The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) and its network of Biotechnology Information Centers launched a new campaign on social media which aims to empower women in science. The campaign called, Science And She, features scientists and science communicators who tell their stories and aspirations for science and the society.

The Organization for the Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a pilot project to commence the practical application of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains, which provides a practical tool to help enterprises observe these and other standards of responsible business conduct. The objective of the project is to improve the implementation of the Guidance and internationally-agreed standards on responsible production, sourcing and supply chain management in the agricultural sector.

Over 150 participants from 25 countries met to identify better models for partnering as part of the launch meeting of the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals (GLDC). Dr Peter Carberry, Director of GLDC, set the framework from the start, underlining that the Program’s approach is how it can add value to what is already being undertaken. Linking initiatives and building on each other’s strengths will be a key focus of the approach.

The global momentum for restoration has never been greater. With ambitious targets like the Bonn Challenge, New York Declaration and those set by the Convention on Biological Diversity, plus billions of dollars invested annually, countries all over the world are rapidly moving forward with Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) initiatives as a way to address ecosystem conservation, sustainable development and climate goals.

Spring rice contributes around 20 percent of the total rice production in Nepal. However, farmers may lose 10 to 30 percent of the rice produced when they are not able to dry it properly. Paddy drying is a big problem during the onset of the rainy season in the country and there is great potential for technology that could significantly boost its rice production, contribute to national and local self-sufficiency, and add revenues for farmers.

Consumers are more concerned about potential environmental risks of GM crops than health worries, according to a study conducted in Germany. The results are published in the International Journal of Consumer Studies. The research team, composed of scientists from the University of Bonn and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, aimed to investigate the risk perceptions of 439 German consumers regarding genetic engineering.

Researchers have, for the first time, isolated a gene that will give wheat a natural resistance to Septoria tritici blotch (STB, or Septoria). Septoria is the main leaf disease of wheat in temperate regions and a major threat for wheat production globally, capable of halving crop yields. The disease is caused by the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici.

The Australian Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) announced the approval for commercial release of insect resistant cotton (COT102) and GM canola with improved omega-3 oil content (DHA canola). According to the OGTR notices, COT102 and DHA canola, as well as the products derived from them, may enter general commerce, including use in human food and animal feed.

Plants cannot make unlimited number of branches -- a gene puts the brakes on this process called shoot branching. A group of researchers, though, reveals a chemical that can reverse this limitation, possibly leading to improved crop production. A regulator gene called D14 was identified in previous studies about shoot branching. Shinya Hagihara, Yuichiro Tsuchiya and colleagues reasoned that if they could inhibit this regulator, they could do the opposite and increase branching.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is targeting more public-private support to address key challenges in the successful and wider adoption of Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) systems in South and Southeast Asia. Presented during the recent launch of the Direct-Seeded Rice Consortium (DSRC), IRRI’s main proponent for the initiative, were priority areas for DSR research with particular focus on improving mechanized and precise direct-seeding practices to help current DSR end-users maximize its full benefits.