The plant hormone cytokinin has been identified to target genes to regulate plant growth and development. The findings by a group of scientists at Dartmouth College could help establish organ-growing stem cells for grains such as rice and corn, and may ultimately lead to solutions to stubborn agricultural problems.

Citing figures showing that since 2008 one person has been displaced every second by climate and weather disasters - an average of 26 million a year - and suggesting the trend is likely to intensify in the immediate future as rural areas struggle to cope with warmer weather and more erratic rainfall, he said the "solution to this great challenge" lies in bolstering the economic activities that the vast majority of rural populations are already engaged in.

Improved varieties of cassava that will help in addressing food crisis in Africa may soon be available in the continent. Scientists from Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization (KALRO) are developing the genetically modified Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa Plus (VIRCA Plus) varieties

A research team from the University of Lausanne led by plant biologist Philippe Reymond discovered that the genome of the 234-year old oak tree in their campus has remained unchanged. The team discovered this after sequencing the genome from leaves on lower, older branches and upper, younger ones, and tallied the number of single-letter changes they found in the tree's DNA.

Giorgio Fidenato, President of the Federated Farmers Association, and other applicants were prosecuted before the Italian District Court of Udine in November 2015 for planting genetically engineered (GE) maize MON810 in breach of a national decree issued on July 12, 2013 that prohibits its cultivation in the country.

A new film on GM food crops hits the movie houses in New York and Los Angeles. The film, titled Food Evolution is a product of independent investigation of filmmakers Scott Hamilton Kennedy (Academy Award nominee) and Trace Sheehan. They were initially contacted by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) to make a documentary covering fact-based public dialogue about the food system. However, as the filmmakers did their research and started filming, they became intrigued by consistently polarizing debate around GMOs.

An international alliance was formed to speed up crop improvement in sub-Saharan Africa, which was launched at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK on June 16, 2017. The Alliance to Accelerate Crop Improvements in Africa (ACACIA) aims to support African scientists in their efforts to find ways to address food security concerns by maximizing the impact of the John Innes Centre's cutting-edge science and technology in Africa. The alliance was formed through the efforts of its founding members, including the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the John Innes Centre.

Junín virus, a New World arenavirus carried by rodent populations in rural Argentina, causes the deadly Argentine hemorrhagic fever in humans. Although researchers estimate that around 5 million people are at risk of contracting Junín virus (JUNV), no internationally approved drugs are currently available to prevent or treat infection by this zoonotic pathogen. Extending previous studies aimed at understanding the antibody-mediated immune response to JUNV infection, Antra Zeltina et al.

Famine has eased in South Sudan after a significant scale up in the humanitarian response, according to new analysis released today. However, the situation remains dire across the country as the number of people struggling to find enough food each day has grown to 6 million - up from 4.9 million in February - and is the highest level of food insecurity ever experienced in South Sudan.
 

Cotton fiber is differentiated from single cell of ovule epidermis. A number of genes are involved in fiber formation, however, only a few fiber genes have been studied. The Kinesin 13 subfamily was found to play vital roles during cell division and cell elongation, and is believed to be involved in the regulation of cotton fiber development.