[For further information on the Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture see the Forum website.
Note, participants are assumed to be speaking on their own behalf, unless they state otherwise.]

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod2
Sent: 12 March 2007 14:13
To: 'biotech-room2@mailserv.fao.org'
Subject: 20: Use of wastewater for countering water scarcity in agriculture

I am Anju Arora working as a scientist (microbiology) at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, N.Delhi, India. We are mainly interested in application of microorganisms in agriculture such as biofertilisers, for biocontrol, for value added products and also bioremediation. I am working on bioremediation of wastewaters using azolla and algae for removal of metals and also nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) so that wastewaters can be safely reused in agricuture.

I appreciate the initiative of FAO in organising such a conference. It will spread lots of information and knowledge among scientific and agriculture workers. Addressing the issue of water scarcity in agriculture is the most important, as in coming decades availability of water will determine crop productivity. To meet the water problem it will become imperative to recycle wastewater and it will also solve disposal problem.

I agree with Message 9 (by Edo Lin) that many aquatic plants like azolla and algae are very useful in remediation of metal contaminated wastewaters. Moreover, azolla can be important in wetland technologies for polishing of wastewaters. Its potential to remove toxic metals is established. Polishing or tertiary treatment of wastewaters is the same as removal of heavy metals/nutrients like N and P and even organic pollutant and for removal of pathogens. This can be done in specially designed constructed wetlands. Many other aquatic plants have been studied for application in wetland systems and technologies. Lots of work is being done on bioremediation of wastewaters in such constructed wetlands at the Centre of Environment research in Leipzig, Germany and also in Israel.

Anju Arora
Sr. Scientist
Centre For blue green algae
Indian Agriculture Research Institute
New Delhi
India
anjudev (at) yahoo.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod2
Sent: 12 March 2007 14:15
To: 'biotech-room2@mailserv.fao.org'
Subject: 21: Re: Ectomycorrhiza

This is Dr K.V. Peter. I am former Vice-Chancellor and Director Research, Kerala Agricultural University. Established a world class biotechnology facility at Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), while working as Director IISR during 1991-1999. At present, I am co-ordinator of DBT Projects on Spices. Currently Professor of Horticulture. Recently co-edited 'Recent trends in biotechnology of horticultural crops', published by New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi. An edited book Tissue culture and gene transfer for crop improvement is getting published by Orient Longman, Hyderabad.

Vesicular arbiscular mycorrhiza (VAM) is used in spices like black pepper, ginger, vanilla and cardamom as a phospherous solubilising fungi. The fungi promote root development and protect the root system from infection by Phytophthora. Please see the website of the Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut - www.iisr.org

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is yet another group used in plantation crops like cashew for better establishment, growth and yield of nuts. Please see the website of the National Research Centre of Cashew, Puthoor - www.nrccashew.org. Considerale work has been done at the Department of Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, P O Vellayani, Trivandrum - www.kau.edu

Prof KV Peter, Ph D
Professor of Horticulture
Kerala Agricultural University
KAU -PO, Vellanikkara,
Thrissur, Kerala State
India - 680656

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod2
Sent: 12 March 2007 14:16
To: 'biotech-room2@mailserv.fao.org'
Subject: 22: Use of wastewater

This is from Rose Omari, Ghana. I wish to commend FAO for this educative and informative programme.

I would like to comment on the use of wastewater. The use of wastewater (untreated) in Ghana to water vegetables is on the increase and this raises a number of food safety and public health concerns. There therefore is an urgent need to consider putting structures in place to treat wastewater used for irrigation purposes. However a major problem of concern is the microbiological safety of such treated wastewater. It has been repeatedly proven scientifically that wastewater which has been given tertiary treatment could contain pathogens like E. coli O157:H7, especially if the wastewater includes effluent from hospitals. Much as we want to make maximum use of wastewater, we must not lose sight of the fact that it could compromise food safety if not done properly. Our scientists must conduct thorough research on the biology of treated wastewater and the appropriate biotechnology tools that could eliminate these pathogens.

I agree with you as stated in the Background Document that with increasing population and industrialization, demand for water and subsequent waste generation will be higher. However, it has been reported that some biotechnology tools have made it possible for water usage and waste generation by industries to be reduced. For instance, Pasfrost (Netherlands) has developed a biological treatment system for water in its vegetable processing facility that has reduced water use by 50%. Also, Cereol (Germany) has implemented an enzyme-based system for degumming of vegetable oil during purification after extraction, and has reduced water use by 92% and waste sludge by 88%.

We in the developing countries must take advantage of these technologies to deal with problems of water scarcity. Our scientists must be supported to build their capacity and conduct research using various biotechnology tools so that we are not left behind.

Rose Omari (Mrs.)
Food Scientist/Research Scientist
Science and Technology Policy Research Institute,
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Ghana.
rosab28 (at) yahoo.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod2
Sent: 12 March 2007 14:17
To: 'biotech-room2@mailserv.fao.org'
Subject: 23: Re: Marker-assisted selection for yield under water stress

This is from P. Sathish Kumar, ICRISAT, India, again, providing additional information on my previous message 18.

Firstly, to elaborate on my query at the end of my message (i.e. "How to substantiate with a single gene (like 'DREB' gene for drought tolerance, 'erecta' for water-use efficiency, Crt for beta-carotene and so on) for the whole pathway of genes involved in quantitative traits?"), quantitative traits like drought tolerance or water use efficiency are controlled by many different pathways of genes. My query is related to the transformants developed with a single gene. How a single gene will have a major impact in controlling entire process of water-use efficiency or drought tolerance? This is my question. My concern again is with how e.g. the 'erecta' gene will have control over the entire physiological process of water use efficiency or the pathway of genes involved?

Secondly, responding to a request to expand on what I wrote about terminal dought tolerance: Terminal drought tolerance in pearl millet is the most damaging stage in drought prone semi-arid conditions. Post flowering drought stress is one of the most common and serious environmental constraints in these regions (van Oosterom et al., 1996). This type of terminal drought tolerance is simulated in drought nursery by stopping the irrigation after 50% flowering like late-onset drought stress and early-onset drought stress conditions. The details of the drought stress patterns are explained in Yadav et al. (2004). For terminal drought tolerance, the genomic regions contributing to drought tolerance were identified in different mapping populations (Yadav et al., 2002 and 2004).

P. Sathish Kumar
Consultant
MS-Swaminathan Applied Genomics Laboratory,
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT),
Andhra Pradesh-502 324,
India.
Office: +91-40-30713313
Res: +91-9866694107
Fax: +91-40-30713071; 30713072
Email: s.kumar (at) cgiar.org

References:

van Oosterom, E.J., F.R. Bidinger, V. Mahalakshmi and K.P. Rao. 1996. Effect of water availability patterns on yield of pearl millet in semi-arid tropical environments. Euphytica 89: 165-173.

Yadav, R.S., C.T. Hash, F.R. Bidinger, G.P. Cavan, and C.J. Howarth. 2002. Quantitative trait loci associated with traits determining grain and stover yield in pearl millet under terminal drought-stress conditions. Theor. Appl. Genet. 104: 67-83.

Yadav, R.S., C.T. Hash, F.R. Bidinger, K.M. Devos, and C.J. Howarth. 2004. Genomic regions associated with grain yield and aspects of post flowering drought tolerance in pearl millet across stress environments and tester background. Euphytica 136: 265-277.

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod2
Sent: 12 March 2007 16:25
To: 'biotech-room2@mailserv.fao.org'
Subject: 24: Re: Use of wastewater

Responding to Rose Omari (Message 22): As was stated by Anju Arora (Message 20) there are numerous options with phytoremediation of wastewater. Specially crafted algae and other species can extract nutrients from the polluted water thereby not only cleaning it significantly but also providing us with a useful crop.

We are examining oil extraction from algae, as well as using algae as a livestock feed and a biomass fuel. We already do a lactic acid fermentation process on a wide variety of byproducts, from fish processing waste and shrimp shells to livestock mortalities and vegetable waste. The results are an excellent soil amendment, probiotic for plants and, in some cases, a livestock feed and water supplement.

We use Moringa tree powder as a GRAS ("generally recognised as safe") polymer and coagulant in polluted water. We also have a small gasifier which generates substantial heat from gasifying waste products from wood, grass, manure and others, and can produce 2,000 gallons of distilled water daily from almost any source. For larger applications we have a biomass combustion/gasifier unit capable of producing 200,000 gallons of distilled water from almost any dirty source while generating 10mW of electrical power. This unit can also use manures, wood, sawdust, rice hulls and other materials as fuel.

I want to emphasis the ability of algae and other plants to clean the water and provide fuel, feed and fertilizer as a result.

If your work is able to select or craft an algae or other to produce significant amounts of oil while cleaning the water, even in a CO2 enriched environment if necessary, you will have done the world a service. I am not familiar with the biotech applications necessary to make this happen but I am sure that others in this group are.

Cornelius A. Van Milligen
Kentucky Enrichment Inc
United States
www.kentuckyenrichment.com
e-mail: cavm (at) aol.com