PLANT
BREEDING NEWS
EDITION 150
8 October 2004
An Electronic Newsletter of Applied Plant Breeding
Sponsored by FAO and Cornell University
Clair H. Hershey, Editor
CONTENTS
1. NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESEARCH NOTES
1.01 Generation Challenge
Program for developing countries
1.02 NSF awards
22 new projects for plant genome research
1.03 Father of Green Revolution
speaks at congress
1.04 Dr. Henry Shands awarded William
L. Brown Award for Excellence in Genetic Resource Conservation
1.05 The book opens on the first tree
genome
1.06 Long reach of wind-blown pollen
1.07 Plant breeding for the tough
times
1.08 Grain breeding's 'Holy Grail', a
drought tolerant, high yielding crop
1.09 Australia joins global wheat
breeding team
1.10 Mystery of garlic's sterility
solved
1.11 Biologists finally close in on
'florigen,' the signal that causes plants to flower
1.12 New research at the University
of Georgia shows plants can shuffle and paste gene pieces to generate genetic
diversity
1.13 Natural biodiversity can enrich
genetic base of crops
1.14 Wild crop species boost genetic
diversity
1.15 Gene chips' research in cotton
could lead to superior variety
1.16 An effort to genetically create
a Roundup-tolerant grass seed stalls
1.17 Benefits, challenges of
Roundup Ready alfalfa examined
1.18 One step closer to the perfect
crop plant
1.19 U.S. National Science Foundation
awards $4.2 million to Cornell University to sequence the tomato genome
1.20 UC Berkeley researchers identify
chlorophyll-regulating gene
1.21 Monsanto to commercialize
low-linoleic soybean
1.22 Updated fact sheet on GM crops
in the U.S. released by The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
1.23 Brazil court eases path for GM corn,
cotton, rice
1.24 National Starch and Chemical Company
launches TRUETRACE program to verify non-GMO products.
1.25 CIMMYT's guiding principles for developing
and deploying genetically engineered maize and wheat varieties
1.26 GE is essential to improve cowpea, says
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture breeder
1.27 Weighing the pros and cons of genetically
modified crops in Africa
2. PUBLICATIONS
2.01 Descriptors for genetic markers technologies
2.02 A guide to effective management of germplasm
collections
3. WEB RESOURCES
3.01 The Sesame and Safflower Newsletter.
4 GRANTS AVAILABLE
4.01 NSF program solicitation: Maize Genome Sequencing
Project: an NSF/DOE/USDA joint program
4.02 The Cassava Biotechnology Network (CBN) for Latin
America and the Caribbean (LAC): Small Grants for 2004
4.03 The Gines-Mera Memorial Fellowship Fund for
Postgraduate Studies in Biodiversity 2004
5 MEETINGS, COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
======================
6 EDITOR'S NOTES
=========================
1. NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESEARCH NOTES
1.01 Generation Challenge Program for developing countries
The Generation Challenge Program (GCP) was formally launched during the
Fourth International Crop Science Congress in Brisbane, Australia to propel the
use of plant genetic diversity and genomics research for the resource poor.
A new initiative of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR), the program seeks to explore plant genetic diversity and
create crops that better meet the needs of small farmers through partnerships
with research organizations and implementing institutions around the world.
GCP uses genetic and genomic tools to harness the rich global heritage of plant
genetic resources to bring improved stress tolerance to the staple foods of
developing countries. GCP Director Robert Zeigler said that the time is ripe to
bring biotechnology to bear on the agricultural constraints that plague the
poorest farmers, such as drought, pests and diseases, and low soil fertility.
Research will be organized under five subprograms: germplasm, genomics,
bioinformatics, and molecular breeding for agricultural development. A central
principle of the GCP is that products must make it from the lab to the fields
of resource-poor farmers.
For more information about the Program, email Jenny Nelson at j.nelson@cgiar.org and Dave Poland at d.poland@cgiar.org or visit http://www.generationcp.org.
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University
Source: CropBiotech Update
1 October 2004
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1.02 NSF awards 22 new projects for plant genome
research
Projects to expand knowledge about plants of economic importance
ARLINGTON, Va.--The National Science Foundation (NSF) has made 22 new
awards as part of the seventh year of its Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP).
From apples to Zea mays, the program's goal is to expand knowledge about the
biology of the plant kingdom, especially plants that people around the world
rely on for food, clothing and other needs.
The awards involve researchers from 56 institutions in 22 states, as well as
collaborators from 14 countries around the globe. The two- to five-year awards,
ranging from $700,000 to $6.6 million, will explore the inner workings of
plants' genes as well as the role genetics plays in plant development, metal
tolerance, susceptibility to diseases and other economically important
characteristics.
NSF's PGRP is part of the National Plant Genome Initiative established in 1998
as a coordinated national plant genome research program by the Interagency
Working Group on Plant Genomes of the National Science and Technology Council.
The long-term goal of this program is to understand the structure, organization
and function of genomes of plants of economic importance and plant processes of
potential economic value.
The 2004 awards focus in three main areas: detailed analysis of the genomes of
key plants and families of plants; functional genomics -- the study of
relationships between genes and the biological roles they play; and databases
and tools to capture, share and analyze the massive amounts of genomics data
being produced by the scientific community. In addition, all projects continue
the commitment of the PGRP to train the next generation of scientists by
exposing students to research at the cutting edge of biological sciences. As
many as 150 students will participate in this year's new projects.
"The research supported will allow a deeper understanding of the basic
life processes in plants, development of improved crops, as well as train a
future generation of scientists," said Mary Clutter, head of NSF's
Biological Sciences directorate. "The outcomes of this work will impact
every facet of our lives."
For example, a research consortium led by
A project led by
A number of functional genomics studies will look at how genes contribute to
the internal workings of an organism. A project at
As one of six projects focusing on aspects of maize (Zea mays), researchers at
the University of Missouri-Columbia will lead a project to understand how DNA
packaging in the nucleus can control whether genes are turned on or off, a step
toward providing tools for manipulating gene expression in maize and other crop
plants.
A growing challenge is how to handle the massive amounts of data coming out of
ongoing genomics projects and to make it readily accessible to the broader
community of students, researchers and breeders. This year's awards include
database awards to the University of Arizona focused on proteins involved in
repackaging DNA so particular genes can be expressed during plant growth and
development (ChromDB), to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on the genomes of
grains and grasses (Gramene) and to the University of Tennessee on the genomics
of poplars and related trees (Populus Genome Portal).
Also among this year's projects are two new "virtual centers,"
flexible collaborations of investigators at various institutions, all focusing
on a common goal. One center, led by
NSF Program Officer: Jane Silverthorne, 703-292-8470, jsilvert@nsf.gov
Plant Genome Research Program: http://www.nsf.gov/bio/dbi/dbi_pgr.htm
FY2004 PGRP awards: http://www.nsf.gov/bio/pubs/awards/genome04.htm
Prior year PGRP announcements:
2003: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/03/pr03114.htm
2002: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/02/pr0279.htm
2001:http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/press/01/pr0189.htm
2000: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/press/00/pr0060.htm
1999: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/press/99/pr9956.htm
1998: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/press/pr9857.htm
The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports
fundamental research and education across all fields of science and
engineering, with an annual budget of nearly $5.58 billion. National Science
Foundation funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000
universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 40,000 competitive
requests for funding, and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. The National
Science Foundation also awards over $200 million in professional and service
contracts yearly.
Receive official National Science Foundation news electronically through the
e-mail delivery system, NSFnews. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to join-nsfnews@lists.nsf.gov. In the
body of the message, type "subscribe nsfnews" and then type your
name. (Ex.: "subscribe nsfnews John Smith")
Useful National Science Foundation Web Sites:
NSF Home Page: http://www.nsf.gov
News Highlights: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa
Newsroom: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/media/start.htm
Science Statistics: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/stats.htm
Awards Searches: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a6/A6Start.htm
Source: EurkAlert.com
21 September 2004
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1.03 Father of Green Revolution speaks at congress
Professor Monkombu Swaminathan, who has been recognized as the father of
the Green Revolution, said crop-yield growth rates had fallen below levels
needed to overcome malnutrition in developing countries.
Speaking at the 4th International Crop Science Congress in Brisbane,
Swaminathan remarked that crop yields had improved in the past century because
of scientific breakthroughs, improved varieties and better farming techniques.
However, huge population increases, a reduction in farming lands because of
city spread, and degradation of the environment meant researchers had to
concentrate on increasing crop yields.
This year's International Crop Science Congress was attended by more than 1000
delegates from 65 countries. With the theme "New Directions for a Diverse
Planet," the conference recognized the need for new approaches to meet the
challenges of maintaining and enhancing food, feed, and fiber supplies to a
steadily increasing world population; and the associated challenge of
sustaining the soil, water and biological resources that underpin global
cropping impact on the wider environment. Embedded within the program was the
5th Asian Crop Science Congress, where symposia dealt with topics of particular
relevance to crop science in Asia.
For more information on the conference, visit http://www.cropscience2004.com/
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University
Source: CropBiotech Update
1 October 2004
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1.04 Dr. Henry Shands awarded William L. Brown Award for Excellence in
Genetic Resource Conservation
Dr.
Henry Shands, Director of the National Center for Genetic Resources
Preservation, ARS, USDA, and long a leader in the U.S. National Plant
Genetic Resources System, will be awarded this years William L. Brown Award for
Excellence in Genetic Resource Conservation.
The award will be presented at the Missouri Botanical Garden, Shoenberg
Auditorium, Ridgway Center, on Friday, October 8, at 6 pm, as part of the
opening events of the 51st Annual Systematics Symposium. The
award ceremony is open. For more information about the award and the symposium,
or to register for symposium sessions, see:
http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/diversity/award.htm
http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/symposium/welcome.shtml
Contributed byAnn Marie Thro
CSREES, USDA
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1.05 The book opens on the first tree genome
DNA code harnesses poplar as renewable energy resource, can help stem global
warming
WALNUT CREEK, CA--An international consortium including the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE), Genome Canada, and the Umeå Plant Science Centre in
Sweden, has released the first complete DNA sequence of a tree, Populus
trichocarpa, the Black Cottonwood or poplar, one member of the most
ecologically and commercially valuable group of trees in North America. The
sequencing was completed at the DOE Joint Genome Institute Production Genomics
Facility.
"By helping to lead this international collaboration to sequence the first
tree genome, DOE once again is pioneering discovery-class science that promises
to yield important societal benefits," said Secretary of Energy Spencer
Abraham. "The poplar genome sequence will provide researchers with a
critical resource to develop faster growing trees, trees that produce more
biomass that can be converted to fuels, and trees that can sequester more
carbon from the atmosphere or be used to clean up waste sites. Just as DOE
earlier played a leading role in mapping the human genome and making possible
advances in human health, we now are pleased to build on that success and help
deliver the poplar's parts list--and the clean energy and cleaner environment
that scientists will produce using the genetic sequence of the poplar in the
future."
"Forest genomics is rapidly shaping how we do sustainable, intensive
forestry," said David L. Emerson, Canada's Minister of Industry. "The
complete poplar code provides us with the starting material for understanding
factors that control the essential traits of trees that fuel our forest
economy. It will help us farm trees with desired growth and wood quality
characteristics, while protecting our forests from pests and diseases through
the development of tools for early detection, diagnosis, and control, allowing
for more vigilant conservation and forest management."
The Biological and Environmental Research program in the Department of Energy's
Office of Science has provided a total of $12 million for the poplar
initiative, including $8 million for sequencing and $4 million for associated
research. The two-year project was coordinated out of the DOE's Oak Ridge
National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee and powered by the sequencing engine of
the DOE Joint Genome Institute. The partnership includes Genome Canada, through
Genome British Columbia and the University of British Columbia, and the BC
Cancer Agency Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, which jointly implemented
vital DNA mapping, sequencing, and fingerprinting strategies. Genome Canada and
Genome BC have invested a total of $10.8 million CDN in the British Columbia
Forestry Genomics project, of which $2 million CDN were dedicated to the poplar
initiative. The primary European partner, Sweden's Umeå Plant Science Centre,
collected an expressed sequence tag (EST) resource necessary for accurate gene
prediction. The total investment in the Swedish Populus program exceeds $10
million, $3 million of which is directly connected to the genome sequencing
effort. Stanford University served as an integral part of JGI's sequence
finishing and quality control operation. Ghent University (Belgium) played an
increasing role in annotating the sequence that has been generated.
With a genome consisting of more than 480 million letters of genetic code,
Populus trichocarpa was sequenced eight times over to attain the highest
quality standards. Poplar was chosen as the first tree DNA sequence decoded
because of its relatively compact genetic complement, some 40 times smaller
than the genome of pine, making the poplar an ideal model system for trees. The
poplar genome, divided into 19 chromosomes, is four times larger than the
genome of the first plant sequenced four years ago, Arabidopsis thaliana, the
tiny workhorse for plant molecular geneticists.
"Although we're still in the early stages of analyzing the poplar genome,
in our first pass we found more than 40,000 genes, most with significant
relatedness to genes in other plants," said Daniel Rokhsar, JGI
computational genomics department head. "The trick will be in figuring out
how these similar gene sets have been customized and redeployed in poplar to
generate a large woody plant instead of a small weed. We're currently comparing
the poplar sequence with the genomes of rice and Arabidopsis to shed light on
the evolution of these genes to see how they are differentially regulated in
these diverse plants," Rokhsar said. The poplar consortium researchers
plan to publish the results of their analysis early next year.
"Carbon management issues are overwhelming, but poplar trees could play a
significant role in the solution," said Gerald Tuskan, whose team at the
ORNL leads the poplar research effort. "Trees have a built-in mechanism
for storing captured carbon dioxide in their leaves, branches, stems, and
roots. This natural process of carbon sequestration suggests opportunities to
further clean up the air by engineering trees so that they would more
effectively shuttle and store more carbon below ground in their roots and the
soil." Joining Tuskan on the ORNL poplar team are Steve DiFazio, Tongming
Yin, Frank Larimer, Lee Gunter, Gwo-Liang Chen, and Phil Locascio. JGI
contributors include Daniel Rokhsar, Nik Putman, Igor Grigoriev, Paul Richardson
and Susan Lucas, who manages JGI's production sequencing operation.
"This achievement will have a huge impact on research far beyond the field
of forestry," said Stefan Jansson at Umeå Plant Science Centre. Plant
scientists throughout the world now have a tree model system to work with in
addition to the already established models of Arabidopsis and rice. The many
unique properties of trees, for example wood formation, longevity, seasonal
growth and hardiness patterns, mean that Populus now can be used to study many
fundamental biological questions." Joining Jansson in leading the Swedish
poplar team are Jan Karlsson, Göran Sandberg, and Fredrik Sterky.
"The sequencing is extremely valuable because attributes found in the
poplar model will also be applicable to other trees," added Don Riddle,
Chief Scientific Officer of Genome British Columbia, on behalf of the four
principal investigators of the Canadian component of the research.
"Forestry is an integral part of Canada's economy--for industry, ecology, and
recreation. Despite increasing pressure on forestry resources through human
demand, pest outbreaks and global climate change, tree breeding for improved
yield, quality and pest resistance is still in its infancy. This research will
help provide a solid base in tree genomics to advance biological knowledge and
aid breeding programs." The Canadian research team was led by Carl
Douglas, Kermit Ritland, Jörg Bohlmann, and Brian Ellis from the University of
British Columbia.
The genome browser, developed by JGI and accessible at http://www.jgi.doe.gov/poplar, is the
repository for all the poplar sequence information. As a complement, a Swedish
database with Populus gene expression information is also made available and
can be accessed at www.populus.db.umu.se.
On September 22, Stefan Jansson from the Umeå Plant Science Centre will
highlight the poplar work at the third Plant Genomics European Meeting, in
Lyon, France.
On October 11, the poplar genome resource will be introduced to an
international community of plant geneticists and ecologists. Consortium members
Steve DiFazio and Pierre Rouzé will present at the symposium "Functional
Genomics of Environmental Adaptation in Populus" in Gatlinburg, Tennessee,
cosponsored by DOE and Phytologist Trust. For more information about the
meeting see: http://www.newphytologist.org/popgen/
Source: EurkAlert.com
21 September 2004
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1.06 Long reach of wind-blown pollen
ABSTRACT
Genetically modified creeping bentgrass pollen travels much farther than
previously measured, scientists say. Pollen from creeping bentgrass engineered
to resist popular herbicides traveled by wind up to 21 kilometers from its
initial experimental planting sites. Lidia Watrud and colleagues tracked the
flow of creeping bentgrass pollen from an area containing experimental crop
fields in central Oregon. They collected seeds from naturally occurring grasses
and potted sentinel plants, grew them to the seedling stage, and then tested
them for presence of the transgene and resistance to Roundup. Based on results
of greenhouse and laboratory tests, the researchers found that most of the
pollen traveled within several kilometers of the initial planting sites. The
team found evidence of transgenic seed formation up to 21 kilometers downwind
in potted test or sentinel plants and up to 14 kilometers away in wild plants.
Creeping bentgrass, used primarily on golf courses, grows naturally in many
locations that have a cool season. The grass cross-pollinates with other
grasses of the genus Agrostis. The team says the methods developed in this
study can be used to assess the newly recognized potential for long-distance
movement of viable pollen.
Genes from engineered grass spread for miles, study finds
By Andrew Pollack
The New York Times via Checkbiotech.org
A new study shows that genes from genetically engineered grass can spread much
farther than previously known, a finding that raises questions about the
straying of other plants altered through biotechnology and that could hurt the
efforts of two companies to win approval for the first bioengineered grass.
The two companies, Monsanto and Scotts, have developed a strain of creeping
bentgrass for use on golf courses that is resistant to the widely used
herbicide Roundup. The altered plants would allow groundskeepers to spray the
herbicide on their greens and fairways to kill weeds while leaving the grass
unscathed.
But the companies' plans have been opposed by some environmental groups as well
as by the federal Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Critics
worry that the grass could spread to areas where it is not wanted or transfer
its herbicide resistance to weedy relatives, creating superweeds that would be
immune to the most widely used weed killer. The Forest Service said earlier
this year that the grass "has the potential to adversely impact all 175
national forests and grasslands."
Some scientists said the new results, to be published online this week by the
journal Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, did not necessarily raise alarms about existing genetically
modified crops like soybeans, corn, cotton and canola. There are special
circumstances, they say, that make the creeping bentgrass more environmentally
worrisome, like its extraordinarily light pollen.
Because Scotts has plans to develop other varieties of bioengineered grasses
for use on household lawns, the new findings could have implications well
beyond the golf course. And the study suggests that some previous studies of
the environmental impact of genetically modified plants have been too small to
capture the full spread of altered genes.
Scotts says that because naturally occurring bentgrass has not caused major weed
problems, the bioengineered version would pose no new hazards. And any
Roundup-resistant strains that might somehow develop outside of intentionally
planted areas could be treated with other weed killers, the company said.
In the new study, scientists with the Environmental
Protection Agency found that the genetically engineered bentgrass
pollinated test plants of the same species as far away as they measured -about
13 miles downwind from a test farm in Oregon. Natural growths of wild grass of
a different species were pollinated by the gene-modified grass nearly nine
miles away.
Previous studies had measured pollination between various types of genetically
modified plants and wild relatives at no more than about one mile, according to
the paper.
"It's the longest distance gene-flow study that I know of," said
Norman C. Ellstrand, an expert on this subject at the University of California,
Riverside, who was not involved in the study but read the paper.
"The gene really is essentially going to get out," he added.
"What this study shows is it's going to get out a lot faster and a lot
further than people anticipated."
One reason the grass pollen was detected so far downwind was the size of the
farm - 400 acres with thousands of plants. Most previous studies of gene flow
have been done on far smaller fields, meaning there was less pollen and a lower
chance that some would travel long distances. Those small studies, the new
findings suggest, might not accurately reflect what would happen once a plant
covers a large area.
"This is one of the first really realistic studies that has been
done," said Joseph K. Wipff, an Oregon grass breeder. Dr. Wipff was not
involved in the latest study but had conducted an earlier one that found pollen
from genetically engineered grass traveling only about 1,400 feet. That test,
though, used less than 300 plants covering one-tenth of an acre.
The effort to commercialize the bentgrass has attracted attention because it
raises issues somewhat different from those surrounding the existing
genetically modified crops.
It would be the first real use of genetic engineering in a suburban setting,
for example, rather than on farms. And the grass is perennial, while corn,
soybeans, cotton and canola are planted anew each year, making them easier to
control.
Bentgrass can also cross-pollinate with at least 12 other species of grass,
while the existing crops, except for canola, have no wild relatives in the
places they are grown in the United States. And crops like corn and soybeans
have trouble surviving off the farm, while grass can easily survive in the
wild.
The bentgrass, moreover, besides having very light pollen - a cloud can be seen
rising from grass farms - has very light seeds that disperse readily in the
wind. It can also reproduce asexually using stems that creep along the ground
and establish new roots, giving rise to its name.
Because of the environmental questions, the application for approval of the
bioengineered bentgrass is encountering delays at the Department of
Agriculture, which must decide whether to allow the plant to be commercialized.
After hearing public comments earlier this year, the department has now decided
to produce a full environmental impact statement, which could take a year or
more, according to Cindy Smith, who is in charge of biotech regulation.
Ms. Smith, in an interview yesterday, said the new study "gives some
preliminary information that's different from previous studies that we're aware
of." But more conclusive research is needed, she said.
Bentgrass is already widely used in its nonengineered form by golf course
operators, mainly for greens but also for fairways and tee areas, in part
because it is sturdy even when closely mown. It is rarely used on home lawns
because it must be cared for intensively. And creeping bentgrass does not
cross-pollinate with the types of grass typically used on lawns, scientists
said.
Executives at Scotts, a major producer of lawn and turf products based in
Marysville, Ohio, said the genetically engineered bentgrass would be sold only
for golf courses. They said golf courses cut their grass so often that the
pollen-producing part of the plants would never develop.
And because nonengineered creeping bentgrass has not caused weed problems
despite being used on golf courses for decades, they said, the genetically
modified version would pose no new problems.
"There has been pollen flow but it has not created weeds," Michael P.
Kelty, the executive vice president and vice chairman of Scotts, said in an
interview yesterday. He said Scotts and Monsanto, the world's largest developer
of genetically modified crops, had spent tens of millions of dollars since 1998
developing the bioengineered bentgrass.
The questions about the grass come after Monsanto, which is based in St. Louis,
said earlier this year that it was dropping its effort to introduce the world's
first genetically engineered wheat, citing concerns by farmers that its use in
foods might face market opposition.
Scotts is also developing genetically modified grass for home lawns, like
herbicide-tolerant and slow-growing types that would need less mowing. But
those products still need several more years of testing, Dr. Kelty said, adding
that the company would avoid types of grass that could become weeds. "We
don't want to put a product out there that is going to be a threat," he
said.
Scotts and Monsanto have received some support for their argument from the Weed
Science Society of America, a professional group, which conducted a review of
the weed tendencies of creeping bentgrass and its close relatives at the
request of the Department of Agriculture.
"In the majority of the country these species have not presented
themselves as a significant weed problem, historically," said Rob Hedberg,
director of science policy for the society, summarizing the conclusions of the
review. He said that because people have generally not tried to control
bentgrass and similar species with Roundup, known generically as glyphosate,
"the inability to control them with this herbicide is a less significant
issue."
Still, the society's report noted that bentgrass could be considered a weed by
farms that are trying to grow other grass seeds. And the Forest Service, in
comments to the Agriculture Department earlier this year, said that bentgrass
has threatened to displace native species in some national forests.
John M. Randall, acting director of the Invasive Species Initiative at the
Nature Conservancy, said bentgrass and related species had been a threat to
native grasses in certain preserves that the group helps manage, including a
couple near Montauk Point on eastern Long Island.
Other opponents of the genetically modified grass seized on the results.
"This does confirm what a lot of people feared - expected, really,"
said Margaret Mellon, director of the food and environment program for the
Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington. "These kinds of distances are
eye-popping."
The new study was done by Lidia S. Watrud and colleagues at an E.P.A. research
center in Corvallis, Ore., who were trying to develop new methods to assess
gene flow, not specifically to study the bentgrass.
They put out 178 potted and unmodified creeping bentgrass plants, which they
called sentinel plants, at various distances around the test farm. They also
surveyed wild bentgrass and other grasses. They collected more than a million
seeds from the plants, growing them into seedlings to test for herbicide
resistance and doing genetic tests.
The number of seeds found to be genetically engineered was only 2 percent for
the sentinel plants, 0.03 percent for wild creeping bentgrass and 0.04 percent
for another wild grass. Most of those seeds were found in the first two miles
or so, with the number dropping sharply after that. Still, said Anne
Fairbrother, one of the authors of the report, finding even some cross
pollination at 13 miles "is a paradigm shift in how far pollen might
move."
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- PNAS Online Early Edition Article #05154
"Evidence for landscape-level, pollen-mediated gene flow from
genetically modified creeping bentgrass with CP4 EPSPS as a marker"
by Lidia S. Watrud, E. Henry Lee, Anne Fairbrother, Connie Burdick, Jay R.
Reichman, Mike Bollman, Marjorie Storm, George King, and Peter K. Van de Water
Source: SeedQuest.com
20 Sept. 2004
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1.07 Plant breeding for the tough times
The scope of the presentation is as follows:
What's
in the pipeline for wheat from AGT and barley from the SA Barley Improvement
Program?
The presentation is at http://www.grdc.com.au/growers/res_upd/south/04S/eglinton.htm
Grains Research and Development Corporation
(GRDC)
From: Papers from the High Rainfall Grains Research Updates held in August and
September
Source: SeedQuest.com
17 Sept 2004
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1.08 Grain breeding's 'Holy Grail', a drought tolerant, high yielding crop
Perth, South Australia
Grain breeding's 'Holy Grail', a drought tolerant, high yielding crop, could be
achievable if researchers understand, design and act upon crop plant
improvement programs for drought conditions, according to plant stress expert,
Abraham Blum of the Volcani
Centre, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Addressing the Grains Research and Development
Corporation supported 'Adaptation of Plants to Water-Limited
Mediterranean-type Environments' international symposium at CSIRO Perth, last
week, Dr Blum said the association between drought resistance, water use
efficiency (WUE) and yield potential was often misunderstood.
"This can lead to conceptual oversight and wrong decisions in implementing
breeding programs for drought-prone environments. Most breeding programs target
high yield potential, which might not be compatible with superior drought
resistance.
"On the other hand, high yield potential should therefore be reviewed in
the context of its effect on and interaction with drought resistance and WUE on
the background of the prevalent drought profile in the target
environment," Dr Blum said.
According to Dr Blum, drought resistance is a function of dehydration
avoidance, rather than desiccation tolerance.
"Plant production in water limited environments is often affected by
constitutive plant traits that allow maintenance of water plant status, rather
than by stress adaptive responses that support plant function at low water
status.
"A major adaptive response sustaining crop production under drought stress
is osmotic adjustment. Despite past speculation, there is no proof that osmotic
adjustment entails a cost in terms of reduced yield potential.
WUE for yield is often equated with drought resistance, which is not
necessarily so, according to Dr Blum.
Apparent genotypic variations in WUE are normally expressed by variable water
use.
Reduced water use, which is reflected in higher WUE, is generally achieved by
plant traits and environmental responses that reduce yield potential.
Under most dryland situations, where crops depend on unpredictable seasonal
rainfall, the maximisation of soil moisture use is a crucial component of
drought resistance, or avoidance, which is then often expressed in lower WUE.
"The effect of a single drought adaptive gene on crop performance in
water-limited environments can be assessed only when the whole system is
considered in terms of drought resistance, WUE and yield potential,"Dr
Blum said.
Most of the information on drought resistance breeding is available on Dr
Blum's website, www.plantstress.com
Source: SeedQuest.com
29 September 2004
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1.09 Australia joins global wheat breeding team
Australian wheat researchers are participating in the International
Adaptation Trial (IAT) in an effort to develop better wheat varieties for
Australia's $5 billion wheat industry.
Information from the IAT can be used by Australian breeders to make more
informed decisions about the wheat varieties they import and exchange, the
crosses they make, and the genes and traits they use.
"Importing wheat for breeding can be time consuming and costly given
strict quarantine regulations that safeguard Australia against pests and
diseases," says Dr Scott Chapman, CSIRO
Plant Industry.
"We can use the IAT results to help us efficiently choose parental wheats
to breed better wheat varieties for Australian conditions and
limitations."
As part of the IAT wheat breeders from Australia and the International Maize
and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) chose 80 different wheat varieties that
were then grown in 36 countries to identify the nature of different wheat
growing regions.
In Australia the trial was grown between 2001 and 2004 in more than 24 sites
across the wheat belt.
Dr Chapman and Dr Ky Mathews from The University of Queensland analysed the
performance data from the different wheat varieties in the IAT from Australian
and overseas.
"Performance of the broadly adapted varieties across locations tells us
about their stability in different environments and their similarities among
locations," Dr Chapman says.
"Highly specific varieties, that were either susceptible or resistant to a
particular stress, were used in the trial as 'probes' to identify if a specific
stress was present or not, like root nematodes."
Working with CIMMYT, Dr Mathews developed online summaries of the IAT results
and a Geographic Information System (GIS) that maps the results and other
features of spring wheat growing regions.
"Data from the IAT has helped us understand the relationships between
Australian and international wheat growing regions to add value to local and
global wheat breeding research," Dr Chapman says.
This research is done in collaboration with The University of Queensland and is
supported by the Grains Research and
Development Corporation (GRDC) and the International
Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).
Source: SeedQuest.com
17 Sept 2004
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1.10 Mystery of garlic's sterility solved
Restoration of fertility to the now-sterile garlic plant has been
accomplished by Israeli researchers, thus opening the way to wide-ranging
scientific research that could lead to improved yields and quality.
Garlic is one of the most popular vegetable condiments in the world. Its
origins are in Central Asia, where in the past, several fertile or semi-fertile
garlic plants were identified. However, the cultivated, commercial plants we
know today are sterile and are propagated only asexually. The reasons for this
as well as the means to restore the plants' fertility have remained unknown.
Recently, however, a team of researchers headed by Prof. Haim Rabinowitch,
rector of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
and a researcher in the University's Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant
Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, and Dr. Rina Kamenetsky of the Volcani Institute has succeeded
in solving this ancient puzzle. Seven years of research that included study of
the morphology and the developmental physiology of the plant have resulted in a
simple solution to the garlic's infertility.
In its growth process, the garlic plant's bulbing and flowering occur
simultaneously in the spring 'user-friendly new fundraising tool' launched both
processes regulated by temperature and day length. During generations of
cultivation, farmers selected those plants that displayed early ripening and
large bulbs. The rapid growth of the bulbs drew most of the nutrient and energy
resources of the plant, leaving little for blossoming. These shortages resulted
in abortion of the floral bud at a very early stage of development, and hence
complete sterility. In those cases in which the plants succeeded in producing a
floral stem, the developing flower buds were strangulated by the small bulbs at
the top that were developing rapidly under conditions of lengthening days.
Once the Hebrew University and Volcani Institute researchers understood the
conditions that were contributing to the plants' sterility, they experimented
with growing garlic plants under controlled conditions in which temperature and
daylight were regulated. In this way, they succeeded in delaying the bulb
growth in favor of flowering, regaining fertility and production of seeds.
"In creating this flowering and seed production, we were able to open up
the possibilities for genetic diversity of the garlic plant which had remain
frozen for thousands of years,"said Prof. Rabinowitch.
The work by the Israeli scientists has been hailed as 'landmark research' by
experts abroad and opens the possibility for new physiological and genetic
research on one of the most important vegetable condiments in the world. The
seeds obtained in the experimental work can now be utilized in breeding
programs to produce various desired characteristics using classical techniques.
Among the scientific goals are the development of plants that would be
resistant to various pests and plant diseases, provide improved yields and
quality, be adaptable to various climatic conditions, have adjustable seasonal
growth patterns, and show increased storage life.
The researchers are now turning their attention to investigating the molecular
basis of the flowering process and to identifying the genes involved in the
control of that flowering.
The results of the research appeared recently in one of the leading American
horticultural journals, the Journal
of the American Society for Horticultural Science.
Source: SeedQuest.com
13 Sept 2004
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1.11 Biologists finally close in on 'florigen,'
the signal that causes plants to flower
Ithaca, New York
Postdoctoral researcher Brian Ayre was listening attentively to a Cornell University seminar on flower
development when he asked what seemed an obvious question: "What is the
signal that controls flowering?" The seminar speaker laughed.
"They've been trying to figure that out for a hundred years," he
said. More laughter followed, as one of Ayre's colleagues shouted from the back
of the room: "Florigen!"
No one's laughing now. Ayre, currently a faculty member at the University of North Texas, went on to publish a
provocative report in the August 2004 issue of Plant Physiology along
with his postdoctoral adviser Robert Turgeon, a Cornell professor of plant
biology. Their paper recounts the serendipitous discovery that the plant
protein, CONSTANS, may be the signal -- "florigen" -- that causes
plants to flower. Or at least, the researchers say, CONSTANS plays an important
role in generating the signal.
Trying to understand flowering is a popular pursuit because of its importance
in agriculture. Flowers are the precursor of fruit, and if flowering can be
controlled, plants can be manipulated to remain in a vegetative or flowering
state. Accelerated flowering could lead to a much shorter growing season -- an
important advance for both growers and plant breeders. And the significance for
the floriculture industry is equally huge.
Textbooks predating the 1970s dedicated entire chapters to this elusive signal.
More recently, though, florigen has become an example of a dead-end pursuit in
plant biology -- one more likely to prompt sarcastic grins than scientific
inquiry to find this crucial puzzle piece in the understanding of plant
development.
Turgeon's research focus at Cornell is on understanding how molecules move in
the phloem, the "bloodstream" of plants that carries food, nutrients
and signaling molecules. When Ayre joined his group, they were by no means
setting out to discover the signal that induces flowering.But as sometimes
happens in science, "people from outside of the field end up making significant
contributions because they have different tools and different
perspectives," says Turgeon, picking up the story: "We were coming at
the study from a transport perspective. We got into this when we got a hold of
the promoter of the galactinol synthase gene, a genetic factor that drives
expression of genes specifically in the vein of the leaf so that they can enter
the phloem. I saw this as a tool to study the transport of large molecules
through the phloem. Once we got the tool, we began to design experiments to use
it. We applied it and got a very interesting result."
The researchers took two approaches that led them to the conclusion that
CONSTANS is a signal involved in flowering. First, using Arabidopsis
plants in which all CONSTANS protein had been abolished, they introduced a copy
of the CONSTANS gene under the control of the galactinol synthase promoter,
which causes the protein to be synthesized only in the leaf. Despite this
precise expression pattern, they saw that the signal had a dramatic effect on
flowering. This suggests that either CONSTANS is moved throughout the plant to
the site of flowering through the phloem, or it interacts with another factor
inside the phloem that is transported to the site of flowering.
They provided further evidence for CONSTANS' role in floral signaling when they
grafted Arabidopsis plants that contained no CONSTANS protein onto
plants synthesizing CONSTANS in their leaves. This elegant experiment showed
that CONSTANS, or another factor that it interacts with, was able to move
through the graft junction to signal flowering in the parts of the plant that
formerly were devoid of any of the protein.
Turgeon credits the late Russian plant physiologist M.H. Chailakhyan for some
of the earliest work in trying to understand the nature of the flowering
signal. In 1937 Chailakhyan named and defined florigen as a graft-transmissible
signal that induces flowering. Ayre's and Turgeon's work appears to fit this
historical definition of the flowering hormone, they say.
However, it is not clear whether CONSTANS is in fact the flowering hormone.
More likely, Ayre says, "It may be interacting with another downstream
factor that moves to the site of flowering action. It is clear now that
CONSTANS is an important factor in generating this signal."
Comments Jan Zeevaart, an emeritus professor of plant biology at Michigan State
University who has dedicated much of his research career to florigen and other
plant hormones: "It is gratifying to see that there are finally molecular
approaches to the problem. For quite some time, some people have ridiculed the
concept of florigen, but those of us who have worked on the physiological
aspects always knew that it could not be dismissed so easily."
"The exciting thing is that it appears that people are finally closing in
on the identity of florigen," Turgeon responds. Ayre adds: "I suspect
that CONSTANS and downstream components, such as a protein called FT, are going
to be pretty hot topics in the next couple of years."The article in Plant
Physiology was titled "Graft Transmission of a Floral Stimulant
Derived from CONSTANS." Ayre's and Turgeon's work was supported by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation.
At Cornell, Peter Davies, a professor in the Department of Plant Biology since
1969, has spent his career working on other plant hormones. Excited by the
finding, he recently recalled a quotation from a fellow plant physiologist in
the 1970s: "Flowering is a religion based on the totally unfounded dogma
of florigen."
As it turns out, the "religion" may be about to get some new
followers.
Related World Wide Web sites:
The following sites provide additional information on this news release.
Some might not be part of the Cornell University community, and Cornell has no
control over their content or availability.
oTurgeon laboratory: http://www.plantbio.cornell.edu/people.php?netID=ert2#research
This article was prepared by Sarah Nell Davidson, a graduate student in
plant biology and science-writing intern in the Cornell News Service.
Source: SeedQuest.com
30 September 2004
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1.12 New research at the University of Georgia shows plants can
shuffle and paste gene pieces to generate genetic diversity
Athens, Georgia
A team of researchers at the University of Georgia
has discovered a new way that genetic entities called transposable elements
(TEs) can promote evolutionary change in plants.
The research, published Sept. 30 in the journal Nature, was led by Dr. Susan
Wessler, a Distinguished Research Professor of plant biology at UGA.
The Wessler lab studies TEs, which are pieces of DNA that make copies of
themselves that can then be inserted throughout the genome. The process can be
highly efficient. Almost half of the human genome is derived from TEs and, this
value can go to an astounding 95 percent or even higher for some plants, such
as the lily.
"Normally transposable elements just copy themselves, said Wessler,
"But there were a few anecdotal reports of plant TEs that contained
fragments of plant genes that the TE had apparently captured while it was
copying itself. The fact that these instances were so rare suggested that this
was not an important process."
In analyzing the TE content of the entire rice genome, Ning Jiang and Xiaoyu
Zhang, two postdoctoral fellows in the Wessler lab along with Zhirong Bao, a
graduate student in the lab of Dr. Sean Eddy of Washington University in St.
Louis, discovered that capturing rice gene fragments is a way of life for one
type of TE called MULEs.
MULEs with captured gene fragments were called Pack-MULEs. The study identified
more than 3000 Pack-MULEs that contained over a thousand different rice gene
fragments. Many of the Pack-MULEs have two or three gene fragments picked up
from different genes but now fused together into a new gene combination.
"There are only a few mechanisms known for evolving new genes, and
one is genetic recombination, which can bring fragments of different genes next
to each other," said Wessler. "A second is the duplication of an
existing genes followed by mutation of one of the pair until it evolves into
another function, though this is not the usual fate because the duplicate copy
usually mutate into oblivion."
The discovery of thousands of Pack-MULEs in the rice genome indicates that this
may be an important mechanism to create new genes and new functions in rice and
in other plants where MULEs are known to flourish. Recent studies indicate that
species evolve through the generation of new genes and/or gene variants that
help a population adapt to a changing environment, for example, or to inhabit a
different niche.
Why are transposable elements so successful? Some think that they are simply
"junk" that, much like viruses, they can make lots of copies but do
little to help the host. There is mounting evidence, however, that TEs help
organisms evolve by making it easier to generate the sort of genetic novelty
that is necessary for them to cope with a changing world.
Thus, instead of being beasts of burden, Pack-MULEs may serve rice as a tool of
evolutionary change.
Related news release: Pack-MULEs
are toting a new look at plant evolution
Source: SeedQuest.com
30 September 2004
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1.13 Natural biodiversity can enrich genetic base of crops
Natural biodiversity can enrich the genetic base of cultivated plants with
novel alleles that improve productivity and adaptation. This was highlighted in
a study of Ait Gur and Dani Zamir of the Robert Smith Institute of Plant
Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
Israel.
Gur and Zamir evaluated the progress in breeding for increased tomato (Solanum
lycopersicum) yield using genotypes carrying a pyramid of three independent
yield-promoting genomic regions introduced from the drought-tolerant
green-fruited wild species Solanum pennellii. Yield of hybrids parented by the
pyramided genotypes was more than 50% higher than that of a control market leader
variety under both wet and dry field conditions that received 10% of the
irrigation water. The study, according to the authors, demonstrated the
breaking of agricultural yield barriers that provides the rationale for
implementing similar strategies for other agricultural organisms that are
important for global food security.
For the article published in the August 24 issue of PLoS Biology, visit http://plosbiology.org/
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept of Plant Breeding, Cornell University
Source: Crop Biotech Update
27 August 2004
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1.14 Wild crop species boost genetic diversity
Researchers in China crossed synthetic wheats from the International Maize
and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico with local wheats, producing a
hybrid now benefiting Chinese farmers. Breeders in Sichuan province have been
using the CIMMYT-developed synthetic hexaploid wheat to improve quality, yield
potential, and disease resistance. CIMMYT said that after Chinese scientists
crossed and backcrossed this wheat with high-yielding local varieties, several
lines were developed, and they are currently testing five more.
The synthetic wheats pass on beneficial traits such as large kernels, heavy
spikes, and resistance to new races of Chinese stripe rust. During two years of
yield trials, the two varieties derived from synthetic wheats had 20% to 35%
higher yields than the commercial check variety. One of these varieties,
Chuanmai42, had the highest average yields at more than six tons per hectare in
the trials. It is now recommended by the government to farmers.
For more information visit http://www.cimmyt.org/english/wps/news/wild_wht.htm.
In related developments, the International Institute of Tropic Agriculture
(IITA) based in Nigeria, Africa has acknowledged the work of Dr. Nagib Nassaar
of the Universidade de Brasilia for his work in the genetic enhancement of
cassava with wild Manihot species which has benefited many organizations doing
cassava breeding, including IITA.
In a letter to Nassar, Rodomiro Ortiz, direction research for development of
IITA, noted that Nassar provided "cassava germplasm for identification of
excellent breeding lines at IITA" and that his breeding approaches showed
"the benefits of preserving biodiversity through the use of Manihot
genetic resources for enhancing cassava germplasm aimed at higher yields and
improved nutrient quality."
Email Nagib Nassar at nagnassa@rudah.com.br.
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University
Source: Crop Biotech Update
3 September 2004
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1.15 Gene chips' research in cotton could lead to superior variety
College Station, Texas
A technology that uses "gene chips," which can help analyze tens of
thousands of different DNA elements in a cotton plant, could lead to cotton
varieties with superior traits and improved fiber quality.
Dr. Jeff Chen, a Texas Agricultural
Experiment Station scientist, is working on a $5.7 million National Science Foundation project led by Thomas
Osborn at the University of Wisconsin, and a
project funded by the National Institutes of
Health on translating gene expression mechanisms using plants as a model
system.
Chen's work involves DNA microarrays or "gene chips." In his
laboratory, by spotting DNA elements directly onto 1X3-inch glass slides, one
chip can potentially contain all annotated genes (approximately 30,000) of an
animal or plant genome.
"DNA microarrays have broad applications in studying changes in gene
expression and genomic structure in many biological contexts, including
genetics, physiology, development and environment," Chen said. "With
the help of computational and statistical tools, these changes can be
incorporated into understanding of biological networks that regulate plant
growth and production traits."
The technology "provides a high-throughput tool for practical
applications," Chen said. Those include a wide variety from medical
diagnostics to plant breeding programs.
The work was initially funded by Cotton Incorporated and the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board. Collaborators include Barbara Triplett, a fiber
biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service
in New Orleans, and the Texas A&M University staff of David Stelly, a
molecular cytogeneticist, Peggy Thaxton, a cotton breeder, and Sing-Hoi Sze, a
computer scientist.
They recently received a five-year award of $2.5 million from the
National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program for their ongoing
studies of physiological and genetic effects on early stages of cotton fiber
development.
Chen's team is collaborating with Jonathan Wendel, project leader of the
National Science Foundation-funded Cotton Evolution Genome Project at Iowa
State University. The two research groups will collectively develop a
high-quality DNA microarray resource that is open and accessible to the cotton
community.
The microarrays will eventually include all favorable genes from cotton
researchers so they can be used in cotton breeding and field applications.
"This project represents a clear example where Cotton Incorporated
and state-funded research initiatives have had a multiplier-effect' on
garnering substantial federal funding for cotton research," Chen said.
"In the current era of genome biology, plant researchers are working
together in groups to share expertise necessary to generate large amounts of
genomic resources for the entire research community and to the cotton industry.
"Genomic resources generated in rice, corn and wheat have produced
tremendous impacts on the plant research community and plant production
agriculture. Cotton researchers are establishing new information and
technologies that will enhance cotton's share of competitive federal research
support for genomic research."
Chen said he would like to expand genome biotechnology education outside
the university setting.
"We would like to build an outreach program where middle school teachers
can bring their classes to our laboratories so they can learn about genome
biotechnology," he said. "It would give students an opportunity for a
hands-on look at how to extract DNA from plants and amplify DNA in test tubes.
They would be exposed to how science and technology programming involves not
only agriculture, but biotechnology and engineering as well."
Source: SeedQuest.com
20 Sept. 2004
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1.16 An effort to genetically create a Roundup-tolerant
grass seed stalls because of market, scientific and regulatory dilemmas
Alex Pulaski
The Oregonian via Checkbiotech.org
Five years ago, Madras farmer Ron Olson searched for a name for his new
grass-seed company.
Borrowing from a nearby one-room schoolhouse founded 100 years earlier, Olson
settled on New Era Seed. The name captured a fresh century's promise, Olson
thought -- fitting for a venture to cultivate genetically modified grass seed
on a commercial scale for the first time.
Seed giants Monsanto and Scotts had contracted with Olson and other growers,
who foresaw picture-perfect golf course tee and greens, and sunny profits from
grass designed to be immune to Roundup, Monsanto's leading herbicide.
Instead, their dreams are on hold. They have foundered on two fronts: fears in
the divided grass-seed industry that genetically altered seed could contaminate
a signature Oregon crop and dry up exports, and environmentalists' objections
that the new product could morph into an unconquerable weed.
A year ago, New Era's seven growers brought in their first harvest. Now they
await an uncertain federal approval process that could stretch another year or
more. The delay, and resulting corporate orders, has left bare dirt where most
of their promising grass acreage once grew.
The inability of Monsanto, Scotts and the Madras growers to get their new
product off the ground highlights the complex scientific, regulatory and market
hurdles agricultural producers face in developing new, genetically modified, or
GM, crops even in a country that grows more bioengineered corn, soybean and
cotton than anyplace else in the world.
To the naked eye, the Madras fields planted two years ago appeared just like
any other in Oregon, the country's top grass-seed producer for decades. With
$300 million in annual sales, Oregon's grass-seed industry ranks only behind
nurseries and livestock in agricultural production.
But the Madras acreage was unique among the half-million acres of grass seed
grown in this state. The creeping bentgrass plants were modified to resist
Roundup. The world's most widely used herbicide, Roundup kills most weeds and
grasses, including annual bluegrass -- a common weed on courses.
Scotts, the lawn and garden care company with annual revenues of $2 billion,
and Monsanto, the agricultural chemical and seed corporation with annual
revenues of $4.9 billion, are betting that their Roundup Ready bentgrass seed
will first take root in the lucrative golf-course market.
Commercial success there could one day revolutionize the $40 billion home lawn
and garden industry with next-generation genetically modified grasses requiring
less watering and mowing.
(remainder of article)
Source: SeedQuest.com
13 Sept. 2004
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1.17 Benefits, challenges of Roundup Ready alfalfa examined
Commercial varieties of Roundup Ready alfalfa are expected to be available
to California forage producers next year.
A team of University of California
Cooperative Extension farm advisors have been evaluating this new
technology for the past four years and two of those specialists, Fresno County
farm advisor and weed specialists Kurt Hembree and Ron Vargas, his counterpart
in Madera County, are convinced alfalfa tolerant to glyphosate will be a
valuable new tool for forage growers.
The two farm advisors told a standing-room-only alfalfa field day at the UC
Kearney Ag Center in Parlier that the only question remaining is the economic
benefitwhat will Monsanto and Forage Genetics International charge
for this new technology. They have not tipped their hand to Vargas and Hembree.
Hembree and Vargas said there are stewardship issues with this new technology.
However, those concerns can be managed for growers to apply glyphosate over the
top of alfalfa to kill weeds without damaging the crop. It will be third major
crop in the West with this technology. Corn and cotton varieties are the other
two.
"Roundup Ready alfalfa will not be a panacea, but it will be a real good
tool for alfalfa growers" in establishing alfalfa and producing quality
hay for the life of a stand, said Hembree.
Hembree said it will be easier to establish a weed-free stand of alfalfa with
the technology and it should remain weed free for its life span of three to
five years in the central San Joaquin Valley.
Better quality
Hay quality should improve with fewer weeds and animal welfare should improve
with the control of poisonous and other undesirable weeds, he added.
However, Roundup will not control all weeds. Cheeseweed, nettles, fleabane,
filaree, henbit and marestail are not effectively controlled Roundup, said
Hembree.
Tank mixes will be necessary to cover all weeds. Hembree said form his tests in
Fresno County, he expects a tank mix of Roundup and Pursuit to be the standard
for alfalfa weed control.
That is not all bad. Vargas and Hembree continually raise red flat of weed
resistance with constant Roundup treatment. They both say the technology will
offer longevity only if growers rotate weed control chemistry and tank mixing.
"Roundup should not be used every year for the life of the stand. Consider
rotating with other chemistry and tank mixing to prevent resistance," said
Hembree, who reminded grower and pest control advisers at the field day that
there are 5,000 acres of ryegrass in California identified as resistant to
glyphosate. In the Midwest, there are at least 500,000 acres of
Roundup-resistant marestail.
"We are seeing reports from the U.S. cotton Belt of Roundup resistance in
lambsquarter," said Vargas, who was called to an almond orchard in Madera
County where the berms were "solid lambsquarter" after two glyphosate
applications. Other growers have reported to Vargas that they are beginning to
have difficulty controlling lambsquarter with Roundup.
Weed shifts
Using Roundup will also result in "weed shifts." Weeds not controlled
by Roundup will become more dominant and that can change a grower's weed
control strategy.
While there has been considerable discussion about emerging resistance to
Roundup since the introduction of herbicide-resistant crops, Roundup has been
identified as a herbicides with a low risk of resistance buildup.
Herbicide resistance is not exclusive to Roundup, Vargas noted. There are
reports from California's Imperial Valley of weed resistance to the newer grass
herbicides as well as resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides elsewhere.
"Rotate herbicides with different modes of action. If you rotate Roundup
and Touchdown, you are not rotating herbicides," said Vargas
And, use recommended rates. A University of Nebraska study revealed a rapid
buildup in herbicide resistance when growers cut rates to sub-lethal doses.
"Monitor for resistance. Make note of clumps of weeds," said Vargas.
"And know what weeds you are trying to control," said Hembree. This
will allow for best herbicide selection to control the weeds.
Hembree said the Forage Genetics varieties released in 2005 are expected to be
in dormancy classes 3 and 8. "We have been working with some of the new
varieties at the West Side Research and Extension Center at Five Points and
they look pretty darn good," he added.
Expect a 5 percent loss at stand establishment with herbicide-resistant variety
because seed lots will not be 100 percent pure, said Hembree.
The Fresno County farm advisor said one pound active ingredient is just as
effective as two pounds, but application timing is critical. The three-to-four
trifoliate stage is ideal. Applying Roundup at the first trifoliate is too
early because a second weed flush is likely. Treat at the six-to-nine
trifoliate stage and the crop canopy will prevent Roundup contact with the
weeds.
Add flexibility
Roundup Ready alfalfa will offer more flexibility to growers in weed control
and possibly stand establishment. Typically, alfalfa stands are established in
the fall. With this new technology, Hembree said it may be possible to
establish alfalfa in the spring if a grower finds himself kept out of the field
in the fall. That is usually precluded now by the threat of weeds taking over the
stand before it is well-established.
Gene flow does not seem to be an issue with isolation of 900 feet between
conventional and Roundup Ready alfalfas for forage production. The isolation
between seed fields needs to be at least 1,500 feet.
Feral alfalfa, however, poses a challenge. This can develop into a problem
along roadsides where feral alfalfa is common. County road crews now use
Roundup to control this alfalfa, but with herbicide resistant alfalfa, this
could be a new challenge in keeping roadsides clean, said Vargas.
Feral Roundup Ready alfalfa could be problem if is part of a rotation with
Roundup Ready cotton and corn. Vargas' recommendation is to avoid rotating
glyphosate crops.
"You do not want to lose this technology," said Vargas.
Glyphosate is used to take out conventional alfalfa stands. Vargas said 2, 4-D
and Dicamba will take out herbicide-resistant stands in the fall, but that may
be a touchy issue since there are times when phenoxy herbicides are banned in
the valley and others areas.
Marketing Roundup-resistant alfalfa is not expected to be a major issue since
the majority of Californias hay is sold domestically. However, Vargas pointed
out that Japan is a prominent destination of hay exported from the U.S. Japan
has been reluctant to accept genetically modified crops.
Four years of research by the UC team has well-identified the problems
associated with Roundup Ready alfalfa. Hembree and Vargas are convinced the
benefits far outweigh the risks.
Source: Harry Cline, Western Farm
Press via Checkbiotech.org
and SeedQuest.com
30 September 2004
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1.18 One step closer to the perfect crop plant
REDWOOD CITY Herbicide tolerance is the most common transgenic crop trait
in the world. Its importance might increase in the next years, as researchers
discovered a new gene, providing a robust tolerance against glyphosate, one of
the most important commercially sold herbicide active ingredients.
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the herbicides Roundup from Monsanto and
Touchdown by Syngenta. Generally, it is toxic to all kinds of weeds and crops.
Thus for a long time, it was not possible to use it in agriculture. Only since
glyphosate tolerant crops have been developed with the help of genetic
engineering, has glyphosate been frequently used to increase crop yields. 80%
of the U.S. market in soybeans and cotton are now plants that tolerate
glyphosate.
The way glyphosate operates, is it inhibits the synthesis of essential aromatic
amino acids. Under these conditions, plants are not able to survive. However,
there is a similar enzyme in some microorganisms that does the same work, but
is not affected by glyphosate. Researchers took this into account and inserted
the resistant enzymes gene into crop plants. Thus, desired plants can even
survive in the presence of high concentrations of herbicide. Regrettably,
glyphosate remains in the plant and accumulates. In this way, it might
interfere with reproductive development and may lower crop yield if plants are
sprayed late in development.
Seeing this disadvantage, researchers from Pioneer Hi-Bred, Intl. and Verdia
Inc. in Redwood City searched for a method to detoxify glyphosate. One solution
was to let an enzyme called glyphosate N-acetyltransferase (GAT) carry out the
process. GAT modifies glyphosate and turns it into N-acetylglyphosate that is
indeed stable as well, but no longer herbicidal.
With the process of DNA shuffling, the team obtained an enzyme that had a
nearly 10,000-fold improvement over the parental enzyme. The improved enzyme
confers glyphosate tolerance to corn plants in the field.
Before these plants will be brought out on the market, it will take at least
five years, Dr Castle explained because, It takes years to test trait efficacy
in the field, convert the trait into elite varieties, and to assemble product
safety data for the U.S. regulatory agencies. Pioneer Hi-Bred is evaluating
corn plants now and the joint venture between Verdia and Delta and Pine Land is
evaluating the trait in cotton.
According to reports, Verdia Inc. also has projects underway in the areas of
insect, herbicide and disease resistance. Probably we will hear a lot more in
the future.
Flora Mauch is a Science Writer for Checkbiotech in Basel, Switzerland and is
currently studying Biology.
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=8696&start=31&control=205&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1
By Flora Mauch, Checkbiotech
24 September 24
Contributed by Robert Derham
Checkbiotech
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1.19 U.S. National Science Foundation awards $4.2 million
to Cornell University to sequence the tomato genome
The National Science Foundation has
awarded $6.5 million to Cornell University
researchers to sequence the tomato genome, improve genetic manipulation of
maize to learn how to make crops more aluminum tolerant and to develop and use
innovative computational algorithms for the simulation of turbulent combustion.
Specifically, $4.2 million over two years has been awarded to the research
consortium directed by Steven D. Tanksley, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor of
Plant Breeding, to sequence all 12 tomato chromosomes. Stephen Pope, the Sibley
College Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and his research group have been
awarded almost $1.4 million to develop computer algorithms to improve the
ability to simulate combustion processes and, thereby, improve the design of
combustion devices. In addition, a research group directed by Leon Kochian, an
adjunct professor of plant biology and the director of the U.S. Plant, Soil and
Nutrition Laboratory at Cornell, has been awarded $933,000 over five years to
generate better molecular and genomic resources to improve aluminum tolerance
and crop performance in acid soils.
Tanksley's map of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) genome not only will help
scientists better understand the structure and organization of the tomato
genome but also will promote the understanding of the genomes of related
plants, including potatoes, peppers, eggplant, coffee and tobacco.
The tomato genome contains about 950 million base pairs of DNA, with more than
75 percent of it densely packed and largely without genes, Tanksley explains.
"The majority of genes are found in long contiguous stretches of gene-rich
DNA located on the distal portions of each chromosome arm," he says.
"In this project, we will contribute to the sequencing of the gene-rich
regions of all 12 tomato chromosomes."
Kochian will focus on ways to improve aluminum tolerance in plants, since
aluminum toxicity reduces yields of crops by up to 50 percent on potentially
arable lands around the world, especially in South America, Asia and Africa,
where maize is a staple crop and acid soils are common.
"Breeding for aluminum tolerance and agronomic practices aimed at
reducing soil acidity have historically been productive ways to improve crop
production," Kochian explains. "However, it is widely recognized that
further enhancements of crops' tolerance to aluminum will depend on identifying
aluminum tolerance genes and the underlying mechanisms in order to facilitate
improvement via biotechnology."
Thus, his project seeks to identify and characterize aluminum tolerance genes
and their associated mechanisms in maize, which is one of the most important
crops grown on acid soils. The information he gleans will be added to various
publicly available databases and should prove useful to both traditional and
biotechnological crop improvement strategies. The grant also will support a
summer internship program for minority undergraduates at the Boyce Thompson
Institute for Plant Research at Cornell.
Related World Wide Web sites: The following sites provide additional
information on this news release. Some might not be part of the Cornell
University community, and Cornell has no control over their content or
availability.
o Steven Tanksley: http://www.plbr.cornell.edu/PBBweb/Tanksley.html
Abstract of new tomato genome project:
http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0421634
o Leon Kochian: http://www.plantbio.cornell.edu/people.php?netID=lvk1
Abstract of maize genome project:
http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0419435
Source: SeedQuest.com
24 September 2004
(With editing by PBN-L)
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1.20 UC Berkeley researchers identify chlorophyll-regulating
gene
Berkeley, California
Researchers at the University of California,
Berkeley, have identified a critical gene for plants that start their lives
as seeds buried in soil. They say the burial of seeds was an adaptation that
likely helped plants spread from humid, wet climates to drier, hostile
environments.
In a study published in the Sept. 24 issue of the journal Science, the
researchers found that a gene called phytochrome-interacting factor 1, or PIF1,
affects the production of protochlorophyll, a precursor of the chlorophyll used
by plants to convert the sun's energy into food during photosynthesis.
While a seed germinates under soil, in the dark, it is producing a controlled
amount of protochlorophyll in preparation for its debut above ground. Much like
a baby takes his or her first breath of air after emerging from the womb,
seedlings must quickly convert protochlorophyll into chlorophyll once they are
exposed to light for the first time.
"It's a delicate balancing act," said Peter Quail, professor of plant
and microbial biology at UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources and
principal investigator of the study. "The young plant needs some
protochlorophyll to get the ball rolling in photosynthesis. But if the plant
accumulates too much of the compound, it leads to photo-oxidative stress, which
is seen as bleaching on the leaves. The overproduction of protochlorophyll is
like a ticking time bomb that is set off by the sun."
Quail is also research director of the Plant Gene Expression Center, a joint
research center of the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the University of California.
The researchers targeted the PIF1 gene because it binds to phytochrome, a
protein that is triggered by light and that controls a plant's growth and
development. The researchers disabled the PIF1 gene in the species Arabidopsis
thaliana, a mustard plant, and compared the mutant seedlings with a control
group of normal plants.
They grew the seedlings in the dark to mimic conditions beneath the soil,
bringing groups out into the light at different time points throughout a
six-day period. In nature, seeds are typically buried under 2 to 10 millimeters
of soil, taking anywhere from two to seven days to germinate and break through
the soil surface.
"We found that mutated plants had twice the levels of protochlorophyll
than normal, wild-type plants, suggesting that phytochrome acts as a negative
regulator for protochlorophyll," said lead author Enamul Huq, who
conducted the study while he was a post-doctoral researcher at UC Berkeley's
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. "We also saw that the longer
the seedlings were grown in the dark, the more likely they would die when they
were exposed to light."
The mutated seedlings failed to switch off production of protochlorophyll
throughout the germination period, so the longer the seedlings stayed in the
dark, the more toxic the levels became.
Huq, now an assistant professor of molecular cell and developmental biology at
the University of Texas at Austin, pointed out that it is an
"unbound" form of protochlorophyll that is toxic. Normal plants, he
said, produce enough of an enzyme, called protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase,
to bind with typical levels of protochlorophyll. But not enough of the enzyme
is produced to handle the overabundance of unbound protochlorophyll churned out
by the mutant seedlings.
The researchers say the ability of plants to precisely regulate production of
protochlorophyll was probably an evolutionary development designed to ensure
seed survival among higher plants.
Primitive plants, such as mosses and some species of fern, thrive in moist,
humid environments where their spores can stay safely above the soil surface.
But all higher plants - from grasses to trees to agricultural crops such as
wheat and corn - must have the ability to transition from the darkness of an
underground environment to life above ground.
"The development of seed burial in plants provided a long-term survival
benefit through protection from predators and hostile surface conditions,"
said Quail. "The true test of our hypothesis would be to verify whether
primitive plants have the PIF1 gene, and whether the gene is functional."
The finding may also have implications for agricultural biotechnology, allowing
researchers to manipulate the gene to improve the efficiency with which plants
carry on photosynthesis.
Other co-authors of the study are Bassem Al-Sady and Matthew Hudson of UC
Berkeley's Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, and Chanhong Kim and
Klaus Apel of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology's Institute of Plant
Sciences in Zurich, Switzerland.
The study was supported by grants from the Department of Energy, the National
Institutes of Health, the USDA and Syngenta.
Source: SeedQuest.com
23 September 2004
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1.21 Monsanto to commercialize low-linoleic
soybean
A new low-linolenic acid soybean that will reduce or eliminate trans fatty
acids (trans fats) in processed soybean oil, while maintaining performance
parity with leading soybean varieties, has been developed and is now ready for
commercialization. The Monsanto variety carrying the VISTIVE brand will be
available for the 2005 crop season.
Produced through conventional breeding, the soybean variety will be grown by
contract growers who, in participation with soybean processors, will crush the
grain, refine the oil, and market that oil to food companies. The low-linolenic
oil offers direct consumer benefits, specifically enhanced food-grade oils.
For more details of the new soybean, visit http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/layout/media/04/09-01-04.asp
Contributed by Margaret Smith
Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell Univesity
Source: Crop Biotech Update
3 September 2004
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1.22 Updated fact sheet on GM crops in the U.S. released by The Pew
Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
The Pew Initiative on Food and
Biotechnology has updated its fact sheet on the amount, and types, of
genetically modified crops grown in the U.S. to include 2004 data recently
released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The fact sheet, titled "Genetically Modified Crops in the United
States," includes the following highlights from 2004:
" An additional 3.9 million acres of genetically modified soybeans were
planted in the U.S. in 2004, increasing the portion of US soybeans which are
genetically modified from 81% in 2003 to 85% in 2004.
" U.S. farmers planted an additional 4.9 million acres of genetically
modified corn in 2004, increasing the portion of U.S. corn which is genetically
modified from 40% in 2003 to 45% in 2004.
" For the first time in three years, total cotton acreage in the U.S.
increased. The share of cotton which is GM a total of 10.6 million acres also
increased from 73% in 2003 to 76% in 2004.
" South Dakota and Mississippi continue to adopt genetically modified
crops faster than other states. In 2004, 79% of all corn and 95% of all
soybeans grown in South Dakota were genetically modified. 97% of all cotton
produced in Mississippi was genetically modified.
The complete fact sheet is available at: http://pewagbiotech.org/resources/factsheets/crops.
Source: SeedQuest.com
3 Sept. 2004
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1.23 Brazil court eases path for GM corn, cotton, rice
Brasilia, Brasil
Brazil's biotech regulator was cited as saying on Friday that it could clear
new varieties of genetically modified (GM) soy, corn, cotton and rice for
commercial use by December.
A federal tribunal said majority of its judges recognized the power of the
government's Technical Commission on
Biotechnology (CTNBio) to determine what GMO products can be sold in
Brazil. Jairon do Nascimento, CTNBio's executive secretary, was quoted as
telling Reuters that, "The commission (CTNBio) could produce final
technical findings (clearance) by December for three products.
"We have at least 11 GMO products from soybeans, corn and cotton, to human
and animal vaccines that we are considering for approval on the commercial
market in Brazil," Jairon said.
The CTNBio's 36 scientist members are due to meet again on Oct. 21-22.
View CTNBio's other institutional acts regarding genetically modified organisms
at
http://www.ctnbio.gov.br/ctnbio/legis/inormativas/Default_EN.htm.
Source: SeedQuest.com
13 Sept. 2003
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1.24 National Starch and Chemical Company launches TRUETRACE program to
verify non-GMO products
National Starch and Chemical
Company has expanded its crop identity-preservation program and implemented
a broader, documented identity-tracing program to verify the non-genetically
modified organism (non-GMO) status of the company's food ingredients.
The program, named TRUETRACE(TM), provides customers with traceability
for National's food ingredients at all stages of their development, from seed
to crop, to production and distribution. The program covers all the company's
food ingredients made from corn grown in the United States.
Protecting corn varieties from adventitious contamination and providing
traceability is becoming ever more challenging because farmers in the corn-belt
of United States have been greatly increasing their acreage of GM corn crops
over the last few years. Currently, between one third and one half of the corn
acreage in the corn-belt states is being used to grow GM corn, and that is
projected to increase considerably in the next few years.
"The ability to provide fully traceable documentation that grain grown in
the US is from non-GM sources is becoming increasingly more important,
especially as more regulations are implemented to require this
traceability," said Joe Emling, manager, grain quality and traceability,
agribusiness, National Starch and Chemical Company. Currently, European Union
regulations require food producers of genetically modified organisms to inform
purchasers of all the stages of the GM product's production and distribution.
Although EU laws require the traceability of genetically modified products,
they do not explicitly require traceability for non-GM products. National
Starch's TRUETRACE program will make information available to customers in
Europe and elsewhere who request it.
TRUETRACE adheres to the guidelines of the British Retail Consortium/Food
and Drinks Federation (BRC/FDF) Technical Standard for the Supply of Identity
Preserved Non-Genetically Modified Food Ingredients and Products. This standard
represents the best practices available for ensuring the proper segregation and
documentation of non-GM corn and provides for non-GM identity preservation and
traceability that meets or exceeds regulations in major markets worldwide.
Starting at the source
Growers in National's TRUETRACE program grow non-GM corn exclusively or take
special precautions to isolate GM corn from non-GM corn to avoid
cross-contamination. These growers provide National with extensive
documentation of their seed varieties, field locations, and equipment cleaning,
which are subject to periodic audits. Corn delivered to National Starch
manufacturing facilities can thus be traced to the original farm on which it
was grown and the seed varieties used in production.
"Our customers value the non-GM status of our modified food,
functional native and resistant starches," said Mike Klacik, Senior
Director of Nutrition and Bioscience, National Starch and Chemical Company.
"National Starch is able to provide the TRUETRACE program because of its
direct, long-standing relationships with corn growers in its primary
contracting areas, and because it has a team of experts in plant science,
agronomy, supply chain logistics and regulatory affairs. This infrastructure
and the know-how make it possible for us to offer this quality assurance
program to our customers."
National Starch and Chemical Company is a worldwide manufacturer of
natural polymers, specialty polymers, adhesives and electronic and engineering
materials, with 2003 sales of $3.05 billion. National Starch is headquartered
in Bridgewater, N.J., and is a member of the ICI Group.
Source: SeedQuest.com
15 Sept. 2004
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1.25 CIMMYTs guiding principles for developing and
deploying genetically engineered maize and wheat varieties
El Batan, Mexico
Many of the worlds poorest people are small-scale farmers, whose livelihood is
at risk because of low productivity and insecure harvests. At the same time,
poor urban and rural consumers suffer from malnutrition, the so-called hidden
hunger, which impairs productivity. The
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), one of the Future Harvest
international agricultural research centers supported by the CGIAR, together
with its partners, works to solve these problems of poverty and food insecurity
with a range of multidisciplinary research and capacity-building activities
focused on food, agricultural, and natural resource maize and wheat systems.
In the last two decades, biotechnology has produced a number of valuable tools
and techniques that can be used to help improve and conserve all crop species.
Thus, CIMMYT believes that biotechnology (which includes a range of techniques
such as tissue culture, marker-assisted selection, genomics, and genetic
engineering) has an important role to play in improving the productivity,
stability, quality, and use of maize and wheat varieties in developing
countries while preserving the environment. CIMMYT, along with its CGIAR sister
centers, is committed to making these new opportunities offered by biological
sciences available as public goods and thereby complementing private-sector
research so that technologies can reach resource-poor farmers and malnourished
poor consumers.
While plant breeding that utilizes non-transgenic approaches will remain the
backbone of CIMMYTs crop improvement strategies, genetically engineered maize
and wheat varieties (popularly called genetically modified organisms, GMOs)
will not be excluded as products capable of contributing to CIMMYTs principal
goals. Indeed, in tackling certain intractable problems, using genetically
engineered crops may be the best available approach for meeting the challenges
of food security and environmental protection.
CIMMYT is conscious that the development and use of genetically engineered
varieties is controversial in many countries. However, it also recognizes that
these varieties have been commercially available since the mid-1990s, initially
in the USA, but increasingly in other developed and developing countries. While
no technology is risk-free, major environmental or food safety issues have not
been identified. Recently, developing countries have also commercialized
genetically engineered varieties, and benefits to resource poor farmers and
consumers are being realized. While the initially available varieties possess
input traits (e.g., insect resistance or herbicide tolerance), the technology
offers to improve many other traits such as drought tolerance and nutritional
quality, all important for resource poor farmers and consumers in developing
countries.
CIMMYT believes that it is important that any variety, genetically engineered
or not, released to farmers be safe and effective. Thus, efforts will be focused
on evaluating the environmental and food/feed safety aspects on all new
varieties. Equally important is to ensure the sustainability of the technology
for farmers. Thus, efforts will also focus on issues such as resistance
management strategies, intellectual property rights and seed saving
technologies that allow farmers long-term benefits, inexpensive access to the
varieties and the ability to save seed from generation to generation.
Recognizing that both the scientific community and the general public express a
range of conflicting opinions on the use of genetic engineering, CIMMYT favors
public dialogue based on transparency and science. CIMMYT will take a holistic
approach in this debate by examining, to the best of our ability, biosafety,
food safety, trade, intellectual property rights, and ethical and cultural
aspects, all of which shape the science and policy actions related to the
development and use of GMOs.
This approach leads CIMMYT to the following guidelines:
Source:
CIMMYT e-newsletter
via SeedQuest.com
30 September 2004
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1.26 GE is essential to improve cowpea, says International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture breeder
Ibadan, Nigeria
The International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA) has over the years tried, without much success, to
improve cowpea, a protein -rich crop, through conventional breeding. Cowpea is
an ideal crop for improving the nutrition of resource poor farmers, especially
since animal protein is expensive. Dr. Christian Fatokun, IITA Cowpea Breeder,
said that his institute had collaborated with advanced laboratories all over
the world and committed substantial human and financial resources into cowpea
improvement all to no avail because of abundant diseases and insect pest
attacks on the crop.
Fatokun added that Nigeria is the leading producer of the crop but the yield is
so poor that a farmer hardly realizes more than 300 kilograms of yield per
hectare. To increase the yield, pesticides must be applied, but which are
expensive and not environment- friendly. To achieve any success in controlling
the insects, especially Maruca vitrata, that which destroys the cowpea flowers
and causes severe yield loss, genetic engineering is essential to incorporate
resistance in the crop, said Dr. Fatokun.
A few years ago, the Institute was instrumental in the development and subsequent
adoption of the Nigerian Biosafety Guidelines, and the establishment of a
national policy on biotechnology. Other stakeholders supporting the public
awareness drive of biotechnology in Nigeria include the National Biotechnology
Development Agency (NABDA) and several national universities with specific
study programs in biotechnology.
Source: SeedQuest.com
1 October 2004
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1.27 Weighing the pros and cons of genetically modified
crops in Africa
El Batan, Mexico
Should Africa embrace genetically modified crops to help feed its hungry
people? That question is explored by a recent paper entitled Debunking the
Myths of GM Crops for Africa: The Case of Bt Maize in Kenya. The paper
compares the benefits of genetically modified crops to information available on
the risks, and finds that most objections are not backed by evidence. Hugo De
Groote, Stephen Mugo, and David Bergvinson from CIMMYT,
along with Ben Odhiambo of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, conducted
the study, which argues for a discussion based on scientific evidence and
evaluation of potential benefits against concerns.
Genetically modified crops have been successful in many countries, including
Canada and the US, where they have increased yields, lowered labor and
cultivation costs, and reduced the use of chemical inputs. Genetic engineering
has the potential to enhance food security and nutritional quality in ways not possible
with conventional technology. Because the technology is contained in the seed,
it is easy to distribute to farmers. This is particularly important in Africa,
where extension services have largely collapsed and transport infrastructure is
poor.
Concerns about deploying genetically modified crops in Africa include food
safety, ethics, environmental risk, loss of landrace biodiversity, and the lack
of appropriate biosafety regulations. Although long-term effects need to be
analyzed, current studies by national and international organizations reveal no
demonstrated toxic or nutritionally harmful effects of foods derived from
genetically modified crops.
Sounding Out Public Opinion
The study by de Groote and his colleagues focused on Kenya, where maize, the
main food crop, is planted on 30% of arable lands. It drew on a variety of data
sources, including participatory rural appraisals and farmer and consumer
surveys. De Groote thinks it is important to make research results
understandable to the general public so everyone can participate in the debate.
To gauge awareness and attitudes about genetically modified crops, the
researchers interviewed 604 consumers, only half of whom were aware of them.
Many appreciated the benefits but worried about potential negative effects on
health and the environment, especially on local plant varieties. De Groote says
consumers are increasingly aware of genetically modified food and generally
accept it, but their concerns about environmental safety and biodiversity have
to be addressed.
Several seed companies in Kenya have expressed interest in producing and
distributing Bt maize seed, which offers an effective and practical method for
reducing stem borer damage in maize. Genetically engineered Bt maize contains a
gene from the soil-dwelling bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, which
produces a toxin that helps control certain pests but is not harmful to humans
or livestock. The Bt gene was first introduced into the commercial maize market
in 1996. It has provided control for many pests and could help decrease
pesticide use.
"The major surprise was that, contrary to the usual claims, Bt maize is
very likely to benefit poor farmers and small seed companies,"says de
Groote. Stem borers are a real concern for farmers, especially in low-potential
coastal and dry areas.
Farmers in Kenya lose 400,000 tons, or about 14%, of their maize to stem
borers. That is roughly the amount the country imports each year. De Groote
says Bt maize alone will not solve this problem, but could help reduce losses
and increase food security.
The IRMA Project
In 1999, the Insect
Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project was launched in Kenya to develop
borer resistant varieties using both conventional breeding and biotechnology.
Kenya already had experience with genetically modified crops and had biosafety
policies in place. IRMA, a collaborative project between CIMMYT and the Kenya
Agricultural Research Institute, receives financial support from the Syngenta
Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture.
Before initiating the project, all parties involved agreed that transformed
plants would carry only the gene of interest, without marker genes; that
transgenic crops would only be developed for countries with appropriate
biosafety regulations; and that only genes in the public domain would be used.
They also agreed that the project would work under the highest scientific
standards. When the project ends, other countries in Africa will be able to
evaluate results from Kenya's experience and decide for themselves which path
to follow.
"I hope that the results will be accepted not only by the scientific
community but also by the general population, in Africa as well as in the
developed world,"says de Groote. "I also hope they will put to rest
some of the major concerns about Bt maize for Africa."
To make informed choices possible, the researchers contend that scientists in
Africa need hands-on experience with the new technology. They need to test and
adapt it using the appropriate regulatory framework and precautions. Further,
the researchers believe that the technologies need to be developed in a
participatory approach, since African farmers and consumers have the right to
choose technologies based on the best knowledge available. They should not be
denied the chance to improve their livelihoods as a result of an academic
debate in which they are not included.
For more information: Hugo De Groote or Stephen Mugo
Source: CIMMYT e-newsletter
via SeedQuest.com
30 September 2004
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=========================
2 PUBLICATIONS
2.01 De Vicente, C., T. Metz and A. Alercia. 2004. Descriptors for genetic
markers technologies. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome,
Italy. http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pubfile.asp?ID_PUB=913.
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2.02 Engels, J.M.M. and L. Visser (eds). 2003. A guide to effective management
of germplasm collections. IPGRI Handbooks for Genebanks No. 6. International
Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome. Italy. http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pubfile.asp?ID_PUB=899.
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===================
3. WEB RESOURCES
3.01 The Sesame and Safflower Newsletter.
EcoPort (http://www.ecoport.org) has moved
to an open source software and the links to the Newsletters have changed.
The majority of the articles deal with plant breeding.
The URLs for the Internet versions of the last 5 editions are as follows: Just
click on "Table of contents" and choose the articles of interest.
No. 18 - 2003 http://www.ecoport15.org/perl/ecoport15.pl?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=188&page=-1&checkRequired=Y
No. 17 - 2002 http://www.ecoport15.org/perl/ecoport15.pl?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=189&page=-1&checkRequired=Y
No. 16 - 2001 http://www.ecoport15.org/perl/ecoport15.pl?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=195&page=-1&checkRequired=Y
No. 15 - 2000 http://www.ecoport15.org/perl/ecoport15.pl?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=196&page=-1&checkRequired=Y
No. 14 - 1999 http://www.ecoport15.org/perl/ecoport15.pl?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=210&page=-1&checkRequired=Y
Contributed by Peter Griffee
FAO.
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4 GRANTS AVAILABLE
4.01 NSF program solicitation: Maize Genome Sequencing Project: an
NSF/DOE/USDA joint program
Maize Genome Sequencing Project: An NSF/DOE/USDA Joint Program
Synopsis of Program:
Under the auspices of the National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI), the National
Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) announce their intention to support
large-scale sequencing of the maize genome. Previous funding has supported
development of maize genome sequence resources, including physical and genetic
maps, Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs), sequences derived from gene-enriched genomic
libraries, Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) sequences, and a community
genome database. The objective of this program solicitation is to solicit
proposals that build on these resources to develop a comprehensive sequence
resource for the maize genome that will capture the majority of the sequence
information in a timely and cost-effective manner.
View complete document at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04614/nsf04614.htm
Source: SeedQuest.com
15 Sept 2004
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4.02 The Cassava Biotechnology Network (CBN) for Latin America
and the Caribbean (LAC): Small Grants for 2004
The Cassava Biotechnology Network (CBN) for Latin America and the Caribbean
(LAC) has actively stimulated research on cassava by providing assistance in
the development of project proposals on priority topics. It has also served as
a broker, building coalitions between national agricultural research and
development institutions (NARDIs) and donors. In addition, CBN supports the
formulation of research proposals through its Small Grants Program, which
provides about US$100,000 per year.
http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/biotechnology/index.htm#cbn
Source: CIAT-News - September 2004 Issue: 12
A Newsletter from http://www.ciat.cgiar.org
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++++++++++++++++++++++++
4.03 The Gines-Mera Memorial Fellowship Fund for Postgraduate
Studies in Biodiversity - 2004
We are pleased to announce the second call for applications to The Gines-Mera
Memorial Fellowship Fund for Postgraduate Studies in Biodiversity. The Fund is
supported by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), which
provides resources, and by CIAT.
We particularly invite applications for the 2004 awards from MSc students whose
work will be conducted in whole or in part in Uganda or Rwanda, or both
countries; and from PhD students in Colombia, Peru, or Ecuador.
http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/biotechnology/index.htm#gines
Source: CIAT-News - September 2004 Issue: 12
A Newsletter from http://www.ciat.cgiar.org
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===========================
5. MEETINGS, COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
* 24-28 October, 2004: IV ISHS Symposium on Brassica and XIV Crucifer Genetics
Workshop. Daejon (Korea) Info: Prof. Dr. Yong Pyo Lim, Dept. of Horticulture,
Chungnam National University, Kung-Dong 220, Yusong-Gu, Taejon 305-764, South
Korea. Phone: (82)428215739, Fax: (82)428231382, email: yplim@cnu.ac.kr
* 31 October 4 November 2004: Annual Meetings, American Society of Agronomy,
Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Seattle, WA,
USA. Contact: ASA-CSSA-SSSA, 677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison WI 53711, USA; Tel: +1
(608) 273 8080; Fax: +1 (608) 273 2021; URL: http://www.agronomy.org/%3Ewww.agronomy.org/
* 7-10 November 2004: International Conference: Post Harvest Fruit: The Path to
Success, Campus Lircay, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile. fruits2004@utalca.cl
http://www.utalca.cl/congreso/postharvestfruit/index.htm (See
complete conference description in January 2004 newsletter)
* 8-10 December 2004. ASTA's 34th Soybean Seed and 59th Corn & Sorghum Seed
Conferences. Chicago, IL, USA Contact: 225, Reinekers Lane, Suite 650,
Alexandria, VA, USA; Tel: +1 (703) 837 8140; Fax: +1 (703) 837 9365; URL: http://www.amseed.com/
*(NEW) 29 March - 1 April 2005.The next meeting of the EUCARPIA Section Genetic
Resources is announced on the EUCARPIA website under:
http://www.eucarpia.org/02meetings/index.html#genetres2005
Section Genetic Resources
2005, Section Meeting. Castelsardo (North Sardinia), Italy
Plant genetic resources of geographical and 'other' islands. Conservation,
evaluation and use for plant breeding
29 March - 1 April 2005
Info: S. Bullitta
CNR-ISPAAM
Via Enrico de Nicola
07100 Sassari, Italy
Tel.: ++39 079 229332 Fax: ++39 079 229354
E-mail: bullitta@cspm.ss.cnr.it
Download: First
Announcement (MS Word)
Contributed by Helmut Knpffer
* 4 - 9 May 2005. 11th International Lupin Conference, Guadalajara, Jalisco,
Mexico. 1st Circular is available at: http://www.cucba.udg.mx/eventos/lupinus/lupinus.html.
Contact: pgarcia@cucba.udg.mx.
Submitted by George D. Hill, Secretary/Treasurer International Lupin Association
(hill@inia.es) At our meetings we have usually had a substantial number of
submissions from Plant Breeders. I would expect that it will be the same
at this meeting.
* (NEW) 6-10 June 2005. 5th International Triticeae
Symposium held in Prague, Czech Republic (www.vurv.cz/triticeae).
You are welcome to register and offer your contributions. We are obliged for
any suggestion that would improve our Symposium. Any further distribution of
this information to whom it may concern is highly appreciated.
Programme
The programme has 5 sessions. Each session will be opened with a key lecture
after which contributions will follow. The time for key lectures is 30 to 50
minutes and 10 minutes for discussion. Oral presentations have 15 minutes and 5
min. for discussion. Posters to each session will be displayed in the
lobby.
Session no. 1. Phylogeny
Session no. 2. Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Session no. 3. Biodiversity and Conservation
Session no. 4. Genetics and Molecular Research
Session no. 5. Breeding
Contacts: Vojtech Holubec, PhD.
Research Institute of Crop Production
Dept. of Gene Bank
Drnovsk507
161 06 Praha 6 Ruzyne
Czech Republic
E-mail: triticeae@vurv.cz
phone: +420-233 022 497
Frantiek Hnilicka, PhD.
Czech Agricultural University
Dept. of Botany
Kamck129
165 21 Praha 6 Suchdol
Czech Republic
E-mail: hnilicka@af.czu.cz
phone: +420-22438 2519
Contributed by Helmut Knpffer
* 13-17 June 2005, Murcia (Spain): XIII International Symposium on Apricot
Breeding and Culture. Info: Dr. Felix Romojaro and Dr. Federico
Dicenta, CEBAS-CSIC, PO Box 164, 30100 Espinardo (Murcia), Spain. Phone: (34)968396328 or
(34)968396309, Fax: (34)968396213, email: apricot@cebas.csic.es
Symposium Secretariat: Viajes CajaMurcia, Gran Via Escultor Salzillo 5. Entlo.
Dcha., 30004 Murcia, Spain. Phone: (34)968225476, Fax: (34)968223101, email: congresos@viajescajamurcia.com
*(NEW) 12 14 September 2005 Seeds and Breeds for the 21st Century,
at Iowa State University -- A conference engaging diverse stakeholders
interested in strengthening our public plant and animal breeding capacity.
The conference is announced by RAFI. It is a follow up to a meeting held
in 2003 in Washington DC on the same subject. The proceedings of the 2003
meeting are on the web site at www.rafiusa.org.
There is little other information at this point. The contact person is
Laura Lauffer, 919 542 6067
Please share this information with other plant breeders
Contributed by Anne Marie Thro
CSREES, USDA
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6. EDITOR'S NOTES
Plant Breeding News is an electronic forum for the exchange of information and
ideas about applied plant breeding and related fields. It is published every
four to six weeks throughout the year.
The newsletter is managed by the editor and an advisory group consisting of
Elcio Guimaraes (elcio.guimaraes@fao.org),
Margaret Smith (mes25@cornell.edu), and
Anne Marie Thro (athro@reeusda.gov). The
editor will advise subscribers one to two weeks ahead of each edition, in order
to set deadlines for contributions.
REVIEW PAST NEWSLETTERS ON THE WEB: Past issues of the Plant Breeding
Newsletter are now available on the web. The address is: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/AGP/AGPC/doc/services/pbn.html
We will continue to improve the organization of archival issues of the
newsletter. Readers who have suggestions about features they wish to see should
contact the editor at chh23@cornell.edu.
Subscribers are encouraged to take an active part in making the newsletter a
useful communications tool. Contributions may be in such areas as: technical
communications on key plant breeding issues; announcements of meetings, courses
and electronic conferences; book announcements and reviews; web sites of
special relevance to plant breeding; announcements of funding opportunities;
requests to other readers for information and collaboration; and feature
articles or discussion issues brought by subscribers. Suggestions on format and
content are always welcome by the editor, at pbn-l@mailserv.fao.org. We would
especially like to see a broad participation from developing country programs
and from those working on species outside the major food crops.
Messages with attached files are not distributed on PBN-L for two important
reasons. The first is that computer viruses and worms can be distributed in
this manner. The second reason is that attached files cause problems for some
e-mail systems.
PLEASE NOTE: Every month many newsletters are returned because they are
undeliverable, for any one of a number of reasons. We try to keep the mailing
list up to date, and also to avoid deleting addresses that are only temporarily
inaccessible. If you miss a newsletter, write to me at chh23@cornell.edu and I
will re-send it.
To subscribe to PBN-L: Send an e-mail message to mailserv@mailserv.fao.org.
Leave the subject line blank and write: SUBSCRIBE PBN-L (Important: use ALL
CAPS). To unsubscribe: Send an e-mail message as above with the message UNSUBSCRIBE
PBN-L. Lists of potential new subscribers are welcome. The editor will contact
these persons; no one will be subscribed without their explicit permission.
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