{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","provider_url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog","author_name":"Beyond Pesticides","author_url":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/author\/beyond-pesticides\/","title":"Fungus Shown to be Effective Natural Pesticide - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"kCZpWrdBuD\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2010\/07\/fungus-shown-to-be-effective-natural-pesticide\/\">Fungus Shown to be Effective Natural Pesticide<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2010\/07\/fungus-shown-to-be-effective-natural-pesticide\/embed\/#?secret=kCZpWrdBuD\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Fungus Shown to be Effective Natural Pesticide&#8221; &#8212; Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog\" data-secret=\"kCZpWrdBuD\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"(Beyond Pesticides, July 9, 2010) Researchers at Swansea University in the UK have discovered a naturally occurring fungus as an alternative to pesticides for a wide range of crops. The fungal biological control agent, Metarhizium anisopliae, performed very well against the larvae of western flower thrips and vine weevils when applied as a spray or premixed into the growing medium. The researchers were able to achieve almost total control of the pest by combining the Metarhizium with nematodes, making it a huge environmental success. Professor Tariq Butt, who led the ongoing research at Swansea observed, \u201cThe benefits are far reaching\u201d\u201dnot just for those with organic farms or nurseries but also for conventional growers, offering an effective, environmentally friendly alternative to chemicals.\u201d Professor Butt, from the University\u2019s School of Environment and Society, believes this new development could help reduce the use of pesticides and their impact on the environment while reducing costs for farmers. The project was funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the UK Horticulture LINK program, the government\u2019s main vehicle for sponsoring applied research in horticulture. You can read the official university press release here. The fungus has been registered in Europe with Novozymes, [&hellip;]","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/stamets1.jpg"}