The BIOCAT database of introductions of insect biological control agents for the control of insect pests was updated to the end of 2010 to include 6158 introductions, using 2384 different insect biological control agents against 588 pest species in 148 countries. Of the introductions, 2007 (32.6 %) led to establishment, and 620 (10.1 %) resulted in satisfactory control being reported against 172 (29.3 %) different pest species. The number of introductions has decreased each decade since the 1970s, but in the same period a higher proportion of introductions became established and contributed to successful control of target pests, and the number of countries implementing classical biological control increased. These positive trends reflect the greater research effort now made to optimize the chances of successful outcomes and increased confidence in classical biological control as a viable pest management strategy against a backdrop of a risk-averse culture that has developed in some key countries in recent years.

Small and medium farmers across the USA face multifarious challenges for survival. Agritourism has been an alternative to diversify their income streams. Researchers have examined various factors determining the profitability of agritourism operations that range from the operators’ socio-demographic and firmographic to geographic characteristics. However, the understanding of the extent to which the number of visitors and other factors influence the profitability of agritourism operators in Maryland, USA, is limited. This paper examines various factors associated with (a) the profitability of and (b) the number of visitors to agritourism operations. Using data collected from Maryland in 2022, the multivariate results reveal that the number of visitors to the farm increases the odds of profitability. However, the relationship was mediated by the number of employees, which influenced the number of attractions and visitors. Moreover, the number of employees independently and significantly affected the profitability. Further results reveal that the length of operation, the number of employees, and operating during the fall season significantly influence the number of visitors. These findings imply that policies should consider ways to facilitate labor hiring as well as other factors to attract farm visitors and increase farm profitability.

Summary Tropical soda apple is a perennial invasive weed species that has become a serious problem in both agricultural and natural areas of the southeastern United States. A field survey was conducted at a ranch in Madison County, Florida, to assess the effect of sun and shade conditions on the abundance and feeding activity of Gratiana boliviana Spaeth (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on tropical soda apple. The results revealed that beetle abundance and their feeding damage were greater on plants growing in full sun exposure than on plants growing in shaded habitat. Sumario La manzana de soda tropical es una especie de maleza invasora perenne que se ha convertido en un problema grave en las zonas agrícolas y naturales del sureste de los Estados Unidos. Se realizó un estudio de campo en un rancho en el condado de Madison, Florida, para evaluar el efecto de las condiciones de sol y sombra sobre la abundancia y actividad de alimentación de Gratiana boliviana Spaeth (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) en la manzana de soda tropical. Los resultados revelaron que la abundancia y su daño de alimentación por los escarabajos fueron mayores en las plantas que crecen expuestas a pleno sol que en las plantas que crecen en un hábitat sombreado.

This paper empirically investigates the influence of specific direct sales approaches in attracting visitors to an agritourism operation and its profitability using survey data from the U.S. This study further examines the mediating role of the number of visits to a farm in the relationships between specific direct sales approaches and profitability. Agritourism operations enhance economic viability and sustain the business by opening farms to visitors for education, recreation, entertainment, and direct sales of farm products and services. The goal is to invite visitors to a farm and enhance income. Previous studies in the U.S. show that on-farm direct sales, in general, show a positive association, whereas off-farm direct sales show a negative association with the profitability of agritourism operations, along with many other factors. Farmers consider U-pick, sales through a farm stand/store, and subscription farming or community-supported agriculture (CSA) (on-farm pick-up) as on-farm, and CSA (off-farm delivery) and selling at a farmers’ market as off-farm direct sales approaches. However, which specific approach attracts visitors to a farm and generates profitability is not known. Multivariate analysis using the recently collected data from a U.S. national survey of operators reveals that on-farm direct sales such as a U-pick and a farm stand/store attracted significantly more visits to an agritourism operation, which ultimately yielded higher profitability. In contrast, the selling of produce at farmers’ markets attracted significantly fewer visits to the farm and reportedly reduced profitability. These results are adjusted for other factors including various agritourism experiences offered to the visitors. Moreover, as theoretically expected, the number of visits mediated the effects of specific direct sales (particularly a U-pick and farm stand sales) on profitability. This evidence has implications for agritourism operators, policymakers, and extension educators engaged in starting, expanding, and promoting direct sales via agritourism operations for their economic viability and sustainability.