Good news for Ghana’s plant health promoted this National Farmers’ Day
National Farmers’ Day is a day set aside to commemorate the contributions of farmers and fishermen to the national development of Ghana. Combined, these industries account for over 45% of the country’s annual GDP. At this year’s official Farmers’ Day ceremony at Sogakope in the Volta region, Plantwise and partners will take the opportunity to…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (27 Nov 13)
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 Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens on soybean in Brazil, the first report of Iris Yellow Spot Virus infecting onion in Pakistan and the occurrence of anthracnose on chickpea in Malaysia.
See Xanthomonas bacteria infecting a tomato plant [Video]
If you’ve ever wondered what exactly happens when a disease infects a plant, watch this video. This detailed animation shows Xanthomonas bacteria infecting a tomato plant, causing bacterial spot disease. For more information about Xanthomonas in plants, and how to control it, visit the Plantwise Knowledge Bank.
Typhoon Haiyan Devastates Agriculture in the Philippines
Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms on record tore through the Philippines on 8th November. With a confirmed death toll of 4,460, 4 million people displaced and 13 million people affected, the typhoon has undoubtedly caused widespread destruction and devastation. The destruction to the country’s agricultural sectors is becoming increasingly evident. An estimated…
Update: Plant Health News (20 Nov 13)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including the development of sweet potatoes with multiple virus resistance, the reduction of aflatoxins using biological control and warnings from RAB about Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (13 Nov 13)
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 Deladenus cocophilus, an entomoparasitic nematode in infested coconut fruits from Pakistan, an association of a DNA virus with grapevines affected by red blotch disease in California and Bambusananus cuihuashanensis, a new…
Update: Plant Health News (06 Nov 13)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including a bumper harvest for Bangladesh from stress tolerant rice varieties, news that plant production could decline as climate change affects soil nutrients, and Autralia’s Minister for the Environment launches a new sustainability app for farmers. Click on the link to read more of the…
The Bird, the Borer and the Bean
A recent study carried out in Costa Rica found that insectivorous birds such as the Yellow Warbler help to reduce infestations of the Coffee Berry Borer Beetle on coffee plantations by 50%. This free pest control service is estimated to save a medium sized coffee farm up to $9,400 per year. The study carried out by…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (30 Oct 13)
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 Zucchini yellow mosaic virus infecting Gherkin (Cucumis anguira) in India, the invasive neotropical ambrosia beetle Platypus parallelus in the Oriental region and its pest status, and non-host…
Could Spider Venom Be Used As A Novel Insecticide For Major Crop Pests?
A new protein discovered in the venom of Australian tarantulas can also kill insect pests that consume the venom orally. The protein known as orally active insecticidal peptide-1 (OAIP-1) was found to be highly toxic to insects that consumed it, with a similar efficacy to the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid. In particular, the protein was found…