Effect of sulfur, lime sulfur on predators
Childers, C. C., Villanueva, R., Aguilar, H., Chewning, R., and
Michaud, J. P. 2001. Comparative residual toxicities of pesticides to
the predator Agistemus industani (Acari: Stigmaeidae) on citrus in
Florida. Experimental and Applied Acarology. 25:461-474
Holb IJ, DeJong PF and Heijne B (200a) Efficacy and phytotoxicity of
lime sulfur in organic apple production. Annals of Applied Biology
142: 225–233.
Prischmann, D. A., James, D. G., Wright, L. C., Teneyck, R. D., and
Snyder, W. E. 2005. Effects of chlorpyrifos and sulfur on spider mites
(Acari: Tetranychidae) and their natural enemies. Biological Control.
33:324-334
Teodoro, A. V., Fadini, M. A. M., Lemos, W., Guedes, R. N. C., and
Pallini, A. 2005. Lethal and sub-lethal selectivity of fenbutatin
oxide and sulfur to the predator Iphiseiodes zuluagai (Acari:
Phytoseiidae) and its prey, Oligonychus ilicis (Acari: Tetranychidae),
in Brazilian coffee plantations. Experimental and Applied Acarology.
36:61-70
and effect of copper on environment...
Avery, A. 2006. The Truth About Organic Foods. 1er ed. Henderson
Communications, L.L.C.
Avery, D. T., and Institute, C. F. G. F. I. (. 2001. Nature's Toxic
Tools: The Organic Myth of Pesticide-free Farming. Hudson Institute.
Eijsackers, H., Beneke, P., Maboeta, M., Louw, J. P. E., and Reinecke,
A. J. 2005. The implications of copper fungicide usage in vineyards
for earthworm activity and resulting sustainable soil quality.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 62:99-111 Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15978295
[Accessed December 2, 2008].
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previous intensive agricultural management on microorganisms and the
biodiversity of soil fauna. Plant and Soil. 170:123-129 Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02183060
[Accessed December 3, 2008].
Flores-Velez, L. M., Ducaroir, J., Jaunet, A. M., and Robert, M. 1996.
Study of the distribution of copper in an acid sandy vineyard soil by
three different methods. European Journal of Soil Science. 47:523-532
Friis, K., Damgaard, C., and Holmstrup, M. 2004. Sublethal soil copper
concentrations increase mortality in the earthworm Aporrectodea
caliginosa during drought. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
57:65-73
Jamar, L., Aubinet, M., Fievez, T., Magein, H., and Lateur, M. Soil
microbial activity and earthworm abundance in orchards under
conventional and organic growth management systems.
Ma, W. C. 1984. Sublethal toxic effects of copper on growth,
reproduction and litter breakdown activity in the earthworm Lumbricus
rubellus, with observations on the influence of temperature and soil
pH. ENVIRON. POLLUT.(A ECOL. BIOL.). 33:207-219
Merrington, G., Rogers, S. L., and Van Zwieten, L. 2002. The potential
impact of long-term copper fungicide usage on soil microbial biomass
and microbial activity in an avocado orchard. Australian Journal of
Soil Research. 40:749-759
Neuhauser, E. F., Loehr, R. C., Milligan, D. L., and Malecki, M. R.
1985. Toxicity of metals to the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Biology and
Fertility of Soils. 1:149-152 Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00301782
[Accessed December 3, 2008].
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Pezzarossa, B., and Barbafieri, M. 1998. Earthworms as useful
bioindicators of agroecosystem sustainability in orchards and
vineyards with different inputs. Applied Soil Ecology. 10:137-150
Tamm, L., Häseli, A., Fuchs, J. G., Weibel, F. P., and Wyss, E. 2002.
Organic fruit production in humid climates of Europe: bottlenecks and
new approaches in disease and pest control. In XXVI International
Horticultural Congress: Sustainability of Horticultural Systems in the
21st Century 638, ISHS, p. 333-339.
Van Rhee, J. A. 1977. Effects of soil pollution on earthworms.
Pedobiologia. 17:201–208
On 21-Jul-2009, at 7:31 PM, Axel Kratel wrote:
Nonsense! Copper concerns me, but what is the harm of lime sulfur?
Are you telling me I should stop going to my favorite sulfur hot
Springs which are loaded with the stuff? Aside of the rotten egg
smell, I don't see the harm with lime sulfur. I use this stuff all
the time, it has not harmed me, it's actually good for the skin if
diluted properly.
Lime sulfur is used for pets too, takes care of parasites.
http://www.nextag.com/lime-sulfur-dip/compare-html
Keep it out of your eyes and don't drink it, and you will be fine.
Different forms of sulfides are also used in dandruff shampoos.
I would not take a bath in any water with dissolved inorganic
pesticides, but lime sulfur, I'd put that in my jacuzzi to simulate
the hot Springs.
BTW, here in the West, fighting inorganic pesticide use is old hat,
the fringe has moved on to find new causes and is now fighting the
organic pesticides. So maybe you guys could all chime in and pretty
soon we won't be able to use anything.
From: Mo Tougas <m...@tougasfarm.com>
To: Apple-Crop <apple-crop@virtualorchard.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 3:36:49 PM
Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: LA Times Re: organic
Dare I add this.
What the article lacks is what the organic movement hopes the public
never learns, and that is the fact that the movement has
deliberately mislead, often times outright lied to the public to
forward its financial goals.
The public overwhelmingly believes that organic means either "not
sprayed", "not sprayed with pesticides" , "not sprayed with toxic
pesticides" or "not sprayed with anything toxic". Or that because it
is "natural", it is benign. The organic industry has done nothing to
right this misconception. I can't say that I blame them. Certainly
if the truth were known, the advantage would be lost.
Imagine if the average Joe or Mary spent a day pruning, or thinning
in an orchard sprayed 2 days ago with sulfur or better yet, lime
sulfur. Perhaps a reporter or two should be encouraged to do so.
Pot stirred.
Mo Tougas
Tougas Family Farm
Northborough, MA
On Jul 21, 2009, at 5:06 PM, Dave Rosenberger wrote:
Sorry, Alex, but all conventional pesticides produced in the past
three decades have a MUCH shorter half-life than copper which is
approved for organic.
Also, I agree that organic farming is much easier in desert
climates. However, it appears to me that western organic growers
(and conventional farmers as well) have been and continue to be
largely dependent on federally subsidized and/or state-funded water
systems. The water management systems in western irrigated
agriculture may have had less environmental impact that the wide-
spread use of DDT from the 1940's through the 1960's, but it would
be interesting to know the comparative environmental costs of the
two systems.
Pesticides that were developed in the past two decades have
relatively short residual life-spans or half-lives. The water
management systems used to produce the vast amounts of food that
come from western irrigated farmland continue to drain water flows
that formerly maintained wild salmon populations and other aspects
of healthy stream ecology. So which system is ultimately more
damaging if the ideal is to maintain healthy natural systems?
Flavor comparisons are very difficult because everyone's
preferences are different. I certainly agree that produce in chain-
store retail outlets often lacks flavor, but in my opinion, that
fact has little to do with organic vs. non-organic. It has a lot
more to do with which cultivars and selections will hold up to our
long-distance and impersonal food handling systems.
Finally, I'll repeat my two main arguments against organic: First,
lists of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable for organic
production have evolved from a mish-mash of nonscientific tradition
and folklore with little or no scientific basis for those
decisions. Second, organic foods generally are not available to
those in the lower socio-economic quadrant of our society because
it costs too much. The constraints on organic agriculture (perhaps
with the exception of corporate farms in desert climates) almost
guarantee that organic food will be more expensive because
production costs are higher and/or productivity per acre is lower.
(I know that higher cost and/or lower productivity is not always
the case for organic ag, but it is still largely true. Therefore,
don't bother replying with the examples of the exceptions!)
Everyone has a right to pay more for the food of their choice if
they can afford it, just as everyone has a right to drive a gas-
guzzling Hummer if they can afford that. However, I detect similar
levels of socio-economic arrogance and an attitude of "I don't want
to know the truth about real environmental costs" among those who
swear by organic foods and those who drive Hummers. I'll support
everyone's right to choose, but I object when proponents of organic
foods and/or Hummers suggest that the whole world would be better
if we all subscribed to those activities.
I have a mixed reaction to this article.
This article almost reads as if it says "the world isn't black and
white, so forget organics". That seems rather short sighted. The
truth is that organic fruits and veggies are not only better for
your health, but they're also better for the environment. The
organic pesticides have a much shorter half-life.
The truth is also that generally, organic fruits and vegetables
have better flavor. Walk into a safeway and try it out on the
apples, it never fails.
But things aren't so easy at farmers markets and roadside fruit
stands. It's also true that there are small scale non-organic
farmers that really grow outstanding fruits, and me, personally,
even though I am a die-hard organic fruit buyer, I do lower my
standards to accommodate them. I will not walk away from delicious
moorpark apricots if they're not certified organic, We have many
local growers that are not certified, but make an extra effort to
use as little pesticide as possible, and they should not be
punished by the consumer.
My orchard also has the "sandy nutrient poor soil" that the
article uses as an example, and yes, even though I try to be
organic on the pesticides, I complement organic manure and fish
emulsion with ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate whenever a
tree shows major nitrogen deficiencies. I don't sell my produce,
but if I did, I'd probably give up the chemical fertilizer because
organic fruit commends a higher price.
With that being said, I will walk away from the tasteless non-
organic fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. They're
disgusting, might as well sell cardboard. But when I go to a
health food store that sells organic produce, the difference is
striking: the organic produce is so much better it's not even in
the same league. So yes, there it is definitely true that organic
tastes way better!
So just because the world isn't black and white, let's not throw
the baby out with the bathwater. it's not an "either/or"
situation, organic is in fact better, but it's also about making
exceptions. Rules about what to do or not to do don't serve anyone
well. Humans are given brains for a reason: to use them and not be
on automatic pilot operating by some rules like a computer
program: consumers need to open their eyes, and make decisions
case by case, especially at the farmer's market, because every
vendor, every person, and every day is unique.
Here in the West, organic farming isn't really so hard. But on the
East coast, there are so many bugs that it makes it almost
impractical to be organic lest the consumer is willing to eat ugly
looking fruit. In my opinion, therein lies the problem: we are
turning into a plastic society, everything has to be antiseptic
and perfect looking. And that's the main reason I probably will
never sell any of my fruit from my 200 tree orchard. I know people
who threw in the towel because they got so fed up to see people
walk away from incredibly good tasting but not perfect looking
fruit to buy the bland fruits just because they're big and pretty.
To me, an oddly shaped, heavily ribbed, russeted apple is a
delight to the eyes, and I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.
Another great example: lately, I've been eating a nice crop of
Espagne pears, a French Summer pear that "blets" like a medlar,
a.k.a. turns brown and mushy when ripe, but the brown mush is an
incredible delight to the senses, like pie filling, like a nectar
of the Gods, a cross in between a medjool date and a pear. Do you
think I can easily find an American out there who'd be willing to
eat that? Nope, they prefer their tasteless cardboardy bartlett
pears, except maybe the chefs are upscale restaurants, who serve a
more open minded clientele.
So let the people who are on automatic pilot go and buy their
produce at safeway, the rest of us can go and delight in our ugly,
russeted, scabby but scromtuously delicious fruit, organic is
prefferable, especially if you don't care what the fruit looks
like, but go ahead and cheat a little. :)
From: "Smith, Tim" <smit...@wsu.edu>
To: Apple-Crop <apple-crop@virtualorchard.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 10:53:14 AM
Subject: Apple-Crop: LA Times Re: organic
This reporter has a fresh outlook.
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-calcook1-2009jul01,0,2885942.story
Timothy J. Smith
WSU Extension
--
**************************************************************
Dave Rosenberger
Professor of Plant Pathology Office:
845-691-7231
Cornell University's Hudson Valley Lab Fax:
845-691-2719
P.O. Box 727, Highland, NY 12528 Cell: 845-594-3060
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/faculty/rosenberger/
Vincent Philion, agr., M.Sc.
Phytopathologiste
Laboratoire de production fruitière intégrée
Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement
335, Rang des vingt-cinq Est
Case postale 24
Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville (Québec) J3V 4P8
Tél. bureau: 450 653-7368 poste 224
Tél. laboratoire: 450 653-7368 poste 229
Cellulaire: 514-623-8275
Autre: 802-659-4282
Télécopie: 450 653-1927
Verger du parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno
330, Rang des vingt-cinq Est
Case postale 24
Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville (Québec) J3V 4P8
Téléphone et télécopieur : 450 653-8375
Courriel: vincent.phil...@irda.qc.ca
Site Internet: www.irda.qc.ca
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