Scientists from across the world will gather in Arusha, Tanzania, for
the 12th International Plant Virus Epidemiology (IPVE) symposium
between January 28 and 1 February 2013. The meeting will provide
researchers a platform to share the latest knowledge, brainstorm and
draw a road map to contain the spread of plant virus diseases.
The conference, with the theme: “Evolution, Ecology and Control of
Plant Viruses,” is coming at a time when the battle against plant
virus diseases is becoming more complex and the need for food security
is demanding more global attention. This is the first time the meeting
is taking place in Africa.
Dr Sanginga Nteranya, the Director General of the International
Institute of Agriculture (IITA), one of the co-organizers of the
workshop, notes the significance of holding the meeting in Africa
where plant viruses of key staple crops, driven by a climate that is
getting warmer, are spreading rapidly to new places, frustrating
efforts to boost the food security and livelihoods of millions of
people.
“Africa is currently struggling with a wave of viral diseases among
its key staple food crops that are rapidly spreading to new areas.
These include the deadly cassava brown streak, banana bunchy top
disease, rice yellow mottle, and maize streak virus, among others.
“Poor small-holder farmers–who are majority of the population and of
the food growers, with their limited resources are bearing the brunt
of these virus diseases. They are least able to invest in inputs such
as pesticides and herbicides and improved disease-resistant
varieties,” he said. “We need science-based solutions to these
challenges.”
Dr Lava Kumar, IITA Virologist and Head of Germplasm Health Unit,
explains that the symposium will focus on and examine the emergence,
epidemiology, and control of native and new virus diseases.
“Researchers will reflect on the prevailing situation of virus
diseases in Africa and around the world that are not only ravaging
crop production but also affecting the international exchange of
germplasm and commerce,” he adds.
According to him, the symposium will provide a forum for exchange of
latest knowledge and technologies to control virus diseases and pave
the way for an African and global strategy to combat emerging and
re-emerging plant virus diseases. Renowned virologists from over 40
countries are going to attend this event.
The symposium will take place at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, which is
located between Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru in Arusha, Tanzania;
and is about 40 minutes’ drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
The meeting will be co-organized by IITA, Mikocheni Agricultural
Research Institute in Tanzania, the National Agricultural Research
Organization (NARO) of Uganda, AVRDC—The World Vegetable Center, and
West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and
Development (CORAF)(spell out) under the auspices of the International
Committee on Plant Virus Epidemiology (ICPVE). In the past, the United
Kingdom, Australia, United States, France, Italy, Israel, Spain, Peru,
Germany, and India played host to IPVE meetings.
The IPVE is a specialist committee on plant virus epidemiology of the
International Society of Plant Pathology (ISPP). The IPVE
Committee has previously conducted 11 international symposia in
different parts of the world.
For more information visit: www.iita.org/web/ipve