PlantwisePlus most read blogs of 2022

Children looking at a laptop
As 2022 draws to a close, we have crunched the numbers to present the most-read articles on the PlantwisePlus Blog this year. Plus a few firm favourites. Articles on the PlantwisePlus tools and plant doctor training across the globe were some of the most read during 2022, as were those covering the work Plantwise continues…
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Tuta absoluta in the Americas

Plantwise plant doctors inspect tomato crop
Tackling the tomato pest, Tuta absoluta, with natural pesticide alternatives in the Americas Tuta absoluta (also known as Phthorimaea absoluta) is one of the most devastating plant-eating pests worldwide. It affects tomato plants and fresh tomatoes. And it causes high levels of crop production loss. Without stemming the spread, its effects are devastating.
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (05 December 2022)

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 information about a new virus disease of sunflower from Nebraska and the isolation and identification of the top blight pathogen of Passiflora edulis.
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Seek and destroy: use of nematodes for insect pest control​

nematodes as a biocontrol
This article was originally published on the CABI BioProtection Portal blog. Visit the original blog post here. With many insecticides being banned from use in agriculture due to their harmful effects on users and the environment, nematodes can offer an effective alternative to controlling these insect pests. They are particularly useful in managing pests that are difficult to target…
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (07 November 2022)

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 report of Tobacco mosaic virus infecting papaya in China and the first report of fruit rot of sweet pepper caused by Cladosporium cladosporioides in Israel.
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (11 October 2022)

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 report of Corynespora cassiicola causing target spot on cotton in South India and the first report of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma fragariae’ infecting hazelnut in Italy.
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Could biocontrol solve the papaya mealybug problem for Ugandan farmers?

Papaya mealybug on fruit
Papaya mealybug, Paraccous margniatus, is native to Central America but has spread rapidly in invaded countries. It was detected in Uganda in 2021 where it has the potential to affect the production and quality of papaya and other host crops.
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (7 September 2022)

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 a new distribution record of palm whitefly Aleurotrachelus atratus in India and the first report of coffee canker disease caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata in China.
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (5 August 2022)

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 report of Pestalotiopsis biciliata causing dieback on Quercus coccifera and Pistacia lentiscus in Tunisia and the first report of Sida leaf curl virus and associated betasatellite from tobacco.
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5 advantages of biocontrol compared to chemical pest control

Advantages of biocontrol This article was originally published on the CABI BioProtection Portal blog. Visit the original blog post here. There are many advantages of biocontrol compared to chemical pest control. In this blog, we look at five of the main ones.
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