SciCafe: The Imminent Threat to the Avocado

Part of SciCafe

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Avocado sliced in half lengthwise revealing the pit, with a partial view of the bumpy exterior of an unsliced avocado next to it. Courtesy of Quote Catalog/Flickr
What happens when climate change introduces new and unexpected calamities? 

The Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens), or “Mexfly”, is considered the one of the most dangerous agricultural pests in the world. It can infest crops and destroy harvests. As the planet warms, the range of the Mexfly is shifting, resulting in a high risk of infestation to California’s avocado crops. Martín Aluja shares his research on the physiology, genetics, morphology, and behavior of Mexflies and explores how we may develop programs to control their spread to protect the safety of both avocados and humans.

This SciCafe will be presented in Spanish with simultaneous English interpretation available. 

How to Watch

Please RSVP for this free program, and the link to view will be included in your confirmation email. 

This program will be presented on Zoom. Please install Zoom in advance to ensure you don’t miss any of the program. You can download Zoom by clicking here or by downloading for your mobile device or tablet from the App Store or Google Play.

 

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