Turning up the heat on a humble bug to help relieve allergy sufferers from dreaded ragweed
Ongoing research to find a biological control to help millions of allergy sufferers blighted by common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is gaining momentum with the heat being turned up on the prospect of a humble bug – the leaf beetle (Ophraella communa) – presenting itself as a successful foe to reduce harmful ragweed pollen.
CABI Blog Most Read 2019
As 2019 draws to a close, we have crunched the numbers and compiled the top 20 most read articles on the CABI Blog this year. Plus a few firm favourites. Articles by CABI Books authors proved popular this year, covering a wide range of topics from religious tourism, to science communications, and the visual system…
If you love your wine, watch out for the spotted lanternfly!
By Dr Tim Haye, Head of Arthropod Biological Control, CABI In the past two decades, Europe and North America have unintentionally shared many invasive insect pests originating from Asia, including the spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys), the box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) and Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica). As if…
New impact brief reveals cost benefit of fighting Fall armyworm in Ghana
A new CABI Study Brief published on CABI.org has revealed that implementing coordinated control measures to fight Fall armyworm in Ghana can reduce the economic cost of crop losses by USD $15 million a year. The research, entitled ‘Have actions taken to control Fall armyworm reduced the economic cost experienced in Ghana?’, based itself on…
Halloween blog special
Did you know that in many countries around the world pumpkins are a beloved staple food – not just in the Autumn/Fall and during Halloween but all year round? Yet, this humble cultivar of a squash plant, like any other food, is susceptible to a range of pesky pests – from the Pumpkin Beetle to…
When Kilimanjaro becomes ‘unscenic’: The Tuta absoluta menace
Since its invasion to the area in 2014, the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta, has wreaked havoc to tomato production in the areas and is responsible for causing between 50-80% yield loss.
Cotton farmer reveals the benefits of sustainable pest management strategies in Pakistan
A cotton farmer from Pakistan has revealed how support from CABI, as part of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), is helping her implement more sustainable pest management strategies to protect her crops and produce higher and more profitable yields.
Scientists release new allies in the battle against invasive yellow toadflax in the Rocky Mountains
A team of international scientists are collaborating to fight the noxious weed yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) in Montana’s world-famous Rocky Mountains with the help of a tiny insect – the shoot-galling weevil Rhinusa pilosa. Yellow toadflax, first introduced from Wales in the late 1600s as an ornamental and medicinal plant and to make textile dyes,…
Photo focus on fighting invasive plants on Socotra Natural World Heritage site
In this photo special we turn the spotlight on members of the community in the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen – including Bushera Ahmed Abdulla pictured above – who are working together with invasive species experts from CABI to help rid the region of devastating Invasive Alien Species (IAS) including common pest pear Opuntia stricta and prosopis. Dr Arne Witt, CABI’s…
IOBC workshop focuses on the latest research in the biological control of invasive weeds
By Chan Hong Twu, scientist at CABI Southeast Asia in Selangor, Malaysia CABI Southeast Asia was proud to host the 9th International Workshop on Biological Control and Management of Eupatorieae and other Invasive Weeds where the very latest research on invasive weeds and their biological control agents were shared amongst delegates from 13 countries including…