The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) together with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) collaborate through funding and research efforts to develop Green Super Rice (GSR), a new breed of rice varieties that perform well in the toughest conditions.
 

In field trials three years ago, biotechnologists showed that they could increase maize productivity by introducing a rice gene into the plant that regulated the accumulation of sucrose in kernels, which also led to more kernels per maize plant. This promising technique is set to do the same for other crops, including wheat and rice. The rice gene affected the performance of a natural chemical in maize, trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P), which influences sucrose distribution in the plant.

A new study reveals that breeding temperature resilient crops can now be achieved. A research conducted at John Innes Centre (JIC) has established a genetic link between increased temperature and the problem of "pod shatter" (premature seed dispersal) in oilseed rape. The research, led by Dr. Vinod Kumar and Professor Lars Østergaard, reveals that pod shatter is enhanced at higher temperature across diverse species in the Brassicaceae family which also includes cauliflower, broccoli, and kale.

The USDA FAS Global Agricultural Information Network released updates on the status of agricultural biotechnology in Bangladesh. According to the report, biotech research is advancing moderately in Bangladesh particularly in several crops with support from policymakers, regulators, and development partners. The country's objective is to ensure food security and safety through development of biotech and abiotic stress tolerant crops with lower production costs.

In Nigeria, local seed companies have a strategic role to play in the multiplication and distribution of seeds to farmers when GM seeds become available in the market. This was according to Dr. Rose Gidado, assistant director of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA). The biosafety law of Nigeria was put in place in 2015, followed by the establishment of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), which has been in charge of implementing biosafety regulations.

In eastern Asia, the early farmers created a high-performing rice cropping system in which rice seedlings were grown in nurseries and then transplanted in paddy fields covered with shallow water during the entire cropping season. In fact, the early farmers were mimicking the natural conditions of tropical swamps where this semi-aquatic species that produces highly valued grains originated.

Environmental risks topped the charts in this year’s Global Risks Report published last week by the World Economic Forum. Hundreds of global leaders from business, government and non-governmental organizations around the world agree that environmental risks are the most dangerous risks facing the world (The Global Risks Landscape 2018).

Paddy drying is a big problem during the onset of the rainy season in Nepal. During springtime, rice harvested amounts to 10% of the country’s total rice production. However, farmers may lose 10 to 30 percent of the rice produced when they are not able to dry it properly. The collaboration between IRRI and Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Nepal has been initiated in order to provide a solution to farmers’s problem in drying rice during spring. In a postharvest situation assessment of spring rice,

Dr. Singh is widely recognized as an authority on seed and eco-friendly management of plant diseases. He is also a fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in India, and served on various key scientific committees such as the Indian Phytopathological Society, the Governing Body of the Jharkhand Agriculture Development Council, and the Apex Committee to formulate the Pesticide R&D policy of India. He served as a visiting scientist at the Rothamsted Experiment Station in Harpenden, UK.

A new study by a University of Toronto researcher has found that micro-organisms are critical to the growth and health of plants. The plant's root microbiome is responsible for important functions such as nutrient uptake and signals important to plant development. Connor Fitzpatrick grew 30 species of plants found in the Greater Toronto Area from seed in identical soil mixtures in the lab.