Source: CropLife International Plant Science Post – August 2016

The stem rust fungus ‘Ug99’ is one of the greatest threats to global wheat production today. It has been called the “polio of agriculture” due to its virulence and far and fast reach. This wind-traveling mutant strain produces millions of spores – all of which can cause infection. Fungicides are very effective in controlling Ug99 but plant scientists are also working on resistant wheat varieties. Dr. Sridhar Bhavani, wheat breeder, pathologist and international coordinator for stem rust research in East Africa at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center’s (CIMMYT’s) regional office in Nairobi, Kenya explains his work in combatting Ug99. Continue reading…

Source: CropLife International Plant Science Post – July 2016

In 2013 Dr. Marc Van Montagu won the World Food Prize for his breakthrough achievements in founding, developing, and applying modern agricultural biotechnology.

During the 1960s, along with his fellow researcher Jeff Schell, Dr. Van Montagu showed how a plant bacterium could be used as a tool to insert genes from another organism into plant cells. That made it possible to develop crops with favorable traits, such as those resistant to disease and insects.      Click to see the video.

Source: CropLife International Plant Science Post – July 2016

Semi-dwarf wheat is the dominant variety of wheat grown today, accounting for about 99 percent of global wheat acreage. It was developed in Mexico in the mid-1940s-50s by Dr. Norman Borlaug, geneticist, plant pathologist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, as a way to increase wheat yields and make the country more self-sufficient in food production. Continue reading…

About 40 percent of apples are wasted globally, largely due to superficial bruising from physical impact, not spoilage. Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF), the company behind Arctic^® apples, hopes to reduce that number. These fruits have been genetically modified not to brown when bruised from jostling or when exposed flesh comes into contact with air. In consumer research, the company found that the majority of apple eaters find browning to be a deterrent to consumption. But when told about Arctic^® apples, 62 percent of consumers said they would be likely to buy it. That’s why a small team of orchardists and scientists created the world’s first biotech, non-browning apples. Neal Carter, OSF president and founder, tells us more. Continue reading…

Source: CropLife International

Five videos from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization show the magnitude of global food loss and waste. Check it all out at CropLife International’s post (Click here).

Like bacteria with antibiotics, weeds naturally develop resistance to herbicides over time. In fact, about 250 weed species have evolved to resist 160 different herbicides, according to the International Survey of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds. These herbicide-resistant weeds have been reported in 86 crops in 66 countries. Continue reading…

The majority of weeds are invasive, outcompeting crops for nutrients, sunlight, space and water. Each weed can produce an average of 72,000 seeds, which can germinate in soil for up to 40 years!

Fruits and vegetables contain many beneficial natural chemicals like proteins and vitamins, however, some can also contain natural toxins. The potato, for example, contains the naturally occurring pesticide solanine to prevent insect attack. Solanine could be deadly in high quantities but the amount found in potatoes is harmless. This infographic helps put these natural chemicals into perspective.

Edwin Paraluman knows a thing or two about how important biotechnology is to Filipino farmers. He’s a farmer, the chairman of the Philippines Farmer Advisory Board, the coordinator of the Asian Farmers Regional Network and a board member of the Biotech Coalition of the Philippines. Hear his amazing story about how biotech transformed his life and agriculture in the Philippines. Continue reading….

We sat down with Sir Gordon Conway to celebrate 20 years of plant biotechnology at our Table for Twenty event in Rome. Sir Gordon is a professor of international development at Imperial College London and director of Agriculture for Impact. We asked him some important questions about plant biotechnology and the impact it can have, especially in Africa. Watch the video interview to hear his responses. Click to see the video.