CropBiotech Update: 25 July 2008

Africa
Malawi Approves National Biotechnology Policy
BecA/ILRI in Nairobi hosted Workshop on Molecular Plant Breeding
FAO: Poor Prospects for 2008 Cereal Crops in East Africa

Americas
Useful Traits From Earliest Mexican Wheats
Canada Approves GM Corn Mon 89034
Forests of the Future as Sustainable Water Supply
New Tecoma Cultivars Bring Color to Gardens
Effects of Biosolids Application on the Levels of Dioxins in Plant Tissues
U.S. to Spend $28 Million for Specialty Crop Research

Endangered Texas Rice Pollination Habits Revealed

Asia and the Pacific
Controlled Release of GM Banana in Australia
Biotech Research for Profitable Cultivation of Palm Trees
ICRISAT Releases World's First CMS Pigeonpea Hybrid
India's President Calls for Enhancing Crop Productivity in the Second Green Revolution
India Joins OECD Seed Certification Schemes
HCM City to Invest in Improved Plants and Animals for Export

Europe
Health-Determining Air Paths in Fruit Seen For the First Time
EFSA: No Scientific Evidence to Justify GM Maize Ban
Insights on How Plant Roots Develop

Research
Emerging Threat to Virus Resistant Transgenic Papaya
Scientists Identify Arsenic Transporters in Rice
Genetic Engineering to Increase Crops' Essential Amino Acid Content
Transgenic Rice Resistant to Rice Blast and Sheath Blight

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Global

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All Eyes on Forest Monitoring

Deforestation is a growing global concern, and with it comes the loss of carbon stored in forests. Earlier this year, many countries and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reconfirmed their commitment to jointly prepare the next Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), a comprehensive data collection on the state of the world's forests which is scheduled for release in 2010. FRA 2010 will strengthen the capacity of all countries to monitor their own forests.

"Deforestation continues at an alarming rate of about 13 million hectares annually at the global level. By combining remote sensing technology with field data collection, we improve the quality of both methods. This provides more accurate information on forest trends and new information on the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation," concludes Jan Heino FAO Assistant Director-General for Forestry. The FRA 2010 survey will include global and regional level on trends in the rate of deforestation, afforestation and national expansion of forests. In addition, FAO, its member countries and partner organizations will undertake a global remote sensing survey of forests. The assessment will cover the whole land surface of the Earth with about 9,000 samples.

Africa

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Malawi Approves National Biotechnology Policy

The National Biotechnology Policy that provides a framework for effective implementation of biotechnology programs and activities in Malawi has been approved by the Cabinet chaired by President Bingu Wa Mutharika, who is also the minister for Education, Science and Technology. In a foreword to the policy, the President said his government recognized the pivotal role biotechnology can play towards economic growth and poverty reduction. He said biotechnology will facilitate Malawi's speedy attainment of capacity to be food secure, create wealth and achieve socio-economic development as stipulated in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) and Vision 2020. The Policy provides an enabling framework to promote and regulate the development, acquisition and deployment of relevant biotechnology products to reposition Malawi from being a predominantly importing and consuming economy to a manufacturing and exporting one. It therefore creates a conducive environment that allows biotechnology business to flourish. With the Biosafety Act already in place since 2002, the approval of the policy is expected to hasten the country's plans to commence contained trials of Bt Cotton and GM Cassava.

For more information contact Daniel Otunge (d.otunge@cgiar.org) of ISAAA AfriCenter or the National Research Council of Malawi (nrcm@sdnp.org.mw )

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BecA/ILRI in Nairobi hosted Workshop on Molecular Plant Breeding

A workshop on "Molecular Breeding Capacity Building" highlighting the use of modern molecular breeding techniques in plant breeding in Africa, was held at the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi. It was attended by 22 plant breeders from several countries in Africa. The objectives were to identify the opportunities and constraints for applying marker assisted selection (MAS) in national and international plant breeding programs in Africa; and to strengthen Maize and Sorghum Molecular Breeding Community of Practices (CoP) in Africa. Among the issues identified include access to germplasm, breeding materials, training manuals and molecular markers. In addition, ways and means to address these constraints were identified by the participants.

The workshop program included descriptions and discussion on issues in molecular breeding including molecular markers and genotyping systems; marker assisted breeding; genetic diversity and association mapping; and breeding informatics. It is hoped that the theoretical training on MAS will bridge the gap between molecular biologists and conventional plant breeders, resulting in better communications.

The workshop was organized by three international agricultural research centers including CIMMYT, IITA and ICRISAT, and the BecA Hub with financial support from the Generation Challenge Program and the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Project sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Yunbi Xu of CIMMYT Mexico maize molecular breeder chaired the organizing committee.

Further details about the BecA research platform are available from s.kelemu@cgiar.org, and on marker assisted capacity building workshop from y.xu@cgiar.org or s.hearne@cgiar.org.

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FAO: Poor Prospects for 2008 Cereal Crops in East Africa

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) anticipates unfavorable cereal crop harvest in several African countries this year. Below-average rains during the months of March to May have reduced the water availability in the Horn of the African Region, which has already inadequate supply as a result of a poor October-December 2007 season. FAO estimated that some 14 million people in the region are in urgent need of food aid and other humanitarian assistance in the coming months.

The failure of the 2008 crop in Somalia has resulted in a critical food supply position. Crop conditions are extremely poor in both sorghum and maize areas and the vegetation index for maize in Lower Shabelle region at this time of the year is the lowest recorded over the last ten years. The absence of a functioning government and the devaluation of the Somali schilling have made the situation worse.

Drought has also taken its toll in Kenya and Uganda. In addition to irregular weather patterns, rising fuel and agricultural input prices and high cost of labor have resulted to a drop in food production in the normally fertile Rift Valley region.

For more information, read
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EGUA-7GKMTV?OpenDocument.

Americas

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Useful Traits From Earliest Mexican Wheats

Hundreds of years ago, Spanish monks brought wheat to use in Roman Catholic religious ceremonies. Now scientists at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) are scouring for these sacramental wheats to be used as sources of traits like disease resistance and drought tolerance. Field trials at CIMMYT Cuidad Obregón wheat research facility show that some sacramental wheats have better early ground cover, quickly covering the soil and safeguarding moisture from evaporating. Others have enhanced levels of soluble stem carbohydrates which help fill the wheat grain even under drought, while some show better water uptake in deep soils thanks to their deep roots.

Sacramental wheats also proved to be useful in fighting a new leaf rust race that appeared on Altar 84, the most widely-grown wheat cultivar in Sonora, Mexico. The CIMMYT durum collection of sacramental wheats from Oaxaca, Mexico, displayed minor gene or major gene resistance to the new leaf rust race. CIMMYT researchers are still unlocking the potential of sacramental wheats. "We started to characterize them for resistance to leaf and yellow rust, and the collections from the state of Mexico for wheat head scab and Septoria," says Julio Huerta, CIMMYT wheat pathologist. " We were surprised to find many, many resistant lines. "But until we finish characterizing all of them, we won't know what else is there."

The complete article is available at
http://www.cimmyt.org/english/wps/news/2008/jun/earliest_mexican.htm.

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Canada Approves GM Corn Mon 89034

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has approved the commercial release of the genetically modified corn Mon 89034. The GM corn, expressing the cry1A.105 and cry2Ab2 genes for lepidopteran pest resistance, has been authorized for use as livestock feed in the country. Based on thorough scientific assessment, CFIA has determined that the GM corn does not present any livestock feed safety concerns or environmental risks compared to currently commercialized corn varieties in Canada.

Any corn lines derived from event MON 89034 may also be released into the environment and used as livestock feed, provided that no inter-specific crosses are performed, the intended uses are similar and the novel genes are expressed at a level similar to that of the authorized line.

The decision document can be downloaded at
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/bio/dd/dd0874e.shtml#A18

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Forests of the Future as Sustainable Water Supply

The forests of the future will serve as a sustainable supply of clean water, researchers say in a new federal report supported by the United States Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture. As both urban and agricultural demands for water continue to increase, and the role of clean water from forests becomes better understood as an "ecosystem service" of great value. Many factors - changing climate, wildfires, insect outbreaks, timber harvest, roads, and even urban sprawl - are influencing water supplies from forests. Preserving and managing forests may help sustain water supplies and water quality from headwaters in the future, the report concludes.

Among the findings of the report include:

* Forests cover about one-third of the nation's land area, and although they have roles in timber production, habitat, recreation and wilderness, their most important output may be water.
* Forests provide natural filtration and storage systems that process nearly two-thirds of the water supply in the U.S.
* Demand for water continues to rise due to population growth, while forest acreage is declining and remaining forest lands are threatened by climate change, disease epidemics, fire and global climate change.
* Forest vegetation and soils, if healthy and intact, can benefit human water supplies by controlling water yield, peak flows, low flows, sediment levels, water chemistry and quality.

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New Tecoma Cultivars Bring Color to Gardens

The United States Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has released three new cultivars of an ornamental shrub called Tecoma. It includes 14 species of shrubs and small trees from the trumpet-creeper family, found in the Americas from the southern United States through northern Argentina, and in Africa. The three Tecoma cultivars developed by ARS were named 'Miami Sunset', 'Miami Sunrise', and 'Tangelo'. All three cultivars have inherent resistance to insect pests requiring little or no pesticides.

To read more visit
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080715.htm.

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Effects of Biosolids Application on the Levels of Dioxins in Plant Tissues

Land application of biosolids or treated municipal sewage sludge as a source of plant nutrients and organic matter is a common practice in the United States. Recently, detectable levels of dioxins in biosolids have been reported. This led to concerns that farmland biosolids application may result in accumulation of dioxins in soil and their subsequent translocation through the human food chain.

Dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzodioxins) and their derivatives are known to cause birth defects and cancer. A group of scientists from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago investigated the effects of continuous and long-term application of biosolids on the levels of dioxins in soil and corn tissues. They found out that biosolids applications increased the levels of dioxins in soil but did not affect dioxins uptake by corn. It would take over 100 years of continuous sludge application to reach the limit for dioxin in soils set up by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

For more information, read
https://www.agronomy.org/press/releases/2008/0714/171/ .
The paper published by the Journal of Environmental Quality can be downloaded for free at
http://jeq.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/37/4/1497.

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U.S. to Spend $28 Million for Specialty Crop Research

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will make available US$28.4 million worth of grants this year, aimed at improving specialty food crops via genetics and genomics programs. The Department's Specialty Crop Research Initiative will focus on plant breeding, genetics and genomics research to improve crop characteristics, combat pest and disease threats and detect potential food safety hazards in specialty crop processing. USDA emphasized that the specialty crop industry, comprised of producers and handlers of fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops, is a major contributor to the U.S. agricultural economy, accounting for 10 million harvested cropland acres in 2004.

For more information, read
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2008news/07111_specialty_crop_rfa.html. Those interested in applying for funding can access the request for applications at www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/specialty_crop.html

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Endangered Texas Rice Pollination Habits Revealed

There is a type of wild rice, likely so rare, that it only grows in a small stretch of the San Marcos River in Texas. This endangered, aquatic grass (Zizania texana) plays the sexual reproduction game poorly; its pollen can only travel about 30 inches away from a parent plant. If pollen doesn't land on a receptive female flower within that distance, no seeds will be produced. No seeds means no new plants to replenish a population that faces other survival threats.

"It would be great to introduce more of these plants into the San Marcos River so that we can build up its population, said Flo Oxley, conservation director at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, and lead author of the study. Texas wild-rice is a food source and home for endangered fish called fountain darters, and is a cousin to several rice species cultivated for food purposes.

Read the complete press release at
http://www.wildflower.org/press/index.php?link=press&id=107.

Asia and the Pacific

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Controlled Release of GM Banana in Australia

The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has received an approval from Australia's Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) for the limited and controlled release of up to 17 banana lines genetically modified for disease resistance. The release will take place in Cassowary Coast, Queensland on a maximum total area of 1.4 ha between July 2008 and April 2010. The GM lines contain the ced-9 gene from the nematode C. elegans that is expected to provide the plants protection against pathogenic microorganisms. The gene encodes a protein that prevents plant cells from undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis) in response to pathogen attack. The banana lines also contain the antibiotic selectable marker gene nptII.

The decision to issue the license was made after extensive consultation on the Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) with the public, State and Territory governments and relevant local councils. None of the GM bananas will be used as food or animal feed as the trials only aim to conduct proof of concept experiments on their disease response.

For more information, visit
http://www.ogtr.gov.au/internet/ogtr/publishing.nsf/Content/dir079-2007

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Biotech Research for Profitable Cultivation of Palm Trees

Researchers at India's Centre for Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) have used biotechnology to achieve a breakthrough in distinguishing between male and female palmyrah plants in the nursery. The palms are slow growing perennial and have no distinguishing features to identify the sex until flowering, which is usually after 12 to 15 years. Using the molecular marker technology, Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique, DNA segments linked to sex determination in dioecious palmyrah were identified.

Palmyrah produces sweet sap from the inflorescence, toddy, palm sugar, brush fibre and wood, irrespective of whether the palms are male or female. However, differences in their yield or quality have been reported and female palms are supposed to yield more toddy on tapping from the inflorescence, and gives better and harder timber than male tree, thus more expensive. In addtion, a great majority of its economic products such as immature endosperm, mesocarp pulp, tuberous seedlings are obtained only from female palms. It is therefore important to have an early identification of female plants in plantation development.

For full research paper titled "Identification of RAPD markers linked to sex determination in palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer L.)" published in Journal Current Science is available at http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/oct252007/1075.pdf or for detail contact author of the article Dr. Anitha Karun at karun_ani@yahoo.co.uk For more information about biotech development in India contact: b.choudhary@isaaa.org and k.gaur@cgiar.org

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ICRISAT Releases World's First CMS Pigeonpea Hybrid

Pigeonpea is an important crop in India where it is grown on about 3.5 million hectares. The crop produces reasonable yields under unfavorable agro-ecological conditions making it suitable for rainfed agriculture. Recently, scientists from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) developed the world's first cytoplasmic male sterile pigeonpea hybrid. Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is important in the hybrid seed industry, as it obviates the need for labor intensive hand emasculation (removal of anther or male gametes).

The high yielding and disease resistant hybrid, a result of 25 years of research, gives about 30-40% yield advantage over popular pigeonpea varieties. Hyderabad-based Pravardhan Seeds will market the hybrid under the brand 'Pushkal'. KB Saxena, the principal scientist who worked on the project, said that the new technology promises to break the yield barrier in pigeonpea, which has been plaguing Indian agriculture for the past five decades. He stressed that the project was made possible by the support of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Read the full article at http://www.icrisat.org/Media/2008/media11.htm For more information, contact KB Saxena at k.saxena@cgiar.org

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India's President Calls for Enhancing Crop Productivity in the Second Green Revolution

Delivering the ICAR foundation day lecture in New Delhi, President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil called for keeping agriculture at the center stage of the nation's development agenda to constantly enhance crop productivity. The President hailed India's initiative to establish one of the world's largest and well organized gene bank of crop genetic resources and recognized that agricultural growth would also depend upon technological inputs relating to water management systems, better seeds and farming practices. She called upon ICAR, State Agricultural Universities (SAU) and the industry to join hands to develop new technologies and intensify linkages with the public and private extension systems at all levels, particularly at the district and lower levels where the actual uptake and impact is seen.

In the same forum, elaborating the growth of Indian agriculture over the years, Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar lauded efforts to increase food grains production from 51 million tones in 1950-51 to an all time record harvest of 231 million tones of foodgrains in 2007-08. The four-fold increase in the production was achieved even if the sown area has remained practically static, around 140 million ha since 1970, of which more than two-thirds is rainfed. "The new tools of biotechnology and other frontier sciences offer exciting opportunities in agriculture for improving farm productivity, production and quality in order to meet the challenges of feeding a nation with a billion plus population, while sustaining the environment and ensuring higher returns for the farmer, " said Mr Pawar.

A copy of the speech by the President of India and the Minister of Agriculture is available at: http://www.icar.org.in/news/ICAR-Foundation-Day.htm and http://www.icar.org.in/AM-Speech-16-07-08.pdf For more information about biotech development in India contact: b.choudhary@isaaa.org and k.gaur@cgiar.org

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India Joins OECD Seed Certification Schemes

To strengthen India's presence in the international seed trade, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) granted eligibility to India to participate in the OECD Seed Schemes program in the recently -concluded Annual Meeting of representatives in Chicago, Illinois, USA.. The program provides an international framework for the certification of agricultural seed movement in international trade. The Schemes were established in 1958 with a view to support fast-growing seed trade, regulatory harmonization in Europe, the development of off-season production, the seed breeding and production potential of large exporting countries in America (North and South) and Europe, and the support standardization in international seed trade. Most countries and seed importing companies now require OECD approved seed testing and quality certificates.

A rapidly growing international commercial seed market which is worth of US$ 34 billion in 2007 of which 6.9 billion genetically modified seed, represents a substantial opportunity for Indian seed sector. India aspires to be among the major seed player in the world market including USA, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, Russia and South Africa.

More information about the OECD seed schemes is available at: http://www.oecd.org/document/0/0,3343,en_2649_33905_1933504_1_1_1_1,00.html
For more information about biotech development in India contact: b.choudhary@isaaa.org and k.gaur@cgiar.org

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HCM City to Invest in Improved Plants and Animals for Export

Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City will set up areas that will specialize in producing plant hybrids and animals for breeding, according to the HCM City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. HCM City, which has several agriculture research institutes and schools and a large number of agricultural scientists, is considered a good site for plant hybrid research and production. Advanced techniques in producing crop seeds and breeder animals have been developed and are used in research institutes and production and supply companies.

Last year, the city produced 8,857 tonnes of 500 different kinds of crop seeds, including rice, cross-bred corn and vegetables, for export and for local farmers. The city has supplied 1 billion breeder fish and shrimp for farmers in the city and southern provinces a year. The HCM City People's Committee has also set up a city centre that will be responsible for selecting and propagating good plant seedlings and breeder animals. New plant hybrids will be used for production of organic vegetables and flowers as well as bonsai trees, which are key agricultural products that have high economic value. The farmland for rice cultivation has fallen while the areas for flower and organic vegetables have increased in recent years. The city's flower and ornamental tree planting area has increased to more than 1,200 ha compared to 880 ha in 2005, mostly in Binh Tan, Thu Duc, Cu Chi and Hoc Mon districts. Dao Dong Ha, head of Binh Chanh District's Economic Office, said that the district had turned more than 1,000 ha of low-yield paddy fields to high-value crop and animal breeding areas in the past two years.

For more information, pls access: http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/2008/07/793972/ and for details on crop biotechnology in Vietnam contact Hien Le at hientttm@yahoo.com.

Europe

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Health-Determining Air Paths in Fruit Seen For the First Time

Researchers from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) have visualized air pathways in pears and apples for the first time. The team performed tomographic imaging of fruit samples. The powerful equipment produces 3-D images that are accurate down to and below 1/1000 of a millimeter, with sufficient contrast to separate out void spaces from cells. In apples, the pathways appear as irregular cavities between cells, whilst in pears they have the shape of tiny interconnected channels.

Apples and pears continue to "breathe" after picking. To keep the fruit healthy, a minimum level of oxygen must be supplied to all cells of the fruit. If this does not happen, internal browning disorders appear and fruit quality decreases. This is why fruit is stored in dedicated cool rooms with accurate control of oxygen levels. These results allow a better understanding of how the fruit degrades after harvest and provide a scientific explanation of the everyday experience that pears are more susceptible to decay during storage.

Read the complete press release at http://www.esrf.eu/news/general/fruit/.

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EFSA: No Scientific Evidence to Justify GM Maize Ban

Greece and Hungary, on separate cases, have forwarded to the European Commission (EC) a decision to provisionally prohibit the cultivation of the authorized genetically modified maize Mon810. The prohibition is based on the existing safeguard clause invoked under Article 23 of the EC directive on the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment (2001/18/EC). As a consequence, the EC requested the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Panel) to determine whether there is any evidences that the placing on the market of MON810 seeds is likely to cause any adverse effects on human health and the environment.

The GMO Panel, having considered all relevant publications and information provided by the Greek and Hungarian authorities, concluded, that no new scientific evidence was presented that would invalidate the previous risk assessments of the GM maize. EFSA further said that the scientific evidence currently available does not sustain the arguments provided by Greece and Hungary and that cultivation of maize MON810 is unlikely to endanger human and animal health or the environment.

For more information, read
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/Scientific_Opinion/gmo_op_ej757_greek_safeguard_clause_on
_mon810_maize_en,0.pdf
and
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/Scientific_Opinion/gmo_op_ej756_hungarian_safeguard_clause
_on_mon810_maize_en.pdf

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Insights on How Plant Roots Develop

The exact mechanism of how plants regulate root formation has fascinated and frustrated scientists since the nineteenth century. The way that new lateral roots are formed and grow is vital to the integrity and architecture of the root system. Lateral roots originate deep within the parent root and must emerge through intervening layers of tissues before entering the soil. A group of international scientists reported how lateral root emergence is achieved in a paper published by Nature Cell Biology.

The scientists found out that new lateral roots reprogram the cells that overlay them, causing them to separate and enabling the new root to emerge. The developing roots secrete the phytohormone auxin to 'manipulate' adjacent cells. The hormone activates a group of cell wall remodeling enzymes that promotes the separation of overlaying cells. The scientists have also identified the genes that control this process. Malcolm Bennett, researcher from the University of Nottingham and one of the authors of the study, said that the discovery might enable the development of crops with improved root architecture.

Research

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Emerging Threat to Virus Resistant Transgenic Papaya

Researchers at the Transworld Institute of Technology and the National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan reported that they have isolated a strain of papaya leaf distortion mosaic virus (PLDMV) named P-TW-WF that infects transgenic papaya resistant to papaya ring spot virus (PRSV). The P-TW-WF strain believed to be a new pathotype of PLDMV causing vein-clearing, mosaic on leaves of infected papaya seedlings, and water-soaking streaks on the petioles and stems - disease symptoms that are similar to that caused by PRSV.

Taiwan's PRSV resistant papayas have been proven resistant to PRSV for several years of field trial. The PLDMV P-TW-WF strain was isolated during their fourth field trial. The researchers have now generated transgenic papaya lines resistant to PLDMV using the PLDMV coat protein (CP) and among their future endeavors include generation of PRSV-PLDMV double transgenic lines by crossing the PLDMV resistant lines with the existing PRSV-resistant transgenic lines and also by generating resistant plants using chimeric constructs comprising (full or parts of) PRSV and PLDMV P-TW-WF CP genes.

The full report published in Phytopathology journal can be accessed by subscribers at http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PHYTO-98-7-0848

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Scientists Identify Arsenic Transporters in Rice

Arsenic is a highly toxic and potent carcinogen. It is widespread in the Earth's crust and is taken-up and accumulated by crops. Elevated arsenic accumulation in rice has the potential to become a new disaster for the population in South and Southeast Asia, especially in Bangladesh and India where arsenic-contaminated groundwater is widely used for irrigation. Compared to other cereal crops, paddy rice can accumulate higher levels of the poisonous metal.

Scientists from the Okayama University in Japan and Rothamsted Research in the United Kingdom have identified proteins that facilitate the entry of arsenite, the predominant form of arsenic in paddy soil, into plants cells. The scientists identified two arsenic transporters; the first is responsible for the entry of the metal in roots while the other mediates arsenic buildup in shoots and grains. Enhanced activity of these transporters resulted to increased accumulation of silicon, which benefits yield production but also increases arsenic content in grains. Scientists are looking into the possibility of targeting these transporters to develop rice varieties that accumulate less arsenic.

The article published by PNAS is available at http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2008/07/11/0802361105.full.pdf+html

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Genetic Engineering to Increase Crops' Essential Amino Acid Content

Amino acids play central roles as building blocks of proteins and as intermediates in metabolism. Humans and many farm animals cannot synthesize certain amino acids. In humans, failure to obtain even one of these essential amino acids results to degradation of the body's protein to obtain the one amino acid that is needed. Scientists have successfully used genetic engineering to enrich the amino acid contents of crop plants. Lysine, methionine and tryptophan have received the most attention since they are typically limiting in cereals and legumes. A review paper published in the journal Plant Physiology summarizes the recent developments in the use of genetic engineering to produce amino acid fortified crops.

Numerous researches have demonstrated the potential to increase the contents of tryptophan and methionine in a seed-specific manner. A high-lysine maize cultivar, LY038, represents the first genetically modified (GM) crop with high nutritional value to be approved for commercial use in a number of countries. High methionine lupin varieties have also been proven beneficial in feeding trials.

Shai Ufaz and Gad Galili, authors of the paper, noted that the opportunities for and the impacts of GM crops with improved amino acid contents depend on public acceptance. Despite the fact that the LY038 maize was approved for commercial use in a number of countries, for instance, there remains a public debate about its safety.

The open access article is available at http://www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/content/full/147/3/954

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Transgenic Rice Resistant to Rice Blast and Sheath Blight

A group of scientists from the University of Bagoda in India has developed transgenic rice varieties resistant to the rice blast and sheath blight, devastating fungal diseases that affect rice productivity worldwide. The scientists introduced the gene Dm-AMP1 coding for an anti-fungal defensin from dahlia. Expression levels of Dm-AMP1 ranged from 0.43% to 0.57% of total soluble protein in transgenic plants. Constitutive expression of the transgene suppresses the growth of the rice blast and sheath blight causal organisms by 84% and 72%, respectively. The recombinant protein was found to be specifically expressed in the apoplastic region (diffusional spaces between cells) of the plant tissues where they bind to interact with the fungal membrane leading to membrane destabilization, and ultimately to reduced proliferation of the fungal pathogen.

Subscribers can read the paper published by the journal Transgenic Research at http://www.springerlink.com/content/g1112022l627mk35/fulltext.pdf
Non subscribers can read the abstract at http://www.springerlink.com/content/g1112022l627mk35/?p=007281c8d6f744b69ae1cd8
6a3c90e0d&pi=0

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Announcements

ANA World Conference 2009

The Animal Nutrition Association (ANA) in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is organizing ANA world Conference 2009 "Animal Nutrition: Preparedness to Combat Challenges" on February 14-17, 2009 at NASC Complex, New Delhi, India. The conference will focus on identification of future challenges in animal nutrition, quantification of their potentials and searching for methods and resources to combat them. Invited speakers will tackle the following areas: Pro-poor intensive integrated farming systems; Animal products for food security; Biotechnology for livestock health and high value animal production including GM feeds; Resource management for green livestock production; Novel feeds and supplements; Corporate farming and market access for small holders; Technological advances in livestock production; and Futuristic feed resources. An international interaction amongst the researchers and teachers of animal nutrition and allied subjects, feed technologists, industrialists and the livestock farmers is being envisaged.

For further detail please visit: http://www.anaworldcon2009.in/
For registration contact Prof Kusumakar Sharma at: ksharma52@gmail.com

Training on Marker Assisted Breeding

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics' (ICRISAT) Center of Excellence in Genomics (CEG), supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, is pleased to announce its second Training Course entitled "Molecular methodologies for assessing and applying genetic diversity in crop breeding" to be held 17-28 November 2008 at the ICRISAT Campus at Patancheru, Greater Hyderabad, India. The course will provide participants a hands-on opportunity to gain expertise in the use of molecular markers (SSRs, SNPs and DArTs) in diversity analysis, gene/QTL mapping and marker-assisted breeding.

Details about the training course and online submission of applications are available at http://www.icrisat.org/CEG/ . For questions, please contact Rajeev Varshney (r.k.varshney@cgiar.org).

Training on PGR In Vitro Conservation

Tthe training on In Vitro and Cryopreservation Techniques for Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources is to be held on 3-15 November, 2008 in New Delhi, India. The course is designed for those currently involved in the development and use of in vitro and/or cryopreservation techniques in plant genetic resources conservation. The course program includes a series of lectures and practical sessions on vegetatively propagated, recalcitrant and intermediate seed species.

For more information and to register please visit http://www.bioversityinternational.org/index.php?id=272.

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Document Reminders

PK on RNA Interference for Crop Improvement

RNA interference (RNAi) is a method of silencing gene expression by inserting short sequences of ribonucleic acids (RNA) that match part of the target gene's sequence, thus no proteins are produced. The technology has the potential to become a powerful therapeutic approach toward targeted and personalized medicine. Using RNAi, scientists have developed novel crops such as nicotine-free tobacco, non-allergenic peanuts, decaffeinated coffee and nutrient fortified maize among many others.

Know more about the application of the technology in agriculture in the latest Pocket K entitled "RNAi for Crop Improvement". Pocket Ks are Pockets of Knowledge, packaged information on crop biotechnology products and related issues produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. Download the material at http://www.isaaa.org/kc/inforesources/publications/pocketk/default.html#Pocket_K_No._34.htm

GMCC07 Book Abstracts Now Available

The abstracts of plenary sessions, oral presentations and posters of the 'Third International Conference on Coexistence between Genetically Modified (GM) and non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains' are now available at the conference website. The conference was held in Seville, Spain on 20-21 November 2007. The scientific programme covered research activities and practical experiences in areas such as gene flow in agricultural systems, strategies for coexistence and organizational measures across the supply chain, socioeconomics of coexistence, and traceability and control of coexistence.

For more information, visit http://www.coexistence-conference.org/ or
http://www.coexistence-conference.org/abstracts_GMCC07.htm.

FAO Biotechnology Glossary in Russian

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has just released the Russian version of their Biotech Glossary. The glossary provides consolidated, comprehensive and accessible definitions of terms and acronyms that are used regularly in biotechnology, including genetic engineering, and closely allied fields. The book was prepared by FAO's Research and Extension Division in collaboration with its Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. It has previously been translated into Arabic, French, Serbian, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Visit http://www.fao.org/biotech/index_glossary.asp for more information

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