Agriculture

CABI joins international team of scientists calling for a Global Surveillance System to fight crop diseases

Wayne ColesLeave a comment
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Blue-green sharpshooters are a disease vector of Xylella fastidiosa (Photo: Katja Schulz / Flickr)

CABI has joined an international team of scientists calling for a Global Surveillance System (GSS) to fight a range of diseases which threaten priority crops including maize, potato, cassava, rice, beans and wheat.

The team, which includes the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) – lead authors of a new report published in Science (28 June 2019), say a GSS is needed to ‘improve and interconnect crop biosecurity systems which could go a long way to improving global food security.’

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Collaborative writeshop produces pest management decision guides for invasive species in Pakistan

Kazam Ali1 Comment

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Invasive alien species (IAS) have devastating impacts on native biota, causing the decline or even extinction of native species, negatively affecting ecosystems. Invasive plants, animals, insects and microorganisms enter and establish in environments outside of their natural habitat. They reproduce rapidly, out-compete native species for food, water and space, and are one of the main causes of global biodiversity loss. Species can be introduced deliberately, through for example, fish farming, pet trade, horticulture, bio-control or unintentionally, through such means as land and water transportation, travel, and scientific research.

CABI, under its Action on Invasives programme, is working to manage the already existing and potential invasive species in Pakistan. Pest Management Decision Guides (PMDGs), through the Plantwise Knowledge Bank are practical, step-by-step tools for plant doctors and extension agents to give advice following the principles of integrated pest management (IPM).

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CABI publishes recommendations to fight scourge of parthenium weed in Central West Asia

Wayne ColesLeave a comment

Parthenium in Pakistan

CABI has published a new evidence note highlighting a list of recommendations to fight the highly-invasive parthenium weed which can have significant impacts on human health, the environment, livestock production and health and crop yields.

The report ‘Parthenium: Impacts and coping strategies in Central West Asia’, states that the aggressively-spreading weed, now classified as a ‘superior weed,’ is extremely prolific being capable of producing up to 30,000 seeds per plant – a key factor in its global spread to 48 countries including India and Pakistan.

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Invasive weed could cut crop yields by 30 per cent

Donna HutchinsonLeave a comment

By Nicholas Okeya. Originally published on SciDev.Net.

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Cuscuta campestris infestation on ornamental plant in Mombasa County, Kenya Copyright: Innocent Ngare

A dangerous invasive alien weed known as field dodder could be a serious menace to agriculture and biodiversity across Sub-Saharan Africa, and reduce crop yields, scientists say.

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Scientists confirm first report of egg parasitoid in Africa to fight devastating fall armyworm

Wayne Coles3 Comments
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Adult Telenomus remus (Copyright: G. Goergen, IITA)

A group of scientists have confirmed the first report of an egg parasitoid Telenomus remus in Africa which could prove an important biological weapon in the fight against the devastating fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) that threatens the food security of more than 200 million people.

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New pest risk analysis decision support tool in development from CABI

Washington Otieno8 Comments

Colorado beetle eats a potato leaves young.

A Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) allows National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) to assess risks posed by pests or pathways of quarantine concern, and identify options to manage those risks. Recognising that there was a need for support in the completion of PRAs, CABI, under its Action on Invasives programme, has designed and is developing an online PRA tool.

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