The Global Partnership Initiative for Plant Breeding
Capacity Building (GIPB) brings you:
PLANT BREEDING NEWS
EDITION 191
30 June 2008
An Electronic Newsletter of Applied Plant Breeding
Clair H. Hershey, Editor
chh23@cornell.edu
Sponsored by FAO/AGPC and Cornell University,
Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics
-To subscribe, see instructions here
-Archived issues available at: FAO Plant Breeding
Newsletter
1. NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESEARCH NOTES
1.01 How to continue
the fight against hunger
1.02 Help the poor lift yields to fight
food price rises
1.03 The Plant Breeding Academy at the University of California
Davis graduates 15 new plant breeders
1.04 Boosting food production in Africa’s "breadbasket
areas" - New collaboration among Rome-based UN agencies and AGRA
1.05 VitAto, a ß-carotene rich sweetpotato
variety
1.06 New high-fibre barley licensed to
grow
1.07 ARS releases
nematode, virus resistant peanut variety
1.08 Bayer launches disease resistant
rice
1.09 ICRISAT: sweet sorghum could be
the miracle biofuel crop
1.10 Fighting the parasitic weed Striga
1.11 CGIAR policy statement on biofuels
1.12 IFPRI assessment
of the food summit declaration: some progress, but more needs to be done
1.13 A review of the
enforcement of Plant Breeder's Rights in Australia
1.14 Desert plant may
hold key to surviving food shortage
1.15 Early origins of maize in Mexico
1.16 Ancient Mexican
maize varieties
1.17 DNA fingerprinting identifies bean in patent dispute
1.18 Experts confident
that drought-tolerant crops will be available to farmers in the next decade
1.19 Asia's drought-resistant
maize varieties
1.20 Drought tolerant wheat yields 20
percent more
1.21 New genetic trait in sunflowers
from BASF, Nidera
1.22 Protecting wheat from a new global
threat
1.23 Research required urgently to
control planthopper pests, a major threat to Asian rice production
1.24 Genome communication
1.25 To branch or not to branch
1.26 How to build a plant
1.27 Doubled haploids
speed development of drought tolerant maize for Africa
1.28 Direction of plant genome evolution
1.29 Scientists identify
gene defect in herbicide-sensitive corn
1.30 Researchers identify
gene that regulates rice yield potential
1.31 Scientists identify wheat genes for
frost tolerance
1.32 RNA silencing mediated resistance
to a crinivirus in sweetpotato does not prevent synergistic virus
disease
1.33 Unlocking the genome of world’s worst
insect pest
1.34 Leading plant breeder John Bingham
opens new Cambridge labs
1.35 Update 3-2008 of FAO-BiotechNews
1.36 GCP News Issue 31, 12 June
2008
1.37 May - June 2008 - update of the month from the GFU
2. PUBLICATIONS
2.01 How The Grape Grower came
to be written: a video
3. WEB RESOURCES
3.01 Website to speed
discovery of grain genes
4 GRANTS AVAILABLE
4.01 First call for proposals
4.02 Monsanto sets grant for wheat, rice
research
5 POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS
5.01 Vacancies in areas of cotton and
Artemisia breeding
5.02 Monsanto Plant Breeding Related
Career Postings
6 MEETINGS, COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
7 EDITOR'S NOTES
=========================
1. NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESEARCH NOTES
1.01 How to continue the fight against hunger
By Norman Borlaug and Peter McPherson
June 6, 2008; Page A13
At the Washington, D.C. offices of the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) there is a plaque dedicated to America's great statesman-general,
George C. Marshall. It contains a quote from his epic 1947 Harvard commencement
address, which spawned the Marshall Plan. The quote reads: "Our policy is directed
not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation
and chaos."
Our government needs to rediscover that vision. We are in a world food crisis
that stands to drive at least another 100 million people into hunger and exacerbate
global instability.
Solving the food crisis will require emergency food aid in the near term. But
greater food availability in the low-income, food-deficit nations cannot be achieved
with one silver bullet. No doubt, greater availability of fertilizer is critical
to any solution. Yet we also need a long-term vision of growth, and integrated
investments that incorporates research, human and institutional capacity building,
infrastructure, sound policy, markets and governance.
Food demand is growing fast. Studies have shown that as a country's income increases,
so does the consumption of animal products and processed foods. These food products
require more grain to produce the same calories. This demand will surely continue
to grow.
About 75% of the world's poor still live in rural areas of developing countries.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, many of the very poor spend 80% of their income on food.
When prices for grains double and triple in a year, we can expect not only large-scale
malnutrition, but also major political and social instability. Developing countries
and donors must commit to long-term solutions that increase agricultural production
and rural incomes in the developing world.
Nearly three decades ago, the Green Revolution – and other advances in technology,
production methods and related investments in agriculture – greatly increased
food production world-wide, particularly in Asia and Latin America. Over time,
food abundance was taken for granted as the supply outpaced population and income
growth.
We need investment in the maintenance of successful varieties of crops, and the
development of technologies to raise yield ceilings. Moreover, research to develop
seeds more resistant to climatic stresses like drought must be dramatically accelerated.
Developing countries should use the food-price crisis to reaffirm their commitment
to bolster food production. A few years ago, African heads of state committed
to increasing expenditures for agriculture to 10% of their national budgets. But
most of the countries have not reached this goal.
USAID must help developing countries produce more food. At one time, USAID led
the donor world on agriculture, but there has been a long slide over the last
20 years. This slide was over several administrations and sessions of Congress,
and was only interrupted by some additional resources a few years ago under USAID
Administrator Andrew Natsios.
For many years USAID has invested far too little in agriculture. Its 2008 allocations
includes little money for core funding for the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research, whose research centers were critical in developing the
Green Revolution, new crop varieties that probably saved more lives in the 20th
century than any other technology.
U.S. land-grant universities have been institutional marvels in agricultural science,
teaching and the continuing education of farmers. Yet today, USAID has only meager
engagement with U.S. universities in the area of solving hunger.
President George W. Bush recently requested a supplemental appropriations bill
for food that includes $150 million for long-term agriculture work. This appropriation
should be a first step in a return to sustained, substantial support for long-term
agricultural development.
Food, agriculture and growth must once again become fundamental and sustained
USAID objectives. Let's heed the words of George Marshall and focus our resources
on hunger, poverty and desperation.
Mr. Borlaug, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, is professor of international agriculture
at Texas A&M University. Mr. McPherson is president of the National Association
of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and former administrator of the
U.S. Agency for International Development.
Copyright: Wall Street Journal
Source: Wall Street Journal
6 June 2008
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1.02 Help the poor lift yields to fight
food price rises
William Dar
Small farmers could beat increasing prices in food and fertiliser by producing
more of their own crops at lower cost, argues William Dar.
Food has become substantially cheaper over the past half-century, owing largely
to new technologies and supportive policies.
But recent price increases are significant. And they remain on a steep upward
path as we enter this year’s ‘hungry season’.
Price spikes due to unforeseen events have occurred in the past, most notably
with the sharp rise in oil prices in the early 1970s. But grain prices eventually
subsided after these shocks had dissipated and continued to drop.
It’s different this time
This time, it’s not the same. Fundamental factors are increasing the cost of agriculture
for the longer term, including rising fuel costs, a growing middle class with
greater food demands, and the diversion of maize grain into the bioethanol industry.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI, our sister centre), predicts
that real prices of cereals will continue to rise by another 10–20 per cent by
2015.
But don’t rising food prices benefit the rural poor who earn their living by growing
and selling food? Not this time. The poorest farmers, because their landholdings
are small and their productivity low, tend to be net buyers, rather than net sellers,
of food so they are hurt more than helped by rising food prices.
Also, their production costs, particularly for fertiliser, are going up faster
than food prices. The price of a kilogram of fertiliser has doubled relative to
the price of a kilogram of sorghum or millet grain over the past eight years in
Niger. This trend has accelerated over the past six months, far outpacing gains
in food prices. As fertiliser requires large amounts of energy to produce, higher
prices seem here to stay.
To bring food prices back to levels that the poor can afford, agriculture needs
to make big leaps in productivity and in fertiliser-use efficiency. Both are feasible.
Initiatives to boost productivity
At the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT),
we have shown that on-farm yields of cereal crops in drylands can be doubled or
tripled with only modest adjustments, for example by using low application rates
of fertiliser combined with more responsive crop varieties, particularly hybrids,
and low-cost rainwater harvesting.
This can be illustrated by the transformational potential of a few of the exciting
initiatives that we are engaged in that involve new technologies and market-chain
partnerships.
One is planting basin cultivation this begins with hand-scooping small basins
to concentrate rain water and plant nutrients for the roots at the base of the
plant.
Another is to use only microdoses of fertiliser, less than a tenth of the amount
applied in developed countries, on crop varieties that can use it more efficiently,
causing yields to double or triple.
These hybrid crop varieties are also more resilient to stresses such as drought,
pests or disease, and markets will pay more for their grain quality traits. They
grow vigorously and yields are greatly enhanced.
We are also working on improving seed systems that deliver more seeds and get
them to the right locations at the right time.
Also, tree-crop integration through ICRISAT’s Dryland Ecofarm initiative improves
the recycling of nutrients through deep roots and leaf litter, protecting soils
from erosion while nutritionally enriching them.
This boosts the yield of crops grown between them, the trees also produce valuable
products such as fruits and gums.
Initiatives to improve efficiency
Inexpensive gravity-feed drip irrigation enables farmers to produce more crop
per drop, and multiplies their incomes through high-value vegetable and tree products.
Sited near urban areas, lush African market gardens connect farmers to increasingly
affluent middle-class markets. The pull of urban and export markets for chickpeas,
pigeonpeas and groundnuts connects farmers to processors and marketers, who in
turn provide farmers with new technologies that help partners to stay competitive
and profitable.
Integrated pest management cuts the costs and hazards of pesticide sprays on legumes,
enabling farmers to charge higher prices for their organic produce.
Sweet sorghum is an example of a strategic crop that beats the food–fuel trade-off
problem. Both are derived from the same plant. Besides food for humans, the plant
can be used for vital livestock feed after crushing to remove the sugar-rich
juice for fermenting into ethanol biofuel, the residual stalks make excellent
fodder. When connnected to a huge, growing and remunerative market for transportation
fuel through technology-savvy processors, sorghum farming productivity jumps.
Now more than ever
During the 1990s, the world grew complacent. Food prices were in decline for so
long that it was assumed that investments in agricultural research and development
could be allowed to decline with them.
Now, unless we re-invigorate agriculture and lift it to a new level of productivity
and efficiency, the world will face more hunger, more poverty, more despair and
more anger.
We can’t say that it can’t be done anymore, because the change that is needed
is within our reach, but we have to stretch to grasp it. It is our choice.
William Dar is director-general of the International Crops Research Institute
for Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
Source: SciDev.net
18 June 2008
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1.03 The Plant Breeding Academy at
the University of California Davis graduates 15 new plant breeders
Davis, California
Filling a critical industry need for additional plant breeders, the UC
Davis Plant Breeding AcademySM (PBA) recently graduated its inaugural
class. Fifteen students from seed companies across the U.S. and from as far as
Hong Kong and Canada participated in the program.
“…the Plant Breeding Academy has without a doubt given me powerful tools to tackle
virtually any problem I might encounter in my career as a professional plant breeder.
Highly recommended!” said Adam Dick of Tomato Solutions, Inc., Ontario, Canada.
The PBA provides an innovative educational program to develop plant breeding expertise
for the seed industry. It was developed by the UC Davis Seed Biotechnology Center
in response to industry concerns over the lack of plant breeders being trained
in academic programs.
The two-year course gives companies the chance to invest in employees currently
involved in breeding programs who want further formal instruction in genetics,
statistics and plant breeding theory. The course schedule allows students to maintain
their jobs while enrolled. Academy graduates will be able to work as independent
plant breeders or to direct regional plant breeding programs.
The course consists of lectures, field trips, discussions, homework and a comprehensive
final project where students design a breeding program. Course instructors include
Doug Shaw and Larry Teuber from UC Davis and Todd Wehner from North Carolina State
University, all internationally recognized plant breeders. Guest lecturers with
expertise in specific areas are also invited to speak.
Class II of the PBA will begin in September 2008, with 20 students from around
the world enrolled.
For more information, see pba.ucdavis.edu or contact
Catherine L. Glaeser
clglaeser@ucdavis.edu
Source: SeedQuest.com
26 June 2008
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1.04 Boosting food production in Africa’s "breadbasket
areas" - New collaboration among Rome-based UN agencies and AGRA
Rome, Italy
An unprecedented partnership among key players in agricultural development aims
to significantly boost food production in Africa’s “breadbasket regions,” link
local food production to food needs, and work across Africa’s major agricultural
growing areasor agro-ecological zonesto create opportunities for smallholder
farmers. Today’s agreement marks a significant transformation in the way major
global agencies work with smallholder farmers to assist them in solving Africa’s
chronic hunger and food problems.
The “Memorandum of Understanding” was signed today by the
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP) at
the FAO High-Level Conference on World Food Security.
Multiple challenges
Among the challenges facing accelerated food production in Africa are poorly
developed markets, lack of investment, and poor infrastructure in rural areas.
Despite this, there exist opportunities that can be tapped to help end chronic
hunger and food problems. This new partnership aims to make a difference now by
optimizing food production in areas with relatively good rainfall, soils, infrastructure,
and marketsor “breadbasket areas.”
The new partnership announced today will work closely with other stakeholders
in these breadbasket areas to rapidly improve food production, food security and
rural incomes. Careful environmental monitoring, and conserving biodiversity,
water and land will be given high priority. The agreement also calls for coordinating
and sharing agricultural development innovations across diverse ecological zones
and associated crops. At the country level, the partnership will support the efforts
of governments and work with farmers and other stakeholders to rapidly boost agricultural
productivity and farm incomes. Each agency will deliver unique expertise towards
achieving an environmentally and economically sustainable green revolution that
will end the continent’s perennial food crisis.
“This collaborative initiative is part of AGRA’s strategic vision to build partnerships
that pool the strengths and resources of the public and private sectors, civil
society, farmers organizations, donors, scientists and entrepreneurs across the
agricultural value chain,” said Mr. Kofi A. Annan, Chairman of the Board of AGRA.
“We must implement immediate solutions for today’s crisis and do so in the context
of a long-term concerted effort to transform smallholder agriculture, to increase
productivity and sustainability, and to end poverty and hunger.
Per capita food production has declined in Africa for the past 30 years and farm
productivity in Africa is just one-quarter the global average. Today, more than
200 million people are chronically hungry in the region, and 33 million children
under age five are malnourished. To turn things around, there is need for urgent
focus on raising agricultural productivity. More investment is needed to improve
soil and water management of rainfed and irrigation agriculture, more adaptable
new crop varieties, improved access to seeds and fertilizers, environmentally
sustainable integrated pest management practices, reduction in post-harvest losses,
and improvement of rural infrastructure, especially roads and communication infrastructure.
These will need to be bolstered by bold pro-poor policies to help transform smallholder
agriculture.
Unlocking Africa’s potential
FAO Director-General Mr. Jacques Diouf said, "Unlocking the potential of agriculture
in Africa is a huge challenge, but it can be done. This initiative is an important
contribution to reduce the number of more than 200 million hungry people in sub-Saharan
Africa by boosting food production and productivity, and improving the livelihoods
of millions of people in rural areas. FAO will actively participate in this important
initiative by assisting in stimulating local food production, providing technical
input, and developing new agricultural investments.”
AGRA will develop and promote higher yielding, locally adapted seeds, soil fertility
options, water management systems, and market development to aid smallholder farmers
and pro-poor policies that will catalyze farm productivity growth in the breadbasket
zones. “We hope to spur a green revolution in Africa which respects biodiversity
and the continent’s distinct regions and great variety of cropsfrom millet
and sorghum in the Sahel, to the root and tuber belts that cut across humid West
Africa, to maize in the high and lowland areas of Eastern and Southern Africa,”
said Mr. Kofi A. Annan, Chairman of the Board of AGRA.
IFAD President Mr. Lennart Båge said, “Smallholder producers constitute the largest
group of economic actors but are often the poorest segment of the population in
sub-Saharan Africa. IFAD, by working in collaboration with AGRA and the Rome-based
UN agencies, will help lift the rural poor from poverty by expanding their production
capacity, strengthening their institutions and voice, and improving their access
to critical markets.”
As a major buyer of food in Africa and the developing world, WFP will use its
purchasing power to contribute to a green revolution in Africa and to market developmenta
powerful incentive for agricultural production. This agreement assures farmers
a market, without which many well-meaning efforts to increase farm production
have failed. Last year, WFP purchased a record amount of foodUS$612 million
in 69 developing countriesof which US$253 million was in Africa, most notably
in Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Zambia and Malawi. From 2001-2007, WFP purchased more
than US$1.2 billion of food on domestic markets in Africa. This new partnership
could result in millions more being spent in potential breadbasket areas where
surpluses exist.
"WFP is delighted to work with AGRA, a critical player who will help stimulate
agriculture production," said Josette Sheeran, WFP's Executive Director. "Together
with FAO and IFAD, we can bring major improvements to the lives of small-scale
producers and food- insecure farmers all across Africa, and help reduce hunger
and vulnerability."
Today’s new partnership will help to advance the goal of the Comprehensive African
Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) of the New Partnership for African
Development (NEPAD) towards achieving at least 6 percent annual growth rate in
agricultural production by 2015.
Other news from the
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Source: SeedQuest.com
4 June 2008
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1.05 VitAto, a ß-carotene rich sweetpotato
variety
On 12 June 2007, the Hon. Minister of Agriculture & Agro-based Industries,
Malaysia officially released VitAto, a new orange-fleshed sweetpotato variety,
at MARDI(1) Telong Station in Kelantan state. This is the culmination of
a 10-year breeding programme aimed at developing nutritionally more superior sweetpotato
varieties. The orange flesh of VitAto (named for Vitamin A
from its ß-carotene content and sweetpotato) is indicative of its
ß-carotene content. VitAto is outstanding in its yield performance, even
on marginal soils such as tin-tailings, bris(2) (sandy marine beach
deposits) and acid sulphate soils with appropriate agronomic amendments, surpassing
currently grown orange-fleshed varieties in Malaysia. Fresh root yields
in research plots have attained 40 t/ha in just 3½-4 months.
With this particular advantage, VitAto has no need to compete with more economically
important crops such as oil palm and fruits for limited available arable land.
Indeed, it can play an important socio-economic role in replacing the planting
of tobacco hitherto carried out on bris. With the implementation
of AFTA(3) in 2010 for tobacco, there will be free access for imports of this
commodity into Malaysia from cheaper-producing neighbouring countries. Less
efficient and less competitive tobacco farmers will be able to turn to sweetpotato
cultivation instead.
To popularize the eating of sweetpotato – currently prepared only by boiling,
steaming, baking or frying – concurrent research projects on developing new food
products from sweetpotato were in place. Technologies have thus been successfully
developed for making flour from VitAto, and thereafter using the flour to formulate
premixes for muffins, cookies and cakes, as well as a range of traditional Malay
cakes. Fries, nuggets, doughnuts, sweet buns and breaded sweetpotato are
some of the others. Sweetpotato in general with its low glycemic index,
high potassium and dietary fibre contents, and VitAto in particular with its high
ß-carotene content (>2000 mg/100 g fresh root) is a healthy food. Much
of the ß-carotene is retained in the flour, and together with its vitamin C and
dietary fibre contents makes VitAto flour more nutritious than wheat flour normally
used for making the bakery products mentioned above.
In a successful collaboration under the concept of MoA Inc. (Ministry of Agriculture,
Incorporated), four agencies under the ministry have embarked on a project promoting
the production of VitAto among small farmers in Terengganu and Kelantan states.
The agencies are the Farmers’ Organization Authority (FOA), the Federal Agricultural
Marketing Authority (FAMA), the Agricultural Bank (AgroBank) and MARDI.
FOA takes responsibility for identifying the areas of production and organizing
selected farmers, FAMA offers a guaranteed price for VitAto and handles its marketing,
AgroBank provides credit and other financing facilities, while MARDI imparts technical
advice and training. Initiated in January 2008, scheduled weekly planting
of VitAto has been going on with the first harvest in mid April. On 15 June,
a program to promote VitAto will be launched at a farmers’ market in Shah Alam,
Selangor state by FAMA aided by FOA and MARDI, where the sweetpotato will be offered
for sale at a special promotional price and visitors to the market will be able
to taste some of the products made from VitAto as well as learn how to make them
at home. This program will continue at a dozen supermarket outlets and more
than a dozen other farmers’ markets in Peninsular Malaysia for the months of June
and July 2008.
Other organizations showing interest in VitAto for production and/or processing
include the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) in Kedah state, the
Kelantan Royal Project and the Terengganu Agricultural Development Project (KETARA).
Nestlé, a multi-national food company, signed a memorandum of understanding with
MARDI in January 2008 to collaborate in using VitAto as a raw material in some
of their existing products as well as in developing new products.
(1) Malaysian Agricultural Research & Development Institute
(2) Beach ridges interspersed with swales
(3)ASEAN Free Trade Area
-------
Contributed by Tan Swee Lian
MARDI (Malaysia)
sltan@mardi.gov.my
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1.06 New high-fibre barley licensed to
grow
Food manufacturers will soon have access to a new CSIRO-bred barley variety
which has significant human health benefits
Australia
“The recent signing of a license agreement between the CSIRO/Australian
Capital Ventures Limited joint venture and Austgrains Pty Ltd has paved the way
for large scale commercial crops of BARLEYmax® – unique grain developed by CSIRO
using conventional plant breeding techniques,” says the Director of the CSIRO
Food Futures Flagship, Dr Bruce Lee.
“It contains more than twice the amount of insoluble and soluble fibre found in
wheat or oats, as well as resistant starch, which helps promote healthy digestive
bacteria,” Dr Lee says.
Austgrains’ Managing Director, Warren Hannam, says the unique nutritional characteristics
of BARLEYmax are a valuable addition to the range of healthy food ingredients
available in Australia.
“Austgrains specialises in supplying grain and functional food ingredients to
the food manufacturing industry, making BARLEYmax a perfect fit for our company,”
he says.
Austgrains Pty Ltd is a private company associated with publicly listed Washington
H Soul Pattinson and Company Limited and its group of companies, producing and
marketing specialty ingredients such as the Nu Soya range of soy products and
omega-3 oils.
BARLEYmax Business Manager, CSIRO’s Geoff Ball, says clinical testing by CSIRO
Human Nutrition has shown that products made with BARLEYmax – such as breakfast
cereals, muffins and breads – have a low Glycaemic Index and strong bowel health
attributes.
“Further testing showed BARLEYmax has excellent processing properties and foods
made with the new grain have a naturally sweet, slightly nutty taste,” Mr Ball
says. “With large volumes to be produced soon by Austgrains, healthy foods made
with BARLEYmax are likely to be on Australian breakfast tables in the near future.”
Source: SeedQuest.com
17 June 2008
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1.07 ARS releases nematode, virus resistant peanut variety
The US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (ARS) has released
a new peanut variety that may help farmers in their fight against two major peanut
problems. The new hybrid, Tifguard, is the first peanut variety to show resistance
to both the peanut root knot nematode and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). These
diseases severely limit peanut yield in the US, where annual production reaches
well above one million tons.
Not only did Tifguard exhibit higher resistance to TSWV in field trials, it also
produced higher yields than standard check cultivars when grown in areas with
little or no nematode pressure. Tifguard seeds will be available to farmers by
the 2009 planting season.
Visit http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=1261
for more information
Source: CropBiotech Update 16 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.08 Bayer launches disease resistant
rice
Bayer CropScience has announced the launch of Arize Dhani, a bacterial leaf
blight (BLB) disease-resistant hybrid rice variety in India. Bayer claims that,
in addition to providing broad protection against BLB, the new rice hybrid can
increase yield by 20 to 30 percent compared to ordinary varieties. The company
now markets seven rice varieties in India.
Bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae, is one of the most common
diseases affecting rice worldwide. Xanthomonas strains in tropical areas
are more virulent than that of in temperate regions. In India, BLB affects 6-7
million hectares annually causing an estimated yield reduction of up to 60 percent.
The country is the second largest rice producer after China, growing more than
128 million tons of the staple.
The press release is available at http://www.bayercropscience.com/bayer/cropscience/cscms.nsf/id/20080514_EN?open&ccm=400
Source: CropBiotech Update 16 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.09 ICRISAT: sweet sorghum could be the miracle biofuel
crop
Sweet sorghum, a plant that can grow in extreme environmental conditions,
could be the miracle crop that provides cheap food, animal feed and fuel, according
to scientists from the India-based International Crop Research Institute for the
Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). "We consider sweet sorghum an ideal 'smart crop'
because it produces food as well as fuel," says ICRISAT Director General William
Dar. "With proper management, smallholder farmers can improve their incomes by
20% compared to alternative crops in dry areas in India."
Sorghum, the world's fifth largest grain crop, is grown on more than 42 million
hectares in 99 countries. ICRISAT estimates that 50 percent of the grain sorghum
area could be grown with sweet sorghum. In India, sweet sorghum costs $1.74 to
produce a gallon of ethanol compared to $2.12 for corn and $2.19 for sugarcane.
ICRISAT has helped build and operate the world's first commercial bioethanol plant,
using locally produced sweet sorghum as the main feedstock, in Andhra Paresh.
ICRISAT and India's National Research Centre for Sorghum (NRCS) have also developed
sweet sorghum varieties to ensure a reliable and steady supply of sweet juice.
They are currently developing sorghum varieties that are photoperiod and temperature
insensitive. Public-private-farmer partnership projects with ICRISAT are also
underway in the Philippines, Mexico, Mozambique and Kenya, as countries search
for alternative fuels.
Read the full article at http://www.icrisat.org/Media/2008/media6.htm
Source: CropBiotech Update 9 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.10 Fighting the parasitic weed Striga
Striga (S. hermonthica), is a plant parasitic weed that causes
more than 40 percent loss in the annual cowpea yield in sub-Saharan Africa. Also
known as witchweed, it infests some 50 million hectares of cereal crops, specifically
maize, sorghum and millet. Now the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
(IITA) and its partners from University of McGill (Canada) and University of Hohenheim
(Germany) have found a way to control the weed through a biocontrol agent.
The method utilizes a strain of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum that originated
from Ghana and Nigeria. Mixture of fungal spores and gum Arabic can be used to
coat crop seeds. The fungus remains viable for long periods, making the seeds
amenable to storage. The method is cheaper, easier to apply and more effective
compared to other techniques such as application of post-emergence herbicides.
The article is available at http://www.iita.org/cms/details/news_details.aspx?articleid=1567&zoneid=81
Source: CropBiotech Update 9 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.11 CGIAR policy statement on biofuels
The Science Council of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture
Research (CGIAR) has released a policy statement on biofuels production made upon
the request of the Food and Agriculture Assistant Director General (Natural Resource
Management and Environment Department). The statement addresses the challenges
of the commodity, the likely implications of this development for the poor and
the environment, and the role that CGIAR is expected to play.
The policy statement calls for "developing second and third generation conversion
techniques from agricultural residues and wastes and step up the scientific research
efforts to achieve sustainable biofuel production practices. Until such sustainable
techniques are available governments should scale back their support for and promotion
of biofuels." In addition, it recommended that small scale production of
first-generation biofuels in rural settings be explored to reduce fuel dependency
and promote rural development.
A copy of the statement is available at http://www.sciencecouncil.cgiar.org/publications/pdf/CGIAR%20SC%20position%20paper%20on%20Biofuels.pdf
Source: CropBiotech Update 20 June 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.12 IFPRI assessment of the food summit declaration:
some progress, but more needs to be done
Washington, DC
By Joachim von Braun
Director General, International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI)
The UN food summit closes with a strong statement on agriculture, but fails to
adequately address trade, biofuels, safety nets, and implementation
The final declaration of the “Conference on World Food Security: Challenges of
Climate Change and Bioenergy” strongly affirms the need for investing in agriculture,
a very positive development. It is noteworthy that governments recognize the need
to dramatically increase food production and to provide assistance to small-scale
farmers in developing countries to boost their productivity. This focus on agriculture
is very much needed and long overdue.
However, the summit declaration is weak in four other areas: trade, biofuels,
safety nets for vulnerable people, and accountability for implementation. Looking
forward, strong action is needed in each of these areas.
Trade
Export bans and other trade distorting measures only exacerbate the crisis.
Unfortunately, the summit barely came to a consensus for recognizing the problem,
let alone taking action. IFPRI research found that the elimination of export bans
would stabilize grain price fluctuations, reduce price levels by as much as 30
percent, and enhance the efficiency of agricultural production. The G-8 summit
and international meetings should take a stronger stance on this issue.
Biofuels
Biofuels that use grains and oilseeds contribute significantly to food price
inflation. IFPRI analysis shows that these types of biofuels accounted for 30
percent of the rise in grain prices between 2000 and 2007. Corn-based ethanol
accounted for 40 percent of the increase in maize prices during this period. Nevertheless,
the summit shied away from distinguishing between beneficial and risky types of
biofuels. Ultimately, the declaration dodged the issue by calling for “in-depth
studies.”
Safety nets
Poor people are hit hardest by food price increases. Governments need to invest
more in measures such as child nutrition, school feeding, and conditional cash
and food transfer programs, to mitigate the price effects for people living on
the edge. Safety nets like these help avoid the suffering of people who are unable
to afford enough food, and they increase the long-term resilience of poor people
to crises. A substantial body of research by IFPRI and other organizations has
confirmed that well designed safety-net programs have high payoffs, both in terms
of economic productivity and poverty reduction.
Implementation
The declaration lacks clarity as to who is responsible for its implementation.
Without these specifics, the outcome could be similar to the previous two food
summits in 1996 and 2002: a lot of good intentions, but few results. Global hunger
has barely declined since 1996, and is now getting worse in light of the current
food crisis.
Progress must be made on these issues to address the global food crisis. Throughout
much of the world, the poorest people are being squeezed by high food prices.
They need action now.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks sustainable
solutions for ending hunger and poverty. IFPRI is one of 15 centers supported
by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, an alliance
of 64 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations.
Please visit our website at www.ifpri.org.
Source: SeedQuest.com
6 June 2008
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1.13 A review of the enforcement of Plant Breeder's Rights in Australia
The Advisory Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP) is conducting a review
of the enforcement of Plant Breeder's Rights in Australia. ACIP released an Issues
Paper in March 2007 and received 40 written submissions. ACIP held consultations
with a number of interested parties in mid-2007. ACIP greatly appreciates all
the contributions made to the review so far.
Due to the wide range and complexity of the issues, ACIP has developed an Options
Paper which explores the concerns raised and identifies those options with the
most potential to assist the enforcement of PBR. The Options Paper can be found
at: http://www.acip.gov.au/reviews.html#pbr
ACIP welcomes written comments on the options canvassed and questions posed in
the paper. Comments should be received no later than 18 July 2008. Electronic
submissions are preferred. Please note that, unless requested otherwise, written
comments submitted to ACIP will be made publicly available. Hard copies of the
Options Paper will be printed and available on request.
After consideration of the submissions and possible further consultations, ACIP
expects to provide a final Report with recommendations to the Government in late
2008.
Contributed by Paul Brennan
CropGen International
paul.brennan@bigpond.com
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1.14 Desert plant may hold key to surviving food shortage
Liverpool, United Kingdom
Scientists at the University of Liverpool are investigating how
a Madagascan plant could be used to help produce crops in harsh environmental
conditions.
The plant, Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, is unique because, unlike normal plants, it
captures most of its carbon dioxide at night when the air is cooler and more humid,
making it 10 times more water-efficient than major crops such as wheat. Scientists
will use the latest next-generation DNA sequencing to analyse the plant’s genetic
code and understand how these plants function at night.
The project will generate a genome sequence database that will be used as an Internet
resource for plant biologists throughout the world.
The research comes at a time when farmland across the globe normally used for
growing food such as rice and wheat is being taken over by bio-fuel crops used
for bioethanol production as a petrol substitute. Scientists believe that the
novel genes found in Kalanchoe could provide a model of how bio-fuel plants could
be grown on un-utilised desert and semi-arid lands, rather than on fertile farmland
needed for producing food.
Biological scientist, Dr James Hartwell, said: “There is a lot of concern over
food shortage at the moment, with more farmland being commandeered for bio-fuels.
As a result of changes in our climate the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
has predicted a large expansion of arid regions so there is an increasing need
for new crop varieties that can be productive in deserts.
“Kalanchoe is a good example of how plants can flourish in harsh environments.
If we can understand how it is able to photosynthesise using much less water than
current crops, we may be able to use its genetic code to develop a crop able to
withstand harsh environmental conditions. It is essential that farmland be returned
to food production.”
The genetic code of the plant will be deciphered using a DNA sequencing machine
that uses an enzyme found in fireflies as a flash light to help read the DNA strand.
Liverpool is one of only two universities in the UK with the technology, which
can read up to half a billion DNA letters in a few hours compared to more widely
used technology that can only process 50,000.
The project is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
(BBSRC).
Source: SeedQuest.com
19 June 2008
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1.15 Early origins of maize in Mexico
Paleobotanical evidence pushes back the time of domestication
The ancestors of maize originally grew wild in Mexico and were radically different
from the plant that is now one of the most important crops in the world. While
the evidence is clear that maize was first domesticated in Mexico, the time and
location of the earliest domestication and dispersal events are still in dispute.
Now, in addition to more traditional macrobotanical and archeological remains,
scientists are using new genetic and microbotanical techniques to distinguish
domesticated maize from its wild relatives as well as to identify ancient sites
of maize agriculture. These new analyses suggest that maize may have been domesticated
in Mexico as early as 10,000 years ago.
Dr. John Jones and his colleagues, Mary Pohl, and Kevin Pope, have evaluated multiple
lines of evidence, including paleobotanical remains such as pollen, phytoliths,
and starch grains, as well as genetic analyses, to reconstruct the early history
of maize agriculture. Dr. Jones, of the Department of Anthropology, Washington
State University, Pullman, will be presenting this work at a symposium on Maize
Biology at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists in Mérida,
Mexico (June 28, 8:30 AM).
While macrobotanical remains such as maize kernels, cobs, and leaves have been
found in dry mountain caves, such remains are not preserved in more humid lowland
areas, so the conclusions based on such remains are fragmentary. Much smaller
parts of the maize plant, like cellular silica deposits, called phytoliths, and
pollen and starch grains, are preserved under both humid and dry conditions. These
lines of evidence, along with genetic and archeological data, are being used to
reconstruct the history of agriculture to its origins around the world.
Maize is wind pollinated and sheds large amounts of pollen, which is deposited
in soil and water sediments. The tough outer wall (exine) of pollen protects it
from deterioration for thousands of years. While it is possible to distinguish
the pollen grains of maize and its close relatives from other grasses, it is more
difficult, except at the largest sizes, to differentiate the pollen of maize (Zea
mays) from its presumed wild ancestor teosinte (Zea sp). Thus, while pollen can
provide evidence of the presence of domesticated maize, along with that from other
plants indicating agricultural activity, maize pollen alone is not definitive
evidence of domesticated plants.
Phytoliths are another type of plant microfossil that is preserved for thousands
of years and can be used to distinguish domesticated from wild maize. These microscopic
bodies are silica or calcium oxalate deposits that accumulate in the intercellular
spaces of plant stems, leaves, and roots and have characteristic shapes depending
on genus and species. They are preserved even when the plant is burned or disintegrated.
Scientists have found that it is possible to distinguish the microliths of teosinte
from those of maize and other grasses, thus allowing them to identify the approximate
dates and locations of early agricultural activity. Phytoliths are also preserved
on ceramic and stone artifacts used to process food.
Jones and his co-workers analyzed the sediments from San Andrés, in the state
of Tabasco on the Mexican Gulf Coast. Analysis of area sediments revealed phytoliths
of domesticated varieties of maize as well as those of agricultural weeds. These
data, along with evidence of burning, suggested that agriculturalists were active
in that part of the Yucatan Peninsula around 7,000 years ago.
Starch grains are the most recent addition to the archeobotanical toolbox. Maize
and its grass relatives produce large quantities of starch grains with unique
morphological characteristics and, like phytoliths, are preserved in sediments
and on cultural artifacts. Maize produces more starch than its wild relative teosinte,
and the grains are much larger. The paleobotanist Dolores Piperno and her colleagues
have established a number of criteria for distinguishing the starch grains of
different grasses and found that those of maize and teosinte could be reliably
separated on the basis of size and other morphological characters.
Maize also has a rich genetic history, which has resulted in thousands of varieties
or landraces adapted to different environmental conditions. Maize scientists and
geneticists have used this information to track the evolution and dispersal of
maize varieties as well as to reconstruct the history of maize domestication.
For example, the locus teosinte glume architecture 1 (tga1), is important in determining
phytolith formation and morphology and, along with other "domestication genes"
can be used to write the history of maize domestication and use by humans.
All of these methods are being used by paleobotanists, plant scientists, and archeologists
like Jones and his colleagues, to reconstruct the rich history of maize domestication
and evolution. Many of the ancient varieties were adaptations to different environmental
conditions such as different soils, temperature, altitude, and drought. Preservation
of these varieties and knowledge of their genetic and adaptive histories are of
paramount importance as farmers around the world cope with changes in soil, temperature,
and water availability and struggle to maintain a food supply for growing populations.
###
Contacts:
Dr. John Jones
jonesjg@wsu.edu
Brian Hyps
bhyps@aspb.org
Source: EurekAlert.org
27 June 2008
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1.16 Ancient Mexican maize varieties
Sequencing of ancient corn landraces to ensure genetic diversity and resources
Maize was first domesticated in the highlands of Mexico about 10,000 years
ago and is now one of the most important crop plants in the world. It is a member
of the grass family, which also hosts the world's other major crops including
rice, wheat, barley, sorghum, and sugar cane. As early agriculturalists selected
plants with desirable traits, they were also selecting genes important for transforming
a wild grass into a food plant. Since that time, Mexican farmers have created
thousands of varieties suitable for cultivation in the numerous environments in
the Mexican landscapefrom dry, temperate highlands to moist, tropical lowlands.
Because of its importance as food, the need to improve yield, and the challenges
presented by changing climate, the maize genome of the B73 cultivar is being sequenced.
However, because maize has a complex genome and many varieties, the genome sequence
from just one variety will not be adequate to represent the diversity of maize
worldwide. Mexican scientists are also sequencing and analyzing the genomes of
the ancient landraces to recapture the full genetic diversity of this complex
and adaptable crop.
Dr. Vielle-Calzada and his colleagues, Octavio Martinez de la Vega, Julio Vega-Arrenguin,
Gustavo Hernandez-Guzman, Enrique Ibarra-Laclette, Beatriz Jimenez-Moraila, Guilermo
Corona-Armenta, Cesar Alvarez-Mejia, Araceli Fernandez-Cortes, Gustavo de la Riva,
Alfredo Herrera-Estrella, and Luis Herrera-Estrella, are in the process of sequencing
one of the ancient popcorn races, Palomero, and analyzing its molecular and functional
diversity relative to other maize races. Dr. Vielle-Calzada, of the National Laboratory
of Genomics for Biodiversity, Cinvestav, Mexico, will be presenting this work
at a symposium on Maize Biology at the annual meeting of the American Society
of Plant Biologists in Mérida, Mexico (June 28, 11:30 AM).
Like other varieties of maize, the popcorn landraces are used throughout the world.
Archeological evidence traces the earliest popcorn in the USA to New Mexico, suggesting
an overland dispersal from the highlands of central Mexico into the northern plains
of Mexico and then into the southwestern USA. Recent studies also support the
hypothesis that popcorns are some of the oldest races of maize and group closely
with teosinte in phylogenetic analyses.
Palomero is an ancient popcorn landrace of the Central and Northern Highlands
Group. Vielle-Calzada and his colleagues estimated that its genome is about 22%
smaller than that of B73. Their structural and functional analysis of this genome
reveals a large number of unreported sequences, suggesting that the ancient landraces
contain a large pool of unexplored genetic diversity that could be useful in new
crop generation as well as the study of the evolution and domestication of maize
and other cereals. Other studies in Mexico and elsewhere have shown that Mexican
maize varieties are extraordinarily diverse.
Maize is a good model plant for studying the development of cereal crops because
of its complex genome, numerous developmental mutants, and thousands of varieties.
It is thought that as many as 1200 genes were selected in the process of transforming
maize into a versatile food plant, and the process continues today. In regions
throughout Mexico, farmers still cultivate local or criollo maize varieties in
traditional ways as well as generating new varieties. They are thus contributing
to conservation of the genetic diversity of maize and preserving traits that could
be useful in yet unforeseen circumstances.
Many of the ancient varieties like Palomero were adaptations to different environmental
conditions such as different soils, temperature, altitude, and drought. Preservation
of these varieties and knowledge of their genetic and adaptive histories are of
paramount importance as farmers around the world cope with changes in temperature
and water availability and struggle to maintain a food supply for growing populations.
These sequencing efforts are providing the data for genomic and mutant analyses
that are needed for the genetic engineering of crops to improve yield as well
as resistance to pests and tolerance for difficult growing conditions. The knowledge
gained from these efforts can also be applied in crop and yield improvement efforts
for other cereals.
###
Contacts:
Dr. Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada
vielle@ira.cinvestav.mx
Brian Hyps
bhyps@aspb.org
Source: EurekAlert.org
26 June 2008
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1.17 DNA fingerprinting identifies bean in patent dispute
A nine year dispute on the U.S. patent for a common yellow bean filed in 1999
has recently been settled through the use of DNA fingerprinting - an analysis
of DNA fragments that identify the unique genetic makeup of an individual plant
or animal. University of California Davis Professor Paul Gepts and colleagues
from the University of Padova, Italy, showed that through the DNA fingerprinting
technology, the yellow Enola bean introduced in the United States in 1990 is identical
to a bean variety grown in Mexico.
"The analysis showed that the Enola bean was produced through direct selection
of pre-existing yellow bean varieties from Mexico, most likely a bean known as
"Azufrado Peruano 87," said Gepts. "In short, the Enola was not a novel variety
and therefore not eligible for patent protection." This disclosure was used by
the patent office to reject the Enola bean patent in 2003 and 2005 and for a final
rejection of all patent claims last month.
For details, see press release at: http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=8676
Source: CropBiotech Update 30 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
(Return to Contents)
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1.18 Experts confident that drought-tolerant crops will
be available to farmers in the next decade
San Diego, California
Experts predict that the current consumption rate of water for agriculture is
not sustainable and that by 2025 two out of three people will live in drought
or water-stressed conditions.1 In addition, erratic weather patterns
and the possibility of warmer temperatures from climate change will increase the
threat of crop failures and food shortages.
Fortunately, research in agricultural biotechnology holds the promise of high
yield crops that will be able to withstand environmental stresses.
Speaking at the BIO International Convention in San Diego on a panel hosted by
the Council for Biotechnology Information
(CBI), Dr. Chris Zinselmeier, Program Leader for Water Optimization Technologies
for Syngenta, stated, "We are seeing very positive results in experimental lines
of plants under drought conditions and can be optimistic about bringing these
plants to market in the next decade."
The panel discussed ongoing research and achievements of biotechnology in the
development of crops that have a greater tolerance for water scarcity.
Dr. Zinselmeier was joined on the panel by Dr. Michael Metzlaff, Group Leader
for Crop Productivity Research for Bayer Inc.; Dr. Randy Allen, Departments of
Biological Sciences and Plant and Soil Sciences at Texas Tech University; and
Dr. Gail McLean, National Program Leader, Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants
Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Dr. Allen stated, "We are taking on the challenge of developing crops that will
provide farmers with the best traits of both high yields and tolerance to stress.
I believe we have seen significant progress in that research."
For more than a decade, farmers have used plants improved through biotechnology
to help combat environmental stresses such as insects and weeds. Today, researchers
in agricultural biotechnology are developing a new generation of plants that are
optimized to maintain yield capacity through periods of water scarcity. In effect,
these plants will have the ability to use water more efficiently, producing "more
crop per drop" of water.
Field testing for the development of drought-tolerant corn, cotton, canola and
other crops is well underway and preliminary results have been positive.
Such developments could result in improved yields in variable or dry years, less
need for irrigation in normal years and better yields on land previously considered
marginal for cost-effective production.
Every year, drought causes reduced crop yields across the globe. In the United
States, one-third of corn acres suffer from yield-reducing drought stress.
Underlining the critical importance of development of drought resistant crops,
Dr. Metzlaff stated, "The increased tolerance of crops to major environmental
stresses and the enhancement of productivity will be critical as water scarcity
and the world population grows. We must continue to develop plants that withstand
short term stresses, increase yield stability and allow planting in high stress
areas."
* Coping with Water Scarcity, United Nations Water Scarcity
Initiative, p. 2, August 2006.
Source: Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI)
via SeedQuest.com
24 June 2008
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1.19 Asia's drought-resistant maize
varieties
Maize is a staple crop in South-East Asia, both as a food and animal feed.
But the farmers that grow the crop often live in drought-prone areas, where poor
soil and disease exacerbate poor harvests.
To counter this, the Asian Maize Network was created, funded by the Asian Development
Bank and led by CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre).
The network, running from 2005–2008, brings together scientists from China, Indonesia,
the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to develop drought-tolerant maize varieties
and deliver them to farmers.
Genetic material from drought-tolerant varieties was supplied by CIMMYT and funds
put into setting up testing programmes in all five countries.
The first varieties have already been released for further testing in individual
countries, and many more are in the pipeline, with the eventual aim of providing
them to poor farmers at affordable prices.
The scientists involved say the project has helped them both in terms of capacity
and partnership building. Many agree that the training and working with researchers
from other countries has given them a new perspective on their work.
"I'm motivated to see that what I'm doing will really help farmers," says one.
Link to full
article
Source: CIMMYT via SciDev.net
16 June 2008
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1.20 Drought tolerant wheat yields 20
percent more
Field trials of wheat genetically modified (GM) to be drought-tolerant have
shown good results, according to scientists, with some lines producing yields
20 percent higher than non-GM varieties. Twenty four wheat lines containing five
different modifications (from maize, moss, Arabidopsis and yeast) were
tested, and of those, seven were identified providing higher yields under drought
stress.
"These initial results are very promising and suggest that these genetically
modified wheat lines may be part of the solution to help farmers maintain and
improve their crop yields in a changing global environment," Victorian Premier
John Brumby said. He further noted that with average yields worth approximately
$300 million in Victoria alone, a 20 per cent boost could provide as much as $80
million to the wheat industry.
As the results require confirmation in next season's field trials, Victoria's
Department of Primary Industries has submitted an application to the Federal Gene
Technology Regulator to extend the trials over the next two years. Scientists
hope to have the world's first transgenic wheat approved for commercial release
in six to 10 years.
The press release is available at http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/8fc6e140ef55837cca256c8c00183cdc/
6f38cf7c7d8376deca25746d000a1788!OpenDocument
Source CropBiotech Update 20 June 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
(Return to Contents)
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1.21 New genetic trait in sunflowers from BASF, Nidera
A new genetic trait for CLEARFIELD sunflowers will be made available in 2010,
thanks to a long-term joint development program between BASF and Nidera, a leading
sunflower breeding company. CLHA-Plus, the new gene, makes it easier for seed
companies to breed tolerance to BASF imidazolinone herbicides in high-yielding
sunflower hybrids. It also provides expanded weed control options and enhanced
tolerance to CLEARFIELD herbicides for sunflower growers. Weed control is often
one of the most limiting factors for global sunflower production.
Read the complete article at http://www.corporate.basf.com/en/presse/mitteilungen/pm.htm?pmid=3133&id=V00-Z.RgLCTZubcp1hp
Source: CropBiotech Update 20 June 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
(Return to Contents)
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1.22 Protecting wheat from a new global
threat
Wheat growers have a new nemesis in the form of Ug99, a rust fungus to which
very few of the currently grown varieties of wheat are resistant. How to combat
this scourge? Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural
Research Service (USDA-ARS) will be releasing the first wheat lines by pyramiding
two or more genes for resistance to Ug99. Wheat breeders will be able to use the
new line along with others to develop new commercial varieties with high yield
and Ug99 protection.
To protect U.S. wheat, ARS scientists will be determining U.S. wheat and barley
vulnerability to Ug99, identifying new sources of genetic resistance, discovering
molecular markers to speed up breeding for protection, developing rapid detection
methods, and nationwide surveillance for Ug99 in the U.S. They are also collaborating
with researchers across the country and around the world to find ways to deal
with this massive threat to a global food staple.
To read more, visit: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080616.htm.
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
(Return to Contents)
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1.23 Research required urgently to control planthopper pests, a major threat to Asian rice production
Los Baños, The Philippines
23-25 June conference to address major threat to Asian rice production
A small insect that has devastated millions of hectares of rice in southern
China and Vietnam over the past few yearscausing the loss of thousands of
tons of the grain at a crucial time for global productionis the focus of
a critical and timely conference this week in the Philippines.
Problems caused by planthoppers, a major type of rice pest that can destroy one-fifth
of a harvest, have intensified across Asia in recent years. Major outbreaks in
Vietnam in 2007 contributed to recent dramatic rises in the cost of rice, which
have threatened to push millions of people deeper into poverty. If not effectively
controlled, these pests could hamper rice production and help keep prices high.
Sustained increases in productivity are needed to ensure affordable, plentiful
rice for the 3 billion people who depend on it. However, a steady dwindling of
funding for public rice research over the past 15 years has stifled research to
develop sustainable management practices that help farmers control pests.
A report on the front page of the 18 May New York Times revealed that scientists
at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
have the know-how to develop rice that can withstand several strains of the devastating
pest and integrate resistant varieties with ecological control methods. But, with
resources drying up, the research efforts are on hold.
Planthoppers are normally kept in check by naturally occurring biological phenomena,
such as other animals that prey on the pest. In the 1970s and 1980s, planthoppers
threatened rice intensification programs in Indonesia, Thailand, India, the Solomon
Islands, and the Philippines.
IRRI organized the first brown planthopper (BPH) international conference in 1977,
bringing together scientists from all rice-producing countries. Activities triggered
by this meetingincluding integrated pest management (IPM), reducing unnecessary
insecticide use, and breeding BPH-resistant rice varietieshelped keep BPH
under control for the next 20 years. However, in the last 5 years, planthopper
problems have worsened in several countries, including China, Korea, Japan, and
Vietnam. Increasing insecticide resistance is also a concern.
“One of the key problems is overuse of pesticide,” said IRRI entomologist and
conference organizer K.L. Heong. “As well as destroying the natural predators
of planthopper, this also allows the pests to become resistant to pesticides.”
Since the first BPH conference, genetics, ecology, and pest management have advanced
considerably. Planthoppers are now known to be secondary pests induced by ecological
disturbances such as pesticide overuse. To ensure sustainable rice production,
research must be directed toward not only pest-resistant rice varieties but also
healthy rice-farming ecosystems that provide the natural biological services that
control planthoppers.
In the last 30 years, scientific advances have coincided with the development
of ecosystem-services frameworks and lessons from breeding resistance, understanding
farmer decisions, implementing IPM, and improving communication campaigns. The
new knowledge can allow novel approaches and research for more sustainable management.
The conference at IRRI, which will bring together leading regional expertsincluding
representatives from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Australia, China, Japan, India, and Bangladeshand
policymakers, will be an important starting point.
Source: SeedQuest.com
23 June 2008
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1.24 Genome communication
Alleles of homologous genes can silence one another through paramutations
In the late 19th century Gregor Mendel used peas to show that one copy of
a gene (allele) is inherited from the mother and one from the father. In the progeny,
the inherited genes are expressed at the right time and in the right place, but
until recently, it was thought that although gene products could be modified during
the life of the organism, the genes themselves were unchanged, except for random
mutation. Now it appears that one copy of some genes can alter the expression
of the other copy, and those changes are passed down to the next generation. These
epigenetic alterations, called paramutations may be important in introducing changes
when plants and other organisms are environmentally stressed. The exact mechanisms
of how genes talk to other genes and change their behavior are being investigated,
and recent results suggest that these processes could be important in engineering
plants responsive to a variety of environmental conditions.
Dr. Vicki Chandler and her colleagues have studied paramutations in maize and
other plants and have identified some of the genes and mechanisms that operate
in this epigenetic process. Dr. Chandler, of the Department of Plant Sciences
at the University of Arizona, Tucson, will be presenting this work at a symposium
on Maize Biology at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists
in Mérida, Mexico (June 28, 9:10 AM).
The sequencing of genes, proteins, and, ultimately, whole genomes has revealed
that genomes are not simply strings of genes, but rather complex, communicating,
and interacting regions of information that could be compared to DNA computers
controlling growth, development, and metabolism in each organism. The physical
architecture of the genome is also highly complex. The nucleus, where the genome
resides, is not full of strings of DNA like a pot of spaghetti. Rather, the strands
of DNA are wrapped around proteins called histones and the whole is organized
into an elegant and highly controlled structure called chromatin. When it is time
for genes to be expressed, a section of chromatin is unwound and the DNA for that
particular gene is made available to the machinery that transcribes DNA to RNA.
Once the process is finished, the DNA is neatly folded back into the chromatin
structure until needed again. Different parts of the genome can interact by direct
contact or through intermediaries that can be proteins or RNA sequences. The exact
mechanisms of how paramutagenic alleles communicate with their homologous partners
are still unknown, but the work of Chandler and others suggests that both direct
contact of homologous regions and changes induced by intermediary RNA molecules
may be involved.
Peas also played an important role in the discovery of paramutations, as the first
mutants of this type were observed in peas in 1915. Then, in the 1950s, Alexander
Brink identified these types of mutations as interactions between alleles. He
recognized that these interactions resulted in heritable changes to the expression
of those genes. Since then, paramutations have been found in humans and other
animals, as well as other plant species including tomato, tobacco, petunia, and
maize. In animals, paramutations may be important in mediating the occurrence
of diseases like diabetes. Chandler and her co-workers have been investigating
paramutations in maize at the b1 gene, which regulates the distribution of the
purple pigment anthocyanin in plant tissues.
At the b1 locus, the paramutagenic allele, which causes light or stippled pigmentation
arises spontaneously from the wild-type allele, which causes dark purple pigmentation.
If a plant with the paramutagenic allele is crossed with a wild-type allele, the
progeny get both alleles. However, the paramutagenic allele silences the wild-type
allele and produces a plant with stippled rather than purple pigmentation. The
silent state is then passed on in subsequent crosses.
Several different components may be involved in paramutation, although they may
differ among species. One important player is an array of repeated non-coding
DNA sequences that lies upstream of the gene sequence of the paramutagenic allele.
Seven of these tandem repeats are required for b1 paramutation. If only three
tandem repeats are present, there is only partial paramutagenic activity. One
possibility is that these tandem repeats are involved in direct interactions of
chromatin regions, which results in paramutation changes. However, RNA also appears
to be part of the process. The gene mediator of paramutation1 (mop1), an RNA dependent
RNA polymerase is absolutely required for paramutation silencing at the b1 locus
as well as for several other maize genes. In Arabidopsis, this RNA polymerase
is associated with the production of small, interfering RNAs (siRNA) that function
in gene silencing in other contexts. The siRNA could thus act as an intermediary
molecule, being sent to silence the homologous allele. A third component is the
placement of methyl groups on the control sequence (promoter) of the wild-type
gene. Gene methylation has been known for some time as a cell defense mechanism
for silencing foreign DNA but is also functional in other cellular processes.
In several species, such methylation is also directed by RNA molecules. None of
these processes is likely to be sufficient by themselves to effect paramutation,
but rather all of them may interact, although to varying degrees in different
species.
The molecular components of paramutation probably arose as cell defense mechanisms
against viral or bacterial DNA. They have evolved to serve the needs of plants
that grow in complex and changing environments from which they cannot escape,
but to which they may be able to adapt through mechanisms like paramutation. Indeed,
two instances of paramutation are known to be influenced by temperature. This
work has implications for engineering crops that may be able to adapt to higher
temperatures or drought conditions, as well as for applications in human and veterinary
medicine.
###
Contact:
Dr. Vicki Chandler
chandler@ag.arizona.edu
Brian Hyps
bhyps@aspb.org
Source: EurkekAlert.org
27 June 2008
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1.25 To branch or not to branch
RAMOSA gene network influences grain architecture and yield in maize
The closest wild relative of maize, teosinte, does not look very promising
as food. The ear is tiny compared to the domesticated one, and the grains are
surrounded by hard fruitcases that are difficult to break open. Teosinte originated
in Mexico, and, around 10,000 years ago, mutations in the wild population produced
plants that attracted the attention of hunter gatherers looking for some starch
in their diets. Saved seed was planted and desirable plants selected again in
the next generation. Along with desirable traits, these early agriculturalists
were selecting genes important for transforming a wild grass into a food plant.
These same genes are being studied today to understand how maize and other crops
in the grass family like rice, wheat, and sorghum produce grain. This knowledge
is being used to create new varieties with better and consistent yield.
Dr. Erik Vollbrecht and his colleagues, Xiang Yang, Brandi Sigmon, Erica Unger-Wallace,
and Zhuying Li, have studied mutations of some of the genes related to ear formation,
among them, RAMOSA 1-3, which helped to transform the tiny teosinte ear with only
5-12 kernels into the large, massive corn cob we eat today. Dr. Vollbrecht, of
the Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology at Iowa State University,
will be presenting this work at a symposium on Maize Biology at the annual meeting
of the American Society of Plant Biologists in Mérida, Mexico (June 28, 10:40
AM).
The familiar spikes of grasses are the flower-bearing stems, or inflorescences,
which produce tiny, wind-pollinated flowers. Different grass species, and especially
the grain crops, differ in the number, length, and types of inflorescence branches,
ranging from the straight spikes of wheat and barley to maize and sorghum with
branched tassels. Maize has two separate inflorescencesthe male tassel or
pollen-producing flowers, and the female flowers that produce the kernel-bearing
ears. The terminal male inflorescence has long branches at its base and a central
spike with shorter branches that carry the pollen-bearing flowers. The female
inflorescences, or ears, are laterally positioned and have short branches, which
is important for efficient packing and harvesting of seeds.
The differences in grass inflorescence architecture have important implications
for grain yield. For example, the more branches in rice, the higher the grain
yield. The opposite is true for maize, which puts its energy into the massive
cobs that sit on short side branches. These different patterns of branching are
determined by meristems, plant stem cells located at the tips of growing stems
and at the bases of leaves (axils). The activity of these meristems is regulated
by networks of genes expressed throughout plant development. Among these architectural
genes so important in the domestication of maize are the RAMOSA genes and proteins
studied by Dr. Vollbrecht and other researchers.
Through their analyses of these and other mutants,Vollbrecht and his co-workers
have determined that the three RAMOSA genes (RA1-3) regulate inflorescence branching
in maize. RA1 and RA2 are transcription factors, proteins that control the process
in which a gene's DNA strands are read and rewritten as RNA strands. RA3 encodes
a phosphatase that is important in the biosynthesis of a sugar, trehalose, thought
to be an important developmental signaling molecule. Vollbrecht and his colleagues
suggest that these three genes, along with others, act in a network unique to
grasses, which controls the architecture of the maize inflorescence and, ultimately,
grain yield. RA2 acts upstream of RA1, which is expressed at the boundary of meristems
and forces the stem cells to produce short branches. RA2, in turn, regulates RA1;
and RA3 may be involved in modifying a mobile signal that tells axillary meristems
either to stop making branches or to continue growth. When the three genes are
mutated, the mutant maize plants have more and longer branches and produce smaller
and deformed cobs.
These scientists also studied the expression patterns of these genes in other
species. RA1 appears to be absent in rice and is found only in the large tribe,
Andropogoneae, which includes maize and sorghum. RA2 and RA3 appear to be conserved
over many grass taxa suggesting that they are important in controlling inflorescence
architecture in all grasses. Vollbrecht and his colleagues propose that all three
of these genes have been important in the evolution of grass inflorescence architecture.
One of Charles Darwin's insights was that natural selection is the same as artificial
selection. He formulated the theory of evolution, in part through his observations
of the work of breeders of plants and animals. Domestication is a form of artificial
selection, and it is thought that as many as 1200 genes were important in transforming
maize into a major food crop. Maize is a good model plant for studying inflorescence
and grain morphology because it has a complex genome and a rich genetic history
with numerous developmental mutants. Mutant maize plants with more and longer
branches have been known since the early 20th century, but the reasons for these
architectural aberrations were unknown until recently. Studies of these mutants
and the genes that were important in the domestication and evolution of grain
crops are providing insights for the genetic engineering of crops to improve yield
as well as resistance to pests and tolerance for difficult growing conditions
such as poor soils, heat, and drought.
###
Contact:
Dr. Erik Vollbrecht
vollbrec@iastate.edu
Brian Hyps
bhyps@aspb.org
240-354-5160
Source: EurekAlert.org
27 June 2008
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1.26 How to build a plant
Plant architecture from the genomics toolbox
Walking through a tropical or temperate forest immediately impresses us with
the myriad forms and soaring structures of the plant world, but our knowledge
of how plants are actually built, cell by cell, is still incomplete. Now, with
data emerging from many genome sequencing projects, scientists have begun to unravel
the details of plant architecture at the molecular level. This knowledge has implications
for crop yield improvement, biofuel production, and materials science.
Dr. Sarah Hake and her colleagues, George Chuck, Hector Candela-Anton, Nathalie
Bolduc, Jihyun Moon, Devin O'Connor, China Lunde, and Beth Thompson, have taken
advantage of the information from sequenced grass genomes to study how the reproductive
structures of maize are formed. Dr. Hake, of the Plant Gene Expression Center,
USDA-ARS, who is the 2007 recipient of the Stephen Hales Prize, will be presenting
this work at the opening Awards Symposium of the annual meeting of the American
Society of Plant Biologists in Mérida, Mexico (June 27, 3:10 PM).
Maize was first domesticated in the highlands of Mexico over 6,000 years ago and
is now one of the most important crop plants in the world. It is a member of the
grass family, which also hosts the world's other major crops including rice, wheat,
barley, sorghum, and sugar cane. Maize has a rich genetic history, which has resulted
in thousands of varieties or landraces. Scientists at CIMMYT, Centro Internacional
de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement
Center, work to preserve the ancient varieties that represent adaptations to different
environmental conditions such as different soils, temperature, altitude, and drought.
These traits are expressions of different genes and groups of genes that scientists
hope to utilize to keep up with changing climatic conditions and global food supply.
Dr. Hake and her colleagues have utilized this rich genetic history of maize to
characterize how maize plant architecture is initiated and regulated. They have
focused on plant stem cells, the groups of self-renewing cells, called meristems,
which are located at the tips of plant shoots and roots. In particular, these
scientists have studied the plant's flower structures, which become the corn grain
or cob. They have used the numerous mutants generated in the complex maize genome
to specify the gene networks and biochemical pathways that determine how the maize
inflorescence is built. They have also made use of the genetic information from
the already sequenced rice and Arabidopsis genomes as well as that emerging from
the maize genome sequencing project. Up until recently, the thale cress, Arabidopsis,
has been the most widely used model organism in plant biology because of its small
size and fast generation time. However, says Dr. Hake, "Plant biology has benefited
tremendously from Arabidopsis, but when we start to think about morphology, additional
model organisms will be useful. Maize is a good model for the grasses because
of the ease of genetics in maize, the recently sequenced genome, and the diversity
between inbreds."
Meristems are classified as determinate or indeterminate. Indeterminate meristems
are groups of cells that are self-renewing and continue to produce structures
like stems, branches, leaves, and flowers throughout the life of the plant. Determinate
meristems are groups of cells that are gradually consumed after producing a certain
number of structures and organs. The maize inflorescence is a good model for studying
plant development because it contains both kinds of meristems. Maize is also a
good model system because its genetic complexity makes it highly amenable to mutation
and it is transformable, allowing the generation of many different mutant lines
and genetic backgrounds.
Hake and her co-workers have used maize mutants to dissect flower, grain, and
leaf development in this and other grasses. For example, they cloned and characterized
the barren inflorescence2 (bif2) and ramosa2 (ra2) mutants and determined their
functions in the formation of axillary meristems, those that produce branches
and flowers. Phylogenetic analyses showed that both bif2 and ra2 are highly conserved
among different grass species.
Maize has two separate inflorescencesthe male tassel or pollen-producing
flowers, and the female flowers that produce the kernel-bearing ears. Both sets
of flowers begin as bisexual but with development, the female structures in the
tassel and the male structures in the ear are arrested. By analyzing the mutant
tasselseed4 (t4), Hake and her colleagues found that the t4 microRNA is important
in determining the sex and cell fate of the groups of cells forming tassels and
ears. Analyses of the mutant Corngrass1 (Cg1) demonstrated that this gene functions
in production of mature leaves, while the mutant exhibits the architecture and
structures of the juvenile plant.
Through their work with maize mutants, Hake and her colleagues have begun to assemble
a representation of the networks of genes and the developmental and metabolic
pathways that determine how plants are constructed. Through comparative phylogenetic
analyses, they have shown the evolutionary conservation of these traits in other
cereals crops, thus laying the groundwork for crop and yield improvement in other
food plants as well.
###
Contact: Dr. Sarah Hake
maizesh@nature.berkeley.edu
Brian Hyps
bhyps@aspb.org
Source: EurekAlert.org
26 June 2008
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1.27 Doubled haploids speed development of drought tolerant
maize for Africa
CIMMYT
is adapting an advanced technologythe doubled haploid approachto develop
inbred lines of tropical maize for sub-Saharan Africa. It promises to reduce costs
and speed the arrival of better-adapted maize for resource-poor farmers in the
world’s toughest environments.
CIMMYT scientists have begun developing drought tolerant varieties of tropical
maize for places like sub-Saharan Africa using a high-tech approachknown
as doubled haploidspreviously applied principally by commercial seed companies
working mostly on temperate maize.
“Haploid” refers to the number of chromosomes in a reproductive cell, like sperm
or ovum. In grasses like maize, the reproductive cellspollen and ovulescontain
half the chromosomes of a full-grown individual. Fertilization joins the genetic
information from the two parents, and offspring carry paired sets of chromosomes,
reflecting the diversity of each parent.
“Maize breeders working on hybridsthe most productive type of maize variety
and the one marketed by most seed companiesmust at some point create genetically-stable
and pure lines of desirable, individual plants, for use as parents of hybrids,”
says CIMMYT maize physiologist Jose Luis Araus.
Conventionally, breeders get the lines by repeatedly fertilizing selected, individual
maize plants with the plant’s own pollen. The process requires expensive field
space, labor, and timenormally, seven or more generations, which represents
at least three years, even in settings where it’s possible to grow two crops per
season.
Purer, faster, cheaper
In the latter part of the 20th century, crop scientists developed a quicker,
cheaper path to genetically-uniform parent linesthough a technically intricate
method. The first step involves crossing normal maize with special maize types
called “inducers,” whose pollen causes the normal maize to produce seed containing
haploid embryos. The haploid embryo carries a single set of its own chromosomes,
rather than the normal paired sets. The embryos are planted, and subsequent treatment
of the seedlings with a particular chemical causes them to make “photocopies”
of their haploid chromosomes, resulting in a fertile plant endowed with a doubled
set of identical chromosomes and able to produce seed of 100% genetic purity.
“The actual treatment, as well as getting from the embryo to a reasonable amount
of seed of the pure line, is very complicated,” says Ciro Sánchez Rodríguez, CIMMYT
technician in charge of doubled haploid field trials, “but when the process is
perfected, it only takes two generationsabout one yearand the logistical
advantages are tremendous.”
First extensive use in the tropics
CIMMYT is implementing the doubled haploid technology on a research station
in Mexico, using drought tolerant plants adapted to sub-Saharan Africa. “CIMMYT’s
use of the practice is another example of how we put advanced technologies at
the service of disadvantaged, small-scale farmers,” says Araus. “Among other things,
this represents a significant opportunity to increase the availability of improved,
drought tolerant maize varieties for sub-Saharan Africa,” he says.
Commercial seed companies in Europe and North America have been the main users
of the doubled haploid technology, and the inducer genotypes available are of
temperate adaptation. “The inducers perform very poorly in the tropical conditions
of our Mexico stations,” says Vanessa Prigge, a PhD student from the University
of Hohenheim working at CIMMYT to perfect the technique. To generate inducers
that work better in tropical settings, Prigge and colleagues are crossing temperate
inducers from Hohenheim with CIMMYT maize from Mexico, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. “We
expect to have tropical versions of the inducers in a couple years,” she says.
Reaching farmers’ fields
Maize lines from this work will be used initially in the
Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) and the
Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) projects.
“This is a very exciting technology,” says Aida Kebede (photo), an Ethiopian PhD
student from Hohenheim helping to establish the doubled haploid technology at
CIMMYT. “It holds the key to addressing more quickly the persistent problems of
African maize growers: drought, disease pressure, and low productivity. I’m happy
to contribute!”
Source: E-newsletter
vol 5 no 5 - May 2008 via SeedQuest.com
May, 2008
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1.28 Direction of plant genome evolution
The apparent lack of correlation between the genome size of an organism and
its complexity has long puzzled scientists. Simple organisms, like some fungi
and bacteria, could have genomes that are many times larger than more complicated
ones.
It has become clear that transposable genetic element play a role in genome size
growth especially in plants. Recent studies on maize and cotton revealed that
their genome sizes have significantly increased over the past few million years
due to proliferation of retrotransposons, mobile genetic elements that can amplify
themselves in the genome. Evidences suggest that the direction of plant genome
size change is biased toward increase, albeit there must be some limit on genome
size growth. Plants employ several mechanisms such as homologous recombination
to remove "junk" DNA. The question remains, nonetheless, if these mechanisms really
contribute in downsizing the genome.
The review paper by Hawkins et al. is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2008.03.015
Source: CropBiotech Update 23 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.29 Scientists identify gene defect in
herbicide-sensitive corn
Herbicides registered for use in sweet corn kill unwanted plants while leaving
the crops unharmed, thanks to protective enzymes in corn that rapidly degrade
the chemicals. This is not the case, however, for several sweet corn hybrids that
harbor a genetic defect that impedes the action of the protective enzymes. The
defect causes herbicides to remain in the hybrids, resulting to plants with stunted
growth or poor yield.
Scientists from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) and University of Illinois have identified the cause of herbicide sensitivity
in hybrid corns. They found out that a defect in the cytochrome P450 gene, or
a very closely linked gene, results in damage to plants from five distinct herbicide
classes. The cytochrome P450 gene also regulates the metabolism of the herbicides
nicosulfuron and bentazon. Evaluations of sweet corn hybrids and inbred lines
revealed that the faulty gene is widespread in both processing and fresh-market
types of sweet corn grown throughout North America. With the defect identified,
it is now possible to eliminate herbicide-sensitivity from the germplasm by selective
breeding.
For more information read http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080521.htm
Source: CropBiotech Update 16 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.30 Researchers identify gene that regulates
rice yield potential
Researchers from Huazhong Agricultural University in China have pinpointed
a gene that plays a linchpin role in determining yield potential in rice, as well
as the plant's adaptability to cooler climates. Their study, published by the
journal Nature Genetics, has implications for rice productivity.
Rice productivity is determined by several traits - number of grains per flower
cluster, the height of the plant and its flowering time. Previous studies have
identified a region on chromosome 7 that affected all these traits, but the specific
gene involved has not yet been pinpointed. Qifa Zhang and his colleagues screened
thousands of rice plants in a bid to track down the elusive gene.
The researchers found out that deletion of the Ghd7 gene results to plants
that are shorter and have fewer grains per panicle. There are five different versions
of Ghd7. Less active, or inactive, versions of Ghd7 were found in rice
grown in temperate regions. This enables rice to be cultivated in areas where
there is a short growing season.
The abstract, including links to the full article, is available at http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ng.143.html
Source: CropBiotech Update 2 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.31 Scientists identify wheat genes for
frost tolerance
Researchers from the University of California Davis have identified the genes
responsible for the wide range of freezing temperatures that can be tolerated
by different wheat varieties. Results of the study, reported in the current issue
of the journal Plant Molecular Biology, provide insights for the understanding
of winter injury, a major economic risk factor in producing wheat.
The scientists found out that the genes that regulate frost-tolerance are activated
at milder temperatures (11-15 degrees Celsius) in frost-tolerant wheat varieties
than in frost-susceptible varieties. The identification of these genes is expected
to enable breeders to develop hardier, more productive wheat varieties, which
is of vital importance in light of growing pressures to increase global
food production.
Read the press release at http://www-pubcomm.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=8626
Source: CropBiotech Update 2 May 2008
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
Cornell University
mes25@cornell.edu
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1.32 RNA silencing mediated resistance to a crinivirus
in sweetpotato does not prevent synergistic virus disease.
Sweetpotato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV; genus Crinivirus, family Closteroviridae)
is one of the most important pathogens of sweetpotato worldwide. It can cause
up to 50% yield reduction by itself, but causes most damage as an inducer of various
synergistic virus diseases upon co-infection with unrelated viruses, to which
sweetpotato is normally highly resistant. The most common among these is know
as sweetpotato virus disease (SPVD) and is caused by co-infection of SPCSV and
sweetpotato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV; genus Potyvirus; family Potyviridae).
No sources of strong resistance to SPCSV are available in germplasm, and pathogen
derived resistance through genetic transformation of sweetpotato may therefore
provide an alternative solution to control the disease. We describe the successful
genetic transformation on the Peruvian sweetpotato landrace 'Huachano', with an
intron-spliced hairpin construct targeting the polymerases of SPCSV and SPFMV,
to control SPVD. Twenty-eight independent transgenic events were obtained in three
transformation experiments using a highly virulent Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains
and regeneration through embryogenesis. Molecular analysis indicated that constructs
were intact and functional in the majority of events, producing various levels
of virus specific siRNAs. 'Huachano' is naturally extremely resistant to infection
by SPFMV alone and remained so in all transgenic events after virus challenge
by grafting. Ten out of 20 events challenged with SPCSV alone showed significantly
reduced virus titers as compared to the wild type and only mild or no symptoms
following infection. The high levels of resistance were however not sufficient
to prevent SPVD upon co-infection with SPFMV, to which all events were equally
susceptible, despite the maintenance of reduced SPCSV titers in at least one event.
Research published online first in Molecular Plant Pathology:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119880149/issue
(Access is for subscribers only; please contact Jan Kreuze for a pdf copy)
Contributed by Jan Kreuze, CIP
J.KREUZE@CGIAR.ORG
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1.33 Unlocking the genome of world’s worst insect pest
Australia
Scientists from CSIRO and the University of Melbourne in Australia, and
the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas,
are on the brink of a discovery which will facilitate the development of new,
safe, more sustainable ways of controlling the world’s worst agricultural insect
pest – the moth, Helicoverpa armigera.
The Australian Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator
the Hon Kim Carr, said – at the BIO 2008 International Convention in San Diego,
California – that the team was expected to sequence the moth ’s genome in about
four months.
“This will allow the collaborating scientists and a worldwide consortium of specialists
to work on new ways of controlling this pest,” Senator Carr said.
According to CSIRO’s Group Executive for Agribusiness, Dr Joanne Daly, these include:
the molecular basis of resistance to chemical and Bt insecticides and population
genetics related to the refuge strategies in place to help prevent Helicoverpa
from developing resistance to Bt transgenic cottons.
“This moth is resistant to nearly every class of chemical pesticide and threatens
the long-term viability of transgenic crops which are reliant on the biological
pesticide, Bt,” Dr Daly said.
“The sequencing of the genome will greatly facilitate this research by improving
the power, cost effectiveness and insights from the genetic work on this species
and its American cousin H. zea,” University of Melbourne Associate Professor Philip
Batterham said.
Senator Carr said that finding the moth's Achilles heel was critically important
to agriculture worldwide.
“The moth causes $225 million of damage a year in Australia – $5 billion globally
– to crops such as cotton, legumes and vegetables,” he said.
“Our scientists are already world leaders in research on the genetics and ecology
of Helicoverpa and its close relatives.
“This project – led by CSIRO Entomology’s Dr John Oakeshott and Associate Professor
Batterham – will build on Australia’s role. Working together with our partners
at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and France’s National Institute
for Agricultural Research, the project will help establish us as leaders in organising
major insect genome projects.”
The project is another example of what can be achieved through collaboration between
scientists and their institutions both in Australia and overseas, he said.
Read more at: http://www.csiro.au/news/MothGenome.html
Other news from
the University of Melbourne
Source: SeedQuest.com
17 June 2008
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1.34 Leading plant breeder John Bingham
opens new Cambridge labs
Pioneering plant breeder John Bingham CBE, FRS yesterday (23 June) officially
opened a new laboratory named after him at the National Institute of Agricultural
Botany in Huntingdon Road, Cambridge.
Mr Bingham’s innovative approach to plant breeding contributed considerably to
establishing winter wheat as the mainstay of UK crop production. Mr Bingham, who
was based at the Plant Breeding Institute, Cambridge for 40 years, lives in Norfolk
where he farms.
The John Bingham Laboratory provides the latest state of the art facilities for
NIAB’s cutting edge research projects. It was recently refurbished and equipped
with a grant from the NIAB Trust
NIAB’s Research Director, Prof Andy Greenland, said the lab was named after Mr
Bingham in recognition of his considerable contribution to wheat breeding in the
UK, an activity which is at the heart of a good part of the research undertaken
in the new lab.
He said:
“John Bingham is a regular visitor at NIAB and his experience and knowledge continues
to help us and many others in the breeding community. It is a great honour for
NIAB to recognise his continuing involvement by naming our research facility after
him.”
Mr Bingham said he considered it an honour to have the NIAB laboratory named after
him, and that it was a tribute to the work carried out by his team at the Plant
Breeding Institute.
He was introduced by Dr Richard Summers, who was part of Mr Bingham’s team at
the PBI, and now leads Cereal Breeding at RAGT, a French company which operates
from the former PBI site.
Mr Bingham joined the PBI in 1954 where he worked until 1987 when the plant breeding
programmes at PBI were privatized. He continued his plant breeding career at Plant
Breeding International Cambridge Ltd until June 1991. During his time at PBIC
he saw the establishment of cereal breeding stations in France and Germany. After
retirement he continued to work as a consultant for much of the 1990’s.
Initially appointed to work on breeding wheat for bread making quality John Bingham
went on to become the pre-eminent cereal breeder of his time. He produced many
commercially successful and landmark varieties. Over 35 varieties bred by his
team have been recommended, including Maris Huntsman, Virtue, Avalon, Norman,
Galahad, Mercia, Rendezvous, Riband and Beaver.
Throughout his career John Bingham always strove to integrate relevant plant science
research onto practical breeding and has had a lifelong interest in the physiology
of the wheat plant. In addition to his legacy of improved wheat varieties, he
has been responsible for mentoring a majority of wheat breeders active in the
UK today.
Since 2006, the number of research scientists at NIAB have tripled from about
10-12 to a group of 36 as demands for their scientific skills have increased with
projects based in the UK and collaborative work overseas. Prof Wayne Powell, NIAB
Chief Executive, and Prof Greenland, described how the new laboratory marked a
turning point for their cutting edge research projects. A tour of the laboratory
was held following a strawberry tea.
Contributed by Ellee Seymour
ellee.seymour@btopenworld.com
24 June 2008
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1.35 Update 3-2008 of FAO-BiotechNews
(Excerpts selected by the editor, PBN-L)
Archived news items published in FAO-BiotechNews since 2002 are available (in
Arabic, Chinese,English, French and Spanish) at the webpage http://www.fao.org/biotech/news_list.asp?thexpand=1&cat=131.
The archives of FAO-BiotechNews can also be searched (again, in 5 languages) at
http://www.fao.org/biotech/archive.asp.
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*** NEWS *** ( http://www.fao.org/biotech/news_list.asp?thexpand=1&cat=131)
1) Global assessment of plant breeding capacity
Since 2002, FAO and its partners have been carrying out a survey to assess
national plant breeding and related biotechnology capacity worldwide. The survey
is currently concluded in 62 countries and is still ongoing in 30 countries through
the support of FAO and the Global Partnership Initiative for Plant Breeding Capacity
Building (GIPB). The Plant Breeding and related Biotechnology Capacity assessment
(PBBC) database is now available on the web, providing information from the survey
in an easily searchable format. See http://km.fao.org/gipb/pbbc/ or contact
elcio.guimaraes@fao.org for more information or with suggestions/comments.
3) Agricultural biotechnology network - Near East and North Africa
On 15-16 December 2007, an expert consultation meeting for the establishment
of a regional network for agricultural biotechnology in the Near East and North
Africa was held in Cairo, Egypt. The meeting was sponsored by the Association
of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA),
the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), FAO and the International Center
for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and hosted by the Egypt Agricultural
Research Center. At the meeting, the proposal to establish the network was adopted
unanimously and decisions were taken regarding location of the network secretariat,
election of officers, selection of technical working groups and a program of activities.
See http://www.aarinena.org/rais/documents/newsletter/vol15no2/5-6E.pdf
(568 KB) or contact i.hamdan@cgiar.org for more information.
4) Consultation on jatropha development
On 10-11 April 2008, the "International consultation on pro-poor Jatropha
development" was held in Rome, Italy, jointly organised by the International Fund
for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Foundation, FAO and the
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The consultation was designed to support
the recently-approved research grant financed by IFAD, which, inter alia, aims
to develop appropriate technologies to intensify biofuel feedstock production,
study the economics of rural electrification and assess its impact on poverty.
The consultation was organised in 11 sessions, one of which was dedicated to breeding,
where applications of molecular markers were also discussed. Presentations from
the consultation are now available on the web. See http://www.ifad.org/events/jatropha/index.htm
or contact v.raswant@ifad.org for more information.
8) Advance version of COP-MOP 4 report (Cartagena Protocol)
An advance version of the report of the 4th meeting of the Parties to the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP 4), that took place on 12-16 May 2008
in Bonn, Germany, is now available on the web. This 105-page document is subject
to final clearance. See http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/bs/mop-04/official/mop-04-18-en.pdf
or contact secretariat@cbd.int for more information. Documents, press releases
and webcasts from the meeting are also available at http://www.cbd.int/mop4/.
13) OECD Biotechnology Update 19
Issue number 19 (April 2008) of the OECD Biotechnology Update is now available.
Presented by OECD's Internal Co-ordination Group for Biotechnology, the 25-page
newsletter aims to provide updated information on activities at the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development related to biotechnology. See http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/33/1/40628456.pdf
(382 KB) or contact icgb@oecd.org for more information.
14) Plant breeding capacity - Cameroon, Kenya, the Philippines and Venezuela
As part of its IFPRI Discussion Papers series, the International Food Policy
Research Institute has just published "Plant genetic resources for agriculture,
plant breeding, and biotechnology: Experiences from Cameroon, Kenya, the Philippines,
and Venezuela" by J. Falck-Zepeda and co-authors. Using data from a global survey
that FAO and its partners have been carrying out on national plant breeding and
related biotechnology capacity, the 48-page study examines investments in human
and financial resources and the distribution of resources among the different
programs, as well as the capacity and policy development for agricultural research
in the four selected countries. See http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/dp/ifpridp00762.asp
or contact ifpri@cgiar.org for more information.
15) GM bananas in Uganda
In another paper in its IFPRI Discussion Papers series, the International
Food Policy Research Institute has just published "Introducing a genetically modified
banana in Uganda: Social benefits, costs, and consumer perceptions" by E. Kikulwe,
J. Wesseler and J. Falck-Zepeda. The purpose of this 29-page paper is to examine
potential social welfare impacts of adopting GM bananas in Uganda. See http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/dp/ifpridp00767.asp
or contact ifpri@cgiar.org for more information. IFPRI Discussion Papers contain
preliminary material and research results and are circulated in order to stimulate
discussion and critical comment.
16) Quality Protein Maize manual
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) has just published
"Breeding Quality Protein Maize (QPM): Protocols for developing QPM cultivars"
by B.S. Vivek and co-authors. The 50-page manual is intended for maize breeders
who would like to start developing QPM cultivars. It is a compilation and consolidation
of several breeding protocols successfully used at CIMMYT over two decades of
QPM development and breeding. A brief background and the basic theory of QPM genetics
are explained, leading up to detailed methods and procedures of QPM development.
A chapter is dedicated to marker-assisted selection. QPM grain contains enhanced
levels of the essential amino acids lysine and tryptophan, along with other characteristics
that make more of its protein useful to humans or farm animals. See http://www.cimmyt.org/english/docs/manual/protocols/qpm_protocols.pdf
(1.7 MB) or contact lvillasenor@cgiar.org for more information.
*** EVENTS *** (
http://www.fao.org/biotech/events_list.asp?Cat=133)
11-15 September 2008, Changsha, China. The 5th international hybrid rice symposium.
Convened, among others, by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the
symposium brings together leading researchers from various disciplines to review
current knowledge on hybrid rice development, seed production, molecular application
and economics, and to discuss future research strategies. Topics to be covered
include improvements in breeding methodologies and products; and application of
biotechnology in hybrid rice breeding. See http://www.5thishr.cn/en/index.html
(in English and Chinese) or contact icdd@hhrrc.ac.cn for more information.
3-14 November 2008, New Delhi, India. Transgene expression in plants. A theoretical
and practical course organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering
and Biotechnology (ICGEB). Participants must have a basic working knowledge of
molecular biology and be directly involved in research covered by the course.
Admission is limited to 16 participants and deadline is 30 June. See http://www.icgeb.org/MEETINGS/CRS08/ND_Reddy_3_14_November.pdf
(1.1 MB) or contact shubha@icgeb.res.in for more information.
7 December 2008, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Tropical legume genomics workshop. Organised
by the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme as part of the IV International Conference
on Legume Genomics and Genetics, the workshop focuses on advances in genomics
for various tropical legumes, namely groundnut, cowpea, bean and chickpea. See
http://www.generationcp.org/latestnews.php?i=1267
or contact r.k.varshney@cgiar.org for more information.
********
Copyright FAO 2008
Contributed by John Ruane
The Coordinator of FAO-BiotechNews, 17-6-2008
(Return to Contents)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
1.36 GCP News Issue 31, 12 June 2008
(Excerpts selected by the editor, PBN-L)
Upcoming events
1) Statistical methods for linkage disequilibrium analysis. Convenors:
GCP and Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR)-Biometrics Date and venue:
19 June 2008; Wageningen, The Netherlands. More
2) GCP Annual Research Meeting 2008. This year’s Annual Research Meeting
(ARM) will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 16–20 September 2008, kindly hosted
by BIOTEC Thailand. Please note that participation is by invitation only. More
3) Workshop on candidate gene discovery. ARM participants are invited to
this workshop on 14–15 September 2008, preceding the ARM. The workshop, convened
by GCP’s Subprogramme 4, will cover microarray analysis, QTL meta-analysis, integration
of microarray