Rhodococcus 'Jekyll and Hyde' Bacteria Discovered in Plant Nurseries
Researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) have used genome sequencing to identify species of the soil bacteria genus Rhodococcus that is commonly associated with stimulated growth patterns in a number of plant species. Herbaceous perennials such as chrysanthemum, speedwell and Shasta daisy are primarily affected by this bacterium.
Space-age technology for fight against crop-devastating pest outbreaks
Last night, the Pest Risk Information Service (PRISE), which uses state-of-the-art technology to help inform farmers in sub-Saharan Africa of pest outbreaks, was launched in Zambia at the British High Commission in Lusaka. The service is being developed by a consortium led by CABI and is funded by the UK Space Agency’s International Partnership Programme…
Photo story: e-plant clinics in Sri Lanka
E-plant clinics in Sri Lanka were launched in June 2015. Since then 190 Plant doctors have been trained and equipped with tablets, with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Agriculture funding half of the total number of tablets themselves. Being equipped with tablets means Plant doctors give higher quality recommendations, and the data collection process is also…
E-plant clinics launched in Mozambique
E-plant clinics have been successfully launched in Mozambique this November, following two trainings and official launches. The trainings took place in a village called Tenga, Moamba near the capital city of Maputo (around 80 km), and in Morrumbene District near the city of Inhambane. Training was delivered in partnership with the National Directorate of Agricultural…
Integrated crop management Masters course yields success
A graduation ceremony held on 17 November 2017 in Engelberg, Switzerland, celebrated the successful completion of the 2017 Masters of Advanced Studies in Integrated Crop Management (MAS in ICM) programme by a number of international students. Coordinated by CABI and the University of Neuchâtel, the MAS in ICM programme provides students with a comprehensive understanding…
9 ways to get climate-smart agriculture to more people
This is the final post as part of our Climate Smart Agriculture Week (20 – 24 November 2017) Understanding which agricultural practices work best, and where, to halt the impacts of climate change is one thing. But making sure those practices are adopted by communities – farmers, decision and policy makers – is another thing.
Local innovation as source of adaptation and resilience to climate change
This is the second guest post as part of our Climate Smart Agriculture Week (20 – 24 November 2017) Climate change poses major challenges to small-scale African farmers, whose own locally developed strategies to address these challenges provide entry points to sustainable processes of adapting to climate change. Partners in Prolinnova – a global network…
Blame animals only when you aren’t smart
This is the first guest post as part of our Climate Smart Agriculture Week (20 – 24 November 2017) Despite us humans being the most intelligent among all living organisms it seems we have lowered ourselves to blaming the animals we farm for major environmental concerns, including; climate change, water depletion and pollution, land degradation…
The disease that could change how we drink coffee
Reblogged from BBC Future Written by Jose Luis Penarredonda If you landed in Bogota in the 1960s, one of the first things you would have probably seen outside the airport was a giant billboard. In a slightly menacing tone, it said: “Coffee rust is the enemy. Don’t bring plant materials from abroad”. It was one…
Gobernación de Santa Cruz lanza piloto de Clínicas de Planta Electrónicas
La Gobernación de Santa Cruz por medio de su ‘Servicio Departamental Agropecuario y Sanidad e Inocuidad Agropecuaria’ (SEDACRUZ) y de DSIA, conjuntamente con el Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT-Bolivia) implementan clínicas de plantas en el departamento de Santa Cruz, Bolivia, desde el 2012. El grupo coordina acciones de entrega de servicios de diagnóstico y…