Wheat Killer Ug99 Gatecrashes Iran

A new and virulent wheat fungus is on a worldwide march, wreaking havoc along its way and threatening global wheat supply. First recorded in Uganda in 1999 (therefore named Ug99), the wheat rust has made its way to the Arabic Peninsula and has recently been detected in Iran. The spores of the fungus are carried by wind over long distances and across continents. Because of this, there is a high possibility of the rust spreading to nearby wheat-growing countries of Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) expressed their worries regarding the situation. Shivaji Pandey, Director of FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division, said that “affected countries and the international community have to ensure that the spread of the disease gets under control in order to reduce the risk to countries that are already hit by high food prices.” Global wheat prices have risen sharply over the past few months, because of historically low levels of stocks and sustained demands.

Efforts are currently underway in Iran to monitor the spread of the fungus and to develop resistant wheat varieties.

Read the complete story at http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000805/index.html