Evidence note highlights impacts and management strategies for Cassava Brown Streak Disease in Zambia
A new evidence note published by CABI is highlighting the impacts and management strategies for Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) in Zambia, which threatens cassava yields – a staple crop for nearly six million Zambians.
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.
Assessing gender and rural advisory services in Ghana
In Ghana, as in many other developing countries, women face challenges in accessing extension advisory services. Most services are geared to the needs of male farmers. On top of other challenges faced by women farmers, this lack of access only extends the gender gap in agricultural productivity in the global South.
Mass rearing training strengthens papaya mealybug biocontrol programme in Kenya
PlantwisePlus has been working in collaboration with partners in Kenya to implement a classical biological control strategy to manage papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus). The invasive pest has been devastating papaya crops in Kenya. A CABI study in 2019 found it caused an estimated 57% yield losses across five counties.
Tomato pests and diseases
Tomato is a popular and extensively cultivated crop due to its high potential to generate profits for smallholder farmers. However, there are a number of tomato pests and diseases that have the potential to severely diminish yields. Here we highlight four tomato pests and diseases to look out for.
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (8 July 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 two new species of Plasmopara affecting wild grapes in the USA and the first report of rust disease on Potentilla indica caused by Phragmidium duchesneae in Japan.
Plant doctor training: a student’s perspective
Swagata Saikia, a PhD Scholar in Plant Pathology, recently participated in a Plant Doctor training course. Here Swagata talks about her experiences during the course. One fine day, I arrived at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Titabor, along with five of my friends for a training course entitled “Becoming a Plant Doctor”. Other PhD students,…
Bean fly – how to recognize, prevent and manage this common legume pest
This article was originally published on the CABI BioProtection Portal blog. Visit the original blog post here. Bean fly is a destructive pest of most food legumes, particularly common bean, cowpea, mungbean, blackgram, lima bean and soybean. Symptoms include yellow areas on leaf surfaces, leaf drop, lined marks on leaves and swollen and split stems.
Integrated pest management (IPM): managing crops with natural solutions
This article was originally published on the CABI BioProtection Portal blog. Visit the original blog post here. Integrated pest management (IPM) is an environmentally friendly approach to managing crops. “IPM is the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques”, the FAO describes on its website. Integrated pest management includes implementing various biological, chemical, physical and crop specific (cultural) techniques. This…
Plantwise: helping female farmers in Nepal access advisory services
In almost all regions of Nepal, women have a greater involvement than men in farming activities. The World Bank estimates that 74% of Nepalese women work in agriculture, yet they struggle to have equal access to agricultural resources. A new study highlights gender integration in the Plantwise programme and identifies the strengths and limitations in Nepal. It focuses…