Past, present and future – reflections on the XV International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds
Invasive alien weed species have been a global environmental and human health issue for decades. In 1969, CABI organised the first International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds (ISBCW) in Delémont, Switzerland. Weed biocontrol research was then in its early stages and 20 scientists attended.
CABI study identifies safer options for fall armyworm control in Africa
CABI’s experts in the biological control of agricultural pests and diseases have conducted the first major study of potential biological controls that could be used in the fight against the devastating fall armyworm which recently arrived in Africa.
Raising rural awareness of Parthenium in Pakistan
Parthenium hysterophorus is a noxious weed and a growing threat for agriculture, human health as well as the economy. In Pakistan, it has been reported that this weed is present almost everywhere, but the dilemma is that the general public have little to no knowledge about its harmful impacts. Keeping in view these facts, CABI…
When astronomers meet ecologists: how remote sensing can tackle Parthenium in Pakistan
“Usually I’m looking up at the stars but with this project, I’m back down to earth” quips Dr Rene Breton, Director of Research at the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester. By combining the skills of a geographer, ecologist, social scientist, entomologist, astrophysicist, biologist, and electrical engineer, the joint CABI and…
CABI unveils action plan to fight highly invasive and destructive weed
Parthenium weed causes harm to the environment, health, as well as the economy. CABI has launched a comprehensive action plan aimed at combating the scourge of Parthenium, a highly invasive species of weed, prevalent and spreading in Pakistan.
Largest Invasive Alien Plant dataset is now published online!
By Samantha Garvin. Reblogged from JRS Biodiversity Foundation. CABI has published one of the most complete and current datasets on Invasive Alien Plants (IAP) in East and Southern Africa. This extraordinary dataset is already being translated into new research findings and conservation action on the ground.
The Value of Testing
Reblogged from the Nesta blog. The crop damage caused by fall armyworm has put millions of livelihoods at stake across Sub-Saharan Africa. Its rapid spread has been projected to cause losses valuing $2.5 billion to $6.2 billion per year if left unabated.[1] Fall armyworm has caused havoc for smallholder farmers across the region and become a…
Citizen Scientists attempt traditional solutions against fall armyworm
First reported in Africa in September 2016, fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is now present in most sub-Saharan countries, where severe damage in maize fields has been observed. Kenya is one the countries that has not been spared the wrath of this invasive pest. Since it was first reported in Kenya’s western region (Trans Nzoia, Busia,…
Tackle invasive species to restore degraded landscapes
By Gilbert Nakweya Reblogged from SciDev.Net Invasive alien species should not be used in restoring degraded landscapes as their costs outweigh their benefits, experts say. Invasive alien species, according to the Convention on Biological Diversity, are plants, animals and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and may adversely affect human health and the…