Entomology support mission report, Papua New Guinea, Stewart research station, Madang : coconut operations; 29 November - 13 December 2001 : report Papua New Guinea Stewart research station Madang. Coconut operations

The main purpose of the mission to the Stewart Research Station was to provide scientific support to the entomology section, and to activities set up between 1994 and 2000, but more particularly to new activities following worrying phytosanitary problems that first occurred in 1999 and for which our partner, CCRI, called us in. Our role was therefore to train the team in work methods designed to acquire knowledge of population dynamics: estimation of population levels, prevention of leaf-eating insect outbreaks threatening coconut yields, by carrying out preventive (but not curative) releases of parasitoids. We were also requested to take part in identifying new pests (Lepidoptera and Curculionidae) and introducing possible control methods against such pests.