A biopesticide recently developed by the Council of Agriculture could reduce the occurrence of rice sheath blight by 50 percent and that of strawberry blight by 73 percent, while increasing yield by 30 percent, with the microbial pesticide to be mass-produced in the next year.
Miaoli District Agricultural Research and Extension Station researcher Chu Sheng-chi (朱盛祺) spent five years testing more than 200 species of probiotics to produce “Miaoli Live Bacteria No. 1” — the biopesticide derived from the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens species.
In field experimentation, Miaoli Live Bacteria No. 1 suppressed the occurrence of rice sheath blight by 50 percent and rice blast fungus by 15 percent, enhanced root system growth and decreased the development of strawberry gray mold rot by 74 percent and powdery mildew by 25 percent, boosting flowering and fruit yields by 30 percent, Chu said.
The bacteria’s ability to withstand heat up to 80°C helps provide the plants with a protective layer, he said.
The biopesticide could be used on other crops as well, he said, adding that chemical residue would not be an issue because the biopesticide works by naturally suppressing harmful bacteria, making the product suitable for organic farming.
The adoption of Miaoli Live Bacteria No. 1 is estimated to reduce the use of chemical pesticides by 20 percent to 30 percent, while improving the physical and chemical properties of planting soil by dissolving phosphatic deposits and other fertilizing agents, thereby reducing the cost of fertilizer by 5 percent to 10 percent, Chu said.
Citing UN World Food Programme statistics, station director Lu Hsiu-ying (呂秀英) said that more than 12.5 percent of crops produced every year are lost to plant diseases, and Taiwan alone suffers NT$280.8 million (US$8.54 million) in agricultural losses due to plant diseases every year.
The use of chemical pesticides is necessary to minimize damage caused by plant diseases, which lead to issues related to pollution, pesticide residue and food safety, while making farmers more vulnerable to cancers, Lu said.
Non-toxic microbial pesticides such as Miaoli Live Bacteria No. 1 are a solution to improve crop yields and food safety, she said.
A pesticide firm has approached the station to discuss a technology transfer and authorization program, and Miaoli Live Bacteria No. 1 is expected to be mass produced and available on the market in the next year, she said.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
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