Update: Plant Health News (29 Sept 11)

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Here’s a taste of some of the latest news stories about plant health: Mexico: fruit flies damaging orange crops in Veracruz Fresh Fruit Portal, 29 September 2011 Ghana: Engaging cocoa growers through text messaging from AgInfo News World Education, 26 September 2011 Tanzania: Regional Crisis as Sugarcane Production Falls AllAfrica News: Food, Agriculture and Rural…
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (22 Sept 11)

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We’ve selected a few of the latest new geographic, host and species records for plant pests and diseases from CAB Abstracts. Click on the links to view the abstracts. Identification of some viruses causing mosaic on lettuce and characterization of Lettuce mosaic virus from Tehran province in Iran. Soleimani, P.; Mosahebi, G.; Habibi, M. K.…
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No confrontation as UK MPs debate food security and famine in the Horn of Africa

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Praise for the generosity of the British public, the need to continue supporting small-scale farmers, and the importance of science: these issues were all raised in a debate on food security and famine in the Horn of Africa in the UK’s House of Commons on Thursday 15 September.
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Coffee Berry Borer thriving due to Climate Change

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A newly published paper has found that temperature increases are benefiting coffee berry borers in East Africa. The insects are causing more damage to coffee crops and it has also been reported that their distribution range has also expanded. The researchers behind the study also predict that the damage caused by the borers will worsen…
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Sunscreen for temperate crops

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British researchers have discovered how corals are able to resist harmful UV light through their relationship with algae. They have found more than 20 sun-protection compounds within corals that could be used to benefit farmers in developing countries.  The new compounds could bolster the current sun protection processes found in temperate crops to allow them…
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