The Institute held academic seminar on November 13, 2023 at the exquisitely furnished Lawrence Opeke Conference hall. The presenters were Dr. Idiongiset U. Mokwunye, a Principal Research Officer (PRO) and Head, Crop Protection Division and Mr. Emmanuel O. Kuforiji, FCA, Head, Internal Audit (HIA). The title of their presentations were: Developing a reliable phenology model for coffee towards the early detection and sustainable management of coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Nigeria and Audit culture in MDAs, Research Sector in Focus, respectively.

The presentation of Mr. Kuforiji was designed to spur our interest towards the requirements of and adherence to Financial Regulations and thus avoid or at least reduce to the barest minimum audit infractions in the request, usage and retirement of research funds. The seminar was chaired by Dr. O.A. Famaye, Director, Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation.

In her presentation, Dr. Mokwunye predicted that global warming will affect crops negatively making crops more vulnerable to biotic pressure like insect pest. Addressing this concerns require a new approach through the use of models to predict and manage the variability of economic pests. Information on times of phenological events is useful for planning, organising and timely management of crop pests. Insects as well as plants, require a specific amount of heat to develop from one stage in their lifecycle to another, such as from egg to larval stage etc. Research has shown that measuring the heat accumulated over time provides a more accurate physiological estimate of insect developmental periods than counting calendar days. This physiological estimate is measured as degree days (DD). The use of Degree Days (DD) has improved prediction of phenological events compared with other approaches. The Phenology model is being used to predict the initiation of new infestation cycles of the coffee berry borer, early in the coffee-growing season, this will lead to timely intervention and management. The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an economic pest of coffee in Nigeria and other coffee-growing countries in the world. The use of chemical and non-chemical means for controlling the insect have been quite challenging because the life cycle is spent inside coffee berries, hence the need for an innovative approach as presented by her.