CARDI Plant Protection Division conducts researches and gathers data on pests and pest control practices through field-based research, evaluates management practices for key pests, improves upon those practices and integrates the practices into a functional pest management system for Cambodian farmers. Current research and development activities include:
Identify pests and natural enemies in rice and upland crops
Evaluate upland crops for resistance to major pests
Document farmers' pest control practices in upland crops
Assess the level damage of rats and insect pests in rice store and evaluate the control method on rats
Identify and curate herbarium specimens and isolate of pathogens and other principal crops present in Cambodia
Evaluate the distribution, prevalence, severity and priority for future work of rice disease occurring in Cambodia
Develop, test and, if appropriate promote some best-bet Integrated Disease Management strategies for several major diseases
Evaluate the rice yield loss by the diseases
Determine the banana Fusarium wilt disease severity and incidence in Cambodia
Develop and test techniques for monitoring, prevention and controlling pests
Integrate these methods into a practical pest management program