IAPPS NEWSLETTER

Number II      February, 2010

WELCOME TO NEW IAPPS BOARD MEMBERS

We are welcoming Dr. Noriharu Ken Umetsu, Professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Senior Managing Director, Otsuka Chemical Co., Ltd., as the new Coordinator, Region VII: East Asia.
Prof. Umetsu received his Ph.D., Agricultural Chemistry, in 1974, and his M.S, Agricultural Chemistry, in 1971, both from the Tohoku University, Japan.
Originally an agricultural chemist with expertise in rice blast disease and its associated toxins, during 1974-1981, Dr. Umetsu was a postdoctoral trainee and visiting scientist in the University of California, Riverside, where he conducted research on the adverse effect of impurities existing in technical organophosphorus insecticides. He also worked on the design of new carbamate insecticides and their mode of action, conducted metabolism studies, and succeeded in commercializing several products for practical use in cooperation with Otsuka Chemical Co. Ltd. On returning to Japan, Dr. Umetsu continued his research on the development of commercial agrochemicals with Otsuka Chemical Co. During a 15 year period as research manager and head (Director on Board) of the Otsuka Agricultural Chemicals Division, Dr. Umetsu and his colleagues developed six new agrochemicals (insecticides, acaricides and fungicides) and many useful fertilizers for horticulture. Of those, an insecticide, benfuracarb launched in 1984 was commercialized in over 50 countries and made a significant contribution to the field of crop protection and production globally. He also worked on an advanced crop production systems and put the new system called "fertigation system" (computer equipped drip irrigation system for vegetables) into commercial use.
During the past 20 years, Dr. Umetsu has served on campaigns to enlighten the public on the benefit and safety of agrochemicals. The activities include a number of lectures for the public at meetings sponsored by different organizations, and also lectures for university students and senior foreign trainees (average 10-15 lectures per year). His wide range of activities also include contributions to an e-mail magazine, presentations at international scientific meetings, publications in scientific journals and books, and appearances on television.
Dr. Umetsu's research has been published in more than 65 scientific articles and some patents. He is the author or co-author of six books. He is a member of many scientific societies such as Pesticide Science Society of Japan (PSSJ), the Japanese Society of Applied Entomology & Zoology, ChemoBio Integrated Management Society and the International Society for the Plant Protection Sciences (IAPPS). Dr. Umetsu was President or Vice President of the PSSJ for a total of six years, conference chair of the 3rd Pan-Pacific Conference of Pesticide Science held in Hawaii and vice president of the Biochemistry Assay Society of Japan.
Dr. Umetsu's administrative experience includes: General Manager of Naruto Research Center, Executive Managing Director of the Department of Agricultural Chemicals and Executive Managing Director of the Corporate Strategy at Otsuka Chemical Co. Ltd., Senior Managing Director of Otsuka Chemical Holdings Co. Ltd., Director of AgriBest Co., Ltd., and Director of Zhangjiagang Otsuka Chemical Co. Ltd, (China). He is currently a visiting professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and East China University of Science and Technology. On behalf of the Governing Board, let me warmly welcome Dr. Umetsu to the IAPPS family, while at the same time I would like to thank his predecessor, Dr. Tadashi Miyata for his valuable contribution to IAPPS.

I also have the pleasure to welcome Dr. James R. Steadman, Professor and Head, Plant Pathology Department at the University of Nebraska, as the new IAPPS Treasurer. Dr. Steadman obtained his M. Sci., Plant Pathology, in 1968 and his Ph. D., Plant Pathology, in 1970, both at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Dr. Steadman's international career began when he was invited to present a lecture on the influence of plant architecture on diseases and consult with the bean program scientists at Centro International de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) in 1978. From this interaction with CIAT scientists, the need for, and opportunities to do research in the developing countries of the Americas became apparent. Dr. Steadman was part of the initial group of bean scientists to work in what has become the Bean/Cowpea Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP, a unique component of the predominantly development-oriented USAID Agriculture Mission). The initial thrust of the Bean/Cowpea CRSP was in bilateral agreements with individual countries. Dr. Steadman was a member of a delegation of USAID-Washington and Caribbean officials who, in 1989, negotiated successfully with the local Mission to retain the B/C CRSP bean research effort in the Dominican Republic when macroeconomics was driving USAID officials to abandon portfolio objectives that supported local bean producers. It was through training of Dominican scientists, release of improved varieties with improved yields and development of disease management strategies that led to the Dominican Republic becoming self-sufficient in bean production in the late 1990's.
Dr. Steadman, through the Bean/Cowpea CRSP, has been contributing to Dominican Republic agriculture for over 25 years. The CRSP has trained two Ph.D. and 18 MS scientists who are now contributing to all aspects of Dominican agriculture. Dr. Steadman is the only remaining Principal Investigator from the first Bean/Cowpea CRSP five-year project of 25 years ago. He served as the Chair of the Technical Committee that has oversight of the research activities in East, West and Southern Africa and Latin America, and the Caribbean, and served as chair of the LAC Regional project.
In a similar way, Dr. Steadman had a seminal role in Sclerotinia Workshops. In 1974 he was one of four scientists who organized the first International Workshop and has served on the organizing committee or was the organizer of the 12 additional workshops that were presented over the past 30 years, most recently in England and New Zealand. He is the only member of the first organizing committee still active and has continued work with Sclerotinia forty years later. He also was a co-convener of the first Australasian Sclerotinia Workshop in Tasmania and has served as external examiner of Sclerotinia related Ph.D. theses in Canada and Sweden. Dr. Steadman presently serves as the Chair of the Sclerotinia Subject Matter committee of the International Society of Plant Pathology.
Dr. Steadman has dedicated nearly 40 years to international research training and outreach. He has had an impact on in-country research infrastructure, research impact such as disease management strategies, disease resistant germplasm and variety releases. In addition, the funding generated for this international research has had an impact on Nebraska and US agriculture. For example, the nearly $3 million in USAID funding over the past 28 years has enabled the Nebraska bean breeding and disease management programs to continue to make contributions and impacts to local and national bean improvement. Invited lectures and talks in places as distant as Argentina, Australasia, Costa Rica, Sweden, England, South Africa, Egypt and Tanzania also have brought information to many foreign scientists. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Steadman on the Governing Board of IAPPS, and also to thank the outgoing Treasurer, Dr. J.R. James for the precious services rendered to the IAPPS community.

Dr. E. A. "Short" Heinrichs
IAPPS Secretary General
E-mail: eheinric@vt.edu

IOBC GLOBAL WORKING GROUP ON PARTHENIUM

The International Organization for Biological Control of Noxious Animals and Plants has approved the formation of the Global Working Group on Parthenium. Convenors of this working group are: Kunjithapatham Dhileepan, Alan Fletcher Research Station, Queensland, Australia; Wondi Mersie, Virginia State University, Petersburg, Virginia; and Rangaswamy Muniappan, IPM CRSP, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.
The general aim of this working group is to promote the use of sustainable, environmentally safe, economically feasible, and socially acceptable control methods, including biological control, of Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae) in the invasive plant's introduced range (Africa, Asia, and Australia).
Parthenium weed is a neotropical plant that has become a weed of global significance in recent decades. Around 1955, it got introduced to Australia and India and it is now established in many tropical countries around the world. It causes human and animal health problems, agricultural (crop and pasture) losses, environmental degradation, and reduction in biodiversity, heavily impacting on the livelihoods of people particularly in developing countries. Despite the extent, severity and impact of invasion by parthenium weed in many countries, at present only Australia, India, South Africa and Ethiopia have active biological control programs on this weed. Awareness by policy makers of the possibilities for managing this weed is limited in many developing countries. There is therefore a need to disseminate current information and promote research on biological control and management of this weed, and implementation of control measures.
Specific aims of the working group are to promote a) implementation of classical biological control in the countries wherein it has invaded, b) integration of biological control with other control methods including chemical and mechanical control, and the use of competitive plants to displace parthenium, c) facilitate cooperation amongst researchers and stakeholders for management of parthenium weed, d) dissemination of information on recent developments in management of parthenium to policy makers, researchers, extension specialists, and other stakeholders. First meeting: A first workshop on Biological Control and Management of Parthenium will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, August/November 2010. It is a joint workshop with the Global Working Group on Chromolaena.

Dr. R. Muniappan
Program Director, IPM CRSP
E-mail: ipm-dir@vt.edu

The IAPPS Newsletter is published by the International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences and distributed in Crop Protection to members and other subscribers. Crop Protection, published by Elsevier, is the Official Journal of IAPPS. IAPPS Mission: to provide a global forum for the purpose of identifying, evaluating, integrating, and promoting plant protection concepts, technologies, and policies that are economically, environmentally, and socially acceptable. It seeks to provide a global umbrella for the plant protection sciences to facilitate and promote the application of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to a the world's crop and forest ecosystems. Membership Information: IAPPS has four classes of membership (individual, affiliate, associate, and corporate) which are described here. The IAPPS Newsletter welcomes news, letters, and other items of interest from individuals and organizations. Address correspondence and information to: Dr. Manuele Tamo, Editor IAPPS Newsletter Biological Control Center for Africa, IITA-Benin 08 B.P. 0932 Tri Postal, Cotonou, Republic of Benin E-mail: m.tamo@cgiar.org