the Tagesschau as a constant threat to domestic agriculture.