A method for precisely applying chemicals targeted by digital maps developed from remotely sensed data, including: obtaining EOS data through a growing season of a crop growing in a field; processing the EOS data to reflectance values, removing error-inducing effects of atmospheric alteration from the processed EOS data; calculating from the processed EOS data a crop performance index that indicates one or more poor performing area of the field; generating one or more maps of the crop performance index to allow a user to determine whether each of the one or more poor performing areas of the field are due to biological pests instead of topographic or soil constraints in discrete locations of the field, guiding the user to the one or more poor performing areas of the field using the one or more maps to allow the user to scout the one or more poor performing areas of the field to confirm and identify the biological pests; and providing guidance for a chemical application at the one or more poor performing areas that were confirmed as having the biological pests. Other embodiments are provided.

A method for the extermination of burrowing vermin is disclosed. The method employs a smoke generating fluid formed of castor oil or castor oil in a mix with secondary components. The fluid is heated to a smoking temperature and the smoke is mixed with a pressurized airflow to communicate the smoke to the tunnels occupied by the burrowing vermin to remove them, and to leave a residue from the smoke which exudes an order deterring the re-occupancy of the tunnels.

A method for the extermination of burrowing vermin is disclosed. The method employs a smoke generating fluid formed of castor oil or castor oil in a mix with secondary components. The fluid is heated to a smoking temperature and the smoke is mixed with a pressurized airflow to communicate the smoke to the tunnels occupied by the burrowing vermin to remove them, and to leave a residue from the smoke which exudes an order deterring the re-occupancy of the tunnels.

Disclosed herein is a soil-borne disease control method capable of simply suppressing a soil-borne pathogen. The method for controlling a soil-borne disease includes applying at least one polyhydroxyalkanoic acid having a structure represented by the following formula (1) to soil:

[—CHR—CH.sub.2—CO—O—]  (1)

(wherein R is an alkyl group represented by C.sub.nH.sub.2n+1 and n is an integer of 1 or more but 15 or less).

Disclosed herein is a soil-borne disease control method capable of simply suppressing a soil-borne pathogen. The method for controlling a soil-borne disease includes applying at least one polyhydroxyalkanoic acid having a structure represented by the following formula (1) to soil:

[—CHR—CH.sub.2—CO—O—]  (1)

(wherein R is an alkyl group represented by C.sub.nH.sub.2n+1 and n is an integer of 1 or more but 15 or less).

The present invention relates to the use of a fumigant barrier film for treating soil by fumigation, said film having, on at least one portion of the outer surface thereof or on at least one portion of the inner surface thereof or on at least one portion of the outer and inner surfaces thereof, at least one continuous self-adhesive or self-sticking or tackifying area. The present invention also relates to the method for sealing soil intended for fumigation treatment or in the process of fumigation treatment or which has been treated by fumigation, by covering said soil with a self-adhesive fumigant barrier film, as well as to a kit for fumigation treatment including at least one self-adhesive fumigant barrier film and at least one fumigant.

The invention provides materials and method for controlling pests, in particular, nematodes. The invention also provides compositions comprising biosurfactants as pesticides.

The invention provides materials and method for controlling pests, in particular, nematodes. The invention also provides compositions comprising biosurfactants as pesticides.

Methods for fumigating soil include applying over fumigant-treated soil a multilayer polymeric film to form a vapor barrier between the fumigant-treated soil and the atmosphere to at least partially contain the fumigant. The multilayer film includes at least one barrier layer comprising at least one vinylidene chloride polymer and protecting layers on each side of the barrier layer. The multilayer film preferably has at least one UV protecting layer and optionally at least one reflective layer.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for exterminating pests by injecting high-temperature steam into the ground including sand and the like, wherein a needle rod fixing plate (20) in which a plurality of needle rods (30) is arranged and fixed at the left and right sides thereof is coupled with a lever plate (12) rotated upward and downward by an operating cylinder (10) at a backside of autonomous power equipment (2), a steam generation unit (16) is provided to generate high-temperature steam enabling insect extermination and sterilization and supply the steam to steam injection holes (36) of the needle rods (30), a steam generation unit (16) and a needle rod (30) are connected by a hose, a steam distributor (44-1, 44-2) for supplying the steam to each needle rod (30) is provided on the hose, both ends of the steam distributor (44-1, 44-2) are coupled with a cover (48) so as to be sealed, a heating wire (49) for increasing the temperature of the steam again is provided therein, the needle rods (30) are inserted and moved forward in the bowels of the earth (6) by operating the autonomous power equipment (2), and a pest extermination operation unit (4) includes a control unit (80) for controlling the continuous injection of steam into the ground (6) so as to exterminate insects and sterilize the ground by enabling the dry or wet high-temperature steam to continuously permeate into the ground.