B4FA Week in Review – 6 September 2018

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B4FA Week in Review – 6 September 2018

September 6th, 2018 / B4FA.org

Scientists have made a genetic breakthrough in the fight against the globally devastating wheat stripe rust disease, isolating three rust resistance genes: Yr7, Yr5 and YrSP. The work of these researchers – a collaboration between the University of Sydney, CSIRO, the John Innes Centre, Limagrain UK and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) – may make it possible to edit wheat genes to try to switch on their rust resistance. According to an article in PhysOrg, the paper’s co-author Dr Peng Zhang of the University of Sydney said this research “represents the first authenticated molecular isolation of major resistance genes against stripe rust.” The article also quotes her stating: “This work finally resolved the relationships between these three genes and provided an answer to a question that is more than 30 years old.” The paper may be read at Nature Plants.

In related news, wheat stem rust researcher Matthew Rouse of the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was announced this year’s winner of the World Food Prize during the Sustainable Development Goals Conference at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. According to a release by the World Food Prize, Rouse is being recognized for his remarkable achievements in fighting the stem rust pathogen. “Dr. Rouse has played an essential role in the control and continued eradication efforts of Ug99, a devastating race of the stem rust pest that currently threatens the world’s wheat crops… His work has led to the release of several successful varieties resistant to Ug99, including ‘Linkert’ in the U.S., ‘NARC 2011’ in Pakistan, and ‘Kingbird’ in Ethiopia.”

A piece published in the Guardian, Nigeria, reports that the scientific community is celebrating the progress of GM in the country with two events: the release of two GM cotton varieties and the Federal High Court striking out a case challenging the powers of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to grant Monsanto Nigeria a permit for confined field trials of GM maize and the commercial release of GM cotton.

Also in the news, Mohammed Adams Nasiru, Ghana’s former leader of anti-GM group the Peasant Farmers’ Association, has now changed his position to pro-GM. Nasiru says that he changed his mind after receiving scientific information about GM from the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology, and pledges to stop the spread of misinformation. “A lot of us were misled into believing GMOs are bad, but now I know the truth. I am very comfortable with GMOs… I don’t think there is any harm in going with GMOs,” he says.

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Headlines

Scientists solve 30-year wheat rust genetics puzzle
PhysOrg

World Food Prize Recognizes American researcher as winner of the 2018 Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application
World Food Prize

GMOs: Nigeria making steady progress
Guardian

Ghana’s anti-GMO farm leader adopts pro-GMO position
Alliance for Science

AgBio news

Biotech in Africa: Can public pressure overcome a lack of political will?
Alliance for Science

Nigeria: Cross River to generate N13 billion from rice seedlings
AllAfrica

Zimbabwe: Govt declares war on armyworm
AllAfrica

Grants for African universities to help address knowledge gaps in agriculture
University World News

Nigeria: Taraba farmers get improved cassava stems
AllAfrica

John Innes Centre wins funding for grass pea project in Sub-Saharan Africa
John Innes Centre