FF-IPM workshop at Stellenbosch University (South Africa)

From 20th to 24th December 2023 the FF-IPM partners Stellenbosch University (SU, South Africa), Citrus Research International (CRI, South Africa) and Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA, Belgium) organized a workshop on identification methodologies of pest fruit flies. This workshop was intended for stakeholders from the fruit production industry in Africa (and in particular southern Africa), including NPPO officers, growers, cooperatives, research institutions focusing on horticultural pests, and companies involved in the development and sale of pest control products. In total, 23 delegates from seven different countries participated in the course which consisted of theoretical lectures and hands-on practicals.

The different interception and detection tools developed within the framework of the FF-IPM project were presented with a more detailed lecture on the use of the multi-entry keys developed for recognition of larval and adult stages of fruit flies of major economic significance.

In addition, Marc De Meyer (RMCA) was invited by Hortgro Science to present the collaborative research activities between RMCA and SU within the framework of FF-IPM and other initiatives. Hortgro Science is a research institution that is focusing on generating new knowledge, technologies or practices to the advantage of the fruit growers in South Africa, in particular within the stone and pome fruit industry. They organize on a monthly basis an hybrid meeting with growers and other stakeholders in the industry to inform them about new developments in the field. Marc De Meyer presented the FF-IPM program during this meeting and discussed the findings with participants physically present and online.