National Central University (NCU) has set aside an annual budget for regular treatment to deal with the “pine wood nematode” worm invasion that attacks the 1,500 pine trees on the campus. As part of this treatment, the trees are given an intravenous drip, with the medicine being injected into their trunks.
According to the university, the worms, transmitted into the branches of the trees by insects, cause the leaves to wilt and die. Agricultural experts advise the use of a “trunk injection,” which infuses the medicine into the trunk, and from there throughout the entire tree. This process can take three to four months for the agent to take effect.
Last year, some of the coral trees — which are indigenous to Taiwan — along the streets in Taichung were harmed by Quadrastichus erythrinae, an exotic wasp species. National Chung Hsing University’s (NCHU) Plant Teaching Hospital launched a rescue operation, opting for trunk injections instead of the traditional spraying approach. As a result, 133 dying trees were brought back to life.
Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者李容萍
Plant Teaching Hospital director Tang Li-cheng said that, in the past, spraying was the only option available, but the chemicals stayed on the surface of the leaves and would not penetrate into the diseased tissue. As a result, the treatment was mostly ineffective.
The “plant doctors” at the hospital now use a more precise, targeted method, applying trunk injections to infuse the medicine into the trunk through a borehole. After this, through capillary action, the medication is transported to the infected leaves by water absorbed by the tree. Tang compared it to treating a sick person: applying ointment on the skin has limited effect, while injecting the drug into the blood vessels allows it to be absorbed more efficiently.
Tang says that two doses are sufficient for a whole year for trees with a diameter an adult can put their arms around. In addition, the treatment is inexpensive and does not carry the risks associated with pesticide spraying, such as harming non-targeted plants or creatures, or even people out for a stroll in the park.
(Translated by Lin Lee-kai, Taipei Times)
中央大學為了搶救校內約一千五百棵松樹免於「松材線蟲」入侵，每年編列預算，定期將藥劑加壓灌注入樹幹內，猶如為松樹「打點滴」。
中大表示，昆蟲傳播將松材線蟲帶入松樹的枝幹上，導致樹葉萎淍枯死，目前農業學者的建議是利用「樹幹注射法」，將藥劑加壓灌注入樹幹，讓藥劑運行全株運行，至少要三至四個月才能讓藥劑在松樹內發酵。
去年台中市部份行道樹「台灣原生種刺桐」出現受外來種刺桐釉小蜂危害，中興大學植物教學醫院也展開搶救大作戰，用樹幹注射法取代傳統噴藥，讓一百三十三棵奄奄一息的病樹起死回生，重現盎然綠意。
興大植物醫院院長唐立正指出，以往的防治或治療方式均採噴藥去病，但藥劑只留在樹葉表面，根本未能深入病害組織，因此防治成效有限。
興大植物醫院植物醫師「對症下藥」，採樹幹注射法，把治療藥物施打進入鑽孔的樹幹，隨著樹木自體吸收水份後的毛細現象，讓藥劑慢慢被吸收到病灶葉片治療。唐立正說，這就像是人體內生病，以往只在皮膚表面塗藥，效果有限，於是改以針劑注射藥劑到血管，漸被人體吸收達到治療效果。
唐立正指出，一般成人可圈抱的樹木，約施打兩劑即可維持近一年的藥效，成本低廉，更不像噴灑殺蟲劑一樣可能會波及其他植物或生物，甚至危害前往公園活動的民眾。
（中央社）
Many consumers are guilty of filling drawers or closets with old laptops, cellphones, fitness trackers and other electronic devices once they are no longer needed. It’s hard to know where to recycle such items, or it seems costly and inconvenient to do so. The world generates millions of tons of electronic waste — also called e-waste — each year. According to the UN’s most recent estimate, people worldwide produced 62 million metric tons of e-waste in 2022, and only about 22 percent of it was properly recycled. The US’ Environmental Protection Agency estimates that less than a quarter of e-waste is
You’re sitting in class when a classmate asks to borrow a pencil. It seems like a small favor, so you agree without hesitation. The following week, the same classmate asks to share your notes. Later, they request help with a group project. You agree each time — after all, you helped out the first time — but before you know it, it has become automatic. This scenario demonstrates the “foot-in-the-door technique,” a psychological concept that shows how agreeing to small, acceptable demands makes it easier to accept larger ones later on. The name for this strategy comes from door-to-door
A: The four-day Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend begins Friday and will run until Monday. Are you going to sweep your ancestors’ tombs? B: I did in advance last weekend, so I can go to Kaohsiung to see the musical “The Phantom of the Opera.” A: Wow, is “Phantom” touring Taiwan again? It debuted in 1986, so this year marks the 40th anniversary of the show. B: And it’s not just touring Kaohsiung starting March 31, but also Taipei starting April 21 and Taichung starting May 26. A: “Phantom” is one of the world’s Four Major Musicals. I’ve seen all of them, except “Les
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang Gig Tripping “Gig tripping” combines concerts with travel. People fly to see their favorite artists perform — usually abroad—and spend a few days sightseeing before or after the show. While die-hard fans have done this since the 1960s, the post-pandemic travel boom changed the game. Even people who aren’t superfans are now booking international concert trips because they want to make the most of travel opportunities. This trend exploded in the US, as the math makes sense. Domestic concert tickets are so costly that flying abroad for the show plus tourism expenses often matches or even beats the price
RSS