The 3rd Conference on Remote Sensing of Vegetation Pests and Diseases, with the theme of 'Protect Vegetation, Guard Security' was successfully held on the morning of August 27, 2022. The conference provided an excellent exchange platform for experts, scholars, managers and students engaged in scientific research, teaching and application. Considering the COVID-19 epidemic and practicing the concept of green development, the conference was held online to facilitate more experts and scholars to participate in the seminar. At the same time, the live broadcast platforms such as Bilibili, Xiaokang Live, Journal of Remote Sensing, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) Media, Innovation China, CNKI, Koushare, and MDPI platforms reported simultaneously. The purpose of the conference was to promote the in-depth application of remote sensing technology in smart plant protection, disaster forecasting and ecological security by exchanging the latest research results such as the theory, method and technical application. By discussing the integration of disciplines and technological innovation methods in the field of vegetation pests and diseases monitoring, forecasting, prevention and control, the conference promotes theoretical innovation and industrial application, builds ecological civilization, promotes the harmonious coexistence of human and nature, and builds a community of life on earth. 

The conference is co-sponsored by the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Anhui University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO), the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (CSAE), CBCGDF, the China Agricultural Risk Management Society, Hangzhou Dianzi University, etc.

The opening ceremony was presided over by Wenjiang Huang, a researcher of AIR-CAS and the chairman of the conference. Bing Zhang, Vice President of AIR-CAS, Jinghua Cao, Executive Director of the ANSO Secretariat, Guofei Fang, Deputy Director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), Yingkuan Wang, Executive Secretary General of CSAE, and Jinfeng Zhou, Secretary General of CBCGDF attended and delivered speeches. Dean Zhang thanked various units for their support to the conference. He emphasized that spatial information technology can provide important scientific and technological support for diseases and pests forecasting. He hoped that this conference would promote the interdisciplinary and integration of production, academia and research in the field of remote sensing of vegetation pests and diseases. On behalf of ANSO, Director Cao warmly congratulated the convening of the conference. He fully affirmed the important role of remote sensing technology in promoting ANSO's sustainable agricultural construction. This conference is also the launch meeting of the 2021 ANSO joint research cooperation project under the responsibility of ARI-CAS. He hoped that the special project could cooperate sincerely with international partners through this conference to promote the sharing of data internationally and achieve more fruitful research results. Director Fang emphasized the importance and urgency of forest and grass biological disaster prevention and control. He pointed out that the traditional labor-intensive monitoring and forecasting organization model based on ground labor was unsustainable. Advances in new technologies such as remote sensing, 5G, cloud computing, big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence have provided powerful tools for forest and grass biological disaster monitoring. NFGA welcomes colleagues from all walks of life to jointly carry out forest and grass biological disaster remote sensing monitoring technology and product research and development innovation, to jointly promote the development and progress of vegetation pests control technology. Secretary-General Wang pointed out that this conference will promote the digital, precise and intelligent upgrade of the prevention and control of vegetation pests and diseases. He said that CSAE hopes to work together with various units to achieve high-level self-reliance through scientific and technological innovation, and contribute to the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy and the promotion of agricultural and rural modernization. Secretary-General Zhou pointed out that pests control not only involves plants, but also animals and microorganisms. He also showed that maintaining a balance between species is critical to the security of the entire ecosystem. Remote sensing is one of the most important technologies to promote the management of pests and diseases from the macro, big data and moderation. Secretary-General Zhou hopes to expand the vision of remote sensing research on vegetation pests and diseases. We need to serve the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind and the earth from multiple perspectives.

Academician Chen Jianping of Ningbo University and Academician Lan Yubin of South China Agricultural University attended the opening ceremony. Academician Chen made a presentation entitled 'Science and Technology Innovation and Prospects of Plant Protection in the Information Age', analyzing the main problems of China's plant protection science and technology system from three aspects: concept, technology and product innovation, proposing initiatives to reshape the plant protection science and technology innovation system and pointing out the important role of information technology in it. Academician Lan made a presentation entitled 'Application of Precision Agricultural Aerial Technology in Ecological Unmanned Farms', introducing the development and application status of precision agricultural aerial technology, and showing the research progress and future work direction of the National Joint Research Center for Precision Agricultural Aerial Application Technology. Academician Lan presented the idea of building an eco-unmanned farm and gave an outlook on the future development model. Academician Iqrar Ahmad Khan of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Deputy Director Zhu Jingquan of the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center, Director Lin Kejian of Institute of Grassland Research of CAAS, and Deputy Director Qiao Gexia of the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, were also invited to give special presentations at the conference, discussing in depth the frontiers of research and development trends in the field of agriculture, forestry and grass.

Experts and scholars from 35 institutions will give invited reports for this conference. The topics of the report mainly cover vegetation habitat sensing methods, remote sensing monitoring and early warning of vegetation pests and diseases, and service methods of monitoring and early warning products in agricultural production. The conference also launched a special issue 'Monitoring, Early Warning, and Scientific Management of Vegetation Pests and Diseases' in cooperation with the journal 'Remote Sensing' (IF: 5.349). The conference is oriented to the monitoring, early warning and prevention and control needs of pests and diseases in crops, forests and grasslands, covering many fields such as remote sensing, agriculture, forestry, grassland, plant pathology, entomology, ecology, environment, computer, big data analysis and so on. The conference focused on the application of spatial information technology in the monitoring, early warning, and prevention and control of vegetation pests and diseases, and deeply discussed the latest research results and future development trends in related theories, methods, models, systems, and applications. The conference provides scientific and technological platforms for research, teaching, and industrial integration exchanges in the fields of remote sensing, agriculture, forestry and grassland plant protection. It is hoped that through in-depth discussion and extensive communication, the conference will accelerate the fundamental reform of diseases and pests control mode, to ensure national food security and human ecological well-being.

Experts, invited presentations and live platforms