The OMICAS alliance is part of the Colombian government’s Scientific Ecosystem, established between 2017-2018 to promote world-class research, technological advancement and improved competency of higher education across the nation. Since the program’s kick-off, OMICAS has focused on consolidating and validating a multi-scale, multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary strategy and infrastructure to advance discoveries in plant science and the development of new technological solutions for improving agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Synchronizing nitrogen (N) fertilization with planting date (PD) could enhance resource use efficiency and profitability of upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in Thailand. The objective of the study was to assess upland rice responses to four N fertilization rates (NFRs) and three planting dates. Field experiments were conducted during two growing seasons under four NFRs, no N applied (N0), 30 (N30), 60 (N60), and 90 kg N ha−1 (N90), and NFR were applied at the initiation of tillering and panicle emergence stages.

Owing to climate change impacts, waterlogging is a serious abiotic stress that affects crops, resulting in stunted growth and loss of productivity. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Grantz) is usually grown in areas that experience high amounts of rainfall; however, little research has been done on the waterlogging tolerance mechanism of this species. Therefore, we investigated the physiological responses of cassava plants to waterlogging stress and analyzed global gene transcription responses in the leaves and roots of waterlogged cassava plants.

The recent invasion, rapid spread, and widescale destruction of the maize crop by the fall armyworm (FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)) is likely to worsen the food insecurity situation in Africa. In the present study, a set of 424 maize lines were screened for their responses to FAW under artificial infestation to dissect the genetic basis of resistance. All lines were evaluated for two seasons under screen houses and genotyped with the DArTseq platform.

Food composition tables (FCT) inform on the nutritional composition of foods consumed and are an essential resource for understanding and analyzing dietary intake data related to both individuals and communities, and for developing healthy recipes and food products. They are a fundamental piece of knowledge to support interventions related to improving nutrition, health, and food security in all contexts.

A novel butenolide insecticide—flupyradifurone (Sivanto SL 200)—was evaluated for efficacy against cassava-colonizing Bemisia tabaci whitefly under laboratory, screenhouse and field conditions. LC50 values from leaf disc spray assays were comparable for both flupyradifurone (12.7 g a.i/100 L) and imidacloprid (12.6 g a.i/100 L). Both insecticides caused high levels of adult whitefly mortality in leaf disc and leaf dip assays when compared to untreated controls.

An online survey was co-designed in collaboration with CGIAR Germplasm Health Units (GHUs) leaders and social scientists of the Plant Health Initiative (PHI), with the objective to identify and map the key knowledge and capacity gaps on lab/field detection, characterization, and surveillance of P&D of local and regional NPPOs in targeted countries. The questionnaire consisted of 43 open-ended, single and multiple-choice questions.

Plants live under different biotic and abiotic stress conditions, and, to cope with the adversity and severity, plants have well-developed resistance mechanisms. The mechanism starts with perception of the stimuli followed by molecular, biochemical, and physiological adaptive measures. The family of LRR-RLKs (leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases) is one such group that perceives biotic and abiotic stimuli and also plays important roles in different biological processes of development.

Bactrocera dorsalis and several Africa-native Ceratitis species are serious constraints to fruit
production in sub-Saharan Africa. A long-term trapping and fruit collection study was conducted
(2011–2016) in two contrasting agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of Cameroon to determine fruit fly
species composition, seasonality, attraction to various lures and baits, and fruit infestation levels.
Ten tephritid species from genera Bactrocera, Ceratitis, Dacus, and Perilampsis were captured in traps.

The adaptability and stability of 37 faba bean (Vicia faba L.) accessions with different levels of tolerance to metribuzin or imazethapyr was assessed across 12 season–location–herbicide experiments. Significant Genotype x environment (GE) interaction was found for the days to flowering (DFLR), plant height (PLHT) and grain yield (GY). Performance and stability of the accessions regarding PLHT and GY were assessed using four different stability parameters: cultivar superiority, static stability, Wricke’s eco-valence and Finlay and Wilkinson’s regression model.

Capacity development is an important part of the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) strategy to make climate services and climate-smart agriculture more accessible to millions of smallholder farmers across Africa.