How can Metarhizium be used to address pests and diseases?

fall armyworm
Sihle Nakombe is a lab technician from CABI’s office in Zambia. She joined CABI in January 2023. Earlier this year, she visited the CABI labs in Egham, UK, to get training on Metarhizium. This naturally occurring fungus can control insect pests with low environmental and human health effects.
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CABI-led plant doctor training in Burundi improves diagnostic skills by at least 10%, new study shows

Many smallholder farmers around the world rely on good agricultural extension services to successfully grow their crops. Correct field diagnoses of plant health problems are an essential starting point, writes Dr Stefan Toepfer and co-authors.
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Launch of PlantwisePlus in Bangladesh to help increase climate-smart approach to plant health and food security

PlantwisePlus Bangladesh
The launch of the CABI-led PlantwisePlus programme in Bangladesh will build on the success of the Plantwise programme to provide knowledge and tools to help Bangladesh predict, prevent, and prepare for plant health threats and reduce crop losses. The programme will ensure farmers not only produce more food but also improve its quality. This will…
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Workshop helps prepare survey to assess food safety practices in Bangladesh

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CABI, as part of its work under the global PlantwisePlus programme, has joined forces with a range of partners to deliver a consumer food safety workshop ahead of a survey to assess food safety practices in Bangladesh.
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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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