The seed social network
A new study by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) looking at cowpea crop diversity following floods and drought in Mozambique has shown that seed sharing networks are a valuable way to maintain, and often improve, crop diversity. Informal sharing and trade of seed within and between local communities in the Limpopo River Valley,…
Weevils get bugged
Banana weevil, image from via rural Never mind phone hacking scandals, it has recently been revealed that radio tags have been attached to banana weevils allowing their exact movements to be followed. Ignoring any controversy over invasions of privacy, this new insight into weevil journeys’ has produced some interesting results for researchers and banana growers…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (30 Nov 11)
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. Molecular characterization of a new strain of sugarcane streak mosaic virus (SCSMV). Li WenFeng; He Zhen; Li ShiFang; Huang YingKun; Zhang ZhiXiang; Jiang DongMei; Wang XiaoYan;…
Virtual farming becomes a reality
Screenshot of a farming app, image from TheAppera The modern world seems to have an increasing fascination with virtual farming, as more and more of us are downloading applications like ‘FarmVille’ and ‘Zombie farm’. For farmers in Tanzania growing crops successfully is much more than a game, but they are now joining smartphone users to try to increase their…
Clash of the food security threats
“On a planet with sufficient food for all, a billion people go hungry.” The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change As the global population grows, it is not just one factor that threatens food security but several interconnected threats that will continue to make it difficult to produce enough food for everyone. The combination…
Update: Plant Health News (22 Nov 11)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest news stories about plant health: Black Sigatoka fungus hits Dominican Republic’s bananas Fresh Fruit Portal, 21 November 2011 Cassava Virus Spreading in East Africa CropBiotech Update, 18 November 2011 A Rapid PCR-Based Detection Method of Black Leaf Streak Disease in Indonesian Banana Crops CropBiotech Update, 18 November 2011 Scientists Develop New Product to Boost Kiwifruit…
Cassava – another superhero unmasked?
For those of you keeping a watchful eye on the plant health news feed, you may have noticed a recurring theme around the topic of cassava crops in East Africa over the last few days. Cassava, a staple crop across sub-Saharan Africa, has been the subject of a well-established battle against Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD),…
How plant diseases attract plant pests
In the same way that mosquitoes transmit the malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium, between humans, some species of leafhopper transmit phytoplasma bacteria between plants. Phytoplasmas are bacterial pathogens that infect the plant phloem and require sap-sucking bugs to transport them to other plants. Researchers at the John Innes Centre on Norwich Research Park have found that leafhoppers…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (16 Nov 11)
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. Species of Frankliniella (Thysanoptera, Thripidae): new records on mango orchards (Mangifera indica) in Brazil. Oliveira, M. D. de; Barbosa, F. R.; Almeida-Cortez, J.; Silveira, L. C.…
New Technology Sniffing out Pests
A recent meeting of crop experts has revealed some new ideas for detecting the presence of crop pests before they strike. These ideas include sampling the air for pathogen traces, measuring volatile organic compounds and detecting decreases in leaf tissue content.