Coresta’s research on pest control

The Coresta Subgroup on Pest and Sanitation Management in Stored Tobacco is a subgroup of the phytopathology study group of Coresta, the Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco, based in Paris. Its objectives are to share information and to conduct collaborative studies on pest control in stored tobacco, to investigate new infestation control methods and to educate those involved with pest control in the tobacco industry worldwide.

Founded in 1993, the Subgroup is currently chaired by Vernon Schmidt (RJ Reynolds, US) and Annette Murray (Imperial Tobacco, Germany) and has 21 member companies. They include most of the major cigarette manufacturers, leaf dealers, tobacco processors and fumigation companies, as well as the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) in the UK.

The members meet at least once a year to discuss the worldwide pest control issues facing the industry. The meetings of the Coresta Subgroup are often accompanied by a training conference on pest control called Infestation Control Conference (ICC). These training seminars have been held in the US (2001); Mexico, Brazil and Turkey (2002); Belgium and Malaysia (2003); South Africa (2004); India (2005); Turkey (2006); Belgium (2007); Thailand (2008); and Brazil (2009). The last two-day conference, in Kunming in 2010, offered training on the biology of pest, sanitation, safe and proper fumigation with phosphine, controlled atmosphere, insecticides, and temperature as a control tool. The conference was attended by more than 100 participants.

The next meeting of the Subgroup and ICC will take place in South Africa in 2011. (ahe)