Update: Plant Health News (04 July 12)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including frosts affecting citrus in Argentina, Plum pox virus in Japan, and new disease resistant bean varieties in Rwanda. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
Plantwise plant clinics start up in China
A pilot scheme of Plantwise clinics has started in China. Huanhuan Wan and Caroline Scotter-Mainprize report on the success of the first clinic session in Southwest China. China’s first Plantwise plant clinic was successfully established in Rongjiang town, Xing’an county, Guangxi province, Southwest China on 19 May 2012. A great number of local farmers arrived…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (27 June 12)
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 black coconut bunch weevil found damaging coconut palms for the first time in Brazil, the first report of the lesion nematode, Pratylenchus agilis, parasitising wheat, and the first incidence…
Update: Plant Health News (21 Jun 12)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including further spread of desert locusts in West Africa following the fall of Gaddafi, scientists decoding the genome of Xanthomonas bacteria, and the ban of a neonicotinoid insecticide in France, which has been linked to colony collapse disorder in honeybees. Click on the…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (13 Jun 12)
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 a new species of Phytophthora detected in Germany and the USA, the first report of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens causing bacterial rot of onion in Korea, and molecular characterisation of a yellow…
Update: Plant Health News (07 Jun 12)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including imminent risk from Desert Locust swarms in Niger and Mali, the Asian psyllid being found on three fruit trees in California sparking worries on citrus greening disease in the area, and the Sigatoka banana disease that is threatening banana production in Ecuador.…
Farm makeovers in Kenya – Shamba Shape Up
http://youtu.be/lQABDLVoQWM This Kenyan TV series may be quite different to other reality shows you've seen. Here, farmers get a makeover of their shamba with advice on how to get the most out of their land, including planting tips, which seed varieties to use, and how to store harvested crops.
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (30 May 12)
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 a new bacterial pathogen of soyabean, the spread of the buff coconut mealybug to new locations and new host plants in the Philippines, and two new parasitic nematode species found…
Stunting crop plant growth to reduce resource use
Plant scientists at Purdue University in Indiana, USA, along with their colleagues from Seoul National University in South Korea, have found a way to keep crop plants small without having a reduction in yield. The diminutive plants have reduced resource requirements and are more tolerant of severe weather conditions.
Pesticide use does not guarantee increased yields
The ongoing decline of pollinators has caused a global concern. Factors contributing to this decline include among others, use of pesticides, habitat destruction such as bush burning, bee diseases and pests (Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and Varroamite), and climate change. Research in Ghana has revealed that cocoa and oil palm production is on the decline…