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Food literacy has significant potential for improving some aspects of food insecurity by increasing flexibility and maximizing the use of available resources. The aim of this study was to investigate the indicators and factors affecting food literacy among rural households by survey method among the statistical population of rural households in Dashti city of Bushehr province. The number of samples was selected based on Cochran's formula and 232 households by multistage sampling method. The data collection tool was a questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed by the pilot and the opinion of faculty of agricultural extension and education and data analysis was performed using SPSS25 software. The results showed that the average food literacy among rural households with different levels of education and income level was significantly different. The results of examining the causal relationship in the form of path analysis test showed that among the variables included in the model, the use of ecosystem services (effect of 0.725), attitude towards conventional agriculture (effect of 0.577) and food security (effect of 0.465) had the highest effect (sum of direct and indirect effects) on food literacy and the age variable (effect of 0.225) had the lowest. In order to improve the food literacy of rural communities, it is recommended to identify the scientific methods that can be offered in formal and informal education courses, and pay more attention to the empirical knowledge of villagers regarding food, as well as appropriate educational management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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During the period 2019−2020 on the experimental field in FCI − Chirpan was conducted a survey of crops of winter fodder peas variety Mir, grown in conventional and organic farming. Entomological and phytopathological observations were made, reporting the presence and density of weeds to the mass flowering phase − the beginning of crop fruiting in both systems of cultivation. The following pests were found in conventionally and organically grown peas: pea−eater − Bruchus pisorum L., beetles of the genus Sitona − Sitona lineatus L. and Sitona crinitus Herbst and green pea aphid − Acyrthosiphon pisi Kalt. Three predators have been identified from the beneficial entomofauna: from the family Coccinellidae − seven-spotted ladybug Coccinella septempunctata L., from the family Chrysopidae − common goldfinch Chrysopa carnea Steph. and from the family Syrphidae − syrphid fly Scaeva pyrastrii L. and two parasites from the family Braconidae. Examination of the pea revealed the development of the pathogen Peronospora pisi (De Bary), the cause of pea blight. The presence and density of weed species have been reported; white dog quinoa Chenopodium album L., field bonito Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., common plover Consolida regalis L., common squirrel Convolvulus arvensis L., red dead nettle Lamium purpureum L., common chamomile Matricaria chamomilla L., squirrel Polygonum convolvulus L., wild radish Raphanus raphanistrum L., field mustard Sinapis arvensis L., balur Sorgum halepense L. and ivy Veronica hederifolia L. Due to the fact that conventionally and organically grown peas were not treated with insecticides, the species composition and density of pests and aphidophages in both cultivation systems were almost the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2 consecutive years, ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were sampled in commercial organic and conventional potato fields, using pit fall traps. Four conventional and 3 organic potato fields were surveyed to determine ground beetle taxa composition. In a related study, potato fields were assigned to 1 of 4 transitional systems to include: organic, no spray (usually referred to as no control and/or only OMRI certified control), IPM-conventional (directed control, after sampling) and conventional (broad spectrum pesticides) systems. Seven taxa of ground beetles were identified: Anisodactylus kerbyi Lindroth 1953, Amara sp., Bembidion sp., Calosoma cancellatum Eschscholtz 1833, Calathus ruficollis Casey 1920, Calathus ingratus Dejean 1828, and Pterostichus adstrictus Eschscholtz 1823. With the exception of C. cancellatum, which was not identified from organic fields in the first yr of this study, all taxa were collected in both organic and conventional potato fields both yr. Based on total number of specimens collected, Bembidion sp., P. adstrictus and Amara sp. represented 42.8% of the total specimens collected. The smallest number of ground beetles was collected from no spray and IPM-conventional systems. This study provides basic valuable information regarding beetles populations for growers making transition from conventional to organic potato production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]