Update: New Pest & Disease Records (07 September 2023)

We’ve selected a few of the latest new geographic, host and species records for plant pests and diseases from CAB Abstracts. Records this month include the first record of the northern spruce bark beetle Ips duplicatus in Slovenia and information about five new introduced terrestrial slugs in Hungary.
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What are bioprotection products, and how do they work?

Ladybird biological control
Bioprotection products are nature-based solutions to managing crop pests and diseases. More and more growers are turning to environmentally sustainable crop pest and disease management solutions, such as bioprotection products. Reasons for choosing more sustainable solutions include pest and disease resistance to chemical pesticides and concerns for human health and the environment.    
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New bioprotection course paves the way for a more sustainable agricultural landscape 

A still from the CABI Academy introduction to bioprotection products online course
CABI Academy‘s latest course, Introduction to Bioprotection Products, enables agricultural service providers to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills to support smallholder farmers using bioprotection products. Bioprotection, also known as biocontrol, is a more sustainable approach to pest management. Unlike conventional chemical pesticides, bioprotection products are derived from natural sources, making them a safer…
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Blended learning: enhancing higher education with CABI Academy

Students checking the health of tomato plants at Ain Shams University, Egypt,
Blended learning, the integration of online and classroom-based teaching methods, has gained significant attention in the field of education. It offers unique opportunities for educators to enhance their teaching practices and provide students with a more comprehensive learning experience.
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First Regional Pest Risk Analysis Workshop for SADC Member States held in Zambia

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CABI, as part of the global PlantwisePlus programme, has facilitated the first Regional Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) workshop for Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Member States in Lusaka, Zambia.
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Spotlight: The team behind the PlantwisePlus Digital Tools

PlantwisePlus Digital Tools: The PlantwisePlus programme is working to increase access to digital decision support tools and information. These can support farmers and extension workers to make more informed decisions in crop health management. The delivery of these advisory tools across the programme’s member countries is improving the capacity of public and private stakeholders to…
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Empowering Nepalese students with CABI digital platforms: Exploring the PlantwisePlus Toolkit

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Gaurav Thakur, a student of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, writes here about CABI’s presentation of its digital platforms for plant protection and other agricultural applications.
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Why we need a skills framework for agriculture 

Extension worker in Jamaica
Agriculture has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. Technological progress and scientific research are constantly reshaping the roles within agriculture and the skills required to do them. As such, it is essential to have a well-defined skills framework to guide the workforce. The Skills for Agriculture (SfA) is a structured approach to identifying, developing, and…
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Training Kenya’s young farmers and women to help ensure greater food security

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The theme for this year’s United Nations World Youth Skills Day was ‘Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future.’
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The Formosan subterranean termite: a destructive force

Formosan subterranean termite
Termites, numbering over 3,100 species worldwide, are infamous for their ability to wreak havoc on building structures and vegetation. The Coptotermes genus particularly stands out, containing the most termite pests, with 28 pest species. However, one species, in particular, has gained prominence as the most widespread and economically significant of them all. The Formosan subterranean…
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