IAPPS NEWSLETTER
Number VI June, 2007
OBITUARY
DAVID GREATHEAD: A LIFE IN BIOLOGICAL CONT
 The founding editor of Biocontrol News and Information, David Greathead, who died on 13 October 2006 at the age of 74, was an influential figure in biological control and also a world authority on Bombyliidae (bee flies). His career reflected many of the changes and developments in biological control over this period, which is hardly surprising since he was central to many of them. A naturally thoughtful demeanor coupled with an encyclopedic knowledge of biological control endowed him with wisdom and foresight. His legacy includes successful and in some cases groundbreaking biological control initiatives, extensive publications in biological control and taxonomy, contributions to an international regulatory framework for biological control, and last but by no means least the many scientists whose early careers he fostered and some of whom are now well known names themselves. His achievements were a direct result of his rare combination of broad perspective and attention to detail. As fellow-bombyliid expert Neal Evenhuis (Bishop Museum, Hawaii) says: "Everything was thoughtfully prepared and checked and rechecked before he would be satisfied," but as Sean Murphy (a long-serving CABI scientist) says, "David always managed to see the bigger picture." He inspired loyalty and affection in his staff, was excellent company and could spin a great story - his experiences gave him plenty of material to work with.
The full text of the obituary has been published in the March issue of Biocontrol News and Information, and is also available online at
http://www.pestscience.com/Bni28_1/BNINewsMarchR.pdf
NEW MANUAL OF PLANT NEMATOLOGY
 This guide has been produced by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) as part of the strategy of the Systemwide Program on Integrated Pest Management (SP-IPM) to improve the quality and usefulness of pest management research. IITA, CIMMYT and the SP-IPM are supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR; www.cgiar.org). Funding for production of the guide was provided by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA).
The SP-IPM is a global partnership program whose task is to draw together the IPM efforts of the international agricultural research centers and their partners and to focus these efforts more clearly on the needs of resource-poor farmers in the developing world. The program tackles those areas where research promises to provide solutions to pressing problems in sustainable agricultural development but where impact has so far been limited - usually due to fragmentation of efforts among different organizations or in different regions of the world, or due to inadequate links between researchers and farmers. The SP-IPM expects to achieve rapid progress by alleviating such constraints, breaking down barriers to information exchange, filling research gaps where necessary and developing effective models of researcher-extensionist-farmer partnerships to promote adoption of IPM technologies (www.spipm.cgiar.org)
CTA's tasks are to develop and provide services that improve access to information for agricultural and rural development, and to strengthen the capacity of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to produce, acquire, exchange and utilize information in this area (www.cta.int).
For more information:
Dr. Braima James
SP-IPM Coordinator
E-mail : b.james@cgiar.org
BOOK REVIEW
The Physiology of Crop Yield: Second Edition
Robert Hay and John Porter
Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford.
US$59.99
ISBN 1-4051-0859-2
2006
Scientists working in crop protection need to have good crop varieties that are growing well to justify the efforts of protecting them from pests and diseases. Thus some knowledge of plant physiology is important. The second edition of The Physiology of Crop Yield brings in recent developments in phenology, crop dynamics and crop modeling within the concept of sustainable agriculture. This textbook is designed primarily for advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students but will also provide a valuable reference in research organization libraries for all those involved in crop production.
Prof. Graham Matthews
IPARC
Imperial College
Ascot
SL5 7PY
E-mail: g.matthews@imperial.ac.uk
AFRICAN FELLOWS PROGRAM: 6TH CALL FOR PRE-PROPOSALS
The aim of the African Fellows Program (AFP) is to support sustainable agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa by catalyzing innovative solutions needed to achieve food security. Projects should aim to develop lasting partnerships and strategic alliances that will help in developing local scientific capacity relevant to sustainable agricultural production. The potential impact of the project will be taken into account during proposal assessment. African scientists will carry out research projects in a partner European research institute or university for periods normally of 6 to 8 months. Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis in a two stage assessment process.
Research projects must:
- focus on solving an agricultural problem or constraint;
- demonstrate a clear path from research to application;
- be of benefit to small-holder African farmers and the rural economy.
Examples of potential project areas include crop nutrition, soil fertility, post-harvest technology, alternative crops, livestock management and plant protection. Please note that all projects must be focused on topics relevant to small farmers.
The program cannot support field work in Africa and projects on food processing will not be funded. MSc and PhD studies are also outside the remit of the program.
Pre-proposal concept notes are now invited for the sixth round of this Program. Pre-proposals should be submitted by 17:00 hours (GMT) on Friday 22nd June 2007, preferably by email.
Applicants can obtain further details and guidelines from the Rothamsted International web site:
http://www.rothamsted-international.org/HTML/Fellowships/AFP_main_page.html
Further details can also be obtained by email (rothamsted.international@bbsrc.ac.uk), or by writing to the AFP Coordinator, Rothamsted International, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK.
Dr Judy Mann
Rothamsted International
E-mail: judy.mann@bbsrc.ac.uk
http://www.rothamsted-international.org
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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
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