Insect pests threaten the sustainability of Eucalyptus and Pinus plantation and natural forests worldwide. Globally the number of invasive insect pests has been shown to increase exponentially over time.
A common challenge is the accurate and rapid identification of insect pests as this has implications for management and quarantine decisions. In many instances feasible management options cannot be implemented due to the identification of the insect being unknown.
The FIMT website serves as a tool for rapid identification of insects associated with Eucalyptus and Pinus trees and is intended to assist researchers and field-based scientists focussing on forest health. The database contains sequences generated from insect pests of Eucalyptus and Pinus, generated using two mitochondrial DNA regions, namely Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) and Cytochrome b. Relevant sequences from GenBank have also been included. The insects sequenced at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute have also been morphologically identified by a taxonomist. See the About page for more information.
The database and website were developed at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and are hosted at the University of Pretoria
For any technical difficulties with using the website please consult the Help page. Or mail to h.strydom@fabi.up.ac.za
For any further information regarding the database contact bernard.slippers@up.ac.za and refer to your sequence name and sample number