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

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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Asia on alert as highly destructive fall armyworm spreads

By Trudy Harris. Originally published on SciDev.Net. Farmers and authorities throughout Asia need to be vigilant against fall armyworm invasions, after confirmation that the fast-moving pest has spread from India to China and now to South-East Asia, agricultural experts say.
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Fall Armyworm attack: ‘Eastern India more vulnerable to infestation’

Originally published on DownToEarth Warmer temperatures increase the metabolism and reproductive rates of the pest Fall Armyworm was first reported in July 2018 in Karnataka. Ever since, it has spread to its neighbouring states. Reports are now coming from West Bengal and Bihar as well. The initial damages are widespread as the pest is a…
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CABI announces major commitments in fight against invasive species

Coinciding with its regional consultation with member states in Africa, CABI hosted a policy summit on invasive species in Gaborone, Botswana on 28 February. About 70 delegates representing policymakers, research, the private sector and civil society from across Africa gathered to learn about and discuss the impact of invasives as well as the technical and…
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Fall armyworm radio campaign for next growing season launches in Zambia

CABI in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture in Zambia through the National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) has launched a national radio campaign focusing on the identification, prevention and management of fall armyworm. The campaign aims to help smallholder farmers in Zambia minimise fall armyworm losses and learn how to safely use chemicals.
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Invasives Most Read 2018

2018 has been a bumper year for the CABI Invasives blog, with 4 times more posts than 2017 and over twice the number of views (over 20,000!). With so many articles published this year, we have compiled a list of the top 20 most read to round off 2018.
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Addressing the root of the problem — why plant health and evidenced-based interventions matter to global development

by Duncan Barker (Research and Evidence Division, DFID) and Dr Roger Day (CABI). Reblogged from the DFID Research blog. Global agriculture faces a myriad of threats, of which one of the greatest is invasive species. With no native organisms to control them, invasive species such as plant pests and diseases spread out of control, damaging crops and…
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Not Just Maize: Africa’s Fall Armyworm Crisis Threatens Sorghum, Other Crops, Too

By Sara Hendery. Reblogged from Entomology Today. Scientists from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Niger say that 99 percent of the media and research coverage on the fall armyworm focuses on the invasive pest’s deadly threat to maize.
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E-conference on responding to fall armyworm in Africa

Last week, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s Thematic Network on Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems hosted an e-conference on the fall armyworm outbreak in Africa which brought together experts, stakeholders and other interested parties to discuss the challenges posed by fall armyworm and to evaluate the possible solutions.
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Fall armyworm in Africa: communicating out of a crisis

Take a quick look at the map of the fall armyworm invasion. It gives you a good feel for the number of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa directly affected by a small caterpillar eating their staple crop – maize – at a rapid rate. As a communication professional working in agriculture, it has been the…
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