Dear Pascal,
There are
discussions ongoing on the above subject.
The question
of losses to pathogens and pests has not been addressed in a
formal methodology text for nearly 5 decades. An update is
long overdue.
We're
working, with Andrea Ficke, NIBIO, as lead (Chair of the Crop
Loss Committee of the ISPP) on the organisation of an
international symposium which would address all the new
techniques/methods/technologies to address losses to pathogens
and pests.
The FAO has
indicated its support.
The ongoing
discussions are about the goal and contents of this symposium,
its participants, and its outputs (e.g., a small book).
It would be
exceedingly important that forest pathology be properly
represented in the ongoing discussions, and of course the
symposium itself. Forest Pathology, I am sure, has its own way
of looking at things, its own logic/paradigms, and its own
methods. These need to be reported / documented / explained /
illustrated with simple examples anyone, anywhere in the
world, can understand).
I am writing
to you to ask you if you could find the time to attend those
meetings, and participate in the discussions. Also, it would
be very good if you could indicate to us colleagues in Forest
Pathology who could participate. These could be colleagues in
France, or anywhere else in the world.
I am in India
currently, away from my usual files, and battling against
(most) unreliable internet. It may be that I already reached
tout to you. In that case, please accept my apologies. I am
not trying to put any pressure. Any advice that you could have
to Andrea, Neil, and me, would be most helpful.
With very
best wishes,
Serge
PS the next
meeting will be on one of these dates: 25, 28, 29 october, 6,
7, 8 November - at 2 to 4 pm, irrespective of the date chosen.
If ever you're available, please let Andrea know your
preferred dates. Anyone of the colleagues you know, and who
would be interested to attend, would be most welcome too.
--
Serge
Savary
Adjunct
Professor -
IARI, New Delhi; Professor of Plant
Pathology
(Hon.), GBPUA&T, India
Directeur
de Recherche ORSTOM, IRD, INRA (Ret.);
Visiting
Scholar -
UC
Davis, USA; Guest
Researcher, Univ. of Twente, ITC, The Netherlands;
Chevalier
du Mérite Agricole, France; Fellow, ISPP; APS
ORCID:
0000-0002-6867-180X