The 12th of May is the UN International Day of Plant Health, an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of plant health in our daily lives. Many celebrations occur every year all over the world.

In 2025 the Plant Health TV video contest was organized by the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-Bari), the Plant Biosecurity Research Initiative (PBRI), CABI, the IPPC Secretariat and the Euphresco network for phytosanitary research coordination and funding. 

The video, prepared by David Pires, focusses on a threat to pine forests. Pine forests play a crucial role in capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, serving as vital buffers against climate change. However, these ecosystems face a significant threat from the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, a quarantine pest responsible for pine wilt disease, which endangers pine forests globally. Traditional management methods often come with negative ecological impacts, prompting a search for sustainable solutions. PineProtect is exploring the potential of Esteya fungi as biocontrol agents to suppress the pinewood nematode and mitigate the disease.