Global
C4
RICE NEEDED – RICE COMMISSION SECRETARY
“
The development of C4 rice or similar varieties is very
much welcome and we strongly recommend that member governments
and the donor community provide full support to current
research based on improving the photosynthetic efficiency
of the rice plant,” International Rice Commission
Secretary Nguu Nguyen said in a press statement. He was
commenting on recent reports about a major international
scientific effort that aims to convert rice from a C3 to
a C4 plant, where a plant’s ability to capture carbon
for growth is increased. The more solar energy a rice plant can efficiently
capture, the more it will yield, explained Mr. Nguyen. “We need
to meet the challenge of feeding a growing world population,
which is projected to reach 8.3 billion in 2030, with an
accompanying rice demand of 771 million tonnes,” he
stressed, “The C4 rice would have the potential to
out-yield the best performing existing rice varieties and
hybrids by 15 to 20 percent. However, it will take several
more years before the C4 rice varieties may become available.
And, then we will have to make sure that they are safe for
human and animal consumption as well as for the environment.”
Read the complete press release at http://www.fao.org/
newsroom/en/news/2006/1000379/index.html.
DUPONT, BUNGE EXPAND COLLABORATION TO BIOFUELS The Bunge DuPont Biotech Alliance, composed of food and
feed ingredient company Bunge and chemical manufacturer DuPont,
has announced the expansion of its soy collaboration, beyond
food and nutrition products to include industrial applications,
biofuels, and other opportunities. To reflect this, the Alliance
is launching TREUS, a new brand name for its soy products.
In its product pipeline are several new soy varieties that
can be grown across broader geographies and maturity zones.
These new varieties, to be released in 2007, include soy
oils with high oleic and a combination of high oleic and
high stearic oil content. These oils can offer a low trans-fat,
high solids baking ingredient for use in packaged foods requiring
an extended shelf life, such as cookies, crackers, and breakfast
cereals. They can also provide products with better frying
performance, as well as renewable, environmentally friendly
options to petroleum-based products. Research is also underway
to develop soybean varieties that produce meal with enhanced
amino acid content.
Read the complete press releases at http://vocuspr.vocus.com/
VocusPR30/Newsroom/Query.aspx?SiteName=DupontNew
&
Entity=PRAsset&SF_PRAsset_PRAssetID_EQ=102994&XSL=
PressRelease&Cache=False.
IWMI RELEASES ASSESSMENT OF WORLD WATER MANAGEMENT A third of the world is affected by water shortages, a quarter
of the world lives where water is in naturally short supply
and where sources tend to be over-used, but these problems
still have a multitude of solutions. This was concluded by
the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture,
a study that was launched at the recently opened World Water
Week meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.
With groundwater levels declining, water sources drying
up, and agriculture using up to 70 times more water than
domestic activities, the report urges policymakers to formulate
policies that would keep water supplies sustainable. The
report is the product of a five-year assessment that brought
together 700 experts in the field of water management. Spearheaded
by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the
study recommends several solutions to the current water shortage
problem. This includes strategies that will allow agriculture
to use half of the water currently used, while still feeding
an extra 2-3 billion people.
Access the study at http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Assessment/
files_new/newsroom/CA%20Exco%20Brochure-1-
final%20version.pdf.
Read a related article at http://allafrica.com/stories/200608230511.html.
For more information on the meeting visit http://www.worldwaterweek.org/.
Africa COMESA SIGNS DEAL TO IMPROVE AFRI AGRI PRODUCTION
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Food
Agriculture and Natural Resource Policy Analysis Network
(FANRPAN) to exchange information on food, agriculture, and
natural resources policy and institutional issues relevant
to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It will also facilitate, where
possible, access to relevant research and published materials
on agriculture.
The MoU will enable the two organisations work together
to strengthen the understanding of regional international
trade agreements and support the formulation of national
trade agreements on agriculture, support the formulation
of national and regional policies, build shared market information
and communication systems, and establish a database and promote
advocacy on farmer issues.
Both FANRPAN and COMESA have agreed to cooperate with relevant
national, regional, and international institutions operating
within the region in the design, implementation, and assessment
of capacity building initiatives to achieve maximum impact
on matters of common interest.
For more information contact Daniel Otunge through dotunge@absfafrica.org or d.otunge@cgiar.org
FERTILIZER TREES BOOST CROP YIELDS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA Maize production is hampered by low soil
fertility and nutrient mining in southern Africa, where
soils are depleted of nitrogen,
and where smallholders cannot afford chemical fertilizers.
A solution was formulated in the early 1990’s by researcher
from the World Agro-Forestry Center and their national partners
in Zambia. After years of work on cropping solutions, they
have discovered that fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing trees,
such as species of Sesbania and Gliricidia, and Tephrosia
vogelli, can improve fallows and even change soil structure.
Soils fallowed with these “fertilizer trees” are
lighter and airier, with reduced crusting, and better water
infiltration and holding capacity. In southern Africa, permanent
maize-Gliricidia intercrop systems have been found to sustain
yields that are very close to a fully fertilized system.
In line with this, Malawi’s Ministry of Agriculture
has partnered with United Nations (UN) agencies in incorporating
fertilizer tree agroforestry options as a sustainable strategy
in the overall programmatic approach of establishing a Millennium
Global Village in the country.
For more information, read http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/
news/default.asp?NewsID=FAA07246-6A5B-4525-AF74-AFA06E87C134 and http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/
news/default.asp?NewsID=6E5F4A43-38BA-47BE-
9F8C-58D31E0307A6.
INIBAP, TSBF-CIAT, IITA JOIN TO SAVE BANANA The International Network for the Improvement
of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP), the Tropical Soil Biology
and Fertility
Institute of the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical
(TSBF-CIAT), and the International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA), along with local agricultural research
services, NGOs and private sector partners, have united to
help banana and plantain farmers in Africa’s Great
Lakes region.
Bananas and plantains are an important source of food and
income for rural people throughout the humid tropics, but
nowhere more so than in this part of Africa. The consortium
hopes to rebuild the banana and plantain sectors through
projects funded by the Directorate General for Development
Cooperation of Belgium. The INIBAP-led project will develop
mechanisms to access dispersed expertise and knowledge, adapt
it to meet local needs, and use it to solve, on a pilot scale,
problems at the farm, community, and institutional levels.
TSBF-CIAT will develop a strategy integrating natural resource
management, improved nutrition, and access to markets to
increase the resilience of agro-ecosystems. IITA will develop
and disseminate technologies to increase the sustainability
of the banana production system.
Read the complete article at http://www.inibap.org/
news/ressources/File/cialca(1).pdf.
ICARDA, WAGENINGEN U PARTNER FOR WANA ICARDA and Wageningen University and Research Center, the
Netherlands recently launched a partnership on short courses
in the field of Plant Genetic Resources and Seeds. Different
modules will be organized jointly in different parts of West
Asia and North Africa (WANA); in Karaj, Iran, in November
2006; and in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2007. Wageningen UR
has been running short international mid-career training
programs in fields related to biotechnology, breeding, and
seeds for several years. It is now stepping up its activities
in different regions.
For more information, visit http://www.icarda.org/
Training_opp.htm and http://www.wi.wur.nl/UK/newsagenda/
agenda/Plant_genetic_resources_and_seeds_policies_
conservation_and_use.htm;
or contact Niels P. Louwaars of Wageningen University and
Research Center at niels.louwaars@wur.nl.
The Americas
ARS TARGETS POTATO MOTH BY INSECT VIRUS The potato tuber moth is a major problem
for potato growers: larvae of this insect feed on both
potato plants and tubers,
ruining the crop and lowering yields. As a result, the United
States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research
Service (USDA-ARS) is turning to different methods to target
the pest. One such method uses granulovirus, which is lethal
to the moth. Once ingested, the virus, a highly specific
pathogen which does not infect other insects, humans, or
mammals, could kill larvae in 10-20 days. Only a few close
relatives of the moth are susceptible to granulovirus, making
it an attractive biological control method.
ARS scientists are formulating granulovirus biopesticides
that farmers can spray on their crops before harvest. Although
granulovirus is already used in other countries, it is
not commercially available to U.S. growers, and limited
research has been done to investigate the pathogen's pre-harvest
potential. Other potato tuber moth control methods under
investigation include the use of the bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis; two species of insect-specific nematodes;
and the fungus Muscodor albus, which releases natural volatile
compounds that have been shown to be lethal to both adult
potato tuber moths and their larvae.
Read the complete article at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/
2006/060825.htm.
JAMAICA PEPPER INDUSTRY BOOMING, THANKS TO BETTER TRACEABILITY
SYSTEM The Jamaican hot pepper industry is experiencing
a comeback, courtesy of a better traceability system that
makes sure
that export batches of the crop are free from the dangerous
gall midge insect pest. This pest, which affects pepper plant
stems and fruit, was once the cause of the industry’s
near fall; thanks to the new system, hot peppers are now
a major non-traditional source of income for small farmers
across the region.
The system is overseen by a national Hot Pepper Task Force,
which monitors the incidence of gall midge in Jamaica using
tools such as a geographical information system (GIS) to
forecast midge outbreaks; global positioning system (GPS)
technology to seek pest-free seasons and zones, and pest
hotspots with surveys and by tagging locations; and a web-based
surveillance network across 17 districts of the island. The
monitoring extends to port and packing house inspections,
minimizing of the use of pesticides, farmer education, and
improved post-harvest management.
Read
the complete article at http://ictupdate.cta.int/
index.php/article/articleview/572/1/102/.
BRAZIL,
SHARING THE PROFITS Agricultural productivity has increased significantly over
the last few decades. For example, the Brazilian National
Company of Supplies (CONAB) estimates that the rice production
in the 2005/2006 season will be 6479 kg/ha, compared to the
2615 kg/ha harvested during 1976-1977. These increases were
made possible by the Green Revolution, which modernized the
agricultural sector through the introduction of improved
varieties, irrigation, and the use of agrochemicals and agricultural
machinery. As a result, agriculture also became the base
of several sectors of the economy, and a significant proportion
of the population depends on the profits derived from this
activity. The yearly market for pesticides in Brazil, for
instance, is worth US$4 billion.
Are the benefits of agriculture distributed
fairly among all the players? Farmer representatives argue
that rural
workers are the ones to benefit less from the profits of
agriculture, due to the high production costs. Reginaldo
Minaré, legal director for the Brazilian National
Association for Biosafety (ANBio), discusses some of the
possible implications that the adoption of biotech crops
would have on benefit sharing. With the introduction of crops
engineered with resistance to insects, virus and herbicides,
there is no doubt that the agrochemical sector will be the
one to lose a bigger proportion of the market share, writes
Minaré. Although some of the costs saved by farmers
will be spend on a “technology tax” for companies,
the opening of a new market worth billions of dollars could
not take place without considerable debate.
This opening represents an opportunity for
farmers, through their representative institutions, to
promote a rigorous
study of production costs with the available technologies,
to allow them to make informed choices on what to buy, argues
Minaré. Exercising the old skill of bargaining would
increase the profit margins for farmers.
For more information visit http://www.anbio.org.br/ or write to Reginaldo Minaré (rminare@uol.com.br).
Asia 62
BT COTTON HYBRIDS COMMERCIALIZED, 106 IN LST – INDIA
GEAC
India's biotech regulatory body, the Genetic
Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), has recently released
the status
of Bt cotton hybrids approved for commercial cultivation
in various zones from 2002-2006, and the status of Bt cotton
hybrids approved for first year and second year large scale
trials (LST) in 2005-2006. According to the reports, there
are 62 Bt cotton hybrids approved for commercial cultivation.
Around 96 Bt cotton hybrids are undergoing first year large
scale trials, while 10 are undergoing second year large scale
trials. It is likely that around 106 Bt cotton hybrids will
get commercial approval in the next season under the GEAC’s
newly adopted “event-based approval system.”
For detailed information, download the status reports at
http://www.envfor.nic.in/divisions/csurv/
geac/bt_cotton_approved0506.pdf and http://www.envfor.nic.in/divisions/csurv/geac/
bt_cotton_LST0506.pdf or
contact Bhagirath Choudhary of the ISAAA South Asia Office
at b.choudhary@isaaa.org.
INDIA'S EXPERT COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO BT BRINJAL Given the importance of India’s first biotech food
crop, the country’s Genetic Engineering Approval Committee
(GEAC) has set up an expert committee under the Chairmanship
of Dr. Deepak Pental to review feedback and suggest measures
for the approval of large scale trials of Bt Brinjal (eggplant)
in India. The committee will evaluate comments received from
various stakeholders vis-à-vis the biosafety data
generated by the Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (MAHYCO)
and available scientific/technical data/literature from studies
conducted by various national and international institutions;
suggest additional studies (if any) to be conducted; evaluate
the adequacy of the protocol proposed for large-scale trials
and recommend additional safeguards; and recommend protocol
for socio economic studies. The committee includes members
from various ministries, scientific, and social sciences
institutions in India.
For more information, visit http://www.envfor.nic.in/divisions/
csurv/geac/expert_penthal.pdf,
or contact Bhagirath Choudhary of the ISAAA South Asia Office
at b.choudhary@isaaa.org.
PRSV STILL BIGGEST THREAT TO PAPAYA, THAI FARMER SAYS Mr. Surachart Jitsiripanitch, a papaya grower
from Thailand’s
Kanchanaburi Province said that demand for papaya in foreign
markets is increasing, but growers are in short supply due
to infections of the crop by the papaya ringspot virus (PRSV). “We
are producing papayas without any support from the government
as far as PRSV control is concerned. We know that GM papaya
can is resistant to PRSV but we can’t use it. We have
no alternative,” said Surachart, “Without a clear
policy from the government, Thai farmers will loss the competitiveness
in the export markets, as well as research and development
in GM technology.”
With
reports from Naewna (http://www.naewna.com), as translated
by Thailand’s Biotechnology Information
Center (http://www.safetybio.com/).
CIAT
SCIENTIST AWARDED BY THAI GOVERNMENT Dr. Reinhardt Howeler of the Centro Internacional
de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) was recently awarded with
Third Class of
the “Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant.” The
award is given by the Thai government, and was bestowed on
Dr. Howeler in recognition of his work to develop and disseminate
together with farmers improved agronomic and soil conservation
practices in Thailand. Dr. Howeler is based in Bangkok, and
his work on cassava has also resulted in a significant increase
in cassava yields and improvement in the sustainability of
cassava production, while also increasing the income of cassava
farmers in the country.
Dr Howeler, along with Mr. Watana Watananonta
of Thailand and Dr. Tran Ngoc Ngoan of Vietnam, will also
receive the “International
Service in Agronomy Award” from the American Society
of Agronomy (ASA) this November. Read the complete press
releases at http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/news/news.htm.
Europe
EU RESTRICTS GM SOY IN ROMANIA
Romanian farmers planted RoundUp Ready soybeans over 85,000
hectares (210,035 acres) in 2005, but European Union (EU)
mandates prevent them from raising the biotech soybean when
the country joins the EU on Jan. 1, 2007.
As a result, a group of Romania’s largest
soybean growers is lobbying to gain provisional authority
from the
EU to grow biotech soybean. Although their appeal may be
too late to grow the crop in 2007, the group is hoping that
provisional authority can be granted in 2008.
Read the complete article at http://www.agriculture.com/
ag/story.jhtml;jsessionid=D510XNTSXYQMFQFIBQSCCAQ?
storyid=/templatedata/ag/story/data/1156773715607.xml
#continue.
NAC OVEREXPRESSION MAKES RICE DROUGHT, STRESS TOLERANT Drought and salinity are major abiotic stresses to rice
production, and have long been targeted in designing better
rice. To cope with such adverse conditions, plants develop
physiological and biochemical strategies, such as by activating
stress-related genes and synthesizing diverse functional
proteins. The expression of such proteins is regulated by
specific transcription factors, designated as NAM, ATAF,
and CUC (NAC).
After successfully over-expressing NAC in
rice japonica cultivar Nipponbare, Honghong Hu and colleagues
of various
research centers in Wuhan, China report that “Overexpressing
a NAM, ATAF, and CUC (NAC) transcription factor enhances
drought resistance and salt tolerance in rice” Their
findings appear in the latest issue of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences.
Scientists found that transgenic rice had better drought
resistance, and 22-35% higher seed setting than controls
in the field under severe drought stress conditions at the
reproductive stage. The transgenic rice also showed significantly
improved drought resistance and salt tolerance at the vegetative
stage. In all cases, growth and productivity were not affected
in transgenic rice plants, as there were no significant differences
in photosynthesis rates between transgenic plants and controls.
When scientists profiled gene expression patterns, they found
that a large number of stress-related genes were up-regulated
in the transgenic plants. All these suggest that the technique
holds promise in improving drought and salinity tolerance
in rice.
Read the complete article at http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/
full/103/35/12987,
or view the abstract at http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/35/12987.
STUDY POINTS TO miRNA FOR PLANT STRESS TOLERANCE
When confronted with environmental stress
such as drought, heavy metals, or salinity, plants react
in a variety of ways
in order to cope with potentially damaging change. One result
of such stress is the accumulation of reactive oxygen species
(ROS) in the plant, which can destroy plants and result in
major losses of crop productivity. ROS affect many cellular
functions, such as by damaging nucleic acids or oxidizing
important plant proteins. To counter ROS accumulation, some
plants have a built-in antioxidant system – but what
genes are involved in this system, and can other plants be
engineered with this antioxidant system to protect them from
the damages of environmental stress?
Research has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs)
are involved in regulating diverse physiological processes
in plants.
miRNAs are short RNAs of about 21 nucleotides that regulate
gene expression. One miRNA, designated miR398, targets two
antioxidants called Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases (CSD1 and
CSD2), which are produced in response to oxidative stress.
How exactly CSD1 and CSD2 are produced is explored in the
latest issue of The Plant Cell by Ramanjulu Sunkar and colleagues
of the University of California, Riverside, as they report
that “Posttranscriptional Induction of Two Cu/Zn Superoxide
Dismutase Genes in Arabidopsis Is Mediated by Downregulation
of miR398 and Important for Oxidative Stress Tolerance.”
Researchers transformed different Arabidopsis plants with various constructs, all of them designed to
express miR398
in varying levels. After subjecting the transgenic plants
to oxidative stress conditions, conducting stress tolerance
assays, and analyzing CSD1 and CSD2 levels in the transgenic
plants, they found that: 1) miR398 targets the antioxidant
enzymes’ mRNA for cleavage, keeping CSD1 and CSD2 from
being expressed; 2) miR398 determines the expression pattern
of CSD1 and CSD2, but is suppressed under oxidative stress;
and 3) When researchers over-expressed an miR398-resistant
form of CSD2, they found that the resulting transgenic plants
were even more tolerant to oxidative stress than were plants
over-expressing wild-type CSD2. Thus, researchers concluded
relieving miR398-guided suppression of CSD2 in transgenic
plants is an effective new approach to improving plant productivity
under oxidative stress conditions; and because miR398 is
conserved in crop plants, other scientists can use the strategy
to engineer crops with enhanced stress tolerance.
Subscribers
to the journal can read the complete article at http://www.plantcell.org/cgi/reprint/18/8/2051.
Other readers can take a look at the abstract through http://www.plantcell.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/8/2051.
VACANCY: PLANT BREEDING, GENETICS, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY POSTDOC
FELLOW The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is seeking
a postdoctoral fellow for its biotechnology research program
in the Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division
to develop tools and to study gene regulatory network and
epigenetic mechanisms. Candidates should have 1) a PhD in
molecular biology/genetics with strong emphasis on epigenetics
and transgenic technologies; 2) excellent background in genetics,
molecular biology, and bioinformatics; 3) outstanding knowledge
of PCR methodologies; and 4) proven ability to work in multidisciplinary
and multicultural environments. Fluency in written and spoken
English or experience in an English-speaking country is required.
Previous postdoctoral experience is preferred. Background
in plant sciences is not required. Applicants should send
via email a comprehensive curriculum vitae and names and
email addresses of three referees to Ms. Selene M. Ocampo
at s.ocampo@cgiar.org. For more details, visit http://www.irri.org/jobs/international.asp.
MALAYSIA TO HOST BIOTECH SEMINAR
“A Seminar on Biotechnology: Wealth Creation and Planning
for Prosperity in Malaysia” will be held on September
21, 2006 at the Putra World Trade Center (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. The program will explore the links between business
development and technology, covering intellectual property,
technology commercialization, and funding plus capital formation.
Download the brochure at http://www.bic.org.my/
downloads/Biotechnology-gtim.pdf.
INNOVATIONS SYMPOSIUM SLATED FOR SSA
The 2nd Networking Symposium on innovations
in Agricultural Advisory Services (AAS) is part of efforts
to foster and
enhance experience and lesson-sharing on AAS in the Sub-Saharan
African (SSA) region. It will be held September 24-27, 2006
in Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda. The Symposium will bring
together 140 participants from 19 African countries implementing
innovative approaches and experiences in agricultural extension
delivery. The theme for this second symposium will be “Enhancing
Innovations in Agricultural Advisory Service Provision with
Special Focus on Farmer Empowerment and Market Orientation.
For more information, visit http://www.naads.or.ug/news.php?id=75.
SRI LANKA TO HOLD GIAM WORKSHOP
The “International Workshop on Global Irrigated Area
Mapping (GIAM)” will take place September 25-27, 2006
in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The workshop aims, among others, to
gather a group of experts on global application of remote
sensing and GIS to present, discuss, and refine products
and associated methodologies, with specific focus on mapping
irrigated areas; disseminate GIAM products, data, methods,
techniques, and protocols to a wide group of users and experts;
and define future work programs to refine and improve products
and methodologies. More information is available at http://www.iwmidsp.org/iwmi/giam-workshop/.
INDIA ORGANIZES INTERNATIONAL AGRI-BIOTECH CONFERENCE
The ILSI-India and ILSI International Food Biotechnology
Committee in collaboration with the government of India are
organizing the International Conference on Recent Scientific
Developments in Agricultural Biotechnology: Sharing Experience
and Knowledge, to be held September 29-30, 2006 in New Delhi,
India. The conference will review the latest developments
in agriculture biotechnology, with a view to assess how traditional
breeding methods can be supplemented by the modern technological
tools in breaking yield barriers in different crops, as well
as in improving quality and nutritional value of foods with
the objective of achieving food security for India. For more
information, visit http://india.ilsi.org/About+Us/
forthcomingactivities.htm or contact Ms. Rekha Sinha at ilsiindia@nda.vsnl.net.in.
MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES WRITING CONTEST
The
German/English magazine entwicklung & laendlicher
raum (e+lr)/agriculture & rural development (a+rd) invites
young post graduate and PhD students to enter an article
writing contest focusing on 8 topical issues in the field
of agriculture and rural development. The 7 most outstanding
papers will be published in the January 2007 edition of e+lr,
and will be rewarded with € 400. The overarching question
to be addressed is: “What agricultural policies do
we need to reach the poor (MDG 1)?” For more information
on the topics, visit http://www.agricta.org/
about/020806_Wettbewerb%20Ausschreibg1.pdf.
Deadline for submission is on October 6, 2006.
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