AgriTech News Number 37, 15 March 2022

Research Results

1. Rice production depends on TAB1 gene, researchers find

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\TAB 1 gene in rcie.jpg$ Plant development depends on the activity of pluripotent stem cells in meristems, such as the shoot apical meristem and the flower meristem. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the WUSCHEL (WUS) gene is essential for stem cell homeostasis in meristems and integument differentiation in ovule development. Researchers previously isolated a rice (Oryza sativa) plant without the homologous gene, the WUS ortholog, i.e., TILLERS ABSENT 1 (TAB1), from a population of mutated rice plants, and they found that its function is unrelated to shoot-apical meristem maintenance in vegetative development. Japanese researchers, led by Wakana Tanaka at the Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, examined the role of TAB1 in flower development.

They found that the ovule, which originates directly from the flower meristem, failed to differentiate in tab1 mutants, suggesting that TAB1 is required for ovule formation (in the ‘final’ flower meristem). The ovule defect in tab1 was partially rescued by floral organ number 2 mutation, which causes over-proliferation of stem cells. Tanaka says that it is likely that TAB1 promotes ovule formation by maintaining stem cells at a later stage of flower development. “This ability depends on the activity of pluripotent stem cells, which self-renew to maintain a constant number in coordination with organ differentiation in the plant. Our understanding of the mechanism underlying stem cell maintenance was progressing in the thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) plant, another model plant, but our knowledge of these mechanisms in rice was insufficient,” says Tanaka. The study concludes that the TAB1 gene plays an important role in maintaining stem cells during ovule formation, eventually leading to the formation of seeds. This direct necessity of stem cell activity in ovule formation is not seen in thale cress, so it seems to be unique to rice.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-rice-production-tab1-gene.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwlette

Access the abstract at https://journals.biologists.com/dev/article-abstract/148/24/dev199932/273695/Flower-meristem-maintenance-by-TILLERS-ABSENT-1-is?redirectedFrom=fulltext

2. New research offers insight into emerging tomato viruses

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\Typical symptoms of ToBRFV infection on tomato and pepper.jpg$ Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important vegetables in the world. However, tomato is also susceptible to many viral diseases. Several tobamoviruses, including tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), tomato mottle mosaic virus (ToMMV), and tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), are serious pests, but they can be managed by using resistant varieties. However, it has been shown that the resistance to ToBRFV conferred by the common resistance genes breaks down often, resulting in serious outbreaks in many countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. In a recent study, Kai-Shu Ling and colleagues at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, USA, conducted comprehensive experiments to evaluate two key properties: experimental host range and disease resistance in tomatoes. “For the first time, our results revealed that current tomato cultivars are vulnerable to the emerging ToBRFV and the other two related viruses,” explained Ling.

Ling and his team also developed a molecular detection tool that allows for easier identification of the specific harmful organism. The new detection tool could help identify infectious virus particles carried on contaminated seeds, preventing disease on newly germinated seedlings. In a comparative evaluation of disease resistance, using the same tomato cultivars with or without Tm-22 gene, there was a striking difference in responses from tomato plants with Tm-22 gene inoculated with ToBRFV, ToMV, or ToMMV. Further, for ToBRFV detection, a sensitive and reliable multiplex real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay using TaqMan probe with an internal 18S rRNA control was also developed. Both the sensitive detection tool and the knowledge about ToBRFV generated by this study should enable tomato researchers in risk assessment of the emerging disease, leading to effective disease management strategies.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-insight-emerging-tomato-virus-advice.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter

Access the full paper at https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PDIS-05-20-1070-RE

3. Gene important in soybean protein content found after 30-year search $D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\Brian Diers, and soybean plants in a University of Illinois greenhouse.jpg$

Soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] outmatch all other legumes as the protein powerhouses of the plant kingdom, providing a key protein source for humans and livestock around the world. Of the many quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling soybean seed protein content, alleles of the cqSeed protein-003 QTL on chromosome 20 exert the greatest additive effect. The high-protein allele exists in both cultivated and wild soybean (Glycine soja Siebold & Zucc.) germplasm. Scientists at the University of Illinois, USA, led by Brian Diers, have identified the gene with the largest impact on seed protein in soybean. Their fine-mapping of the QTL controlling the protein content resulted in the detection of an insertion/deletion variant in Glyma.20G85100, which was found to have near-perfect +/− concordance with high/low-protein allele genotypes inferred for this QTL in parents of published mapping populations. The authors conclude that a transposon insertion within the CCT domain protein encoded by the Glyma.20G85100 gene accounts for the high/low seed protein alleles of the cqSeed protein-003 QTL.

Given a large undernourished and protein-deficient population in the world, even a single percentage point increase in protein concentration would represent millions of tonnes of protein. Glyma.20G85100 is a gene without a known function, but it is closely related to the “clock and circadian timing” genes. The Glyma.20G85100 gene appears to be part of the soybean plant’s circadian machinery. Identifying the gene with the biggest single contribution to soybean protein content could have major consequences for global food and nutrition security.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-gene-important-soybean-protein-content.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-n%E2%80%A6%201/3

Access the full paper at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tpj.15658

4. Herbicide residues in soil affect hormone levels in crop plants

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\Phytohormone pools affected by GBH.jpg$

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide, with a yearly increase in the global application. Recent studies report glyphosate residues from diverse habitats globally, where the effect on non-target plants is still to be explored. Glyphosate disrupts the shikimate pathway, which is the basis for several plant metabolites. The central role of phytohormones in regulating plant growth and responses to the abiotic and biotic environment has been ignored in studies examining the effects of glyphosate residues on plant performance and trophic interactions. Benjamin Fuchs and colleagues from the University of Turku, Turku, Finland, have found that glyphosate residues in the soil affect phytohormones in above-ground plant parts. This finding reinforces the suspicion that the herbicide residues are increasingly found in soils with agricultural history, globally, while soil health and plant resilience decreases at the same time. Plant hormones are small molecules with essential signalling functions in the plant, regulating in particular plant growth, flowering, senescence, and responses to stressors such as drought damage or pathogen infection.

Plant hormones are involved in fine-tuning the plant responses, and they help the plants to repel herbivores to minimize damage. Fuchs and colleagues, in collaboration with the Czech Academy of Sciences, analysed plant samples for a variety of phytohormones; they found that oat plants growing in soil, which contained minimal concentrations of glyphosate residues, showed decreased levels of phytohormones deriving from either one of those aromatic amino acids targeted by glyphosate. In contrast, potato plants responded to herbicide residues in soil by elevating stress-related phytohormones and increased plant growth, while strawberry plants were largely not responsive to herbicide residues in soil. These results demonstrate that the responses to glyphosate residues in the soil can be species-specific, and that ubiquitous herbicide residues have multifaceted consequences by modulating the hormonal equilibrium of plants, which can have cascading effects on trophic interactions.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-herbicide-residues-soil-affect-hormone.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwl%E2%80%A6%201/3

Access the full paper at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.787958/full

5. CROPSR: A new tool to accelerate genetic discoveries

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\CROPSR.jpg$

Commercially viable biofuel crops are vital to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change. Many crops used for bioenergy have complex genomes, for example, Miscanthus sinensis. A new tool developed by the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), led by Matthew Hudson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, should help accelerate the development of such crops, as well as the genetic editing of those crops that are either polyploid or have complex genomes. The team has developed CROPSR, the first open-source software tool for genome-wide design and evaluation of guide RNA (gRNA) sequences for CRISPR experiments. This tool, which can be automated, significantly shortens the time required to design a CRISPR experiment and reduces the challenge of working with complex crop genomes. “CROPSR provides the scientific community with new methods and a new workflow for performing CRISPR/Cas9 knockout experiments,” said CROPSR developer Hans Müller Paul, a co-author of the study.

The team has shown that the CROPSR scoring model provided much more accurate predictions, even in non-crop genomes. It can generate a database of usable CRISPR guide RNAs for an entire crop genome, and it can indicate other locations to target in the genome as well. For CABBI scientists, who often work with repetitive plant genomes, having a gRNA tool that allows them to design functioning guides with confidence “should be a step forward,” Paul said. As the name implies, CROPSR was designed with crop genomes in mind, but it applies to any type of genome. The authors hope that the new software will accelerate discovery and reduce the number of failed experiments.

For more, see https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/943903

Access the full paper at https://bmcbioinformatics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12859-022-04593-2

6. Scientists decode chemical define in plants against plant sap-sucking leafhoppers

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\Leafhopper - Empoasca on a tobacco leaf.jpg$ Although much is known about plant traits that function in nonhost resistance against pathogens, little is known about nonhost resistance against herbivores, because fieldwork has been lacking. Empoasca leafhoppers are serious agricultural pests. A team of researchers, led by Yuechen Bai at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Germany, using synthetic biology approaches, confirmed the function of the caffeoylputrescine–green leaf volatile compound (CPH) in nonhost resistance against Empoasca leafhoppers in Nicotiana attenuata (wild tobacco) lines with defective in CPH production; in Vicia faba, a crop host plant of the leafhoppers unable to produce caffeoylputrescine; and in Solanum chilense. Using tobacco plants silenced for components of jasmonic acid (JA) signalling and phenolamide biosynthesis, the researchers confirmed the central role of a MYC2-MYB8-JAZi branch genes of JA signalling. However, infiltration of MYC2-silenced plants with known putrescine-derived phenolamides did not alter Empoasca preference.

The natural-history-driven multi-omics framework used for the discovery of CPH—and its marriage with synthetic biology approaches—highlight how readily the results of millions of years of innovation by natural selection can be amortized and transferred to crop plants to catalyse a greener and ecologically more nuanced revolution in plant protection. Crop plants face challenges not substantially different from those faced by native/wild plants; they are constantly tested by hidden herbivore communities that challenge the host-nonhost distinction. The authors conclude that CPH represents a chemical innovation that allows a native plant to cope with these opportunistic associations, and it can be readily engineered in crop plants. This basic research provides valuable insights about improved resistance in crops, especially in the context of new demands on agriculture caused by climate change.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-scientists-decode-chemical-defense-sap-sucking.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign%E2%80%A6%201/4

Access the abstract at https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm2948

7. University of Florida scientists take us one step closer toward crops that make their nitrogen

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Cytokinin in Medicago.jpg$ Most legumes can establish a symbiotic association with soil rhizobia that trigger the development of root nodules. These nodules allow the plant to absorb the nitrogen the bacteria fix, and in exchange, the bacteria get sugars from the plant. The perception of bacterial lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs) in the epidermis signals rhizobial intracellular infection in the root and de-differentiation and activation of cell division forming the nodule. The plant hormone cytokinin contributes to the coordination of this process, acting as an essential positive regulator of nodule organogenesis. The regulation of tissue-specific cytokinin signalling and biosynthesis in response to LCOs remains poorly understood.

To understand the process when legumes come in contact with nitrogen-fixing microbes, a research team, led by Daniel Conde at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA, performed a high-resolution tissue-specific temporal characterization of the sequential activation of cytokinin response during root infection and nodule development in Medicago truncatula after inoculation with Sinorhizobium meliloti. Loss-of-function mutants of the cytokinin-biosynthetic gene SOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE 3 (IPT3) showed impairment of nodulation, suggesting that IPT3 is required for nodule development in M. truncatula. Simultaneous live imaging fluorescence in the presence of cytokinin and the cytokinin sensor showed that IPT3 induction in the pericycle (i.e., the outermost layer of the stele or vascular cylinder) at the base of nodule primordium contributes to cytokinin biosynthesis, which in turn promotes expression of positive regulators of nodule organogenesis in M. truncatula. From these results, the researchers infer that IPT3 contributes to cytokinin biosynthesis, which in turn promotes the expression of positive regulators of nodule development. The authors propose a high-resolution model for the tissue-specific temporal activation pattern of cytokinin signalling in M. truncatula.

For more, see https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=19243

Access the full paper at https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article/188/1/560/6373376

Potential Crops/Technologies/Concepts

1. Scientists leverage multiplex genome editing to create disease-resistant wheat

Disrupting susceptibility (S) genes in crops is an attractive breeding strategy for conferring disease resistance. However, S genes are implicated in many essential biological functions, and deletion of these genes typically results in undesired $D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\Leveraging-multiplex-genome-editing-to-create-disease-resistant-wheat.jpg$ pleiotropic effects. In a study, Chinese scientists, led by Caixia Gao at Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, have described their use of genome editing to achieve robust disease resistance without any growth defects. They have developed a new wheat mutant, Tamlo-R32, which exhibits robust resistance to powdery mildew disease and does not display any growth or yield defects. Powdery mildew disease is one of the major diseases affecting wheat yields worldwide.

The researchers describe Tamlo-R32, a mutant with a 304-kilobase pair targeted deletion in the MLO-B1 locus of wheat, which retains crop growth and yields while conferring robust powdery mildew resistance. They show that this deletion results in an altered local chromatin landscape, leading to the ectopic activation of Tonoplast monosaccharide transporter 3 (TaTMT3B), and that this activation alleviates the growth and yield penalties associated with MLO disruption. The function of TMT3 is conserved in other plant species, such as Arabidopsis thaliana. The researchers described a facile and rapid approach for using multiplexed CRISPR genome editing technologies to directly create the corresponding genetic perturbations in elite wheat varieties, enabling the creation of broad-spectrum powdery-mildew resistant wheat in only 2-3 months. The results demonstrate the potential to stack genetic changes to rescue growth defects caused by recessive alleles, and to thus develop high-yielding crop varieties with robust and durable disease resistance.

For more, see https://mixpoint.in/breaking-news/2022/02/leveraging-multiplex-genome-editing-to-create-disease-resistant-wheat/

Access the abstract at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04395-9

2. Analysis of root systems genes helps identify candidate genes for water stress adaptation in rice

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Rice_paddy_fields_at_Muddadapeta,_Amadalavalasa_Mandal.Srikakulam_district.jpg$ Root system architecture (RSA) is an important agronomic trait, and it plays a vital role in plant productivity, especially under water deficit conditions. A deep and branched root system may help plants to avoid drought stress by enabling them to acquire more water and nutrient resources. However, our knowledge of genetics and molecular mechanisms of RSA is still relatively limited. A team of scientists from Iran and Australia, led by Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh at the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Karaj, Iran and Associate Faculty at the Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, analysed the transcriptome response of rice root tips to water deficit using IR64 and Azucena varieties.

Genome-wide expression analysis of rice root tips from two varieties helped scientists identify candidate genes for adaptation to water deficit conditions. IR64 was chosen to represent a drought-susceptible and shallow-rooting genotype, while Azucena is a traditional upland variety. Samples from three root zones were collected from each variety at 35 days, which were first subjected to water deficit for 14 days. They found that several members of gene families were key players in RSA and drought adaptation, while HSP and HSF gene families were important in oxidative stress inhibition. The number of novel root system architecture and drought-associated genes that the scientists were able to identify can help other researchers to investigate that potential to enhance drought tolerance adaptation in rice.

For more, see https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=19293

Access the full paper at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.792079/full

3. Potato trait development going fast-forward with genome editing

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN_Teaser_26 Feb 2022\Papas_de_colores_de_Chiloe.jpg$ Potato is one of the top four staple food crops of the world, as well as being one of a handful of crops grown for producing starch. Developing new potato cultivars using traditional breeding methods is a long-term effort. Genome editing, especially TALEN-based and more recently CRISPR-based methods, have shown the potential to become the next established breeding tools, such as Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR). Potato is prone to many diseases, and the use of fungicides is being questioned. Mariette Andersson and colleagues at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden, argue that genome editing could be a way to keep pace with this evolution from the plant side. Inactivation of susceptibility genes can provide broad resistance against several diseases. This has the potential to be a fairly sustainable technique and can be combined with other sources of resistance.

Using genome editing, genetic variation can be efficiently introduced today in potatoes where natural variation is insufficient. This has enabled the cumbersome potato breeding process to be accelerated in improvements of specific traits in potatoes. The authors provide examples of traits with health benefits, such as lowering toxic compounds and improving potato, and starch quality, or traits that tackle environmental concerns, like food loss and pesticides, and the use of chemicals in downstream processes. They conclude that, although the traits described here are numerous and broad in application, they represent only a first few examples of what these techniques can do to contribute to safe and sustainable food production in the future.

For more, see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168952521002882#:~:text=For%20some%20crops%2C%20such%20as,be%20applied%20to%20commercial%20cultivation

4. Engineered bacterial strains could fertilize crops, reduce pollution of waterways

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\N fixing bacterial nodules on legumes.jpeg$ The ubiquitous bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii has been studied as a model organism for biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). BNF is regulated by the NifL-NifA—a two-component system. While several studies reported mutations that resulted in the release of large quantities of ammonium, knowledge about the specific determinants for this phenomenon is lacking. Researchers from Washington State University, led by Florence Mus, have engineered strains of A. vinelandii. The bacteria produce ammonia and excrete it at high concentrations, transferring it into crop plants, and can thus be used in place of conventional chemical fertilizers.

The researchers report that only specific disruptions of NifL lead to large quantities of ammonium accumulated in liquid culture (∼12 mM). The ammonium excretion phenotype is solely associated with deletions of NifL domains, combined with the insertion of a promoter sequence in the opposite orientation to nifLA transcription. They demonstrate that the strength of the inserted promoter could influence the amounts of ammonium excreted by affecting the rnf1 gene expression, an additional requirement for ammonium excretion. These ammonium-excreting nifL mutants significantly stimulate the transfer of fixed nitrogen to rice. This work defines discrete determinants that bring about A. vinelandii ammonium excretion and demonstrates that strains can be generated through simple gene editing to provide promising biofertilizers capable of transferring nitrogen to crops. The researchers hope to design different groups of bacteria to produce ammonia at different rates to fit the needs of different species of crop plants. This would allow all the ammonia produced to be used by plants, rather than ending up washed into waterways.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-bacterial-strains-fertilize-crops-waterways.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter

Access the abstract at https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/AEM.01876-21

5. The use of Telenomus remus in the management of Spodoptera spp.: potential, challenges, and major benefits

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Telenomus remus life cycle on FAW eggs.jpg$ The genus Spodoptera comprises numerous lepidopteran moths, such as Spodoptera frugiperda, S. eridania, and S. cosmioides, which are known for their economic importance as pests of several crops worldwide. S. frugiperda, also known as fall armyworm (FAW) is a polyphagous pest that can cause significant losses to different crops. Currently, in maize, the pest is predominantly controlled by pesticides or transgenic events. The use of biological control agents is considered the most sustainable and preferred method of control. Among the various natural enemies reported for FAW, the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus has gained most interest.

In addition to FAW, other pests of the genus Spodoptera often cause high crop damage, and they may be controlled using T. remus. A research team, led by Adeney de Freitas Bueno of Embrapa Soja, Paraná, Brazil, reviewed work on T. remus-mass rearing techniques, estimated costs of mass production, release strategies, and potential application of the parasitoid for control in different crops. The authors think that, due to the recent invasion of FAW in Africa, Asia, and Australia, T. remus offers great opportunities for the establishment of an augmentative biological control programme, reinforcing sustainable production of major crops, such as maize, in affected countries. However, researchers emphasize that no ready-to-use package is available to advise farmers in using T. remus against FAW and related pests. Further studies are urgently needed to precisely determine optimal release rates, release times and frequencies, number of release points, the best stage and device for releases, and other aspects, such as how large the fields should be to achieve efficient pest control.

For more, see https://cabiagbio.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s43170-021-00071-6

Access the full paper at https://cabiagbio.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s43170-021-00071-6.pdf

6. How do farmers approach soil carbon sequestration? Lessons learned from 105 carbon-farming plans in Finland

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Connecting research, farmers and advisors for carbon farming.jpg$ Soil carbon sequestration is a well-known strategy for climate mitigation, but it necessitates modifications in the farming practices of more than 0.5 billion farms around the world. Carbon-farming initiatives that are regionally adapted are one method to tailor soil carbon storage to local requirements. To learn more about how farmers approach carbon (C) sequestration, Tuomas Mattila and colleagues at the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, Helsinki, Finland, conducted farmer participatory research on 105 Finnish farms.

Initially, researchers trained farmers in the basics of carbon-farming and instructed them to make a Carbon Farming Plan for one of their fields. The plans did not show any sensitivity to the existing C stock, with similar C inputs planned for soils with both low and high organic matter. Most farmers chose measures with relatively low C storage benefits but high potential benefits for soil structure and productivity. The magnitude of planned C storage over 5 years on most farms was so small that it is challenging to measure it through soil sampling. The study shows the potential of carbon farming. However, farmers tend to balance yield and C storage and are not prepared for any yield loss. The voluntary outreach enables more farmers to get first-hand experience of the methods, which is important in testing and continuing the use of soil health methods. When successful, the process can enhance the ability of the participating farmers from the first round to teach the next tier of carbon farmers. The potential for increased carbon sequestration improves when payment to farmers includes consideration for the carbon that has been sequestered, in addition to the produce. Thus, carbon storage can offer hope for the climate, and cash for farmers.

For more, see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167198721002774?via%3Dihub

Access the full paper at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167198721002774?via%3Dihub

News:

1. What is biocultural diversity, and why does it matter?

Biocultural diversity first gained attention at the First International Congress of Ethnobiology in Belém, Brazil, in 1988. How does biocultural diversity manifest itself? The phrase “biocultural diversity” was coined to express the importance of indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ knowledge, ideas, and practices for conservation and $D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\The rice terraces of the Cordillera in the Philippines are recognised by the UN as a ‘cultural landscape.jpg$ sustainability. One example can be found in language. Language diversity hotspots frequently correlate with species diversity hotspots; similarly, endangered languages often correspond to areas where there are high numbers of endangered species. Cultural severance can result in dramatic declines in ecological diversity. To be a complete concept, it must explain the feedback and links between cultural and biological diversity. The Convention on Biological Diversity defines biocultural diversity as “biological diversity and cultural diversity and the links between them.” The Convention also defines biocultural heritage as the holistic approach of many indigenous peoples and local communities. Authors Peter Bridgewater and Suraj Upadhaya suggest that these definitions should be widely used, and encourage further work on the concepts, both academic and practical.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-biocultural-diversity.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter

2. New breeding techniques could change vegetable breeding

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\000_AgriTech References\Number of genes modified in crop plants using CRISPR-Cas9 technology.jfif$ We all know that vegetables are good for you. And with advances in plant breeding innovation, we can accelerate the improvement of seed varieties for the benefit of agriculture and consumers on a global basis. In the last decade alone, crop-focused gene-editing research projects have grown exponentially. The first targeted genomic changes were produced in yeast as early as the 1970s and 1980s. In 2000, genome editing systems, such as Talen and Zinc Finger nucleases, started to be applied. Genome editing can speed up the development of new varieties of crops and help growers minimize crop loss, says Syngenta Seeds CEO Jeff Krieger. Gene editing tools such as CRISPR and other cutting-edge techniques make it easier for small businesses to enter the field. Gene editing could benefit the vegetable seed sector, as its products are directly consumed and their characteristics are immediately visible to the consumer. Gene editing and molecular markers are increasingly being used in vegetable breeding, says BASF’s Peter Visser. They enable precise changes in DNA, so just the desired gene can be brought into a plant without all the genetic baggage from older breeding methods. The cost of each has significantly decreased over the years.

For more, see https://seedworld.com/new-breeding-techniques-could-change-vegetable-breeding/

3. Artificial intelligence can help optimize matching of cultivars to consumer preferences for fruit

$G:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\000_AgriTech References\Fruits and vegetables_market.jpg$ Flavour plays an important role in which varieties of fruit people choose to eat. Although they are staple foods in cuisines globally, many commercial fruit varieties have become progressively less flavourful over time. Due to the cost and difficulty associated with flavour phenotyping, breeding programs have long been challenged in selecting for this complex trait. To address this issue, researchers at the University of Florida, Gainesville, USA, led by Vincent Colantonio, conducted a study, which leveraged targeted metabolomics of diverse tomato and blueberry accessions and their corresponding consumer panel ratings to create statistical and machine learning models that can predict sensory perceptions of fruit flavour. Which flavours and chemical compounds make a particular variety of fruit more appealing to consumers can be thus identified and predicted, using artificial intelligence. The authors expect that the models developed will enable earlier incorporation of flavour as a breeding target, and thus encourage selection and release of more flavourful fruit varieties.

For more, see https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-fruit-flavorful-artificial-intelligence-can-help-optimize-cultivars-to-match-consumer-preferences-176491

Access the full paper at https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2115865119

4. Cultivated and wild bananas in northern Viet Nam threatened by а devastating fungal disease

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Fusarium infection on bananas in Viet Nam.jpg$ Fusarium is one of the most important fungal plant pathogens, affecting the cultivation of a wide range of crops, including bananas and plantains, causing significant yield losses. In Viet Nam, like in the rest of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, most bananas are consumed and traded locally, supporting rural livelihood. Only by understanding which species of Fusarium are infecting the cultivated bananas can concrete measures be taken to control the future spread of the disease to other regions. A study by Loan Le Thi, Plant Resources Center, Ha Noi, Vietnam, and colleagues shows that approximately 3 out of 4 Fusarium infections of the northern Vietnamese bananas are caused by the species F. tardichlamydosporum, and these can be regarded as the typical Race 1 infections. Fusarium wilt was not only found in cultivated bananas: the disease seemed to also affect wild bananas. This finding indicates that wild bananas (M. lutea) might function as a sink for Fusarium wilt from where reinfections of cultivars could take place.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-cultivated-wild-bananas-northern-viet.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter

Access the full paper at https://mycokeys.pensoft.net/article/72941/

5. Your food may soon come wrapped in self-cleaning, biodegradable plastic, inspired by the lotus

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Lotus leaf.,jpg.jpg$ Plastic waste is one of the most widespread types of pollution on the planet, with particles of this material permeating soil, water, and the atmosphere. The main drivers of this issue are single-use plastics, combined with inadequate recycling capacity. Several scientists around the globe are engaged in research to develop environmentally friendly plastic. Mehran Ghasemlou and colleagues at the RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, are developing a self-cleaning, eco-friendly bioplastic by taking inspiration from the lotus leaf, replicating the “phenomenally water-repellent structure of lotus leaves” to ensure it has excellent hygienic properties. Since it is compostable, swapping regular plastic for this new bioplastic in these applications would lead to tremendous environmental benefits, as food packaging is one of the main applications for single-use plastic.

For more, see https://www.zmescience.com/science/lotus-inspired-self-cleaning-bioplastic-8352624/

Access the abstracts at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721077627#! and https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.1c09959

6. Genomic selection eased for more plant breeders

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos.jpg$ A Cornell program, called Breeding Insight, is adding seven new plant and animal species to its list of supported crops and animals for 2022. The newly supported species—cranberry, cucumber, oat, lettuce, honey bee, pecan, and strawberry—join the original list of six. The program was launched in 2018 and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Breeding Insight’s team of geneticists, biologists, plant breeders, and software developers identifies phenotyping and genotyping platforms of interest, vets vendors to keep costs down, and works with breeders to implement enhanced data management systems, thus supporting technology adoption.

For more, see https://www.hortidaily.com/article/9399089/genomic-selection-eased-for-more-plant-breeders/

7. Digital innovations can bring youth back to agriculture and boost rural employment

Youth around the world are increasingly turning away from agriculture. Agriculture traditionally requires tough manual labour and offers low wages, and hence it does not often appeal to younger generations who generally prefer to try their $D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Ditgital apps im agriculture.jpg$ luck finding jobs in cities. Nevertheless, agriculture has the greatest potential of all sectors to reduce poverty, for example in sub-Saharan Africa, where over 60% of its 1.2 billion population is under the age of 25. This growing youth population needs fruitful employment, and food and agriculture, perhaps re-conceptualized, have the potential to offer this to the youth. The key to resolving this problem is innovation. There are already new ways of working in agriculture that harness digital and technological innovations, rendering the work more efficient and, as a significant by-product, providing new opportunities and services for young entrepreneurs. Developing digital apps and services can be more attractive and can boost rural employment. Such digitization of agriculture can also lessen the drudgery and could attract the younger generation to remain in agriculture.

For more, see https://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/en/c/1150379/

Access the full paper at https://www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1149534/

8. Genetically modified crops need adaptation to farmer conditions

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Technicians harvest improved and high yield cowpea pods at Ikene station, Nigeria.jpg$ The recent U.N. Food System Summit brought renewed attention to the promise of genetically modified (GM) crops to address poverty and food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere. The scientific committee to the summit reported that “a lot can be achieved by building research capacity and reducing institutional barriers” for GM crops and other agricultural technologies. Although GM crops performed in large farms, many GM crops have underperformed because they are ill-suited to smallholder farming systems. Without reliable access to credit to afford fertilizers and robust extension services, many farmers are unlikely to reap meaningful benefits from GM crops. One way is to make better use of farmer field trials, where farmers, as opposed to research scientists, grow GM crops to test performance. If GM crop promoters are serious about achieving the goals of improving food security and reducing poverty, the GM crops produced must resonate with a diversity of smallholder farmers. The possibility of achieving this elusive “good” must begin with more attention to the farming context and a greater commitment to including a diversity of farmers as full participants in all project phases.

For more, see https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-genetically-modified-crops-need-greater-farmer-inclusion-102506?access_key=40j5AwtfvS0bGvazs0m4yLHBKUnNxgLH&utm_source=nl_newswire&utm_term=article&utm_cont%E2%80%A6%201/4

9. Sorghum and other drought-tolerant cereal crops can improve nutrition and enable more sustainable agriculture

$D:\GRSV Consultancy Service\AgriTech news\37_ATN\Pearl millet.jpg$ When nutritionists indicate that one can eat local and be healthy, they emphasize the important link between human health and the foods that we grow and consume in our immediate environment. This advice is in line with sustainable food production as well. Numerous efforts to define sustainability, however, do not adequately account for local dietary preferences or the adverse impact that growing certain exotic foods can have on the environment.

Dongyang Wei and Kyle Davis at the University of Delaware, Newark, USA, examined how staple grains can be used as an effective food group for dietary shifts that can be culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable. The researchers looked at dietary scenarios at the country level to take into account each nation’s historical and current dietary patterns. They identified two shifts, in particular, which would be locally acceptable and help to increase nutrition, while lowering the environmental impacts of crop production. They found that increasing the share of whole grains (e.g., maize, sorghum, millet) can increase nutrient supply and overcome the nutrient-depleting effects of elevated CO_2, and thus substantially reduce the environmental burden, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. These findings demonstrate important opportunities to identify sustainable diets that incorporate local preferences and cultural acceptability. Such considerations are essential when developing demand-side solutions in efforts to achieve more sustainable food systems.

For more, see https://phys.org/news/2022-02-sorghum-drought-tolerant-cereal-crops-nutrition.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%E2%80%A6%201/3

Access the full paper at https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac32fc

Events (October):

1. ICAPS 2022: International Conference on Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability

06-07 October 2022, Baku, Azerbaijan

For more, see https://waset.org/agricultural-productivity-and-sustainability-conference-in-october-2022-in-baku

2. ICABB 2022: International Conference on Agricultural Biotechnology and Bioengineering

06-07 October 2022, Beijing, China

For more, see https://waset.org/agricultural-biotechnology-and-bioengineering-conference-in-october-2022-in-beijing

3. ICABBBE 2022: International Conference on Agricultural, Biotechnology, Biological and Biosystems Engineering 13-14 October 2022, Dubai, United Arab Emirates