Important information for USA scientists traveling to XLVII ONTA Americans traveling to Cuba need visas and charter flights that are only obtained from authorized travel service providers. The following link has a list of Travel Service Providers (TSPs) authorized by the U.S. government to arrange charter flights to Cuba: http://www.treasury.gov/resource- center/sanctions/programs/documents/cuba_tsp.pdf. Only those with a TSP (Travel Service Provider) designation are organizations with whom you can make reservations. Some recommended companies are: Marazul Charters at http://www.marazul.com/contact_eng.html Cuba Travel Services at http://cubatravelservices.com/contact ABC Charters at http://www.abc- charters.com/pages/contactus.htm You should contact your TSP of choice directly to make your flight reservations. The TSP will send you a form to fill out, sign and return to the TSP via fax or email. The form will say something like the following: I understand that, under current United States travel restrictions with respect to Cuba, travel- related transactions are prohibited except for the following categories and that by signing my name at the bottom of this Affidavit, I am declaring that I fall under the General License category I have checked below: Below that statement will be a series of options. Travelers for the ONTA meeting will want to check the box that says: I am a full- time professional whose travel transactions are directly related to attending a professional meeting or conference in Cuba, which is organized by an international professional organization not headquartered in the United States that regularly sponsors meetings or conferences in other countries. The purpose of the meeting or conference is not to promote tourism or other commercial activity involving Cuba or the production of biotechnological products. The organizer and host of the concurrent meetings of ONTA and the International Seminar of Plant Health is CENSA (the Cuban National Center for Animal and Plant Health). If asked by the TSP to provide documentation about the conference, it should be adequate to provide a copy of the conference Second Announcement (available on the ONTA website). It is important to request a Tourist Visa which can be provided by the TSP.
All USA citizen travelers will need to bring cash for all expenses in Cuba. Credit cards from the United States cannot be used in Cuba under any circumstances. Employees of state universities in Florida cannot use ANY funds in ANY University account for travel to or expenses in Cuba. It doesn't matter where the funds came from (i.e., private donors, the Federal government, SHARE), if the monies are in a university account, they cannot be used under state law. Money in state funds can only be used to travel to Miami or Tampa (depending where you will fly from), and for any expenses in Miami or Tampa prior to your flight to Havana. But beginning with the cost of your airline ticket to Havana and back, the cost of your Cuban visa, any Cuban airport taxes, conference registration fee and all in- country expenses (i.e., hotels, meals, transportation expenses, etc.), you will have to use non- university funds. No other universities anywhere in the country (or private universities in Florida) have to deal with this funding restriction. Finally, all UF travelers will want to directly notify Vanessa Fayo (vfayo@ufic.ufl.edu ) in the UF International Center (UFIC) about your trip and follow the procedures she specifies for international travel. The UFIC will provide you with a letter stating that your trip is officially approved by the University. You should make a couple of copies of this letter and take the original and copies with you. When returning to the United States, you can put a copy of your letter with your passport and other documents for the Immigration officer. Travelers from other universities should follow any travel procedures that their institution may have in place for international travel
THIRD ANNOUNCEMENT ONTA ORGANIZATION OF NEMATOLOGISTS OF TROPICAL AMERICA ORGANIZACION DE NEMATOLOGOS DE LOS TROPICOS AMERICANOS VARADERO, CUBA XLVII REUNIÓN ANUAL 2015 ANNUAL MEETING 18 22 May, 2015 Centro de Convenciones Plaza América, Varadero, Cuba Hosted by: The National Center for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), San Jose de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba www.sanidadagropecuaria.com CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS: The Organization of Nematologists of Tropical America (ONTA) will celebrate the XLVII Annual Meeting in Cuba (2015), with the objectives of fostering exchange between its members and others interested in nematology research to ensure adequate food production, plant, water and soil health and to enhance member expertise and ability to serve their stakeholders. The Meeting will provide a framework for improving or creating networks for projects, information exchange and other collaborative activities. The program will include keynote speakers, topical sessions with invited and contributed oral presentations, workshops and poster sessions for all researchers, with an additional student poster competition. All presentations will serve as a basis for discussion and scientific exchange, with a primary aim of promoting collaboration among scientists, students and farmers. Official Languages: Spanish and English REGISTRATION FEES: Until 30/April/2015 From 1st/May/2015 Delegates 350.00 Euros 400.00 Euros Graduate Students 250.00 Euros - Accompanying persons 70.00 Euros 90.00 Euros The registration fee will be paid in Euros or its equivalent in the currency in circulation at the time of arrival in the country. Delegates who pay online will do so in euros and via the website www.sanidadagropecuaria.com. Those who will pay at the time of arrival to the country should do it in its equivalent, but in the currency of official circulation. The registration fee for Delegates and Graduate Students includes: credential, participation in opening and closing ceremonies, documents folder, certificate of attendance and / or authorship, participation in social activities and technical tour. For Accompanying Persons registration includes: credential, participation in opening and closing ceremonies, technical tour and social activities. For extra activities, the visitors must obtain the Cuban currency at this time, obtained at your arrival in the airport, hotels, Convention Center, bank agencies and exchange offices. The exchangeable currencies are: Sterling Pound, Euro, USD, Canadian Dollar, Mexican Pesos and some others, please see on the internet the Cuban BFI (http://www.cubacurrency.com/banco_financiero_internacional_s_a_bfi.html) website.
SESSIONS TOPICS: NEMATODE DIVERSITY, IDENTIFICATION AND TAXONOMY NEMATODES OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, EMEGENT AND RE- EMERGENT PESTS QUARANTINE NEMATODES, SANITATION AND RISK REDUCTION HOST- NEMATODE INTERACTIONS MICROBIAL CONTROL OF NEMATODES NEMATODES AS BIOINDICATORS IN SOIL AND WATER ALLELOPATHY AND BOTANICAL SOURCES FOR NEMATODE MANAGEMENT NEMATODE MANAGEMENT ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES NEMATODE MANAGEMENT IN PROTECTED CROPS TUBER CROPS: PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODOS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT FOR FOOD SECURITY EDUCATING STAKEHOLDERS FOR NEMATODE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OTHER ACTIVITIES Tour Day: Visits to agricultural production areas and scientific institutions Associated Scientific- Commercial Exhibition: Rounds of negotiations will be developed, in which research centers, groups and associations of producers, specialized firms and enterprises (both national and foreign) may participate. This will be a unique opportunity to exhibit technologies, products, services, literature and related materials. TRAVEL AND LODGING: Hotels (Information available from Travel Agency Cubanacán S.A) Delegates that arrive at the International Airport José Martí in Havana, Cuba can stay in hotels in Havana City, until they travel to Varadero Beach early in the morning of Sunday 17 may, 2015. Delegates that travel directly to International Airport Juan Gualberto Gómez, in Matanzas City, will be transferred to their respective hotels, by the travel agency. FOR ALL TRAVEL AND PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT Lic Niurka Remedios Ballesteros, Especialista comercial de Cubanacán S.A Email: ventas10@avc.ei.tur.cu Tel.: (537) 271-2632, 33 www.viajescubanacan.cu HOTEL OFFERS IN HAVANA (FOR DELEGATES ARRIVING AT HAVANA CITY) Hotels Simple room (one person) 1 Double room (two persons) 1 CUC 2 CUC 2 Hotel Meliá Havana***** 146.00 105.00 Hotel Presidente*** 105.00 81.00 1 Price per person per night 2 CUC: mean Cuban Convertible Pesos
The offer (price) include: Welcome at the José Martí airport Transfer from José Martí airport to hotel in Havana Bed and Breakfast in Havana Hotel Assistance in and from the airport by specialized guide HOTEL OFFERS IN VARADERO The principal social activities of the meeting will be In Arenas Doradas Hotel Simple room Double room Triple room Hotels (one person per (two person (Three person room) 1 per room) 1 per room) 1 CUC 2 CUC 2 CUC 2 Hotel Arenas Doradas*** 106.00 92.00 85.00 Hotel Meliá Varadero***** 185.00 143.00-1 Price per person per night 2 CUC: mean Cuban Convertible Pesos The offered price includes: Transfer from Havana Hotel to Varadero Hotel (persons arriving through Havana) All inclusive plan in Varadero Hotels Transportation between Arenas Doradas Hotel to Convention Center each day Farewell Party in Arenas Doradas Transport from Varadero Hotel to Havana airport Assistance in the airport Specialized guide GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS Deadline for abstract receipt: March 1 2015. Abstracts can be submitted via the website (www.sanidadagropecuaria.com) or email (cubaonta2015@censa.edu.cu ) Abstracts will be evaluated by the Scientific Session coordinators in order to designate the mode of presentation (oral or poster). In order for abstracts to be processed efficiently by the scientific committee, please pay careful attention to the following requirements: Abstracts in Spanish or English will consist of a maximum of 300 words, single- spaced, in Times New Roman, font 10, all margins justified, in Microsoft Word or compatible software. Title: in Spanish and English, bold capitals and standard letter. Provide the full names of the authors, their affiliation and their email addresses. If two surnames, merge these with a- hyphen. Underline the name of the presenting author. Leave a free space. Summary: Describe the objective of the work; briefly describe the methodology used and then the results and conclusions. Do not include subtitles (eg., INTRODUCTION, etc.) or references. Sample abstract: EVALUACIÓN DE LA EFICACIA DEL PRODUCTO BIOLOGICO BAFEX- N APLICADO EN POS COSECHA EN EL CONTROL DE NEMATODOS FITOPARÁSITOS EN VIDES / ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFICACY OF THE BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT BAFEX- N FOR THE CONTROL OF PLANT- PARASITIC NEMATODES IN GRAPEVINES.
E. Aballay 1, W. Hettich 2, E. Donoso 2 and W. Cisternas 2 1 Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile; 2 Bio Insumos Nativa Spa. eaballay@uchile.cl Varias bacterias del grupo Bacillus, han mostrado promisorios resultados en el control de nematodos fitoparásitos. En este estudio se evaluó la eficacia de control de un formulado de una mezcla de cepas de Bacillus cereus y Bacillus thuringiensis, sobre el control de Xiphinema index, en uva vinífera, en un viñedo de Cv. Chardonnay, de 13 años, ubicado en el Valle de Casablanca, con sistema de riego tecnificado. Los tratamientos consistieron en un control, una referencia química en base a Cadusafos 15 l/ha de producto comercial, Bafex N en 5 y 3 kg/ha. Los tratamientos fueron inyectados al sistema de riego para su aplicación. La eficacia de los tratamientos se estableció en relación a las diferencias de los tamaños poblacionales pre y post tratamientos, a través de la metodología de Cobb Baermann, los porcentajes de control fueron calculados por la variación de las poblaciones a los 360 días post tratamientos y la relación con la dinámica de población del control. El diseño experimenta fue completamente al azas, con 5 repeticiones. Pese a que el ANOVA no presento diferencias significativas, el índice reproductivo (IR) en el tratamiento Bafex N a 5 kg fue 2.6, el IR de cadusafos 1.54, Bafex 3 kg N = 7.0 y en el control de 5.5. Es interesante que en ambos tratamientos biológicos, se observe un incremento en los priemeros 3 meses, seguido por una declinación constante de las poblaciones X. index, mientras que en el control, se presentó una acentuada declinación en los primeros tres meses, seguido de un incremento contante, esto muestra una interesante oportunidad de realizar programas integrados, donde el químico aporta con un efecto knock down y el biológico mantendría las poblaciones bajas en largo plazo. Poster measurements should be 120 cm x 90 cm (vertical) For all questions concerning the ONTA Scientific Program, please contact Mayra G. Rodríguez: cubaonta2015@censa.edu.cu LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: Dr. Larry Duncan. President ONTA MSc. Alejandro Esquivel, ONTA Board, Costa Rica (Scientific Advisor) Dr. Mayra G. Rodríguez, National Center of Plant and Animal Health (CENSA), Cuba Dr. Hortensia Gandarilla Basterrechea, Plant Quarentine Central Laboratory (LCCV), Cuba Dr. Leopoldo Hidalgo Díaz, National Center of Plant and Animal Health (CENSA), Cuba Dr. Ricardo Cuadra Molina, National Institute of Tropical Agriculture Research (INIFAT), Cuba. Dr. Emilio Fernández Gonzalves, National Institute of Plant Health (INISAV), Cuba Dr. Ivan Castro Lizazo, Agrarian University of Havana, (UNAH), Cuba