Restoring grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Halting and reversing land degradation is one of the biggest challenges to meeting the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals. This project aims to assess the effects of grassland degradation on soil functions on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and determine whether manipulation of plant functional diversity can accelerate the restoration of functioning of degraded soils.
GIZ Crop Protection Baseline Study
Pests and diseases often limit how much smallholder famers can produce. They affect crops both pre and post-harvest by reducing their value or making them unsafe for human consumption. Farmers try to reduce losses through a range of techniques, some of which have human or environmental health impacts. This project aims to understand and report on current crop protection practices and identify the most effective, safe and innovative options to integrate into GIZs programmes in 14 countries.
Beneficial nematodes to control rootworms in European maize production
The western corn rootworm is a major invasive maize pest in North America and Europe. Control options become more and more limited as problematic pesticides are being phased out. 10 years of joint efforts in research and development by academic, legislative and commercial partners have led to a nematode-based biological control solution for this destructive maize pest. Mass-produced beneficial nematodes Heterorhabditis bacteriophora are now available as a commercial product.
Improving knowledge and understanding of beetle biodiversity in Laos
Global biodiversity is receiving increased attention as it becomes more and more threatened because of the growing human population and development. Beetles or coleopteran are no exception and CABI is running this project to increase knowledge and understanding of their biodiversity in Laos.
Biological control of apple leaf-curling midge in Canada
A European biological control agent may help control an exotic pest of apple trees in western Canada. Damage from the apple leaf-curling midge in eastern Canada was effectively reduced by introducing a European natural enemy, Platygaster demades, in the 1990s. The pest arrived in British Columbia more recently, where releases of P. demades are now being considered. First, however, the identity of P. demades needs to be confirmed with molecular tools and its host range defined.