CROP BIOTECH UPDATE
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A weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech for developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)
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September 7, 2007

In This Week’s Issue:

News

Global
• Soybean Growers Alliance Formed
• Insights from Grain Fungus' Gene Sequence
• Culprit in Decline of Honeybee Population Identified

Africa
• Mozambique and USDA Align to Fight Cassava Root Rot Disease
• Egypt NBC and Parliament Visit Bt Maize Trials

Americas
• Argentina Approves First Stacked Transgenic Corn Variety
• Hold Your Breath: The Longest Maize Ears in the World
• USDA to Advance Tree Genomics and Breeding of Conifers
• US Regulation of Biotech Crops to be Revised
• Dow AgroSciences and Exelixis Announce Research Collaboration
• Sweet Sorghum Processing for Bioethanol Made Easy
• Iowa State and Monsanto Resolve Soybean Patent Dispute

Asia and the Pacific
• Cheap and Effective Technique to Detect Herbicide-Resistance
• Philippines Awaits Golden Rice Release in 2011
• Sugarcane Areas in Phils to Expand for Bioethanol Production
• Indian Farmers Willing to Pay More for Bt Eggplant Hybrids than for Conventional Seeds
• Need for Food Safety Commission for GMs in Indonesia
• NSW Farmers Urge Government to End GM Moratorium
• CORRA Holds 11^th Annual Meeting in Vietnam

Europe
• Swiss Authorities Allow GM Wheat Field Trials

Research
• Alleviating Peanut Allergy Using RNAi
• Cleistogamy Allele for Gene Containment in GM Rice
• Marker Free GM Soybean Produced by Gene Excision
• Maize Endosperm Proteins Associated with Aflatoxin Resistance

Announcements
• GMF Conference in Jordan
• Translational Seed Biology Symposium

Document Reminders
• Pocket K on Kenya Biotech Devt Policy Highlights



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NEWS
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Global
SOYBEAN GROWERS ALLIANCE FORMED

Three major soybean producing countries, accounting for over 80% of total global soybean produce - the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina - formed the International Soybean Growers Alliance (ISGA) to have a collective voice in tackling issues related to marketing, technical trade barriers, and public relations. Representatives from the three countries signed an agreement for the Alliance at the Bienal Annual Agricultural Conference in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil. 

The Alliance will give soybean producers more influence in the global soybean-consuming industries along with trading companies and multinationals that use soybeans as a major input, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

See the full report at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200708/146292255.pdf  

Evil forces thrive in unstable environments, according to preliminary results gathered from the genome sequence of the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. The sequencing has provided scientists a roadmap to someday combat the fungus which infects barley and wheat crops, rendering them unfit for animal and human consumption and causing millions of dollars loss in crop yield worldwide.  

In a study published by the journal Science, scientists from the Michigan State University discovered that most of the genes and promoters responsible for disease and toxins lie in unstable areas of Fusarium chromosomes. “Those unstable areas are places where the organism is ready to evolve,” author Frances Trail said. “In those genes there’s a lot of mutation. They can change a lot without killing the fungus.” The flexibility in the pathogenic-holding parts of the chromosome might be the reason this fungus can produce so many different mycotoxins – including zearalenone, which can mimic sex hormones in mammals, including possibly people, and potentially cause developmental and reproductive problems. 

A total of 14,000 Fusarium genes have been sequenced, including those responsible for toxin formation. Trail’s team figures that there are 2,000 genes dedicated to making the spores. Decoding and expression profiling of the genes will be the first step in discovering the fungus’ mode of pathogenicity. Understanding genetic interaction and makeup, where the genes are unstable and ready to change strategy, will be the next important step.

Read more at http://newsroom.msu.edu/site/indexer/3165/content.htm or contact Frances Trail at trail@msu.edu.

More than 130 crops in the United States are pollinated by honey bees. In 2006-2007, some beekeepers reported 30 to 90% loss of hives. The continuous decline of honeybee population and its spread in other countries would have a big impact in global food production. Fortunately, a team led by scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Pennsylvania State University, and Columbia University have found an association between colony collapse disorder (CCD) in honey bees and a honey bee virus called Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), according to a paper published in the journal Science. 

A genetic screening was conducted in honey bees collected from 30 colonies with CCD and 21 colonies with no CCD from four locations in the United States. Using a new means of sequencing genetic material from healthy and unhealthy bees, an unbiased look at DNA from all the organisms can be obtained. The IAPV was found only in samples from honey bee colonies with CCD and not in non-CCD colonies. It is a dicistrovirus transmitted by the varroa mite.

The news release can be viewed at http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=1261  and the research abstract at http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/114649  

Mozambique’s National Institute for Agricultural Research (IIAM), with the financial support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID), released 5,000 seedlings of a new cassava variety resistant to root rot, to be distributed among the peasant farmers in the northern province of Nampula. Cassava is cultivated in almost all the districts in Mozambique where it is one of the major staple food crops, particularly in the rural areas. Infestation of the root rot disease has caused significant yield losses over the years contributing to food insecurity in the region.  

The two-year project, which aims to distribute over 50,000 seedlings to 200,000 peasant farmers in Nampula, was in part made possible by a USAID grant to upgrade IIAM’s Biotechnology Laboratory. The IIAM Biotechnology Laboratory developed the first batches of seedlings of the root rot disease resistant cassava variety, "Nachinyaya", using tissue culture. Over 300,000 people are expected to benefit from this project.

Read more at Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique http://www.sortmoz.com/aimnews or at http://www.usaid.gov/mz

Members of the Egyptian National Biosafety Committee and the Parliament, as well as maize breeders and media specialists visited the Bt maize field trails in Nubaria, Egypt. Nubaria is one of five Bt maize field trial locations totaling about 65 feddan (68 acres).  Egypt cultivates 1.9 million feddan of maize annually, and is facing a major problem of corn borer infestation. Chemical pesticides do not provide full protection from the pest.

Mr. AbdelReheem ElGhoul,  head of the agricultural committee in the Egyptian Parliament, expressed interest in the performance of Bt maize  noting that " Egypt is always looking for the best technology that can help small-scale farmers to overcome insect infestation and minimize the use of pesticides that can harm  farmers, farm animals as well as the environment". Prof. Dr. Hussien Hegazy, head of the agricultural and irrigation committee in the Shoura Council, noted a  "need to evaluate every step in these trials and choose the appropriate technology that will help Egyptian farmers".  

In related developments, the Egypt Biotechnology Information Center (EBIC) organized a field trip for agricultural extensions from  8 different governates. They discussed Bt maize performance in controlling corn borers with Prof. Magdy Massoud of the University of Alexandria.  For more information contact Dr. Ismail AbdelHamid, EBIC director, at  Ismail@egypt-bic.com.

The Argentine Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food has approved Monsanto Company’s bundled transgenic corn seed variety, containing the borer protection trait YieldGard® with Roundup Ready® Corn 2 technology, for planting in the 2007-08 season. The bundled trait approval, which marks the first for Argentina, was issued after a product safety scientific review conducted by the country’s regulatory bodies Conabia and Senasa.

 “We're pleased with the decision of the Argentina Agriculture Secretary," said Brett Begemann, Executive Vice President of International Commercial for Monsanto Company. "This approval represents a new opportunity for farmers to access more benefits in one seed while lowering their costs of production and increasing their yields. The approval also adds a new value opportunity for Monsanto in a key, expanding corn market in Latin America." The new variety is expected to boost yield up to 5-7 percent, as the corn borer infests more than 80 percent of the corn acres in Argentina.

Read more at http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=522

How long is the biggest maize ear in the world and where is it found? It is as long as a man’s forearm and it is found in Jala, Mexico. A maize festival ensures the existence of this traditional variety of maize, and the variety’s value in local culture and dishes keep farmers growing it. Now researchers work to restore and improve its potential.

Jala is overlooked by the active volcano Ceboruco, whose mineral-rich ash is believed by locals to make the giant Jala maize grow so well—indeed, it does not reach its full size when grown outside the valley. The Jala maize is a landrace—a traditional variety specific to a particular place that has been grown by farmers over generations. Unfortunately, improved varieties of maize are supplanting the Jala landrace. They are shorter, which makes them easier to manage and less prone to falling over in high winds, and yield much more.

To save the Jala variety J. Arahón Hernández Guzmán, research professor at the Colegio de Postgraduados, a Mexican agricultural institution, is growing landrace seed from 22 farmers in a plot in the valley to recombine genetic variations. He also aims to develop varieties with added value; for example, dual-purpose maize providing good grain and husk yields, as well as specialized varieties for green ears or pozole. The International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is tasked to hold Jala maize seed in trust, not just as a genetic resource for the world, but also for the people of Jala.

Readers can access the article at http://www.cimmyt.org/english/wps/news/2007/aug/Jala.htm.  

The United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns recently awarded $6 million to the University of California Davis to improve breeding technologies for conifer trees. Genomic-based breeding technologies will significantly reduce the breeding cycle time and the cost of extensive field evaluations at large, long-term test plantations. The Conifer Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) will also train the next generation of tree breeders in modern plant breeding technologies. "Forests are important to our way of life and the earth's ecology," Johanns said. "Our commitment to the health and longevity of the forests is renewed with each investment in the next generation of research and people to care for the next generation of forest trees."

More information about the Conifer CAP project can be found on the Conifer Translational Genomics Network Web site at http://www.pinegenome.org/ctgn . Read the complete article at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2007/08/0230.xml.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to revise the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It proposes to expand its authority from plants that might endanger other plants to "the full range of potential agricultural and environmental risks posed by these organisms, including risks to public health". The agency also prefers a tiered program, with different regulations for different levels of risk, and special rules for organisms that produce compounds used in industry or pharmaceutical products. Public comment will be collected until 11 September; then the USDA will write a proposed rule that would have its own public comment period. Only then will the final rule be published.

To read more visit http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v449/n7158/full/449009b.html.

Dow AgroSciences signed a major research collaboration agreement with Exelixis Plant Sciences, a Biotechnology Company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. The deal aims to develop new tools for gene discovery and validation of novel crop traits. The agreement includes the purchase of Exelixis' intellectual properties and physical assets used for crop trait discovery by Dow AgroSciences' affiliate Agrigenetics Inc.

"At Dow AgroSciences we continue to add cutting-edge tools to our Research and Development portfolio, and are excited about what this agreement will enable us to add to our existing capabilities," said Daniel R. Kittle, Vice President of Research and Development for Dow AgroSciences. He adds, "This asset purchase and collaboration will accelerate our gene discovery and validation efforts as we work to bring revolutionary solutions for our customers.” Exelixis has previously worked with DowAgrosciences in elucidating the mechanism of action of herbicidal compounds based and on the identification of their gene targets and development of specific target screening assays.

Read the press release at http://ir.exelixis.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=120923&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1047848&highlight

Sweet sorghum is one of the alternative sources of bioethanol besides sugar cane and corn. Its high sugar content and seasonal production in the temperate zones of the United States including Oklahoma requires immediate fermentation in a facility that is operated only seasonally. Lee McClune, president of Sorganol Production Co. Inc. proposed a process involving a harvester, large storage bladder for fermentation and a mobile distillation unit for ethanol purification. Hence, newly harvested sweet sorghum can be easily processed to obtain juice from the stalk and fermented in place immediately. Danielle Bellmer, biosystems engineer with the Ohio State University (OSU) Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources’ Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center on the other hand would be examining technical processing details such as juice extraction efficiency, pH, nutrient adjustment of the juice for fermentation, and various environmental factors.

Bellmer believes that when this in-field processing system becomes successful, sweet sorghum ethanol will be economically viable because transportation costs and capital investments are minimized.

Details of the article can be viewed at http://www2.dasnr.okstate.edu/Members/donald.stotts-40okstate.edu/osu-2018sweet2019-biofuels-research-goes-down-on-the-farm

Monsanto will receive a commercial license from ISURF for current and future low linolenic acid product lines developed by Iowa State University. In turn, the University will receive a research license for the use of Roundup RReady2Yield (TM) soybeans. Farmers will thus benefit from these new soybean technologies delivered together in the seed.

See the article in http://www.iastate.edu/ or http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=523

When herbicides are regularly applied to a field, some weeds develop herbicide-resistance, one of the major threats to conventional agricultural practices. More than 305 types of weed in more than 50 countries have been reported to be resistant to at least one herbicide.

Scientists at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI), together with a team of researchers from Japan, investigated a technique called eco-tilling and found it offers a quick, cheap and reliable means of detecting early signs of herbicide resistance in weeds. The group examined wild oats and rye grass in the Australian cropping system, and weeds in rice fields in Japan. Unlike the traditional molecular approach, eco-tilling uses reverse genetics. Genes are not fully sequenced; instead, mutations in genes are identified purely on the basis of their position in the genome.

Dr. Mui-Keng Tan said that new mutations can be easily detected, and known ones can be screened for a fraction of the cost of alternative genetic methods. The eco-tilling technique test for resistance could help farmers to manage herbicide use in crop rotations more economically and effectively.

To read more, visit http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/august-2007/ecotill-detects-resistance.

If everything falls into place, Golden Rice will soon be made available in the Philippines. Scientists are eyeing a 2011 commercial release of the genetically improved rice variety fortified with vitamin A, iron and zinc. The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has been working double time to secure approval for Golden Rice.

The research institute is breeding Golden Rice into PSB Rc82, the most popular variety  grown all over the Philippines, new, high-quality, multidisease resistant varieties, and the “3-in-1” rice, that combines Golden Rice with the Tungro virus- and bacterial leaf blight-resistant varieties. It is expected that multilocation field trials of elite lines will begin in 2010 to gather agronomic and biosafety data.

Gerard Barry, coordinator of the Golden Rice Network, said in his update on Golden Rice that he hopes national government agencies, particularly the National Committee on Biosafety of  the Philippines (NCBP), will approve its commercial release by 2011. The technology for Golden Rice was provided mainly by the seed company Syngenta, which donated the Golden Rice (SGR1) seeds and lines to the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board in 2004.

For the latest posting on biotechnology, contact Ms. Sonny Tababa of the SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center at spt@agri.searca.org.

The Philippines is set to increase the total sugarcane area for bioethanol production to meet the requirement under the Biofuels Act on the blending of crop-based alternative fuels with gasoline by 2009. The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) has already validated a total of 60,250 hectares of new sugarcane areas that can produce a combined 274 million liters of bioethanol. These new sugarcane farms,  together with the 38,500 hectares of existing sugarcane farms, are expected to provide raw materials sufficient to meet the country's bioethanol requirements.

"These new areas for sugarcane will produce more than enough bioethanol needed to meet the 2009 requirement of 255 million liters," DA Secretary Arthur Yap said during a recent agricultural forum in Cagayan de Oro City. "We need about 10 refineries with at least 30 million liters annual capacity to produce this volume." In compliance with Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act, all diesel engine fuel are to be pre-blended with 1% coco biodiesel. This blending ratio will double to 2% by February 2009. The law also requires that a minimum of 5% of ethanol be pre-blended with gasoline by February 2009, with the ratio doubling to 10% by February 2011.

To read more, visit http://www.da.gov.ph/.

An economic analysis has determined that Indian farmers are willing to pay four times more for Bt eggplant hybrids than for conventional varieties. The study, conducted by Vijesh Krishna and Matin Qaim, indicated that is partly due to savings that the farmer are likely to incur due to reduction of pesticide inputs. The Bt hybrids were estimated to require about seven times less pesticide than the conventional counterparts as determined in field trial experiments.

India is expected to be the first country to commercialize Bt eggplant. The first hybrid varieties were developed by the Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company (MAHYCO). Other open pollinated varieties (OPV) are being developed by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), but these will be released around two to three years after the Bt hybrids become available in the market.

Krishna and Qaim concludes that the OPVs will benefit more resource-poor eggplant farmers in India since seed costs will be more affordable. They also encourage continuing public-private collaboration to facilitate technology approval processes for such proprietary technologies.

For more details, the paper published in the journal Food Policy can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2006.11.002

The Research Centre for Bioresources and Biotechnology (RCBB) of Bogor Agricultural University, the Indonesian Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources Research Centre and Development (ICABIOGRAD) and the Ministry of Agriculture jointly sponsored a Workshop on the Current Status of Biosafety of Genetic Engineering Products on 28-30 August 2007. In his keynote speech, Dr. Suharsono of the RCBB stressed the importance of biotechnology in Indonesia and urged the government to form a Commission for Genetic Engineering Products Biosafety to oversee food safety recommendations in the country.  

On the other hand, Dr. Dedy Fardiaz, Deputy Chairman for Food Safety and Hazardous Substance Control, National Agency for Drug and Food Control explained that “GM foods should be tested before commercialized based on Government Regulation (GR) No. 69/1999. The label must be put in place according to determined threshold value,” he stressed. GR 21/2005 is a Regulation on Biosafety of Genetically Engineered Products already in place in Indonesia.  

For more information, please contact Dewi Suryani of the Indonesia Biotechnology Information Center at dewisuryani@biotrop.org.

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) issued a media release that New South Wales (NSW) farmers are ready to adopt biotechnology to improve Australia’s agricultural productivity. NFF President David Combie explained that “Australian farmers are well-placed to responsibly harness the enormous opportunities gene technology offers. The State and Territory governments should give opportunities to farmers to adopt a method of production best suited for their customer’s needs – be that genetically modified (GM), conventional, organic or a combination of these”.  

The farmers believe that new GM plant varieties are unlikely to be commercialized for another seven years because of their Gene Technology Act 2000, regarded as the world’s most stringent regulation on GM plants; and the careful and difficult process of commercialization. This will put Australia far behind the international world market. The media release stressed that the Australian government should now realize the substantial benefits of biotechnology for farmers, the environment, consumers, as well as putting Australia’s place in international economy.  

The media release can be accessed at http://www.nff.org.au/read/2441922902.html

The Council for Partnership on Rice Research in Asia (CORRA) was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last September 5, 2007. Participants from 17 countries discussed the harmonization of the two frameworks: The Convention of Biodiversity and the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources, in sharing rice genetic resources among the Asian Countries. Other discussions were on aerobic rice, C4 rice, genetically modified rice, specifically Golden Rice and Bt rice; and other rice production support issues such as post harvest technologies and hybrid rice. The meeting was highlighted with the presence of the Vietnamese Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Bui Ba Bong.  

For details contact Hien Le at hientttm@yahoo.com.

The Swiss Federal Environment Office (FOEN) has granted scientists from Zurich University's Institute of Plant Biology and the Federal Institute of Technology’s Institute of Plant Sciences permission to carry out field trials involving genetically modified (GM) wheat, despite the existing 5 year ban on the use of GMOs in Swiss agriculture. The Environment Office said it took the decision after receiving approval from the federal health, agriculture and veterinary offices.

The scientists have approval to perform three experiments over a two year period (2008-2010) in Reckenholz near Zurich, and in Pully, on the outskirts of Lausanne, under “very strict conditions”, which include prohibited access to experimental fields, incineration and proper cleaning of machineries used, and constant monitoring of the experiments by a technical commission.

The experiments, a part of a four year program funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, will be carried to find out if the GM wheat plants,  known to be resistant to several fungal diseases and already tested in laboratories, will perform well in normal agricultural conditions.

For more information visit the FOEN Website http://www.bafu.admin.ch/

Peanut allergy is one of the most common causes of deaths from food allergies, accounting for more than 100 deaths in the US alone per year. It is characterized by more severe symptoms and at a higher rate on minimal contact as compared to other food allergies. Up to now there is no available cure for peanut allergy. Avoidance of peanuts is very difficult because it is commonly used as an ingredient in several food preparations. With the advent of genetic engineering, novel strategies are now being tested to solve the problem of food allergies from the source.  

A group of US scientists constructed transgenic peanut lines expressing significantly lower amount of Ara h 2, the immunodominant allergen found in peanuts, using RNA interference (RNAi). Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) using sera of patients allergic to peanut was used to monitor Ara h 2 expression. Several constructs showed complete absence of the Ara h 2 protein. Other phenotypic features and characteristics of the transgenic peanuts are the same as that of the wild type. Similar studies are now being made to silence other food allergens using RNAi.

Read the full paper published by the Plant Biotechnology Journal at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00292.x or the abstract at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00292.x

Cleistogamy describes the characteristic of certain plants, mostly legumes, to propagate by non-opening, self-pollinating flowers, a mechanism believed to be an efficient strategy for preventing gene flow from GM crops. A group of Japanese scientists identified a cleistogamous mutant of rice harboring a point mutation in the SUPERWOMAN1 (SPW1) gene,  known to be responsible in specifying the identities of petals and stamen. The mutants are characterized by malformed petals and normal stamens. Since this mutation does not affect other agronomic traits, it can be used in crosses to produce transgenic lines that do not cause environmental perturbation.

Read the abstract at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00291.x or the full paper at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00291.x

Marker genes, usually for antibiotic resistance, have always been the focus of criticisms in genetic improvement of crops. Various selectable marker genes are used in plant transformation systems to select transgenic events, but often the marker gene is no longer needed after the transgenic plants are regenerated. A group of researchers from DuPont recently produced marker-gene-free glyphosate-tolerant transgenic soybean lines through a self –activating gene excision system.

Unlike other approaches to produce marker-free plants, the gene excision system employed by the researchers delivers precise outcomes and does not require additional manipulations of the transformation and regeneration process. The glyphosate tolerance and marker genes were introduced together with a gene coding for the enzyme, Cre recombinase, which will instantly remove itself and the marker gene upon induction. This self-activating gene excision strategy is currently being applied to numerous plants like maize, cotton, peanut, and many coniferous trees.

The full paper is available at http://www.springerlink.com/content/m5725xk427115102/fulltext.pdf Non subscribers can read the abstract at http://www.springerlink.com/content/m5725xk427115102/?p=baabe18c455f40d38cfe38220db07408&pi=0 

Infection of maize kernels before harvest and during storage by the fungus Aspergillus flavus and subsequent contamination with aflatoxins is a serious problem for maize growers worldwide. The dominant aflatoxin produced during the infection is B1, the most potent carcinogen produced in nature. Although several maize genotypes are known to resist aflatoxin accumulation, progress in incorporating the resistance to lines with desirable agronomic properties has been slow, mainly due to the absence of genetic markers linked with resistance.

By identifying the proteins associated with aflatoxin contamination in maize, researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture expect to discover proteins that can be used in marker-assisted breeding strategies. Expressions of over a dozen of constitutive kernel embryo proteins, mostly related to storage, defense and stress adaptation, were found to be associated with resistance. A specific protein, glyoxalase I, revealed a potentially important role in resistance through controlling the level of its substrate, methylglyoxal, which is an aflatoxin inducer. Disease defense and antioxidant proteins were also found to be expressed at a higher level in resistant lines than in susceptible ones. Studies are now being made to identify marker genes to further assist the development of aflatoxin resistant maize lines.

Read the abstract at http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PHYTO-97-9-1094 or the full paper at http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1094/PHYTO-97-9-1094 

"Biosafety, and Genetically Modified Seeds and Fodders" is the theme of  the Second International Conference on Genetically Modified Foods  (GMF) to be held  October 30-31, 2007 at the Holiday Inn Amman, Jordan. Resource speakers from the United States, Syria, Jordan and Egypt will discuss issues on safety, biosafety and regulatory process for GMF.

Sponsors are the Technical Consultancy Center under the patronage of the Prime Minister and various government agencies like the Ministry of Agriculture. For additional information email conferences@tc-center.com.

This international symposium scheduled on September 17-20, 2007 at the University of California, Davis aims to bring together leading public- and private-sector seed biology scientists and highlight connections between basic discoveries using model systems and their applications in agriculture. The symposium also seeks to identify high priority challenges or opportunities that can be targeted by complementary research in model systems, crops and ecological settings.

For more information visit http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/seedsymposium2007/index.htm

A publication on "Kenya Biotechnology Development Policy Highlights" in both English and Swahili versions is now available in hard and e-copies. It discusses the highlights of the Kenya national biotechnology development policy, its key features, objectives, scope, and key policy recommendations. This publication, part of a series of Pocket Ks,  is a collaborative initiative among the National Council for Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, and the Program for Biosafety Systems of IFPRI and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications AfriCenter.

Pocket Ks are Pockets of Knowledge, packaged series of information on crop biotechnology products and related issues. Other topics are also available at http://www.isaaa.org/kc.  

For more information on the National Policy, visit the Biosafety Office website at http://www.biosafetykenya.co.ke/.