A study reports that the defense mechanisms plants use to recognize and respond to the caterpillar, a common plant pest, has arisen from a single gene that evolved over millions of years. The study also found that some plants, such as soybeans, have lost this protective gene over time and suggests that genetically engineering plants to reintroduce the gene could protect against crop failure.

Kenya is experiencing a severe water shortage due to four failed rainy seasons and is in the middle of the worst droughts that happened in the East African region in four decades. These conditions lead to reduced crop production and indicate a possible famine. One of the solutions to such problems is the adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops resistant to drought and pest attacks. However, some farmers and campaign groups question their safety.

“From Farm to Table.” In recent years, different Latin American governments have used this and other similar slogans to promote the consumption of food produced by family farmers in their countries. Food from family farming has several advantages. It’s healthier and more nutritious  and benefits the economy of local family farmers, who are responsible for one-third of global food production.

The World Food Programme, ICRISAT and partners have come together to support farming communities in Mali with improved dryland crop varieties and ‘Smart Food’ interventions. More than 300 farmers from two communes in Mali comprising of 162 women agri-food processors visited demonstration plots in their region growing high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified varieties of sorghum, millet, groundnut and cowpea.

Science and data play a crucial role in the work of the Codex Alimentarius standard setting body, QU Dongyu Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said as he opened the Commission’s 45^th annual session here today. The gathering is the first in-person meeting of the Commission, set up by FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) for three years, with many delegates also participating virtually. Qu noted that technology has advanced rapidly in making such meetings possible in full transparency and making sure no one is left behind.

The Antimicrobial Resistance Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform was launched today to ensure the growing threats and impacts of antimicrobial resistance are addressed globally. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), known as the Quadripartite, are joining forces on this initiative to underscore the threat AMR presents to humans, animals, plants, ecosystems and livelihoods.

Scientists from six research institutions in Russia led by RUDN University have identified wheat genotypes resistant to the dangerous fungal pathogen Microdochium nivale that infects plants before the snow melts and reduces yields. M. nivale infects crops, causing snow mold. After the snow melts, a web-like mold of the fungus appears on the leaves of winter crops. The leaves die off, and if the lesion is too great, then the whole plant dies, along with the root. To prevent the death of crops and at the same time not use chemical treatments, varieties resistant to the fungus are needed.

Digital Droplet PCR (ddPCR) is known as the third generation of quantitative PCR. It works by segmenting samples using water-in-oil emulsions to create droplets from which their genetic material can be identified and quantified.¹⁰⁵ Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) is a third generation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that enables the exact quantification of nucleic acid targets within a sample.

A study from six chemists at the University of Chicago shows an innovative new system for artificial photosynthesis that is more productive than previous artificial systems by an order of magnitude. Above is an artistic illustration of the process illustrated by Peter Allen. A study conducted by six chemists at the University of Chicago shows an innovative new system for artificial photosynthesis that is more productive than previous artificial systems.

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore have successfully genetically modified an important plant protein responsible for the accumulation of oil in plant seeds and edible nuts. The research team showed that their patent-pending method can increase the oil content in seeds by 15 to 18 percent. The scientists discovered that the secret to helping plants accumulate more oil in their seeds is in one of their proteins called WRINKLED1 (WRI1)