I really want to thank you Elaine. Years ago I was very depressed and was very lost in my life and I found out gardening. Then I heard about your work and it really inspired and helped me a lot on my journey of learning how to grow organic veggies. Thank you for your work!
This is interesting, I also have made many presentations and videos about exactly this subject of insect physiology! I agree somewhat with the question by Abraham at 1:54:52 and appreciate the discussion these sessions bring. The published, peer-reviewed research and replicated experiments I have read (and participated with) on the subject, especially literature in the last 5-10 years, contradicts some of these points made by Dr. Dykstra who I respect has several patents and degrees but unfortunately, no published research that I or anyone else in my field of pest management science and ecology are able assess. I do hope that Dr. Dykstra will be publishing some of his personal efforts in a peer-reviewed journal in the near future because I would enjoy seeing the mechanistic data and how it fits with other observations. A follow up regarding some of these points would be helpful for my understanding. For example at 28:26 Dykstra explains that "they (aphids and other homoptera) are extracting water and sugar so they can get other various nutrients", but for example aphidologist Angela E. Douglas describes along with Shakesby et al. in, "A water-specific aquaporin involved in aphid osmoregulation" published in 2009, that: "Water cycling in phloem-feeding insects is suggested by the anatomy of the gut, in which a close physical association exists between proximal and distal regions. In some species, the association is anatomically complex and is termed as a filter chamber; in other species, there is a close juxtaposition of different gut regions without structural elaboration. The structural organization of the aphid gut anatomy provides the opportunity to transfer water rapidly from the stomach to the distal intestine without altering the endpoint of osmotic adjustment. For aphids with transglucosidase activity in the proximal intestine (i.e. the region immediately distal to the stomach), the putative direction of water transfer is from the distal intestine to the stomach. The resultant dilution of ingesta in the stomach would protect the insect against the osmotic loss of water from the haemolymph to the gut contents... In summary, the function, localisation, and consequences of reduced gene expression in vivo suggest that ApAQP1 is a waterspecific aquaporin involved in a homeostatic water cycling mechanism that transfers water from the distal intestine to the stomach and, thereby, contributes to the osmoregulation of the pea aphid.". More simply, many aphids transfer water from the end (distal) back into the stomach (proximal), not the reverse, diluting the ingested plant sugars while they digest them with various enzymes like α-glucosidase and sucrases rather than to bypass these sugars in an effort to digest other substances, I would be curious what physiological studies are being referenced here. It is very surprising that Dykstra totally glosses over all the protein- and sugar-digesting enzymes that aphids and grasshoppers both have, not to mention myriad mutualist microbes, that contribute to amino acid synthesis in aphids specifically, as evidenced in many research papers since the early 2000s, such as "Honeydew Sugars and Osmoregulation in the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon Pisum" published in 2014, that states: "Many insects of the order Homoptera, including most aphids, feed on the phloem sap of plants, a diet rich in sugars and usually dominated by sucrose. The insects ingest the phloem sugars at rates in excess of their requirement for carbon, and high concentrations of unassimilated sugars are voided in their honeydew (Klingauf, 1987)".
A raw Brix reading ignores the diurnal nature of photosynthesis production and so depending what time of day you take your reading, the sugar concentration would be different. A switch doesn't flip at night and turn photosynthesis off, it increases to a max at midday in full sun, and decreases to zero at night. I imagine you could come up with an standardardized Brix reading for something like light intensity at the plant, measured with a light meter, but using an arbitrary measure of refraction through a sap sample (also containing crushed chloroplasts, cell walls, pigments, and other refraction increasing substances) doesn't control for any other variables. Also curious on Dr. Dykstra's opinion on other measures of photosynthetic activity like Infrared Gas Analyzers as a proxy for plant health. Thank you for this discussion! I very much enjoy tiptoeing the boundary of the unknown with you lot
Dr. Tom Dykstra thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining the dots in this field. Easy to integrate learning and very well delivered. Dr. Elaine & the team thank you for bringing this on 😊
This is one of the greatest most eye opening presentations on plants I have ever come across. Please tell me you will present the other parts you mentioned at the beginning of the video.
Slugs are my nemesis and I've determined I have half the world's slugs in my garden because of the huge amount of mulch I use. The slimy critters eat 99% of any crop I direct sow, such as carrots. I don't think the tiny seedlings have had the time to develop natural immunity to the slugs, who see them as filet mignon of the plant world. I'm now working at eliminating most of the early season mulch and other slug hiding spots in my garden. I've found that an after dark application of 10% household ammonia solution does a real number on the slugs without damaging the plants. It also kills every other bug it hits. like tent caterpillars. Just be careful not to spray in bright sunshine or you'll likely damage your plants. A half inch layer of sifted compost slao makes it difficult for them to crawl on becasue it sticks to their body and prevents them laying down a slime trail which is how they move. BTW, recent soil tests show my garden has 14% organic matter.
There are definitely many creatures that don't particularly care of the plant in front of them is super healthy, they'll eat it anyway. Like us. Your experience was like mine when veggie farming. Quite healthy (appearing, storing, and tasting) vegetables but provide slugs and snails with habitat reasonably close by and they'll have a feast. I did what you are doing now and it helped a lot. I kept at least a meter wide clean (wood chipped) pathway around the perimeter before perennial vegetation and mulched with compost. Kept slugs and snail numbers to a dull roar or absent. Even with 16% soil organic matter according to one test, it was likely that a nutrient could have been out of proportion. Never had time to follow up on it though. Would have been very interesting to see some sap tests on those veggies... Good luck getting the upper hand!
Doubt: since harvest is the time plants are almost dead / dead , does that count as unhealthy plant? Since bugs attack unhealthy plants and harvest lost?
Thank you so much for this insightful webinar. Most importantly, for not rushing and explaining everything very clearly. English isn't everyone's first language.
very useful information, thankyou for the video. HOW TO CREATE RIGHT SOIL CONDITIONS TO GET THE WHITE RING IN THE FRUIT WHICH PREVENTS THE INSECT ATTACK
After watching this, I supplemented my grow (cannabis) with some UVA lights and my BRIX, after 4 days has already jumped up from 6 to 9. I never had any insect problems but the fact that the plant was not able to produce certain amino acids got me curious about raising for increased secondary metabolites. Curious to see what the levels are after a few weeks and how it will change the end result.
Some farmers get rewards (crop insurance) for plantings that are destined to fail. Some of them do it repeatedly. There can be a return (enough positive for repeat performances) on failed crops. Crop insurance. Which is of course, totally unnatural. Only humans could work up a system that pays for failure. Nature does not.
Considering the brix levels in fruit, would it not be the case that in plants, brix is reliant on maturity and time of season? Or is it the case that we are talking about the plant leaf and stem only. Apologies if this is unclear.
Had a good year with peppers this year. Had some different night shade plants weeds growing, They were sacrificial the aphids and the Beatles attached those weeds all season.
Can fruit trees have a high brix reading to where they are not being attacked but still not produce high yields of fruit? or does having a high brix reading in fruit trees mean they will likely produce high yields of fruit.
I have witnessed this phenomenon over and over. I leave the insects to their work. The outcome is amazing... Let nature do it's natural work. We reap the benefits... Patience is essential!
I wonder why fruitflies go after mushrooms? Is it because the mushrooms are nutrient deficient, or because of their unseen decay? Fruitflies are a mushroom cultivator's nightmare.
The title of this video is a classic case of loaded question. Before you ask _"why insects avoid healthy plants"_ you should first establish that this is the case. Not only it is an over generalization, but in fact what we see in many cases is the exact opposite of that. For example, many insects will seek the most healthy plants and their healthiest fruit or tissue they can find in which to lay their eggs. This is not only evolutionary logic, but also evidence that is abundantly corroborated.
AHA! that's why my Ash trees haven't be affected as much as other areas. They're healthier. USDA Forestry told me to sell all my Ash when we logged the forest a few years back.
It would take less training than a wine-taster to be able to judge the health/brix of a plant by taste. For general plants, the accuracy would be reasonable and for a plant you trained on daily you should become quite accurate. Could be a useful skill for crop surveillance or pasture management.
I was really inspired until he got to the bit about light and greenhouses. I live in Ireland where sunshine is rare and greenhouses are a must for alot of crops.. I guess my brix goals are doomed!
What invaluable information I learned today thank you Dr. Dykstra and Dr. Elaine. I can now evaluate the effectiveness of my soil amendments in the lens of sugar levels (brix measured levels)
A lot of claims in this video. Lets look at one, that GMO plants have very low Brix. I did a search for scientific studies supporting this claim and found none. Can you provide one published study that supports this claim?
Considering there are few studies in brix levels in plant production in general, it's really not surprising that there would be no studies in gmo's. What are your are your other issues?
To Dr.D, "Insects only feed upon unhealthy, unfit plants" is very much taught to the practicers of the Back To Eden Method. Before, you didn't know where else this principle was being openly taught. Now you do!
Work and recreation are attitudes towards employment. This man didn't work for his degrees. He enjoyed doing it. Workaholic is usually a misnomer for folks who enjoy what they do.
I really want to thank you Elaine. Years ago I was very depressed and was very lost in my life and I found out gardening. Then I heard about your work and it really inspired and helped me a lot on my journey of learning how to grow organic veggies. Thank you for your work!
This is interesting, I also have made many presentations and videos about exactly this subject of insect physiology! I agree somewhat with the question by Abraham at 1:54:52 and appreciate the discussion these sessions bring. The published, peer-reviewed research and replicated experiments I have read (and participated with) on the subject, especially literature in the last 5-10 years, contradicts some of these points made by Dr. Dykstra who I respect has several patents and degrees but unfortunately, no published research that I or anyone else in my field of pest management science and ecology are able assess. I do hope that Dr. Dykstra will be publishing some of his personal efforts in a peer-reviewed journal in the near future because I would enjoy seeing the mechanistic data and how it fits with other observations. A follow up regarding some of these points would be helpful for my understanding.
For example at 28:26 Dykstra explains that "they (aphids and other homoptera) are extracting water and sugar so they can get other various nutrients", but for example aphidologist Angela E. Douglas describes along with Shakesby et al. in, "A water-specific aquaporin involved in aphid osmoregulation" published in 2009, that:
"Water cycling in phloem-feeding insects is suggested by the anatomy of the gut, in which a close physical association exists between proximal and distal regions. In some species, the association is anatomically complex and is termed as a filter chamber; in other species, there is a close juxtaposition of different gut regions without structural elaboration. The structural organization of the aphid gut anatomy provides the opportunity to transfer water rapidly from the stomach to the distal intestine without altering the endpoint of osmotic adjustment. For aphids with transglucosidase activity in the proximal intestine (i.e. the region immediately distal to the stomach), the putative direction of water transfer is from the distal intestine to the stomach. The resultant dilution of ingesta in the stomach would protect the insect against the osmotic loss of water from the haemolymph to the gut contents... In summary, the function, localisation, and consequences of reduced gene expression in vivo suggest that ApAQP1 is a waterspecific aquaporin involved in a homeostatic water cycling mechanism that transfers water from the distal intestine to the stomach and, thereby, contributes to the osmoregulation of the pea aphid.".
More simply, many aphids transfer water from the end (distal) back into the stomach (proximal), not the reverse, diluting the ingested plant sugars while they digest them with various enzymes like α-glucosidase and sucrases rather than to bypass these sugars in an effort to digest other substances, I would be curious what physiological studies are being referenced here. It is very surprising that Dykstra totally glosses over all the protein- and sugar-digesting enzymes that aphids and grasshoppers both have, not to mention myriad mutualist microbes, that contribute to amino acid synthesis in aphids specifically, as evidenced in many research papers since the early 2000s, such as "Honeydew Sugars and Osmoregulation in the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon Pisum" published in 2014, that states:
"Many insects of the order Homoptera, including most aphids, feed on the phloem sap of plants, a diet rich in sugars and usually dominated by sucrose. The insects ingest the phloem sugars at rates in excess of their requirement for carbon, and high concentrations of unassimilated sugars are voided in their honeydew (Klingauf, 1987)".
Wow, what a mind blowing webinar. Absolutely fascinating. Dr Dykstra - awesome work I applaud you.
wow, this is the missing link to my understanding of "why healthy plants are pest free". such a great presentation! thank you for sharing this video!
A raw Brix reading ignores the diurnal nature of photosynthesis production and so depending what time of day you take your reading, the sugar concentration would be different. A switch doesn't flip at night and turn photosynthesis off, it increases to a max at midday in full sun, and decreases to zero at night.
I imagine you could come up with an standardardized Brix reading for something like light intensity at the plant, measured with a light meter, but using an arbitrary measure of refraction through a sap sample (also containing crushed chloroplasts, cell walls, pigments, and other refraction increasing substances) doesn't control for any other variables.
Also curious on Dr. Dykstra's opinion on other measures of photosynthetic activity like Infrared Gas Analyzers as a proxy for plant health.
Thank you for this discussion! I very much enjoy tiptoeing the boundary of the unknown with you lot
These RUclips collaboration videos are gold! We definitely need more collaboration and sharing of data.
Dr. Tom Dykstra thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining the dots in this field. Easy to integrate learning and very well delivered. Dr. Elaine & the team thank you for bringing this on 😊
Its not just unhealthy plants, the insects are the nurseryman of nature.
The plants request the insects to prune them.
Learned SO much! Thanks Tom and Elaine!!
This is one of the greatest most eye opening presentations on plants I have ever come across. Please tell me you will present the other parts you mentioned at the beginning of the video.
So glad dr white was mentioned, his work is amazing. This is so fun thank you so much dr dysktra.
Hope the other 3 parts of the 4 part presentation are uploaded.
Really a fantastic presentation Tom. I enjoyed it very much.
Slugs are my nemesis and I've determined I have half the world's slugs in my garden because of the huge amount of mulch I use. The slimy critters eat 99% of any crop I direct sow, such as carrots. I don't think the tiny seedlings have had the time to develop natural immunity to the slugs, who see them as filet mignon of the plant world. I'm now working at eliminating most of the early season mulch and other slug hiding spots in my garden. I've found that an after dark application of 10% household ammonia solution does a real number on the slugs without damaging the plants. It also kills every other bug it hits. like tent caterpillars. Just be careful not to spray in bright sunshine or you'll likely damage your plants. A half inch layer of sifted compost slao makes it difficult for them to crawl on becasue it sticks to their body and prevents them laying down a slime trail which is how they move.
BTW, recent soil tests show my garden has 14% organic matter.
There are definitely many creatures that don't particularly care of the plant in front of them is super healthy, they'll eat it anyway. Like us. Your experience was like mine when veggie farming. Quite healthy (appearing, storing, and tasting) vegetables but provide slugs and snails with habitat reasonably close by and they'll have a feast. I did what you are doing now and it helped a lot. I kept at least a meter wide clean (wood chipped) pathway around the perimeter before perennial vegetation and mulched with compost. Kept slugs and snail numbers to a dull roar or absent. Even with 16% soil organic matter according to one test, it was likely that a nutrient could have been out of proportion. Never had time to follow up on it though. Would have been very interesting to see some sap tests on those veggies... Good luck getting the upper hand!
Best video ever. Words from heaven. Cannot thank you all enough
Tom, are you not allowed to publish by the chemical manufacturers?
I'm going to spam this video everywhere. 😂
An extraordinary presentation. Now I know what data I need to collect in the mango farm!
Doubt: since harvest is the time plants are almost dead / dead , does that count as unhealthy plant? Since bugs attack unhealthy plants and harvest lost?
Great job!!
When we'll get the other presentations?
We are wondering why he can't publish any scientific paper
Thank you so much for this insightful webinar. Most importantly, for not rushing and explaining everything very clearly. English isn't everyone's first language.
Now I know why my guavas always have larvae. Mind blown.❤
very useful information, thankyou for the video. HOW TO CREATE RIGHT SOIL CONDITIONS TO GET THE WHITE RING IN THE FRUIT WHICH PREVENTS THE INSECT ATTACK
After watching this, I supplemented my grow (cannabis) with some UVA lights and my BRIX, after 4 days has already jumped up from 6 to 9. I never had any insect problems but the fact that the plant was not able to produce certain amino acids got me curious about raising for increased secondary metabolites. Curious to see what the levels are after a few weeks and how it will change the end result.
Some farmers get rewards (crop insurance) for plantings that are destined to fail. Some of them do it repeatedly. There can be a return (enough positive for repeat performances) on failed crops. Crop insurance. Which is of course, totally unnatural. Only humans could work up a system that pays for failure. Nature does not.
Considering the brix levels in fruit, would it not be the case that in plants, brix is reliant on maturity and time of season?
Or is it the case that we are talking about the plant leaf and stem only.
Apologies if this is unclear.
Great video
what about slugs? do they too only eat unfit and dying plants?
Had a good year with peppers this year. Had some different night shade plants weeds growing, They were sacrificial the aphids and the Beatles attached those weeds all season.
👋 Hi Carla! 💚
How can you effect the brick level in the plant?
Can fruit trees have a high brix reading to where they are not being attacked but still not produce high yields of fruit? or does having a high brix reading in fruit trees mean they will likely produce high yields of fruit.
I have witnessed this phenomenon over and over. I leave the insects to their work. The outcome is amazing... Let nature do it's natural work. We reap the benefits... Patience is essential!
I wonder why fruitflies go after mushrooms? Is it because the mushrooms are nutrient deficient, or because of their unseen decay? Fruitflies are a mushroom cultivator's nightmare.
Fruit flies find rotting food. There's your answer. Sterilize your growing area.
I do know who he is! I've recognized his voice immediately.
"How Brix Levels Impact Insect Pressure on Plants" is a great video.
The title of this video is a classic case of loaded question.
Before you ask _"why insects avoid healthy plants"_ you should first establish that this is the case.
Not only it is an over generalization, but in fact what we see in many cases is the exact opposite of that.
For example, many insects will seek the most healthy plants and their healthiest fruit or tissue they can find in which to lay their eggs.
This is not only evolutionary logic, but also evidence that is abundantly corroborated.
AHA! that's why my Ash trees haven't be affected as much as other areas. They're healthier. USDA Forestry told me to sell all my Ash when we logged the forest a few years back.
It would take less training than a wine-taster to be able to judge the health/brix of a plant by taste. For general plants, the accuracy would be reasonable and for a plant you trained on daily you should become quite accurate. Could be a useful skill for crop surveillance or pasture management.
Mind blowing :) Thank you!
Super! Thanks! 👍
I need help with understanding what I could convince flea beetles to eat rather than what seems like healthy brassicas?
probably getting too much heat in the middle of summer and starting to die, therefore attracting pests
I can tell you for a fact that termites WILL eat young healthy seedlings. They do not just eat dead wood.
I was really inspired until he got to the bit about light and greenhouses.
I live in Ireland where sunshine is rare and greenhouses are a must for alot of crops.. I guess my brix goals are doomed!
Absolutely loved this video. Fantastic information. Thank you all so much.
What invaluable information I learned today thank you Dr. Dykstra and Dr. Elaine. I can now evaluate the effectiveness of my soil amendments in the lens of sugar levels (brix measured levels)
A lot of claims in this video. Lets look at one, that GMO plants have very low Brix. I did a search for scientific studies supporting this claim and found none.
Can you provide one published study that supports this claim?
Considering there are few studies in brix levels in plant production in general, it's really not surprising that there would be no studies in gmo's.
What are your are your other issues?
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
Work as a community work as a community interdependent on soil biology
Am immediatelly ordering a Brix refraktometer.
To Dr.D, "Insects only feed upon unhealthy, unfit plants" is very much taught to the practicers of the Back To Eden Method.
Before, you didn't know where else this principle was being openly taught. Now you do!
At 1:21:54 I remembered why I stopped watching this channel.
Cabbage moth land on healthy Cabbage.
Lay eggs they eat the Cabbage.
Great! Science finally researching Ana Primavesi's (trofobiosis) and Ernst Goetsch principles.
Locusts eat everything in there path
maybe he's never tried gardening.
Work and recreation are attitudes towards employment. This man didn't work for his degrees. He enjoyed doing it. Workaholic is usually a misnomer for folks who enjoy what they do.
Dr. Thomas Dykstra W
What a load of crap lol