Highlighted news stories about the IPM IL before 2013.
IPM IL researcher and Virginia Tech professor Jeff Alwang talks about his work in Ecuador on local public radio station (WVTF, November 2012, no longer available)
Jeff Alwang, the principal investigator for the IPM IL’s Latin America and the Caribbean regional program, talks about his work to help farmers in the Ecuadorian Andes on local public radio station WVTF.
Virginia Tech spotlights the work of the IPM IL and director Muni Muniappan in helping combat the papaya mealybug (VT News, October 2012)
In 2008, the IPM IL identified the presence of the papaya mealybug in Indonesia and India. Since then, its efforts to control the devastating, invasive pest have saved the livelihoods of thousands of farmers, helped create small businesses, and generated over $100 million in benefits.
IPM IL confirms presence of invasive insect in Senegal (VT News, September 2012)
The confirmation of Tuta absoluta is the first of the insect’s presence in the country. Tuta causes damage primarily to tomato but could also affect other crops, making it a risk to food security and agricultural production in countries where it is found. The confirmation was made possible through efforts of scientists at Virginia Tech, Senegal’s Direction de la Protection des Végétaux (Crop Protection Agency), the Institut Sénégalais de Recherche Agricole (Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Pesticide use down in Bangladesh (September 2012)
According to Syed Nurul Alam, chief of the entomology division of the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and an IPM IL researcher, pesticide use has gone down in the country, while awareness and use of IPM methods have increased. In the Narsingdi district, a district where the IPM IL works, pesticide use was down by 30% in fiscal year 2011-12.
Vegetable farming with new technology (August 2012)
The IPM IL project in Nepal, with partners iDE Nepal and Nepal Agricultural Research Council, has shown positive results for fruit and vegetable farmers in three districts.
Agrilinks blog post about the IPM IL-sponsored plant virology symposium at TNAU (Agrilinks, July 2012)
In July 2012, Miriam Rich, communications director for OIRED, travelled halfway around the world to attend a plant virology symposium held at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. In this blog post, on Agrilinks, Rich talks about the larger impact the meeting has for issues beyond food security.
IPM IL pheromone trap technology featured in USAID’s Frontlines (Frontlines, July 2012)
While we’re not mentioned by name in the article, USAID’s Frontlines magazine covers pheromone trap technology developed by the IPM IL. The article talks about how eggplant farmers in Bangladesh have grown healthier crops, increased yields, and increased profits by using the traps in their fields.
VT President Steger highlights IPM IL work in op-ed (Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 2012)
In this op-ed for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia Tech president Charles Steger and Virginia State president Keith Miller talk about the role of land-grant universities in the state and around the world, citing work by the IPM IL.
IPM IL/TNAU virology symposium featured in The Hindu and The Times of India (July 2012)
Two major national news outlets in India, The Hindu and The Times of India, covered the international virology symposium held at TNAU in July 2012.
IPM CRSP researcher G. Chandrasekhar talks about the role of plant pathology in food security in the New Indian Express (April 2012)
What role do plant pathologists have in food security for developing countries? Learn more about the field from IPM CRSP researcher and professor and head of plant pathology at TNAU, G. Chandrasekhar.
Profile of Aunu Rauf, IPM IL Researcher (Media Indonesia, April 2012, no longer available)
Aunu Rauf’s work is profiled in an Indonesian newspaper (note: in Indonesian).
USAID mission in India covers our work on the papaya mealybug (USAID India Mission, February 2012)
The papaya mealybug is small pest that causes devastating damage. When IPM IL scientists discovered its presence in India, it coordinated efforts to bring in a parasitoid to control the infestation. This intervention, which saved an entire industry from potential disaster, has proven to be tremendously effective. This single IPM IL activity has resulted in such huge benefits that it pays for the entire IPM CRSP over its lifetime. Read more in the USAID India Success Story and an IPM IL Success Story.
Over 1400 Indian farmers learn IPM methods via radio (The Hindu, January 2012)
The South Asia regional IPM program coordinated with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to educate over 1400 vegetable farmers about IPM methods via All India Radio. Around 700 of the farmers attended a culminating event in January 2012. Read more about the event in an IPM IL Success Story.
Nepalese ambassador visits the IPM IL offices at Virginia Tech (January 2012)
The Nepalese ambassador to the U.S., Shanker Sharma, visited Virginia Tech’s campus in Spring 2012 as part of the campus’s Nepal Nite. While in Blacksburg, he visited the IPM CRSP offices and met with program director Muni Muniappan (note: in Nepalese).
Hope in site for papaya farmers (Oman Daily Observer, 2011, no longer available)
IPM IL Director, Muni Muniappan, was invited to Oman in late 2011 to help with the papaya mealybug invasion. His work was profiled by Omani newspaper, the Oman Daily Observer.
University scientist discovers presence of insect pest in Indonesia (VT News, 2011)
IPM IL scientists have discovered the presence of the giant whitefly in western Java, the first known infestation of this pest in Asia. The scientists fear an infestation could cause widespread destruction of crops in southeastern and South Asia.
IPM scientist interviewed: use of FTA-style cards in diagnosing plant diseases (WSU Today, 2010)
The Washington State University news outlet WSUToday has published an article about how the adaptation of FTA card technology is aiding IPM researchers in diagnosing diseases in world food crops. Included with the article is a three-minute long video interview with IPM researcher Naidu Rayapati.
Indian Press covers IPM CRSP International Plant Virus Disease Network workshop (Express News Service, India, 2010)
The Express News Service in India has published a story in the Indian Express about the recent IPM CRSP workshop and planning meeting for the Asian regions for the International Plant Virus Disease Network.