Update: New Pest & Disease Records (07 September 18)

strawb
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 Croicidolomia binotalis as a serious pest of Brassica vegetables in Kashmir, India; a new species of Anagyrus from China and a new species of Colletotrichum causing…
Read Further

Update: New Pest & Disease Records (07 August 18)

strawb
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 avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd) naturally infecting avocado in Greece, the first report of Dasheen mosaic virus infecting taro in Ethiopia and the first record of Cryptochetidae…
Read Further

Update: New Pest & Disease Records (19 July 18)

strawb
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 thrips from India, the description of a new species of PolycestaDejean from Chile and a report on the causal agent of leaf blight on sunflower in…
Read Further

NextGen Cassava Improving Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

strawb
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has paired with the UK Government to award the Next Generation (NextGen) Cassava Breeding Project $35 million with the aim of promoting the growth of cassava crops and to improve food security in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Read Further

Lead battery soil contamination in Africa and the implications on plant and human Health

An African child stands amidst an infestation of opuntia cactus, Kenya
Globally, battery manufacturing and recycling plants have been identified as the major sources of soil lead contamination that have resulted in lead exposure to neighbouring communities via the accumulation of lead within plants. Lead is naturally found in soil in relatively low concentrations (10-50 mg/kg) in which it is taken up by plants via the…
Read Further

Shifting gears: expansion of e-plant clinics in Kenya

“No matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid!”  Passionate words spoken in 2014 during an indelible Oscar moment. The utterance of these words, coupled with the winning of an Academy Award, announced Lupita Nyong’o’s entry into the global stage. Two years later in Lupita’s country of origin, Kenya, long-held dreams in the plant health…
Read Further

Cabbage disease mystery in Ghana

Cabbage is an important crop in Ghana where it grows all year round, right across the country. It is mainly grown for commercial production in Southern Ghana, in Akwapim and Kwahu areas and in the moist high elevations around Tarkwa. Growing cabbage in Ghana is challenging since it can be attacked by a variety of…
Read Further

Update: New Pest & Disease Records (13 Jul 16)

strawb
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 new host records for the fruit fly Ceratitis capitata in the state of Pará, Brazil, the presence of Meloidogyne enterolobii on Jalapeño pepper in Sinaloa, Mexico and the first report of…
Read Further

Update: New Pest & Disease Records (29 Jun 16)

strawb
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 powdery mildew (Erysiphe quercicola) on rubber trees in Viet Nam, the occurrence of anthracnose fruit rot (Colletotrichum nymphaeae) on pepper in Malaysia and the characterization of a novel polerovirus…
Read Further

Update: Plant Health News (22 Jun 16)

strawb
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including the effects of Tuta absoluta on tomato prices in Zambia, hail causing damage to crops in Colombia and the threat of invasive species on agriculture around the world. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
Read Further