Busy in biocontrol: spotlight on weed researcher Jennifer Andreas

US scientists inspecting biocontrols on Dalmatian toadflax
Meet Jennifer Andreas, who has collaborated with CABI on a number of biological control projects since 2000, in this profile originally published by the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA).
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Fostering collaborations for utilizing and promoting biocontrol agents to fight fall armyworm in Bangladesh

By Nirmal K. Dutta, Debasish Sarker, Manju Thakur, and Malvika Chaudhary Driven by changing climatic conditions and by increases in globalization and trade, the highly destructive pest, fall armyworm (FAW) has made its way towards Asia after invading Africa. After being reported in India in 2018, it was subsequently reported by other countries in Asia…
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FAW Infestation: CABI, MoFA, others explore safe & sustainable management control

As part of efforts to sustainably manage the Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Ghana, the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s (MoFA) Plant Protection Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) in collaboration with the University of Ghana Soil and Irrigation Research Centre (SIREC) at Kpong have begun exploring biological control options for safe and sustainable management of Fall Armyworm (FAW) in the country.
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Planting invasive species could make our carbon problem worse

This article was originally published on Popular Science Fast-growing vegetation can reduce carbon stored underground. The radiata pine has unwittingly taken root across the world. Its native range is confined to a small section of the California coast and a few islands along Baja California. Today, millions of acres of the tree are spread across South America,…
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Rooting out ‘monster’ invasive weeds and pests from space

This article was originally published on SciDev.Net. Read the original article. Parthenium is a highly invasive weed that has spread to about 50 countries worldwide, threating agricultural productivity, biodiversity, ecosystems, and human and animal health. A major struggle to eliminate, parthenium can have heart-­breaking impacts – it has been estimated to cause crop yield losses…
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Scientists uncover how invasive plants gain a head start after fire

This article was originally published by the University of Western Australia. Read the original article. New research from The University of Western Australia has shed light on why some invasive plants make a better comeback after a fire, outstripping native species in the race for resources.
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Preparando al productor para luchar contra el cogollero

El gusano cogollero (Spodoptera fugiperda) y otros gusanos masticadores son llamados “Langostas” por los productores en Somotillo y municipios aledaños, quizás devido a que la defoliación severa que causan les recuerda el daño causado por la langosta del desierto (Schistocerca gregaria). El cogollero es la plaga de mayor importancia para la producción de maíz en Nicaragua, sobre todo en el ciclo de primera, especialmente en localidades dentro del ‘corredor seco’ como Somotillo.
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Clear water ahead

Last month the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) reported that an international measure that aims to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species had come into force (see the full article on the IISD website).
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New report reveals cost of Fall Armyworm to farmers in Africa, provides recommendations for control

CABI has published an ‘evidence note’ report on the invasive Fall Armyworm pest, showing how the caterpillar could cause maize losses costing 12 African countries up to US$6.1 billion per annum, unless control methods are urgently put in place.
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Ethiopia: Biological control of the ‘famine weed’– Parthenium hysterophorus

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