Update: New Pest & Disease Records (09 Jan 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 Conotrachelus weevil species associated with guava, Epitrix flea beetles threatening potato production in Europe and Fusarium causing shoot canker of kumquat in China.
Plantwise 2012 Highlights
As we move into the New Year and all that 2013 has to offer it seems like a good time to review some of the achievements of 2012 . Here are a few of the Plantwise highlights of 2012!
Success for plant clinics in China
Since the first Plant clinic in China opened its doors in 2012, Plantwise activities in the country have gone from strength to strength. With help from local partners and the Chinese Institute of Plant Protection (IPP-CAAS), CABI were able to set up 9 plant clinics in China in 2012 and trained 29 plant doctors to…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (26 Dec 12)
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 Fusarium chlamydosporum causing wilt disease of guava in India, a new record of stored product pest Lepinotus reticulatus from China and the first report of the invasive stink bug Bagrada hilaris from New Mexico.
Social Media Used To Facilitate Research Into UK Ash Dieback
This Friday scientists from The Sainsbury Laboratory in the John Innes Centre in Norwich will publish the first RNA sequence data on the ash dieback fungus Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (asexual anamorphic stage Chalara fraxinea). The data will be released via the OpenAshDieback website to a system called GitHub designed for ‘social coding’ of software so that the information can…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (12 Dec 12)
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 Clonostachys rosea causing root rot of soybean in the USA, Groundnut bud necrosis virus and Okra yellow vein mosaic virus infecting okra in India, and the first report…
Research Projects Into Improving Crop Plants Receive Major Funding
The University of Illinois has received a five year, $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve the photosynthetic properties of key food crops, such as rice and cassava. The project, entitled ‘RIPE- Realising Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency’ has the potential to benefit farmers by improving the productivity of staple food crops. Increasing photosynthetic efficiency…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (28 Nov 12)
We’ve selected a few of the latest new geographic, host and species records for plant pests and diseases from CAB Abstracts. Records this fortnight include the first report of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in Croatia, mites associated with soybean in Brazil, and the first report of Tomato chlorotic spot virus in the USA.
Plantwise Plant Clinics in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago Country Coordinator Shamela Rambadan sent the photo below of a Soursop (Annona muricata) plant brought into a clinic in County Victoria in Trinidad and Tobago by farmer Ramesh Ramnanan last month. The symptoms described included yellowed, distorted leaves and visible insects on the leaves, as seen in the photo. Plant health officer…
Coffee Production in Hot Water- The Impacts of Climate Change on the Future of Coffee Crops
Coffee (Coffea) is the one of the world’s favourite drinks and the second most traded commodity after oil, accounting for annual retail value of US$ 90 billion. The two main species used in the production of coffee are Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), which accounts for 70% of coffee production, and Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora). The…