An individual Aedes aegypti mosquito captured in Costa Rica (Image: Reuters) Proposed by the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Authority (FKMCD) and Oxitec – a British biotechnology company supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – this project aims to release large numbers of volatile mosquitoes. genetically modified in the Florida Keys this week; the two organizations said in a joint statement. As the first step of the plan, mosquito bins will be placed in six sites, and within 12 weeks will release about 144,000 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes – the strains most closely linked to infectious diseases such as fever. hemorrhage, Zika and yellow fever. If the plan works out, male mosquitoes that are unable to bite will mate with local female mosquitoes – resulting in the death of their eggs – helping to control Aedes aegypti populations and reduce transmission. epidemic spread. Approved by the Environmental Protection Agency in May 2020, the project also seeks to reduce the doses of local chemical insecticides that are harmful to the wildlife. The UK-based company, founded at the University of Oxford in 2002, also claims that it has a “high level of” support from the Florida Keys residents. But in fact, many local people expressed skepticism, even expressed opposition to local leaders. “We are not scientists, but we can read. What Oxitec says and what we read from other sources is completely different, ”Meagan Hull, a local resident, told a village council meeting in March. “We realized that it was a crime that we were forced to participate in this experiment,” Hull said. Another local resident said she was “extremely concerned” about the upcoming plan, pointing to the risk that genetically modified female mosquitoes will emerge massively in the community. “Everyone says it won’t happen, but I don’t believe it,” she said, pointing to the “lack of transparency” of Oxitec and government agencies. Even some officials have expressed concern, with Council member Mark Gregg calling the genetically modified mosquitoes “Frankenstein mosquitoes”. “I heard others say that we are being turned into guinea pigs” – he said. However, FKMCD confirmed the need to improve mosquito control measures, given that some species of mosquitoes are becoming resistant to insecticides, adding that Oxitec’s project could provide the tools. new “safe, friendly with the environment and with a focus”. Oxitec is no stranger to genetically engineered mosquitoes, and has released more than 1 billion of these mosquitoes in South America and the Caribbean, as a 27-month trial in Brazil in 2013, seek to reduce local mosquito populations by 90%. Like the current Florida Keys initiative, genetically modified mosquito eggs are planned to die in Brazil, but Oxitec drew criticism in 2019 after researchers released a report showing mosquitoes. reproduce as usual, and up to 60% of the individuals analyzed have traces of genetic modification. A similar Oxitec project in the Cayman Islands was also canceled in 2018, after local officials concluded it had failed. Health Minister Dwayne Seymour also said the plan “did not achieve the results we thought”. A few months before the Cayman Islands contract collapsed, the company announced it was a partner with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of US billionaire Bill Gates to produce “friendly” mosquitoes, this time the strain. Anopheles transmits malaria. Since then, Oxitec has received only a modest $ 8.5 million from the Gates Foundation, according to its financial statements, and has received more than $ 1.2 million year-to-date alone.

Lemongrass is widely cultivated and used as a medicine and a condiment to dishes. In medicine, lemongrass has outstanding uses such as treating abdominal pain, digestive disorders, helping digestion, preventing cancer, reducing blood pressure …

Lemongrass is one of the very natural grasses, easy to grow and quite a lot of essential oils. Lemongrass oil placed in candles and lanterns works to treat mosquitoes and repel mosquitoes.

Lemongrass is fragrant, widely grown in home gardens to use rhizomes as raw spices, marinated with pork for fragrant, melon … Lemongrass leaves can be cooked with water to wash hair. In addition, citronella can be extracted to obtain citral and geraniol essential oils.

Lemongrass tree works to create insecticides. This is one of the most commonly used essences of citronella, as it kills and repels insects. It has been found to be particularly effective in the Aedes aegypti mosquito that causes the dreaded yellow fever bite, and is also effective against lice, lice and fleas.

7 effects of citronella for health and beauty of skin and hair

For Vietnamese people, lemongrass has long played an important role in the processing of our delicious dishes such as lemongrass chicken, lemongrass steamed clams, lemongrass fried fish …

In addition to being an ingredient that plays a role in adding flavor and aroma to food, lemongrass also has many wonderful effects for health and beauty.

1. Effective sensory effects especially cold.

A famous use of lemongrass is to induce. You will combine lemongrass with other leaves such as perilla, mint, oregano, lime leaves, wormwood, bamboo leaves, grapefruit leaves … then put in a pot to boil.

Then you use that water to let out all the toxins and sweat. Especially for those of you who are suffering from colds, steaming with lemongrass leaves will help quickly recover from the disease, people will be more relieved and more comfortable after steaming.

Effective sensory effects especially cold.

In addition to using lemongrass to cook desensitizing steam, you can also prepare sweet and sour lemon lemongrass juice to drink. The warmth of ginger combined with the faint aroma of lemongrass, the sourness of lemons and the sweet sweetness of sugar will give you less bitterness and pale mouth when sick.

2. The use of lemongrass for the digestive system

If you are having problems related to the digestive system such as indigestion, bloating or discomfort, you can boil lemongrass juice or drink lemongrass essential oil. Lemongrass will help stimulate digestion, prevent bloating and help you eat better.

One miraculous effect of this tiny plant is that it helps in detoxifying the liver very well, bringing you health and comfort. Because they are natural, easy to find and cheap, you can use them regularly to support and strengthen the body’s resistance.

3. Cancer prevention effects of citronella

According to many studies of scientists, the citral ingredient in lemongrass is a substance that helps destroy cell division of cancer cells without affecting other healthy cells. Not only that, in lemongrass also contains beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that helps the body prevent cancer.

Cancer prevention effects of citronella.

You can add lemongrass to daily meals or boil lemongrass juice, mix with lemongrass juice to help enhance health and prevent cancer.

4. Lemongrass has wonderful skin beautifying effect

Maybe you do not know much about this effect, but a few nutrients in lemongrass will help you have a smooth skin, reduce pimples, firmness and brighter. You can drink water every day with a little lemongrass or use conditioner to massage the face to improve skin.

Your suggestion for a drink is lemongrass peach tea, which is favored by many women.

Lemongrass has a wonderful skin beauty effect.

5. Lemongrass is good for the nervous system

Lemongrass essential oil works to help the nervous system be refreshed, relax, reduce stress, fatigue, headache, dizziness, very good for those who are worried. You can drink or steam as well.

Lemongrass is good for the nervous system.

6. Lemongrass helps hair soft, smooth and strong

This use of citronella has been known to her grandparents since ancient times, often boil lemongrass to wash his hair.

Lemongrass not only helps hair become strong, reduces dandruff, replenishes nutrients, reduces breakage and smoothes, lemongrass also helps to bring out a natural and pleasant fragrance. You can combine lemongrass with other leaves such as grapefruit and lemon leaves to wash your hair.

7. Lemongrass is also useful for weight loss

Lemongrass also helps burn fat, reduce calories in food, help not accumulate excess fat in the body. You can combine lemongrass in daily meals or heat lemongrass essential oil to massage fat accumulation areas in the body such as thighs, abdomen … to help lose weight and fat effectively.

In addition, you can make yourself a cup of warm lemongrass lemonade to drink every morning to wake up to help keep fit and bring a leaner body.

Lemongrass is also used to help lose weight.

Lemongrass helps beauty and is especially good for health. You should regularly use lemongrass to improve health and prevent disease for the body.

How to plant and care for citronella

As a tree species with quite good vitality, lemongrass is grown in popularity everywhere. Even in households, people still often plant a few lemongrass clumps to use for dishes or when beating the wind or feeling good.

Lemongrass growing methods: There are many ways for you to plant and propagate lemongrass such as using pineapple branches with enough roots, roots, pruning leaves 20-30 cm in length and buried in the ground or in plastic pots.

This is a popular method because it is easy to do so lemongrass can quickly develop and stick to the soil well. Extracted from the parent cluster, the development properties of lemongrass branch will be preserved and maintained.

How to take care of lemongrass: Lemongrass tree does not need to be too picky in the fertilization stage because it has good vitality to develop well, resistant to pests and diseases. After 1 month of planting you can add urea fertilizer to supplement micronutrients for fast-growing lemongrass.

In the rainy season, lemongrass is at risk of iron deficiency, so you use a 0.25% iron sulfate solution to fertilize lemongrass. About 3 months, when lemongrass grows into many different branches, you need more soil to create an environment for lemongrass to continue to branch.