Biocontrol of papaya mealybug in East Africa
Papaya mealybug invaded East Africa between 2015 to 2020. The pest causes 57%- 91% yield and £2,224/ha household economic losses annually and severely impacts the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. As a means of control, nearly 51% of farmers manage the pest using pesticides which harm insect biodiversity in addition to…
CABI’s expertise in biological control of weeds in Latin America highlighted during Science Summit at UNGA78
CABI’s expertise in the biological control of weeds in Latin America has been highlighted during the 9th edition of the Science Summit around the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78). This includes the use of Classical Biological Control (CBC) for Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) such as rubber vine (Cryptostegia madagascariensis)…
CABI supports floating pennywort weevil release in Barnsley, UK
A joint venture between Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency has funded the release of a biocontrol agent at a site in Barnsley, Yorkshire, UK, to help tackle one of our most invasive aquatic plants – floating pennywort. In July 2023, the weevil was introduced into a large pond owned…
Managing scale insects in fresh fruits in East Africa to enhance market access
Trade in mango, avocado, papaya and citrus within the East African Community region, the European Union and China at import and export levels have been rising. However, meeting the increasing demand is being affected by a number of crop pests and diseases. In East Africa, scale insects – mealybug pests…
40th country Jamaica joins CABI BioProtection Portal
The CABI BioProtection Portal is now available in Jamaica to help local growers reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and produce safer and healthier food. Products on the site can fight a range of crop pests, such as the fall armyworm on maize, coffee berry borer on coffee and plantain weevil…
Apple snail invasion could be “disastrous” for rice production and food security in Kenya, study reveals
An invasion of apple snail could be “disastrous” for rice production and food security in Kenya as well as other rice growing regions across Africa, according to a new CABI-led study published in the journal Pest Management Science. The scientists, led by Kate Constantine, Project Scientist at CABI, highlight apple…