Working towards the formation of a Technical Working Group on Invasive Species in Kenya

FAW
A Technical Working Group (TWG) on Invasive Species in Kenya has been proposed to help the country tackle a range of crop pests – including the devastating Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) – which threaten livelihoods and local and national food security.
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CABI and MARA scientists explore collaboration to find effective natural enemies for devastating Fall armyworm

fall armyworm on maize
Scientists representing the MARA China-CABI Joint Laboratory for Biosafety and MARA China-CABI European Laboratory have convened to discuss the very latest research efforts in a bid to find sustainable and effective natural enemies to fight the devastating Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda).
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Two-way SMS platform offers farmers timely management advice for fall armyworm in Kenya

Fall armyworm found on maize during field visit to KALRO research site in Embu county, Kenya
This article was originally published on the PRISE website During the 2019 short rains season in Kenya, PRISE partnered with Precision Agriculture for Development (PAD) to provide maize farmers with timely pest management information on Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). By building on PAD’s existing messaging service, which is run in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, the two-way…
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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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Invasive Species Compendium use grows in 2020

In the first half of 2020, CABI’s Invasive Species Compendium (ISC) had over 1.5 million visits, around double the number for the same period in 2019. How much of this is down to the demand for high quality content and improvements that have been made to the site, and how much is down to people…
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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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Using online workshops to ensure the fight against invasive species continues in Pakistan

As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, CABI is ensuring that efforts to combat invasive species are continuing. The CABI centre in Pakistan organized a one-day online workshop on the development of Pest Management Decision Guides (PMDGs) and Technical Briefs on the invasive pests: fall armyworm, parthenium weed, and Tuta absoluta.
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Communication is key: CABI publishes framework for strategic communications during pest outbreaks

The invasion of a highly destructive plant pest can have a devastating effect on farmers’ crop production, natural ecosystems and economic trade. In Africa, where a large proportion of people live in rural areas and rely on subsistence agriculture, invasive species can cause severe damage and seriously impact food and nutritional security.
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The future of fall armyworm research

As COVID-19 forces more and more people indoors, the challenges facing scientific research do not diminish. If anything, the sudden requirement to maintain a sensible distance between colleagues serves only to highlight the lack of resources currently available to facilitate remote working and collaboration in research circles.
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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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