COLLEGE STATION – A ground-breaking Texas A&M AgriLife Research-led study on corn has identified useful gene variations for yield increases, drought tolerance and aflatoxin resistance that could make a real difference to Texas producers in the years to come, according to researchers.

Ghanaian scientists and farmers have agreed on the country's need to harness the benefits of biotechnology for the country, despite opposition by a section of stakeholders. Speaking at a recent event of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology held at the Water Research Institute (WRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr. A.B Salifu

Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Fusarium seedling blight (FSB) are devastating wheat diseases. The research team of Yu-Cai Liao from the Huazong Agricultural University in China studied the expression of RNA interference (RNAi) sequences from a Fusarium graminearum virulence gene, chitin synthase (Chs) 3b, to enhance wheat resistance. Three RNAi constructs were found to silence Chs3b in transgenic F. graminearum strains. These were then expressed in two transgenic wheat lines. The transgenics exhibited high levels of resistance to FHB and FSB. The three RNAi present in the transgenic wheat efficiently down-regulated the Chs3b expression in the pathogen.

Scientists from the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) released four new rust resistant wheat varieties during the Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) meeting at the PARC headquarters on March 3, 2015. Included in the new varieties is a biofortified wheat with 50% Zinc (Zn) content.

More than 200 participants attended a one day workshop entitled "The Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2014" held on March 8, 2015 at Cairo University. The conference was held under his auspices Prof. Dr. Sherief Hamad, Minister of Scientific Research and Prof. Dr Mohamed Sakr, President of the Academy of Science Research and Technology.

Syngenta has announced on March 17, 2015 that Vietnam's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has approved its Bt11 x GA21 double stack corn seed for commercial cultivation in the country, to be made available for the 2015/2016 season.

17 March 2015, Sendai, Japan - Nearly a quarter of damages wrought by natural disasters on the developing world are borne by the agricultural sector according to initial results from a new FAO study released here today at the UN World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction.
 

USAID’s mission is to promote human development and stable, free, and prosperous societies around the world. But as climate change advances, promoting sustainable global development is critical. By empowering people to access and use what we know about science, policy, and technology, CIAT is helping ensure that USAID programs are not undermined by climate change and support the transition to low-carbon growth.

15 March 2015, Rome – Two date palm oases in the United Arab Emirates have joined a growing number of ecosystems that are formally recognized by FAO for their importance as repositories of genetic resources, biodiversity and cultural heritage. The Al Ain and Liwa oases are known as marvels of ancient hydrology and their date groves form the center of date production in the Emirates.

The UK House of Commons Science and Technology Committee released a report saying that current EU regulations that prevent GM crop adoption in the UK are not fit for purpose and should be changed to a trait-based system for regulating biotech crops.