Promoting biodiversity in grasslands of the Swiss Jura
Swiss landscapes would usually be rich in biodiversity. But due to highly concentrated agricultural practices, the number of regional insects and plants found is declining. The Federal Swiss government is taking action and has introduced a scheme to promote ecological compensation areas that will encourage naturally occurring species. As part…
The class of 2020: students graduate with Masters degree in crop management
The Masters of Advanced Studies in Integrated Crop Management (MAS in ICM) course, coordinated by CABI and the University of Neuchâtel, now in its sixth year, celebrated the graduation of ten international students in November.
CABI shares expertise on how to tackle citrus greening disease in the Caribbean
CABI scientists from Brazil, Costa Rica and Trinidad have teamed up with experts from Fundecitrus and the University of São Paulo-ESALQ to share their expertise on the debilitating citrus greening disease which threatens the success of citrus production – including oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes – in the Caribbean. Dr…
The UK Crop Microbiome CryoBank
Plant microbiomes are the microbial communities essential to the whole ecological area of a plant’s ‘phytobiome’ – a term used to describe a plant’s specific ecological area. Having a healthy phytobiome is critical to crop health, improved crop yields and quality food. However, crop microbiomes are relatively under-researched. The UK…
For when the chips are down – preserving UK soil microbial biodiversity for sustainable agriculture
Scientists from the UK’s foremost agricultural research institutes have teamed up to create a new UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank (UK-CMCB) to safeguard future research and facilitate the sustainable yield improvement of the UK’s six major food crops including barley, oats, oil seed rape, potato, sugar beet and wheat. CABI, who…
New report evaluates successes of CABI-led Plantwise and Action on Invasives programmes
An external evaluation report, recently commissioned by CABI on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been published. The report describes the independent evaluation of the CABI-led Plantwise and Action on Invasives programmes that both aim at increasing agricultural production and farmers’ incomes impacted by crop pests and…