Cicada's Chillin' Calamity: A Crippling Threat to Potatoes and More
A cicada's impact on beet and potato crops explained. - Harmful Cicada Species Threatens Crops of Sugar Beets and Potatoes
Hey, buddy! Ever heard about the reed glass-winged cicada? Well, this little insect is wreaking havoc on our agriculture, particularly in Germany. By spreading a bacterial disease called Stolbur, it's causing major problems for our sugar beets, potatoes, and other veggies, like onions, celery, carrots, and even rhubarb and peppers.
This epidemic has become a real pain for the German Farmers' Association, who are concerned about the supply of domestic potatoes, vegetables, and sugar. Yeah, you heard that right—it's getting serious. In Baden-Württemberg alone, the damages are estimated to run into the millions. Climate change ain't helpin' either, as it's makin' things easier for the cicada to spread its wings.
But what exactly happens to the veggies, you ask? The bacterium Candidatus Phytoplasma solani, transmitted by the cicada, causes Stolbur. When crops get infected, they start to wilt, and their roots and tubers turn rubbery. The yields decrease, and their quality suffers—you might even notice a lack of sugar content in your spuds. In severe cases, the potatoes and affected vegetables can't even be processed or stored.
Stolbur, along with another cicada-transmitted infection called SBR (Syndrome of Low Sugar Contents), is causing some hefty yield and quality losses. Last year, the area affected by Stolbur in sugar beets ballooned from 40,000 hectares to at least 75,000 hectares, which represents around a quarter of the German cultivation area for these crops. Potatoes are one of the few foods that Germany can largely produce domestically, but they might be feeling the strain soon.
Now, you might be wonderin', "What about the domestic potato?" Potatoes are big business here in Germany, with around 65,000 hectares already classified as areas where the reed glass-winged cicada can infect potatoes. That's nearly a quarter of the total potato cultivation area, according to the Union of German Potato Industry (UNIKA).
But how and where does the cicada make its presence known? It started in Baden-Württemberg and has since spread to Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt, according to the German Farmers' Association. The southwest is cicada's favorite playground when it comes to both spread and economic consequences.
You might be forgettin', though—this isn't the first time the cicada has turned up. But this time, it's not just the sugar beets that are feelin' the heat. Other veggies, like potatoes, are starting to get tangled up in its web as well. And here's the kicker: there's no effective protection against this pest yet.
So, what does that mean for you, consumer? Currently, there's no evidence that Stolbur is harmful to humans. But fun fact: any potatoes or vegetables with a rubbery consistency or signs of rot don't even make it to the market. If the disease keeps spreadin', though, you might find yourself with fewer domestic potatoes this fall.
But it ain't just the consumers that are affected. Farmers are carrying the brunt of the cicada's reign of terror, losin' crops left and right. Last year alone, there were yield losses of up to 25% in all relevant beet-growing areas and up to 70% in potato cultivation in Baden-Württemberg. In some places, the farmers' continued cultivation is at risk. The disease is becomein' a serious economic risk for entire regions.
But why exactly is Stolbur such a thorn in side of agriculture? The plant disease has been around for a while, but it's the addition of potatoes and other veggies to its menu that's makin' things so tough. And the warm, early summers and summers that cicadas love are thanks to climate change, which is makin' things worse.
In extreme cases, chemical measures might be needed to control the cicada. The Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) can grant emergency approvals for unapproved plant protection products when other methods won't cut it. But these measures come with some strict conditions.
Farmers are callin' on politics to act quick, sayin' that effective measures for controlin' the cicada need to be approved pronto. They're also pushin' for research into resistance breedin', which could help future generations of farmers avoid this cicada-induced crisis.
All in all, the reed glass-winged cicada is shakin' up the agricultural scene—but maybe there's still hope for a beatdown. Stay tuned, folks.
- The common agricultural policy faces an unexpected threat due to the reed glass-winged cicada, as this insect spreads the bacterial disease Stolbur, affecting various crops such as sugar beets, potatoes, and other vegetables like onions, celery, carrots, rhubarb, and peppers.
- The environmental-science implications of the cicada's spread are multifaceted, with climate change potentially exacerbating the issue by creating conditions that ease the cicada's travel and reproduction.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness and lifestyle, efforts are being made to ensure that the Stolbur infection does not pose risks to human consumption, but the lessening supply of domestic potatoes may influence food-and-drink choices in the upcoming fall season.
