IAPPS NEWSLETTER

Number XI      November, 2009

NEW GUIDE ON RICE STEMBORERS

The Africa Rice Center (WARDA) just published a new field guide and technical manual on rice stem borers including their biology, ecology and control.
In his preface, WARDA Director General Dr. Papa A. Seck states:
"The WARDA-NARS Task Forces on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of the Rice Research Network for West and Central Africa (ROCARIZ) recognize rice stem borers as major biotic constraints limiting rice production in West and Central Africa. However, there is no field guide or technical manual available which provide technical information on different aspects of the biology, ecology and control of these pests. Much of the information available remains obscured in unpublished reports and articles. This guide provides a basic knowledge and understanding of the biology, ecology and recognition of the pests, a prerequisite for successful control intervention. It is intended for agricultural researchers, technicians, trainers, extension specialists, non-governmental organizations and entomologists involved in managing stem borers of rice. It is also intended to provide a reference source for research and training of M.Sc and Ph. D students. The intension is to make existing information more easily accessible and to present it in a simple and understandable way. Thus, technical terms have been kept to a minimum, and those used have been explained. The references provided at the end of the book are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather represent suggested reading for more technical detailed information on the subject. WARDA permits reproduction of this guide for non-profit purposes."

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Francis Nwilene
IAPPS Regional Coordinator
Region IV: West/Central Africa
E-mail: f.nwilene@cgiar.org

RICEHOPPERS BLOG

The Ricehoppers blog was initiated in December 2008 as a platform for sharing knowledge on issues related to planthopper problems in rice production in Asia. In the last 5 years the intensive rice areas have been experiencing devastating infestations by planthoppers. The three main species are Nilaparvata lugens (brown planthopper (BPH)), Sogatella furcifera (White backed planthopper (WBPH)) and Laodelphax striatellus (Smaller brown planthopper (sBPH)). The recent changes in importance of the WBPH seem closely associated with wide hybrid rice adoption but the emerging problems with the sBPH in temperate areas seem less understood. Also associated with the outbreaks are increase in insecticide use in the intensive areas, in many cases 3 or 4 fold and the development of insecticide resistance. In some areas in China and Vietnam resistance to imidacloprid is greater than 500 folds. As rice planthoppers are secondary pests caused by ecological disruptions and structural distortions favoring such disruptions, the need to develop sustainable ways of management is needed. This niche blog is part of the Rice Planthopper Project, a collaborative research network with national scientists in Asia co-funded by IRRI and ADB.

The search for sustainable ways to manage these problems is now along several fronts. First is to identify genes and develop rice varieties that will have sustainable resistance to planthoppers. Second is to develop ecological engineering methods that will restore and enhance important ecosystem services to provide adequate crop health. Third is to understand farmers' decision making and to develop communication strategies to motivate policy decision makers and farmers to adopt sustainable practices.

The blog, hosted by Wordpress, reports on the Rice Planthopper Project activities, sharing of research techniques and provides a platform for postings and reports from the field. Visitors can also comment on the postings and share their observations. In addition one can also follow the Ricehoppers through Twitter. Started in December 2008, the blog has received about 14,000 visitors from all over the world (see below map).



The blog is posted at http://ricehoppers.net, and it is administered by Drs M.M. Escalada and K.L. Heong. If you have some observations, experiences, news or research results, please send them a post to share with our bloggers. You can email them to:

m.escalada@gmail.com or
kheong@cgiar.org

A NEW PROGRAM TO TRAIN PLANT HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

Individuals with broadly integrated knowledge and management skills are needed to deal with the complex and frequently interacting challenges in managing plant systems. These individuals must be able to incorporate new research and technological developments into integrated pest and plant management systems that remain economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. Individuals with these talents and training are needed worldwide in today's agriculture.

To meet these challenges a new professional program, the Doctor of Plant Health (DPH) program, has been created at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The DPH Program is a rigorous doctoral-level degree program that trains practitioners across all plant-related disciplines (entomology, plant pathology, plant science, soil science and weed science). Rather than focusing on research, like the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, the DPH degree provides extensive experiential learning opportunities to enable students to integrate their multidisciplinary training to field situations in diagnosing and managing plant health problems and in developing sustainable plant management systems. This new program is only the second of its kind in the United States. The primary prerequisite for entrance to the program is a B.A. or B.S. degree in a biological or related field. Those entering with a master's degree in one of the core disciplines in the program will receive credit toward graduate course work taken. Students can expect to earn the DPH degree in three to four years, depending on their background and course load.

The program was established to address needs from the seed, chemical and consulting industry, along with those of extension and regulatory agencies. It is hoped that in addition to the strong demand for individuals with this type of training within the United States, that these Plant Doctors would become extremely valuable in addressing international plant health issues both in developed and developing countries where there is extensive need to develop sustainable food production systems that fit the economic and cultural context.

For more information on the DPH program, visit the website http://dph.unl.edu/home or contact

Dr. Gary Hein,
Program Director
E-mail: ghein1@unl.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