Update: Plant Health News (16 Jan 14)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including the role of radio and mobile phones in boosting crop yields in Namibia, the discovery of ants protecting Acacia trees from pathogens and different approaches to controlling the emerald ash borer in the US. Click on the link to read more of…
Horizon Scanning for Invasive Species
This article from the CABI Invasives Blog highlights the importance of looking to the future when determining the threat of pests to a country.
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (13 Jan 14)
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 migration of rice planthoppers and their vectored rice viruses in East Asia, Alternaria alternata as a new foliar fungal pathogen of tea in Southern India and the first report of downy mildew…
2014: The International Year of Family Farming
Plantwise welcomes a new year with a renewed focus: ‘The International Year of Family Farming’ has begun. The UN General Assembly declared 2014 as the official year to draw attention to policy and practices which support livelihoods of smallholder farmers worldwide. That means this year is dedicated to the 2 billion+ people who depend on…
UK Needs Increase In Agriculture Graduates To Tackle Global Food Security
Increasing the production of food in an environmentally sustainable way is a major global issue. A report produced by the UK Cabinet Office in 2008 predicted that the global population will rise to 9 billion by 2050 from a current 6.8 billion. This increase in population will substantially increase demand for food, with food production…
Bread from the ‘Tree of Life’
Breadfruit has been coined the new ‘super-fruit’ and according to some has the ability to alleviate world hunger. However, it has recently been discovered that breadfruit may also have a very different role in saving lives. Scientists have isolated three chemicals produced in the male inflorescence of the breadfruit that are extremely effective at repelling…
Update: Plant Health News (18 Dec 13)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including the use of technology to improve the detection of papaya viruses, toxins discovered in banana root tissue kill root pests and the vital importance of water conservation in Nigeria to avoid food crises. Click on the links to read more of the…
Plantwise Malawi Officially Launched
Contributed by Roger Day and Noah Phiri, CABI in Africa [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dApT6tvehT4&w=560&h=315] Top national agricultural officials and CABI representatives gathered in Malawi recently to officially kick-off Plantwise operations, marking a new chapter for plant health development in the country. With one small snip, Dr Wilfred Lipita cut the ribbon to officially launch the programme. Dr Lipita…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (11 Dec 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 Bipolaris papendorfii causing corn leaf spot in China, the first report of black spot disease caused by Alternaria alternata on sweet persimmon fruits and two new species…
CABI takes home NEF Award for Innovation with Plantwise
INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS, LONDON- On Thursday 5 December, CABI received an Innovation Award at the 10th annual National Engineering Foundation (NEF) Innovisions Conference, in recognition for its landmark global food security programme, Plantwise. Hosted by NEF and presenters from the BBC, the Innovation Awards were established to celebrate ‘game-changers’ proven to be the very best…