PLANT
BREEDING NEWS
EDITION 146
12 April 2004
An Electronic Newsletter of Applied Plant Breeding
Sponsored by FAO and Cornell University
Clair H. Hershey, Editor
CONTENTS
1. READER INQUIRY
1.01 Chemical and Genetic Traits of Seeds
2. NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESEARCH NOTES
2.01 Asian and African Rice Breeders, Yuan Longping and Monty Jones, Won the 2004 World Food Prize
2.02 Norman Borlaug
Celebrates 90 Years
2.03 Challenge Program for Unlocking Genetic Diversity
in Crops for the Resource-Poor
2.04 Papers Presented at the FAO Rice Conference in
February 2004
2.05 GM Maize Could Produce Hepatitis B Vaccine
2.06 Shared Gene Switch for all Plants Found
2.07 Plant Sex Protein Identified at UC Riverside
2.08 Herbicide-Resistant Alfalfa Trials in California
2.09 Either/or Selection Markers for Plant
Transformation
2.10 New Breed of Beet Geneticists Unraveling
Sugar Beet Genome
2.11 Wild Potatoes May Hold Genetic Keys to a Defense against the Columbia Root-Knot Nematode
2.12 North Carolina State Researcher Identifies
Pathogen Strain Responsible for Irish Potato Famine
2.13 U.S. National Corn GrowersAssociation
Announces Initiative to Advance Sequencing of Maize Genome
2.14 Plant Detection of Landmines
2.15 Scientists Tap "Lost Rice" to
Improve Crops in India
2.16 Puzzle of Corn's Origins Coming Together
2.17 CLIMA Researchers
are Tinkering with Lupins to Ensure They do not
Appeal to Green Peach or Cowpea Aphids
2.18 CIMMYT Sows First
Transgenic Wheat Field Trials in Mexico
2.19 Quality Protein Maize from Ghana
2.20 Bayer Decides Against GM Crop Cultivation in the
UK
2.21 Global Seed Treaty Gets the Go-Ahead
2.22 BreederssRights
Legislation Adopted in Turkey
2.23 To Reach the Poor: Results from the ISNAR-IFPRI Next Harvest Study on GM Crops, Public Research
and Policy Implications
2.24 Angola Rejects GM Food Aid
2.25 Pioneer Hi-Bred International Gift Supports Iowa
State University Projects on Issues Surrounding Research Discoveries
2.26 To Reach the Poor Results from the ISNAR-IFPRI Next Harvest Study on Genetically Modified
Crops
3. ON THE WEB
3.01 Chenopodium E-Mail List
Serve
3.02 CIMMYT International
Wheat Improvement Network Data Summary Tables (1998-Present)
3.03 Update 4-2004 of FAO-BIOTECHNEWS.
3.04 Genome Information Resource (PGDIC)
3.05 E-Newsletter: Challenge Programme for Unlocking
Genetic Diversity in Crops
3.06 New CREES Web Site
4 GRANTS AVAILABLE
4.01 US Launches Grants for Developing-World
Scientists
4.02 Research Coordination Networks in Biological
Sciences
5 POSITION ANNOUNCMENTS
5.01 National Program Leader (Higher Education)
6 MEETINGS, COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
7 EDITOR'S NOTES
***TEXT HYPERLINKS IN THIS ISSUE***
In this issue we are including text hyperlinks that will allow readers to jump
directly to articles of interest, by clicking on the title in the Table of
Contents. A link at the end of each article allows you to return to the Table
of Contents.
In trial runs of this system, we have seen some computers and/or e-mail systems
that may not be able to make use of the links. I am interested to know of your
success or lack of success in using these text hyperlinks, as well as any other
comments regarding their use in the newsletter. Send your comments to me at:
chh23@cornell.edu.
(See additional notes at end of newsletter)
=========================
1.01 CHEMICAL AND GENETIC TRAITS OF SEEDS
A request for information from Pierre Charmetant of CIRAD:
My question is to know if anyone has clues about "quality" (chemical
composition, taste) of any seed within a fruit (almond, or coffee beans for
example) - heritability of chemical/taste characteristics? - maternal
effect?
Thank you
charmetant@cirad.fr
(Return to Contents)
=========================
2. NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESEARCH NOTES
2.01
ASIAN AND AFRICAN RICE BREEDERS,
YUAN LONGPING AND MONTY JONES, WON THE 2004
WORLD FOOD PRIZE
This year's $250,000 World Food Prize was announced on March 29 during a
U.S. State Department ceremony with Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary
of Agriculture Ann Veneman, and the U.N. Food and
Agriculture Organization Director-General Jacques Diouf.
The 2004 World Food Prize Laureates are: Professor Yuan Longping
(Director-General of the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center in Changsha, Hunan, China)
and Dr. Monty Jones (former senior rice breeder at the West Africa Rice
Development Center, presently Executive Secretary,
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, in Accra, Ghana) for their
breakthrough scientific achievements which have significantly increased food
security for millions of people from Asia to Africa.The
Ambassador added that it was particularly fitting that these two pioneering
rice breeders be honored during the United Nations
International Year of Rice, the crop identified as the staple diet of more than
three billion people around the world.
Professor Yuan has been selected a co-recipient of The World Food Prize for his
breakthrough achievement in the early 1970s in developing the genetic tools
necessary for hybrid rice breeding, known as a three-line system. His
achievement led to the worlds first successful and
widely grown high-yielding hybrid rice varieties with yields 20 percent above
conventional varieties. His altering of the self-pollinating characteristic of
rice made large-scale farming of hybrid rice possible. These achievements
dramatically increased rice yields and grain output in
Dr. Jones has been selected a co-recipient of The World Food Prize for
developing in the 1990s the "New Rice for Africa"(NERICA),
uniquely adapted to the growing conditions of West Africa, by successfully
crossing the Asian O. sativa with the African O. glaberrima strains to produce drought and pest resistant,
high yielding new rice varieties, a feat which had not been achieved before in
the history of rice breeding. His accomplishment is already producing enhanced
harvests for thousands and thousands of poor farmers, most of them women, with
potential benefit for 20 million farmers in
The World Food Prize will be formally presented to Professor Yuan and Dr. Jones
at a ceremony on
Adapted from the following World Food Prize official website: <http://www.worldfoodprize.org/04laureates/prelease.htm>
by:
Jiming Li
Department of
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++++
2.02 NORMAN BORLAUG
CELEBRATES 90 YEARS.
A rich collection of Borlaug-related quotes,
articles, interviews, speeches, photos and web links are currently
available at <http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech_info/topics/borlaug/borlaug.html>
Auburn, Alabama; March 24 -- Jimmy Carter, George McGovern and many scientists
are joining the AgBioWorld Foundation in celebrating
the 90th birthday of humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug tomorrow (March 25, 2004). "The passion that
drives Dr. Borlaug's life is an inspiration for all
of us to follow," said former
In 1970, Borlaug's dedication to agricultural
productivity won him the Nobel Peace Prize. During the 1940s, Dr. Borlaug bred new wheat varieties in
Source: AgBioView
24 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++++++
2.03 CHALLENGE PROGRAM FOR UNLOCKING GENETIC DIVERSITY
IN CROPS FOR THE RESOURCE-POOR
Crop science and technologies are advancing at remarkable speeds, and vast
amounts of resources are devoted to developing new crop varieties for consumers
who can pay for the fruits of this research.
But what about the hundreds of millions of people across the planet who cannot
afford to pay the premiums for cutting-edge technology? The purchasing power of
most resource-poor people is so minimal that their needs are often not taken
into consideration by multi-national seed companies and agribusinesses.
The Challenge Program for Unlocking Genetic Diversity in Crops for the
Resource-Poor is an international, multi-institute, cross-disciplinary
collaboration designed to ensure that the advances of crop science and
technology are applied to the specific problems and needs of resource-poor
people who rely on agriculture for subsistence and their livelihoods.
The Challenge Programme incorporates a technology transfer plan to ensure that
the products of its research are made available to farmers and plant breeders.
The management of technology transfer, and especially of intellectual property,
will be consistent with existing CGIAR guidelines on
Intellectual Property Rights Related to Genetic Resources and with
international conventions and treaties on the subject. Throughout, the
intention is to ensure that all products of the Challenge Programme are
public goods that are accessible to and used for the ultimate benefit of
resource-poor farmers in developing countries.
The Challenge Programme brings together three sets of partners. The Future
Harvest Centres of the CGIAR keep vast amounts of
plant diversity in trust for humanity and have expertise in molecular research
and global breeding programmes. The National Agricultural Research Systems of
developing countries in addition bring expertise in the assessment and breeding
of plants under specific conditions, with the participation of farmers.
Advanced Research Institutes are developing novel techniques and strategies to
decode genetic diversity. Together, these three strands can vastly improve the
productivity of crucial crops in marginal environments.
http://www.genesforcrops.org/
(See also information on the programs e-newsletter in section ON THE WEB below)
Source: AgBioView
22 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++++
2.04 PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE FAO RICE CONFERENCE IN
FEBRUARY 2004
RICE IN GLOBAL MARKETS AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
12-13 February 2004
Rome, Italy
As part of facilitating IYR implementation, FAO
convened a two-day Rice Conference at its Headquarters in Rome, 12-13 February
2004. The FAO Conference brought together leading experts from around the world
to present their perspectives on latest trends and industry developments. The
aim of the Conference was to mobilize the international community to confront
the most pressing issues confronting the global rice sector, from local farming
practices to international trade.
DOCUMENTS (all links are to PDF files unless indicated otherwise)
The views expressed in these documents are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations.
1. Rice in global markets
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/hossain.pdf
Long-term prospects for the global rice economy [PDF] - Mahabub
Hossain, Lead Economist, Social Sciences, IRRI
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/calpe.zip
Rice market outlook [PowerPoint, zipped]- Concepcialpe,
Senior Commodity Specialist, FAO Commodities and Trade Division
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/farahat.pdf
The Doha Round agriculture negotiations [PDF] - Magdi
Farahat, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture,
World Trade Organization
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/wailes.pdf
Implications of the WTO Doha Round for the rice
sector [PDF] - Eric J. Wailes, L.C. Carter Professor,
Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas,
USA
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/dawe.pdf
Changing structure, conduct and performance of the world rice market [PDF] -
David Dawe, Economist, IRRI
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/ito.pdf
Marketing of value-added rice products in Japan: Germinated brown rice and rice
bread [PDF] - Ito Shoichi, Professor, International
Food Economist, Tottori University, Japan
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/sidik.pdf
Indonesia rice policy in view of trade liberalization [PDF] - Mulyo Sidik, BULOG,
Indonesia
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/xubo.pdf
The present and prospects for trade of Chinese rice [PDF] - Yu Xubo, Vice President of COFCO
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/nigam.pdf
Rice: challenges in production and marketing in India [PDF] - Shailendra Nigam, Executive
Director, Food Corporation of India
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/pramote.pdf
Thai rice: Sustainable life for rice growers [PDF] - Pramote
Vanichanont, Thai Rice Millers Association
2. Sustainable rice-based production systems: Challenges and opportunities
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/khush.pdf
Harnessing science and technology for sustainable rice-based production systems
[PDF] - Gurdev Khush, Rice
breeder, former Head of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry Department, IRRI
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/pingali.pdf
Agricultural diversification: opportunities and constraints [PDF] - Prabhu Pingali, Director, FAO
Agriculture and Economic Development Analysis Division
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/renault.pdf
Rice-based production systems and land and water conservation [PDF] - Daniel
Renault, Senior Officer, FAO Water Resources, Development and Management
Service
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/coffman.pdf
Biotechnology and its implications for production and trade [PDF] - Ronnie
Coffman, Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Breeding, and Director of
International Programs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell
University
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/ahmadi.pdf
New varieties and sustainable cropping systems to face food security [PDF] - Nour Ahmadi, Head of the Rice
Working Group, CIRAD
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/koohafkan.pdf
Traditional rice-based livelihood systems and global indigenous agricultural
heritage [PDF] - Parviz Koohafkan,
Chief, FAO Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/longping.pdf
Hybrid rice for food security and nutrition [PDF] - Yuan Longping,
Hybrid rice specialist, Director-General, China National Hybrid Rice Research
and Development Center, Hunan, China
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/cantrell.pdf
New challenges and technological opportunities for rice-based production
systems for food security and poverty alleviation in Asia and the Pacific [PDF]
- Ronald P. Cantrell and Gene P. Hettel, Director
General and Head, Communication and Publications Services, IRRI
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/warda.pdf
Challenges and technical opportunities for rice-based production systems for
food security and poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa [PDF] - Toon Defoer, Technology Transfer
Agronomist, WARDA, et al.
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/sanint.pdf
Challenges and technological solutions for rice-based systems in Latin America
[PDF] - Luis R. Sanint, Executive Director, CIAT/FLAR
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/badawi.pdf
Rice-based production systems for food security and poverty alleviation in the
Near-East and North Africa: New challenges and technological opportunities
[PDF] - Badawi A. Tantawi,
Vice-President, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt
http://www.fao.org/rice2004/en/pdf/ferrero.pdf
Constraints and opportunities for the sustainable development of rice-based
production systems in Europe [PDF] - A. Ferrero, Head
of Department of Agronomy, Selviculture, and Terrain
Management, University of Torino and N.V. Nguyen, Agricultural Officer, FAO Crop and Grassland
Service
Enquiries
All enquiries concerning the Conference may be addressed to:
Ms Rita Ashton
Commodities and Trade Division
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Telephone: +39-06-57052057
Fax: +39-06-57054495
Email: Rita.Ashton@fao.org
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.05 GM MAIZE COULD PRODUCE HEPATITIS B VACCINE
Egyptian scientists have genetically engineered maize plants to produce a
protein used to make the hepatitis B virus vaccine. They hope that their
findings could eventually lead to the creation of an edible vaccine that could
be locally produced and would dispense with the need for expensive vaccination
programmes.
More than 2 billion people are infected with hepatitis B, and about 350 million
of these are at high risk of serious illness and death from liver damage and
liver cancer.
A vaccine against the disease is already available, but the Egyptian
researchers say that edible vaccines produced by GM plants would be cheaper and
would not need to be refrigerated.
A team of researchers led by Hania El-itriby, director of
Reporting the results at an international conference on genetic engineering and
biotechnology in
She added that her team's research is a step towards a cheap, edible vaccine
for developing countries that would not require refrigerators for storage, or
skilled medical personnel and needles to deliver the vaccine.
Source: SciDev.Net
7 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
2.06 SHARED GENE SWITCH FOR ALL PLANTS FOUND
A gene-switching mechanism dating back 400 million years to the very first
plants that made it onto land has been found by plant biologists at UC Davis. A family of genes required for stem and leaf
development in flowering plants is controlled in the same way in everything
from mosses to a Douglas fir, according to postdoctoral researcher Sandra Floyd
and John Bowman, professor of plant biology at UC
Davis.
The mechanism depends on microRNAs, short pieces of
RNA that switch genes off by interfering with messenger RNAs
that are produced when genes are read. Floyd and Bowman looked at a family of
genes found in all major groups of land plants called class III HD-Zip genes.
They found that these genes are controlled by microRNAs
and that the microRNA binding region is almost
identical in moss, liverworts, club moss, ferns, Douglas fir, Mexican yew and
Arabidopsis, a flowering plant often used in laboratory research.
Not only are the amino acid sequences of the proteins highly conserved, but
also the nucleotide sequence of the microRNA binding
site in the mRNA has been conserved for 400 million years, Bowman said. This is
the first demonstration of gene regulation by a microRNA in non-flowering plants such as mosses and
ferns. A similarly ancient system of regulation by microRNAs
has recently been found in animals, Floyd said.
The research is published in the April 1 issue of Nature.
Source: EurekAlert.com
31 March, 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.07 PLANT SEX PROTEIN IDENTIFIED AT UC
RIVERSIDE
Discovery Shapes Understanding of how Seeds are Created
RIVERSIDE, Calif. http://www.ucr.edu/
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have identified a
protein that helps guide sperm to egg in flowering lily plants, a significant
step forward in the field of plant reproduction.
Elizabeth Lord, professor of plant biology and a member of the Center for Plant Cell Biology at UC
Riverside, authored the paper titled Chemocyanin, a
Small, Basic Protein from the Lily Stigma Induces
Pollen Tube Chemotropism. The paper appears this week in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences.
Botanists have long known that, in flowering plants, the female organs play a
role in guiding sperm-laden pollen tubes to the eggs found in ovules. But until
now, they did not know exactly how. Lords team found that chemocyanin,
a protein with a previously unknown function, effectively guided sperm-laden
lily pollen tubes to the plants ovules, which hold the eggs from which come
seeds in the lily. The protein works specifically in lilies. Tobacco pollen
tubes were not similarly guided.
The paper also shows that chemocyanin was more
effective when another protein found in the stigma of the lily, SCA, was present. Chemocyanin and
other proteins such as SCA may unlock the network of
signals involved in plant reproduction.
The importance of understanding how plants reproduce is enormous for the future
manipulation of crop and nursery plants, said Lord. There is a huge flower
industry in
Lilies are good examples because they cannot produce seed with their own pollen
so they must be cross-pollinated with another variety, according to Lord. And
while the industry grows Easter lilies from bulbs not seed, whenever they want
to produce new varieties for the flower market or for gardens they have to
produce seed by crossing varieties.
This research has relevance for all flowering plants because we do not know yet
how pollen tubes, which carry sperm cells, are guided to the egg cell in the
ovary, said Lord. Our discovery of a protein from the pistil which acts to
guide pollen tubes to the egg cell is a first for flowering plants.
The protein, chemocyanin, is concentrated on the
flower stigma, where pollen grains land on the flower. The pollen grains
germinate on the stigma to form pollen tubes, which carry sperm cells, then
pass through the female tissues starting from the stigma, ending up in the
ovary, which contain ovules that contain eggs.
You would be surprised to know that we don't even know the identity of the
molecules that attract human sperm cells to the egg, Lord added.
Lords research team at UC Riverside included doctoral
students Sunran Kim and Juan Dong; postgraduate
researchers Jean-Claude Mollet and Sang-
(From Press Release of
Submitted by Kathy Barton
Director of Marketing and Research
UCR College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
kathryn.barton@ucr.edu
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.08 HERBICIDE-RESISTANT ALFALFA TRIALS IN CALIFORNIA
UC studies genetically engineered alfalfa to produce
objective information about the new agricultural technology.
"We would like to be ready with research-based answers when this
technology is introduced," said Steve Orloff, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor in
Although final results are not yet in, the UC
scientists believe that the new varieties, which have been genetically
engineered to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate
(Roundup), could be an important new tool for alfalfa growers.
According to Putnam, the major advantages of Roundup Ready technology in
alfalfa appear to be simplicity, flexibility and broad-spectrum control of
weeds. There may be other advantages as well.
"Alfalfa growers are working closely with state agencies to prevent runoff
of insecticides and herbicides into streams and rivers," Canevari said. "This new technology may reduce the
amount of pesticides that are needed to grow the crop, and thereby reduces the
risk of pesticide runoff with some of our winter-applied herbicides."
However, concerns remain. Canevari has seen a
"weed shift" in his experimental plots where Roundup Ready alfalfa
has been grown for three years.
Another worry is the development of herbicide-resistant weeds. Certain
weeds, such as ryegrass, over the years have developed levels of resistance to glyphosate.
http://news.ucanr.org/newsstorymain.cfm?story=560
Contact: Jeannette Warnert, (559) 241-7514,
jwarnert@ucop.edu
Source: AgBioView
6 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.09 EITHER/OR SELECTION MARKERS FOR PLANT
TRANSFORMATION
Oskar Erikson, Magnus
Hertzberg & Torgny Nìm,
Nature Biotechnology
22, 455 - 458 (2004)
Selectable markers enable transgenic plants or cells to be identified after
transformation. They can be divided into positive and negative markers
conferring a selective advantage or disadvantage, respectively. We present a
marker gene, dao1, encoding D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO, EC 1.4.3.3) that can be used for either positive or
negative selection, depending on the substrate. DAAO
catalyzes the oxidative deamination of a range of
D-amino acids1. Selection is based on differences in the toxicity of different
D-amino acids and their metabolites to plants. Thus, D-alanine
and D-serine are toxic to plants, but are metabolized by DAAO
into nontoxic products, whereas D-isoleucine
and D-valine have low toxicity, but are metabolized
by DAAO into the toxic keto
acids 3-methyl-2-oxopentanoate and 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate, respectively.
Hence, both positive and negative selection is possible with the same marker
gene. The marker has been successfully established in Arabidopsis thaliana, and
proven to be versatile, rapidly yielding unambiguous results, and allowing selection
immediately after germination.
AgBioView
7 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.10 NEW BREED OF BEET GENETICISTS UNRAVELING
SUGAR BEET GENOME
A "new guard" of geneticists at the Agricultural Research Service is
leading a genetic revolution in the sugar beet industry, with funding from the
Beet Sugar Development Foundation (BSDF) of Denver, Colo. During the past decade, the ARS
scientists have been changing their breeding strategy from trait-based to
gene-based selection, and in the past five years have begun a project to map
the sugar beet genome.
The ARS group is one of just a few in the world and
the only one in the
Already, McGrath's group and two independent groups in
McGrath worked with Weiland and a contract firm to
package a BAC (bacterial artificial chromosomes)
"library." This type of "library" uses safe strains of
bacteria to store sugar beet DNA. These sequences are then either screened with
genetic markers, or compared with sequences of known genes, to connect them to
possible traits. Each clone in the library of 38,400 cloned bacteria stores a
different DNA sequence from the sugar beet's genome. Panella
and Lewellen also collaborated on the library.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the BSDF, ARS is
charged with developing basic germplasm lines and
releasing them to the foundation, for distribution to BSDF
members.
Read more about the research in the April issue of Agricultural Research
magazine, available online at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr04/beet0404.htm
ARS is USDA's chief
scientific research agency.
ARS News Service
Agricultural Research Service, USDA
Don Comis, (301) 504-1625, comis@ars.usda.gov
Source: SeedQuest.com
1 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.11 WILD POTATOES MAY HOLD GENETIC KEYS TO A DEFENSE AGAINST THE COLUMBIA ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE
Wild potatoes growing high above the desert in southeastern
Arizona may hold the genetic keys to a defense against
the Columbia root-knot nematode, according to Agricultural Research Service
scientists.
The tiny, wormlike pest is especially troublesome in
Since resistance isn't found in
The researchers decided to repeat the tests. But first, they wished to see for
themselves where the seed they had used originally came from, collect new
specimens and answer the question: "Why would a wild potato be resistant
to an agricultural pest?" In September 2002, this interest took them to
the Huachuca and Chiricahua mountains in
Upon returning, they grew new plants from the seed and tubers they had
collected. Later, they assessed the nematode resistance or susceptibility,
observing that some individuals from the collection were good hosts
(susceptible), while others were not, meaning they
resisted the pest.
Crossing the resistant S. fendleri plants with
cultivated potatoes, however, is difficult to do because of chromosome number
differences. Brown, at the ARS Vegetable and Forage
Crops Research Unit in Prosser, tackled this hurdle using a breeding technique
called "bridging crosses." The resulting plants are now growing in a
greenhouse, and Brown plans to cross them with cultivated sources, setting the
stage for breeders to develop new, nematode-resistant commercial varieties.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief
scientific research agency.
ARS News Service
Agricultural Research Service, USDA
Jan Suszkiw, (301) 504-1630, jsuszkiw@ars.usda.gov
Source: SeedQuest.com
23 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++++
2.12 NORTH CAROLINA STATE RESEARCHER IDENTIFIES PATHOGEN
STRAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR IRISH POTATO FAMINE
In June 2001, http://www.ncsu.edu North
Carolina State University plant pathologist Jean Beagle Ristaino
shocked the scientific world when she published a paper in the journal Nature
that called into question the then-prevailing theories about the strain of
pathogen and its place of origin that caused the Irish potato famine in the
1840s.
Using DNA fingerprinting analysis of 150-year-old leaves evidence that had not
previously been studied Ristaino ruled out the longtime prime suspect behind the famine: the Ib haplotype,
or strain, of the late-blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans, which was presumed to have originated in
Now, in a new study, Ristaino and postdoctoral
student Kim May point the finger at the Ia
strain of P. infestans, and trace its probable roots
to the
The study will be published in the April 2004 edition of Mycological Research.
The researchers used DNA sequences from mitochondrial DNA to examine 186
specimens from six different regions of the world dating from as early as 1845
to as late as 1982. The specimens included ones from late-blight epidemics in
About 90 percent of the specimens were confirmed to be infected with P. infestans, the paper reports. About 86 percent of the specimens ,including those involved in major epidemics in
Moreover, the researchers found two strains Ia and IIb in potato
specimens studied from 1950s
Ristaino's lab is currently investigating the center of origin of P. infestans.
She hypothesizes that the pathogen originated in
There are four haplotypes of P. infestans
Ia, Ib,
IIa and IIb, which is a
fungus-like pathogen that causes severe lesions on leaves of potato and tomato
plants.
The late-blight pathogen led to the Irish potato famine, which killed or
displaced millions of Irish people, and other epidemics across the world. Late
blight continues to wreak havoc as a major potato and tomato killer, which
makes Ristaino's research all the more important.
"If we can understand the strains of P. infestans
that are out there now and see how the pathogen has evolved over time,
including how it mutates in response to fungicides or host resistance we'll
better be able to manage the disease,"Ristaino
said.
The research is funded by the National Geographic Society, the USDA National Research Initiatives Cooperative Grants
Program, the North Carolina State Agricultural Research Service and NC States International Programs Office.
ABSTRACT
Identity of the Mitochondrial DNA Haplotype(s) of Phytophthora infestans in
Historical Specimens from the Irish Potato Famine
Authors: K.J. May and Jean Beagle Ristaino,
North Carolina State University
Published: April 2004, in http://titles.cambridge.org/journals/journal_catalogue.asp?historylinks=ALPHA&mnemonic=MYC
Mycological Research
The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes
of the plant pathogen Phytophthora infestans present in dried potato and tomato leaves from
herbarium specimens collected during the Irish potato famine and later in the
19th and early 20th century were identified. A 100bp fragment of ribosomal DNA
(rDNA) specific for P. infestans
was amplified from 90 percent of the specimens (n=186), confirming infection by
P. infestans. Mitochondrial DNA primers were designed
that distinguish the extant haplotypes. Eighty-six
percent of the herbarium specimens from historic epidemics were infected with
the Ia mtDNA
haplotype. Two mid 20th century potato leaves from
Raleigh, North Carolina
Source: SeedQuest.com
17 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2.13 U.S. NATIONAL CORN GROWERSASSOCIATION
ANNOUNCES INITIATIVE TO ADVANCE SEQUENCING OF MAIZE GENOME
Efforts to sequence the maize genome received a boost today with the
announcement by http://www.ncga.com the
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) that three
industry leaders will share their corn genome sequence data. The valuable data
provided by http://www.ceresbiotechnology.com
Ceres, Inc., http://www.monsanto.com Monsanto
Company, and DuPont subsidiary, http://www.pioneer.com
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., combined with corn sequence data already
in the public domain, will significantly accelerate the identification of genes
within the entire corn genome.
With the availability of sequencing data, the corn genome could be completely
sequenced by 2007, potentially years ahead of when it would have been completed
without this initiative.
"The sharing of these data will pave the way toward future improvements in
corn that hold great promise for corn growers and consumers around the
globe," said Gary Davis, chairman of NCGA's
Research and Business Development Action Team. "We would like to build on
this momentum to develop a broader coalition that supports this important
effort."
NCGA believes completion of the maize genome sequence
will increase breeding efficiency, streamline the delivery of new traits, allow
the discovery and enhancement of properties such as drought tolerance and
further the recognition and understanding of traits that will enhance corns position as the ideal crop for food, feed, fuel and
industrial uses. Leaders from NCGA and the companies
involved believe this sequencing information has the ability to benefit
existing and future research for the
"As a grower, I'm interested in how we can modify the corn crop to find
new traits that offer enhanced value and new uses,"
This project underscores NCGA's continued commitment
to advancements through research. NCGA took a leading
role in getting the Plant Genome Initiative signed into law in 1997 and
continues to support this important effort. Today's announcement reinforces
that commitment, according to NCGA Manager of
Research and Business Development Nathan Danielson. "This was a situation
where a lot of people realized it was the right thing to do and the right time
to do it," he said.
The data will be available to research scientists through a searchable database
on the Internet, and is intended to be hosted at http://www.danforthcenter.org the
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center,
a not-for-profit research institute. To gain access to the data, scientists
must complete a licensing agreement that will be downloadable on the NCGA Web site, http://www.ncga.com.
Source: SeedQuest.com
15 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.14 PLANT DETECTION OF LANDMINES
It is now possible to produce a plant, which, in the presence of specific
compounds in the soil, can change color from green to
red with three to five weeks of growth. This bio-detection system has
several potential applications like detecting explosives present in landmines
and soil, as well as finding and removing heavy metals in polluted soil. Aresa Biodetection, a
biotechnology company in
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept of Plant Breeding
Cornell University
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++
2.15 SCIENTISTS TAP LOST RICETO
IMPROVE CROPS IN INDIA
Scientists working with carefully conserved and protected rice varieties have
discovered a wild cousin of today's cultivated rice that is no longer found in
nature.
These rare and endangered seeds are crucial in the ongoing struggle to prevent
rice viruses in South and
Storage and maintenance of the varieties by the http://www.irri.org
International Rice Research Institute has saved a treasure-trove of
biodiversity from extinction.
The complete article is in PDF format at http://www.irri.org/publications/today/pdfs/3-1/feral.pdf
Source: SeedQuest.com
15 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.16 PUZZLE OF CORNS ORIGINS COMING TOGETHER
The scientific puzzle pieces are fitting together to form a definitive picture
of the origin of corn, says a Duke University plant geneticist who has proposed
that the world's most important food crop originated in an ancient cross
between two grasses. Mary Eubanks described the latest evidence that corn, or
maize, originated as a cross between teosinte and gamagrass, or Tripsacum, in a
talk
Eubanks, an adjunct professor of biology, has developed evidence that modern
corn, scientific name Zea mays,
did not evolve solely from a Central American grass known as teosinte -- traditionally the most widely held theory.
Rather, her experiments clearly demonstrate that corn arose from a
serendipitously viable cross between teosinte and gamagrass. Eubanks emphasized in an interview that her
research has confirmed that teosinte was indeed one
of corn's ancestors, and that gamagrass was a
critical genetic contributor. She contrasts her evidence with the former,
highly controversial theory of the late biologist Paul Mangelsdorf,
who espoused that teosinte
was an offshoot of a cross between corn and Tripsacum
rather than an ancestor of corn. "My hypothesis confirms that teosinte is an ancestor of maize, and that key genes were
also contributed by gamagrass," she said. In her
talk, Eubanks displayed examples of her crosses between species of teosinte and gamagrass that
exhibit the evolution from the tiny spikes of teosinte
seeds to the early versions of corn ears.
New evidence from other researchers that maize evolved very rapidly, perhaps
over only a century, supports such a theory, said Eubanks. Rather than the
long, slow progressive evolution from teosinte into
maize, a fertile cross between teosinte and gamagrass could have relatively quickly yielded early
versions of maize. In her talk, Eubanks displayed archaeological specimens of
corn alongside matching segregates from experimental crosses between teosinte and gamagrass.
Eubanks also discussed her comparative DNA fingerprinting studies of teosinte and Tripsacum taxa, along with primitive popcorns from
"These findings are by no means conclusive," said Eubanks. "We
need to do a lot more sampling of the genetic diversity in different teosinte and Tripsacum species to
further test this finding. But certainly, the preliminary evidence from this
study supports the hypothesis that Tripsacum introgression could have been the energizing factor for the
mutations that humans then selected to derive domesticated maize."
In such selections, theorized Eubanks, early humans would have selected -- from
the wide range of plants that would result from such crosses -- those that had
the most numerous and accessible seeds. Eventually, such selection would have
resulted in the cob-like structure of today's corn, she said.
Understanding the genetic origins of corn -- now the world's single largest
food crop-- is important both for production of new varieties and for
preserving corn's genetic heritage, said Eubanks. "Because the crosses
between teosinte and gamagrass
bridge the sterility barrier between maize and Tripsacum,
I'm now moving genes from gamagrass into corn,"
she said. "And we have developed drought-resistant and insect-resistant
corn using conventional plant breeding methods."
For example, according to Eubanks, who is working with a commercial seed
producer, test crops of some new hybrids have shown strong resistance to the
billion-dollar bugs corn rootworm and European corn
borer, along with corn earworm, another problematic corn pest.
"Understanding the genetic origins of corn and how people historically
used corn could offer valuable insights for application to sustainable
agriculture today," she said. "And finally, the gene pool underlying
corn is part of our heritage that must be preserved if we are to retain the
ability to solve agricultural problems such as new pests or the need for new
farming methods."
Also, she noted, the scientific emphasis on corn is particularly timely because
of recent findings that genetically altered corn is contaminating the native
land races of maize and its wild relative teosinte
currently in
According to Eubanks, the new drought and pest-resistant hybrids she and her
colleagues have developed will undergo field tests this summer in the
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/news/puzzle_0404.html
Contact: Dennis Meredith
dennis.meredith@duke.edu
919-681-8054
Source: EurekAlert.com
2 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.17 CLIMA RESEARCHERS ARE TINKERING WITH LUPINS
TO ENSURE THEY DO NOT APPEAL TO GREEN PEACH OR COWPEA APHIDS
Western Australia's most highly qualified chefs are tinkering with lupins to ensure they do not appeal to green peach or
cowpea aphids, but remain palatable to farmed livestock.
Researchers collaborating through the University of
Western Australia (WA) based http://www.clima.uwa.edu.au Centre for
Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) have
revealed the key ingredients which make some lupins
toxic to aphids and therefore protected from damaging attacks.
Shao Fang Wang of the WA
Chemistry Centre and James Ridsdill-Smith of CSIRO
examined resistant and susceptible varieties of WA's
popular narrow-leafed lupin and the potentially
valuable yellow lupin to detect differences in chemical
make-up.
"We found specific alkaloids were 10 to 30 times more prevalent in
resistant varieties than in susceptible ones.
"In high concentrations those same alkaloids are toxic to animals, so
breeders must strike a delicate balance to achieve aphid resistance, while
maintaining palatability and safety for animals," Dr Wang said.
The high protein content and low cost of lupins have
driven annual national stockfeed demand for the grain
towards one million tonnes. WA is a key supplier to
this market, with production recovering after recent droughts lowered its 1 mt/yr harvest average.
Having identified lupanine as the most active
alkaloid contributing to the resistance of narrow-leafed lupin
and gramine as the key to yellow lupin
resistance, the CLIMA researchers fed low
concentrations of those compounds to aphids. The resultant mortality and
restricted growth of aphids confirmed the alkaloidseffect.
"Department of Agriculture trials concluded that lupins
became susceptible to aphids when lupanine or gramine concentrations dipped. There were six times more
aphids on susceptible yellow lupin and three times
more on susceptible narrow-leafed lupins," Dr
Wang said.
Aphid susceptibility has plagued yellow lupins,
limiting cultivation of the species which, with its high sulphur and low
phosphorus concentrations, could fetch premiums from animal feed markets, such
as pigs and aquaculture.
While the experimental variety used in these Grains Research and Development
Corporation and Grain Research Committee supported trials proved resistant, its
gramine concentration was too high for stockfeed.
CLIMA researchers will investigate the manipulation
of alkaloid occurrence to cause greater expression in the phloem eaten by
aphids and less in the grain that is fed to animals.
"Getting the right mix of these alkaloids to deter aphids, while appealing
to animals, will be a precise science," Dr Wang concluded.
"We hope to start advising on alkaloid benchmarks to the Department of
Agriculture lupin breeding team by the end of the
year."
Source: SeedQuest.com
March 17, 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.18 IN QUEST FOR DROUGHT-TOLERANT VARIETIES, CIMMYT SOWS FIRST TRANSGENIC WHEAT FIELD TRIALS IN
MEXICO
On 12 March 2004, CIMMYT took a modest but historic
step in the development of drought tolerant wheat, when a small trial plot was
sown to genetically modified (transgenic) wheat in a screenhouse
at the Centers headquarters in Texcoco,
Mexico. This is the first time that transgenic wheat has been planted under
field-like conditions in
Drought is arguably the worlds most important
agricultural production problem. In developing countries, millions of hectares
of wheat are grown in areas that often experience drought, and the problem is
projected to worsen with climate change. A plants ability to withstand dry
conditions at critical periods in its growth can make the difference between
food and famine for poor households. Developing drought-tolerant wheat and
maize varieties that perform well under diverse conditions is a top priority at
CIMMYT, where innovative researchconventional
as well as transgenicis pursued to meet this complex
and difficult challenge.
CIMMYT researchers have well-founded hopes that the
wheat they are testing will withstand serious droughts. This wheat carries the
DREB1A gene from the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The gene has been shown to
confer tolerance to drought, low temperatures, and salinity in Arabidopsis, a
plant species related to wild mustard (see Nature Biotechnology 17:287-291).
Previous experiments with DREB wheat grown in pots in
CIMMYTs biosafety
greenhouse provided very encouraging results. The new screenhouse
trial will enable researchers to see whether the DREB
wheat responds similarly under more naturalconditions.
This trial is the first time that a food crop carrying the DREB
gene has advanced to this level of testing. If the results are positive, there
are major implications for its use in other cereal crops, such as rice, maize,
and barley. CIMMYT is considering testing the DREB gene in the drought-tolerant wheat it has developed
through conventional breeding, to see if the resulting plants can use water
even more efficiently.
For complete article see: http://www.cimmyt.org/english/webp/support/news/dreb.htm
Contributed by Kelly Cassaday (CIMMYT)
k.cassaday@cgiar.org
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++++
2.19 QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE FROM GHANA
With assistance from the Atlanta-based Carter Center,
a new type of corn seed has taken root in Ghana - an altered form of corn known
as obatanpa, or "good nursing mother."
Scientists, on the other hand, call it "quality protein maize." This
corn yields more corn per acre and contains better protein.
The
The project was then revived in the 1980s, particularly in
At present, corn seeds have been taken from
Download the full story at http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/atlanta_world/.
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept of Plant Breeding
Cornell University
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++
2.20 BAYER DECIDES AGAINST GM CROP CULTIVATION IN THE UK
The German company Bayer CropScience has scrapped
plans to cultivate its
genetically modified (GM) forage maize variety Chardon LL in the UK,
citing government constraints for making it 'economically non viable'.
The company was the only one authorised to grow GM maize in the UK, and
the government believes that Bayer's decision not to press ahead with
commercialisation means that it is unlikely that GM crops will be grown in
the UK for the 'foreseeable future'.
In a statement issued by Bayer CropScience on 31
March, the company
welcomes the
published at the beginning of March. The government announcement had
confirmed that Chardon LL was both safe and effective, argues Bayer, which
they regarded as a positive step towards the development of plant
biotechnologies in the
'The government has, however, placed a number of constraints on this
conditional approval before the commercial cultivation of GM forage maize
can proceed in the
these conditions are still not available and thus will result in yet
another open-ended period of delay. These uncertainties and undefined
timelines will make this five year old variety economically unviable.'
However, UK Environment Minister Elliot Morley reportedly defended the
government's approach to the commercialisation of GM maize. 'We do not
apologise for the fact that there is a tough EU-wide
regulatory regime on
GMs. It applies to the whole of the EU, not just the
'We always said it would be for the market to decide the viability of
growing and selling GM once the government assessed safety and risk. [The
Prime Minister's] strategy unit report on the costs and benefits of GM
last year did say there would be limited short term commercial benefits in
the UK for growing GM,' Mr Morley concluded.
http://dbs.cordis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?CALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=EN_RCN_ID:21822
Source: AgBioView
31 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.21 GLOBAL SEED TREATY GETS THE GO-AHEAD
An international seed treaty that gives legal force to the conservation of the
world's major agricultural seeds is due to come in to force on 29 June. The
90-day countdown to the implementation of the treaty was triggered this week
when 12 European countries and the European Community ratified the agreement.
Known as the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture, the treaty is intended to ensure that plant genetic resources for
food and agriculture, which are vital for human survival, are conserved and sustainably used, and that benefits from their use are
equitably and fairly distributed.
"This is a legally binding treaty that will be crucial for the
sustainability of agriculture," says director of the UN Food and
Agriculture Organisation, Jacques Diouf. Since the
beginning of agriculture, around 10,000 species have been used to produce food
and fodder. But today just 150 crops feed most humans and just 12 crops provide
80 per cent of food energy. Scientists are concerned that this lack of genetic
variability makes the world's agriculture increasingly vulnerable to diseases,
changes in climate and other factors.
The Intermediate Technology Development Group, a nongovernmental organisation
that aims to advocate the sustainable use of technology to reduce poverty in
developing nations, welcomed the treaty's legal recognition. But in a statement
the organisation warns that the treaty "will be just a piece of paper if
it is not backed by substantial funds from the rich world to support
conservation of seeds not just in seed banks but in farmers' fields where they
could be continuously developed". It also calls for patents on seeds to be
banned, saying that "while it is the intention of the treaty to keep
agricultural seeds in the public domain, the article that legislates for this
is ambiguous".
Source: SciDev.Net
2 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.22 BREEDERS' RIGHTS LEGISLATION ADOPTED IN TURKEY
On the 8th of January 2004, the Turkish National Assembly has accepted the new
legislation on Protection of the Breeders'Rights of
New Plant Varieties. So
With this law, a new variety wont be used without
permission of the variety owners. Thereafter international seed companies wont hesitate to bring their high yielding varieties to
On the other hand, the acceptance of this law has not been welcomed by farmers
associations, because the small farmersexception were
thought to be more than 92 tons.
It is necessary to prepare further detailed regulations on this law to come
into force. This attempt is one of the important steps for
Submitted by Prof. Dr. Nazimi Acikgoz
E. U. Seed Technology Center
Bornova, TURKEY
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.23 TO REACH THE POOR RESULTS FROM THE ISNAR-IFPRI-NEXT
HARVEST STUDY ON GM CROPS, PUBLIC RESEARCH AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
ABSTRACT
Local farming communities throughout the world face productivity constraints,
environmental concerns, and diverse nutritional needs. Developing countries
address these challenges in a number of ways. One way is public research that produces genetically modified (GM) crops and
recognize biotechnology as a part of the solution. To reach these
communities, GM crops, after receiving biosafety
agreement, must be approved for evaluation under local conditions.
However, gaps between approvals in the developed and developing world grow
larger, as the process of advancing GM crops in developing countries becomes
increasingly difficult. In several countries, only insect resistant cotton has
successfully moved from small, confined experimental trials to larger, open
trials and to farms. By far, most GM crop approvals have been for commercial
products that perform well under tropical conditions.
However, complete information on public GM crop research in developing
countries has not been assessed. Will policies and research institutions in the
developing world stimulate the safe use of publicly funded GM food crops? The
relatively few GM crops approved from public research, coupled with growing
regulatory, biosafety capacity, trade, and political
concerns, argue to the contrary.
To tackle this issue, we identified and analyzed public research pipelines for
GM crops among 16 developing countries and transition economies. Respondents
reported 209 genetic transformation events1 for 46 different crops at the time
when the survey was conducted. The pipelines demonstrate scientific progress
among publicly funded crop research institutes in participating countries.
Information and findings are presented for GM crops nearing final stages of
selection. Additional details are provided for the types of genes and traits used, the breadth of genetic resources documented, implications for
regulation, and the type of research partnerships
employed.
Regulations, GM crop approvals, choice of transgene,
and policy implications are discussed as they affect this research. Based on
these findings, recommendations are presented that would help sustain and
increase efficiency of publicly supported research while meeting biosafety requirements. To do so, the study examines
results concerning investments and choices made in research, capacity, and
policy development for biotechnology. These indicate the risk and potential for
GM technologies in developing countries. Policy makers, those funding
biotechnology, and other stakeholders can use this information to prioritize
investments, consider
product advancement, and assess relative magnitude of potential risks, and
benefits.
The full report is in PDF format at http://www.ifpri.org/divs/eptd/dp/papers/eptdp116.pdf
Source: SeedQuest.com
2 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++
2.24 ANGOLA REJECTS GM FOOD AID
The Angolan government has rejected food shipments of maize, most of which
originates in the United States, arguing that the shipments may contain
genetically modified (GM) material. In doing so, the country has aligned itself
with four southern African nations Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe
which have controversially banned imports of GM food (see http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readnews&itemid=196&language=1
Famine-stricken countries reject GM maize).
Furthermore,
"Even before the question of the new legislation came out, there were
serious constraints on our food pipeline such that we were going to cut rations
for April and May for 1.9 million people by 30 per cent," he says.
"The result of this cancellation is that we will have to make a 50 per
cent cut starting 1 April."
Sackett doubts whether anyone in
Milling the grain on arrival which would mean that any GM maize could not be
planted as seed is not possible, as the WFP does not
have the funds to pay the few Angolan millers operating in the three ports
selected for food deliveries. And if the grain is commercially milled in the
The WFP has already resumed shipments to the other
four countries in southern
Source: SciDev.Net
2 April 2004
(Return to Contents)
++++++++++++++++++++++++
2.25 PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL GIFT SUPPORTS IOWA
STATE UNIVERSITY PROJECTS ON ISSUES SURROUNDING RESEARCH DISCOVERIES
A gift of $135,000 from http://www.pioneer.com
Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. will benefit http://www.iastate.edu Iowa State University's
Office of Biotechnology by helping future plant breeders and researchers
understand the ethical, economic and legal dimensions of protecting scientific
discoveries.
A portion of Pioneer's gift resulted from recent court cases in which Pioneer
successfully enforced its intellectual property rights relating to its unique
seed products.
"Protecting scientific discoveries is a complex and global issue. Future
researchers need to have a foundation for understanding the various dimensions
of the value of their proprietary discoveries in agriculture," said Bill Niebur, Pioneer vice president, Research, Discovery.
"The ability for researchers to protect their discoveries is essential to
promote product development that will improve agriculture. Through its support
of
The gift will be used to fund the following four projects.
Interdisciplinary, Web-based educational activities for
college students.
Kristen Hessler, bioethics outreach coordinator, and
Allen Knapp, agronomy associate professor, will develop a series of interactive
activities on the Web to introduce students to fields outside of their own,
including life sciences, philosophy, economics, law and international trade.
The lessons will help students understand the ethical ramifications of
intellectual property protection. The two-year project will begin this summer.
Economics of Innovation and Science Policy lectures.
Pioneer's gift will support a five-year series of lectures by leading national
and international experts. They will discuss issues related to the economic
incentives for scientific research and development activities for both the
public and private sectors, and the contribution of science and technology to
economic development and growth. The on-campus lectures will be free and open
to the public. GianCarlo Moschini,
Pioneer Chair of Science and Technology Policy and professor of economics, will
coordinate the series, which will begin next fall.
Intellectual Property Protection for Germplasm and
Plant Varieties: PVP Certificates or Patents?
In the
Impact of Intellectual Property Rights Protection on
Producers and Consumers in Developing Countries.
Property rights in the seed industry encourage private sector research that can
be profitably sold in the country
where the right is protected. Developed countries have strong property rights
and developing countries tend to have weaker protections. Beginning this
spring, three
"We're grateful for Pioneer's continuing support of the biotechnology
program at
Pioneer's gift was made through the ISU Foundation --
a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to securing and stewarding gifts
and grants that benefit
Source: SeedQuest.com
23 March 2004
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
2.26 TO REACH THE POOR -- RESULTS FROM THE ISNAR-IFPRI NEXT HARVEST STUDY ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED
CROPS, PUBLIC RESEARCH, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Local farming communities throughout the world face productivity constraints,
environmental concerns, and diverse nutritional needs. Developing countries
address these challenges in a number of ways. One way is public research that produces genetically modified (GM) crops and
recognize biotechnology as a part of the solution. To reach these
communities, GM crops, after receiving biosafety
agreement, must be approved for evaluation under local conditions.
However, gaps between approvals in the developed and developing world grow
larger, as the process of advancing GM crops in developing countries becomes
increasingly difficult. In several countries, only insect resistant cotton has
successfully moved from small, confined experimental trials to larger, open
trials and to farms. By far, most GM crop approvals have been for commercial
products that perform well under tropical
conditions.
However, complete information on public GM crop research in developing
countries has not been assessed. Will policies and research institutions in the
developing world stimulate the safe use of publicly funded GM food crops? The
relatively few GM crops approved from public research, coupled with growing
regulatory, biosafety capacity, trade, and political
concerns, argue to the contrary.
To tackle this issue, we identified and analyzed public research pipelines for
GM crops among 16 developing countries and transition economies. Respondents
reported 209 genetic transformation events1 for 46 different crops at the time
when the survey was conducted. The pipelines demonstrate scientific progress
among publicly funded crop research institutes in participating countries.
Information and findings are presented for GM crops nearing final stages of
selection. Additional details are provided for the types of genes and traits used, the breadth of genetic resources documented,
implications for regulation, and the type of research partnerships employed.
Regulations, GM crop approvals, choice of transgene,
and policy implications are discussed as they affect this research. Based on
these findings, recommendations are presented that would help sustain and
increase efficiency of publicly supported research while meeting biosafety requirements. To do so, the study examines
results concerning investments and choices made in research, capacity, and
policy development for
biotechnology. These indicate the risk and potential for GM technologies in
developing countries. Policy makers, those funding biotechnology, and other
stakeholders can use this information to prioritize investments, consider
product advancement, and assess relative magnitude of potential risks, and
benefits.
Full document (PDF) at
http://www.ifpri.org/divs/eptd/dp/papers/eptdp116.pdf
Source: AgBioView
(Return to Contents)
=======================
ON THE WEB
3.01 CHENOPODIUM EMAIL LIST SERVE
We have started a new email list for Chenopodium.
You are welcome to join, and encourage anyone else to join. See below for
details.
PURPOSE:
The Chenopodium list is to improve communication
among Chenopodium research and development people
world-wide. Emails on taxonomy, agriculture, genetics, germplasm, and product development, for quinoa
and other Chenopodium species are welcome.
Information on meetings, publications, funding, plans, and reference questions
is of interest.
Emails can be in English, Spanish, and other languages.
Postings are not moderated, but can be made only by list members, since all
postings must originate from the members' email addresses.
The list is owned (but not moderated) by David M. Brenner, The US National
Plant Germplasm System Curator of Chenopodium
germplasm. http://www.ars-grin.gov/nc7
The list is housed on the
MECHANICS:
1. To become a member of the list:
Address an email to <majordomo@iastate.edu>
Enter subscribe Chenopodium and nothing else, in the
body of the email. The
computer will not read the subject part of the email.
2. To be removed from the list:
Address an email to <majordomo@iastate.edu>
Enter unsubscribe Chenopodium and nothing else, in
the body of the email.
The computer will not read the subject part of the email.
3. To post items to the list:
chenopodium@iastate.edu
4. To get basic instructions
Address an email to majordomo@iastate.edu
Enter info Chenopodium and nothing else, in the body
of the email. The
computer will not read the subject part of the email.
5. To send a message to the owner of the list (but not the entire list
membership), address your message to <owner-chenopodium@iastate.edu> I
can
fix problems with list memberships.
Contributed by David Brenner
dbrenner@iastate.edu
Plant Introduction
Station
phone 515-294-6786
Iowa State
University
fax 515-294-4880
Ames, IA 50011-1170 http://www.ars-grin.gov/nc7
USA
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++