Looking to the past for disease resistance

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Traditionally, farmers have bred their crops so that, in several generations, they have a variety that has a high yield or a particular taste or texture. These days, many farmers don’t breed their own crops but buy varieties that have been specially developed to perform well. However, it turns out that sometimes it is best…
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (28 Nov 12)

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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. Records this fortnight include the first report of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in Croatia, mites associated with soybean in Brazil, and the first report of Tomato chlorotic spot virus in the USA.
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Watermelon Genome Could Hold the Key to Improved Varieties With Fewer Pest Problems

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A research team led by the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences have produced the complete genomic sequence of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). It is hoped that the genomic data from this study will shape future research into watermelon genetics and provide a good resource for crop genetics and future plant breeding projects, resulting in…
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Update: Plant Health News (21 Nov 12)

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Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including using mites to control citrus pests, an update on counties affected by Ash dieback and the recovery plan for Cuban banana crops hit by Sandy. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
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Plantwise Plant Clinics in Trinidad and Tobago

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Trinidad and Tobago Country Coordinator Shamela Rambadan sent the photo below of a Soursop (Annona muricata) plant brought into a clinic in County Victoria in Trinidad and Tobago by farmer Ramesh Ramnanan last month. The symptoms described included yellowed, distorted leaves and visible insects on the leaves, as seen in the photo. Plant health officer…
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The Life Cycle of Wheat Stem Rust

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Here’s a video with some great animation of how wheat stem rust spreads, and how highly virulent strains develop. To find out more about wheat rust, visit the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative website.
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More Plant Doctors for Uganda

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Module 1 of the How to be a Plant Doctor has recently taken place at the Makerere University Agricultural research institute.  The training over 3 days (12th –14th Nov) was opened by Dr Robert Karyeija,  the assistant commissioner for crop protection, and was led by CABI trainers Phil Taylor from CABI UK and Joseph Mulema…
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (14 Nov 12)

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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. Records this fortnight include the first report of mango malformation disease in Senegal, report of Fusarium azukicola sp. nov. in Hokkaido, Japan and the first report of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi on wheat…
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Coffee Production in Hot Water- The Impacts of Climate Change on the Future of Coffee Crops

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Coffee (Coffea) is the one of the world’s favourite drinks and the second most traded commodity after oil, accounting for annual retail value of US$ 90 billion. The two main species used in the production of coffee are Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), which accounts for 70% of coffee production, and Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora). The…
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Research Teams and Scientists Working to Stem Ash Dieback Fungus

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Researchers are working towards developing a cost effective solution to controlling  Ash Dieback fungal disease, a major threat to 80 million ash trees in the UK. As part of the plan to tackle Ash Dieback and other invasive pests and diseases, the government has formulated a team of ten internationally recognised experts in plant health, forestry and…
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