Date: 2024-10-19 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00008465
Pesticides
Biological control
Tiny killer wasps deployed in first phase to thwart food security threat in Indonesia
Burgess COMMENTARY
Peter Burgess
Mejia C, Maria Fernanda (CIAT)
Dear Colleagues,
This week, a research team released around 3,000 tiny parasitic wasps into a confined cage, in the first phase of a clamp-down to stamp out a major pest afflicting cassava in Southeast Asia. Cassava is a key crop in Indonesia, which is among the world’s major cassava producers. More than one million hectares of cassava is planted every year, half of which is directly consumed as a staple food. The crop is also used in the starch industry to make products as diverse as plywood, paper, sweeteners and pharmaceuticals, supporting smallholder incomes. But the cassava pest pink mealybug (Phenacoccus manihoti) – is one of the world’s most destructive cassava pests – and has reached Indonesia. This is the first phase of a biological control operation to clamp down on mealybug populations without using pesticides.
It would be great if you can help us spread the word about this exciting science in action!
Infographic: feel free to share the attached
Suggested Tweets:
Tiny wasp deployed in eco-friendly operation to thwart food security threat #Indonesia #cassava http://bit.ly/1pvkhXn @CIAT_@IFADnews
They might be 2mm, but these wasps are killers, tasked to fight a top #cassava pest in #Indonesia http://bit.ly/1pvkhXn@CIAT_ @IFADnews
Severe #cassava pest set to take hit as 3,000 wasps deployed in 1st-phase clamp-down #Indonesia http://bit.ly/1pvkhXn @CIAT_ @RTB_CGIAR
Wasps enlisted in #Indonesia to fight pest threatening cassava-based livelihoods, food security & starch industry http://bit.ly/1pvkhXn @FAOnews
Linked-In / Facebook:
Scientists released a team of 3,000 tiny parasitic wasps into a confined cage this week, in the first phase to stamp out a major pest afflicting cassava in Southeast Asia. Cassava is a key crop in Indonesia - among the world’s major cassava producers. The pest: mealybug, is jeopardizing cassava-based livelihoods, food security and the growing starch industry http://bit.ly/1pvkhXn
A severe pest threatens to jeopardize cassava-based livelihoods, food security and the growing starch industry in Indonesia. But researchers are on the case, and this week set in motion the first phase of a major effort to stamp out mealybug, protect smallholder incomes and food security, and avert a threat for the growing starch industry: all in the form of a wasp http://bit.ly/1pvkhXn
Best regards,
Georgina Smith I Communications Specialist Asia I
International Center for Tropical Agriculture I Agricultural Genetics Institute, Pham Van Dong, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Vietnam - opposite the Ministry of Public Security.
Viện Di truyền Nông nghiệp, Phạm Văn Đồng, Từ Liêm, Hà Nội, Việt Nam - đối diện với Bộ Công an
Website: www.ciat.cgiar.org News: www.ciatnews.cgiar.org Email: g.smith@cgiar.org I Skype: georgina.smith17 I Twitter: Follow @georginajsmith @CIAT_ Mobile: +84-16-7587-6829 I Office: +84 4 37576969