Update: Plant Health News (05 Jun 13)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including cassava’s huge potential as a 21st century crop in Africa, the discovery of nematode resistant wheat and Brazil to launch biofungicide against witch’s broom. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
Plantwise Photo Of The Month – June
Photo Of The Month for June shows a plant clinic during market day at a village near Machakos, 50 kilometers outside Kenya’s capital city Nairobi. The photo shows a farmer showing a crop sample to a plant doctor, who is using his knowledge and reference material on the table to diagnose what is wrong with…
Keeping an eye on banana disease
Dr. Fen Beed is an experienced plant pathologist based at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He leads research for development activities to mitigate the impact of diseases of maize, soybean, cowpea, cassava, banana and vegetables and promotes plant diseases on problematic weeds. The first and critical step to manage…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (29 May 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 pineapple heart rot caused by Phytophthora nicotianae in China’s Hainan Province, a new species of Aeolothrips from mango crops in Mexico and details of Cylas puncticollis, a new pest…
To revitalise agricultural growth in India, top officials look to Plantwise
With over 1.2 billion people living in India, 70 percent of which are reliant on agriculture for food and income, steady development in this sector will be a key determinant of global food security in years to come. To revitalise agricultural growth for the Indian small holder farmer- sharply declining in recent years- leaders of…
Watch World Bank’s FARMD webinar featuring Plantwise
CABI’s Phil Abrahams joins representatives of FERA, DEFRA and IITA for this informative webinar on strategies available today– like the Plantwise approach- to curb preventable crop devestation due to pests and diseases. Thanks to FARMD for hosting and raising awareness of risks and solutions for the future of agriculture and food security.
Glucose Leaves A Bitter Taste As Cockroaches Learn to Avoid Insecticide Baits
Populations of the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) have rapidly evolved to be repelled by the glucose in insecticide baits that are used to kill them. Scientists found that the cockroaches had a ‘re-organised’ sense of taste which makes them perceive the glucose in the insecticide bait as bitter and repellent rather than sweet. Researchers first…
Plantwise news update May 2013
The latest Plantwise newsletter is here. Click ‘Read more’ to find out about the launch of Plantwise in Ghana, discussions on greater collaboration between CABI and agricultural stakeholders in Myanmar, support for Plantwise from the European Union, and developments in the Knowledge Bank.
Update: Plant Health News (22 May 13)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including farmers abandoning rice crops due to poor returns, crops in Bangladesh destroyed by a cyclone and trading conflict for coffee in Democratic Republic of Congo. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
Rotterdam Convention members agree prior consent required for azinphos-methyl trade
Contributed by Melanie Bateman, CABI Switzerland It is estimated that 2 million chemical preparations are for sale around the world[1]. Many of these chemicals have hazards associated with them. An estimated 200,000 people die each year of pesticide poisoning[2]. And yet, it is very difficult for any one country acting on its own to track all of…