Spotlight on farmers’ training programme and release of fruit fly parasitoids in Pakistan
High-value horticultural crops such as mango are key drivers of Pakistan’s economic development. Infestations of flies in mangoes and other fruits reduce the quality and quantity of yields. One estimate state that flies cause losses of about US$800 million each year. Synthetic insecticides can be used to manage the fruit flies and mango hoppers, but…
Fighting fall armyworm: a CABI interview
In 2016, fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) was found in Africa for the first time. This nefarious invasive species feeds on a vast range of plants, causing major damage. Since then, CABI has been working hard in the fight against fall armyworm, including international and national response planning, biological control research and development, mass extension and diagnostic services. As part of the CABI Podcast…
CABI highlights top 20 crop pests and diseases for possible prioritization in the Eastern Caribbean
CABI has highlighted the top 20 crop pests and diseases for possible prioritization in the Eastern Caribbean as part of a special presentation given to the Caribbean Plant Health Directors Forum (CPHD) aimed at strengthening food security in the region and further afield.
Combating desert locusts: a CABI interview
The destructive force of desert locusts and grasshoppers can devastate crops across many regions of Africa and Asia, with swarms of locusts capable of causing widespread damage to crops, severely damaging livelihoods and increasing the risk of acute food instability. CABI has been using its extensive expertise in managing invasive insects, through early action and…
CABI podcast – new series on invasive species launches
A new podcast mini-series on invasive species has been launched by CABI. Each podcast episode features CABI experts sharing their in-depth knowledge of an invasive species, including the negative economic, environmental and social impacts that they cause, and CABI’s work in helping to manage them.
CABI podcast: invasive species mini-series
Welcome to the CABI podcast. A brand-new series of four episodes dedicated to discovering more about the devastating economic, environmental and social impacts invasive species have and what we can do to manage them. Each of the four episodes focus on a different invasive species and feature CABI guest experts, who provide their scientific knowledge on the species, the harm caused by them and what CABI is doing to help try to control the species and their impacts in a safe and sustainable way.
Apple snail: The threat and potential economic impacts on East Africa
Earlier this year, scientists from CABI and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) published new research confirming that the apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, had been discovered in Kenya for the first time. Widely considered to be one of the most invasive invertebrates of waterways and irrigation systems, the apple snail threatens Kenya’s rice production…
Invasive Species Compendium: Reviewing the benefits and uses
The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), including e-resources, to deliver information has expanded rapidly in recent years and, as an academic publisher in the life sciences, online knowledge sharing has become an increasingly important goal for CABI. Our aim is to help people discover validated, evidence-based information to help them overcome the world’s…
Hyperspectral data can discern invasive Parthenium hysterophorus weed from other crops and plant species
Parthenium hysterophorus is a nasty noxious weed – considered the seventh most devastating weed across the globe – that not only poses a serious threat to food security but also to livestock and human health.
Invasive species cost US billions of dollars each year
The total cost of invasive species in the United States is estimated to be in the order of billions each year, according to a recent study. The study, which is currently published as a preprint on BioRxiv, also estimates the total invasive species cost over the past 60 years to be at least $1 trillion,…