plant genetic Articles
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Do national access regimes promote the use of genetic resources and benefit sharing?
This paper examines the implementation of national regimes on access to genetic resources in a number developing countries, particularly in the members of the Andean Community. It discusses the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity that inspired such regimes, the main aspects of the adopted legislation, the expectations that countries had while introducing it and the problems faced ...
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Assessing quality, content, and accessibility of web information about plant biotechnology
The ability to obtain reliable information is critical for decision makers. We examined sources of information about plant biotechnology available on the internet to identify credible, high calibre websites. Google–based searches were performed using: 'plant biotechnology', 'plant genetic engineering', 'genetically modified organisms', 'GMO', 'living modified organisms' and 'LMO'. Lists of ...
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Sustainable utilisation of crop genetic diversity through property rights mechanisms: the case of coffee genetic resources in Ethiopia
The legally binding 'International treaty on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture' provides a framework to ensure access to crop genetic resources, technologies, and internationally agreed funding. However, this treaty applies only for a list of selected crops. Other crops, as for instance coffee, are not included. Besides other issues, the question arises how to design the access and ...
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Biotechnology and traditional knowledge: in search of equity
Biotechnology has increased the value of genetic resources and related traditional knowledge of indigenous and farming communities. However, the diversity of animal and plant resources as well as traditional knowledge are declining at an accelerated rate. Biological diversity, coupled with traditional knowledge are essential to maintain the options for the survival of mankind in a changing world. ...
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Consequences of ex situ conservation on the genetic integrity of germplasm held at different gene banks: a case study of bread wheat collected in Pakistan
Genetic diversity and genetic integrity were tested for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces conserved in two gene banks with considerably different germplasm management systems. We identified two sets of 17 wheat accessions derived from identical sources collected in Pakistan, which were later deposited at the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan (NIAS) and the Plant Genetic ...
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Seed systems for African food security: linking molecular genetic analysis and cultivator knowledge in West Africa
A challenge for African countries is how to integrate new sources of knowledge on plant genetics with knowledge from farmer practice to help improve food security. This paper considers the knowledge content of farmer seed systems in the light of a distinction drawn in artificial intelligence research between supervised and unsupervised learning. Supervised learning applied to seed systems ...
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Are genetically modified (GM) crops a commercial risk for Africa?
What risks might Africa face if it decided to plant genetically modified (GM) agricultural crops? A rough calculation based on current export profiles for one sampling of eastern and southern African countries suggests that the commercial export risks incurred outside of Africa would be quite small. Most of Africa's exports of goods that might be considered GM currently go to other African ...
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A GM subsistence crop in Africa: the case of Bt white maize in South Africa
The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is the first developing country to plant genetically modified staple food – Bt white maize. The following paper describes the development and spread of Bt maize in RSA that started in 1998. After that, based on surveys of 33 large commercial Bt maize farmers and 368 smallholders in 2001/2, it shows that Bt maize gives higher yields for both groups and reduces ...
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Variability for freezing tolerance among 42 ecotypes of green-type annual bluegrass
Limited information exists on the extent of genetic variability for freezing tolerance among perennial biotypes of annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) that evolved under golf greens management. We characterized the freezing tolerance of 42 ecotypes collected across the United States and in Québec using plants hardened to low temperatures during fall and winter. We subsequently analyzed cold-induced ...
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Genetic diversity in a core collection established from the main bean genebank in Spain
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a traditional crop in many Spanish regions. A major collection of Spanish common bean landraces is maintained at the National Genebank in the Center for Plant Genetic Resources (CRF), Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain. A core collection including 200 common bean accessions was established from the CRF collection. We sought to analyze the genetic diversity of ...
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Conversion of coconut gene farms threatens diversity
The land conversion of coconut gene banks located in research farms across the Asia-Pacific threatens the future of coconut diversity, researchers warn. A coconut gene bank in Indonesia was recently converted into a racetrack while another in Samoa was turned into a prison, SciDev.Net has learned. Scientists in Southeast Asia are worried that without legal protection the number of coconut gene ...
By SciDev.Net
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Genome-wide reduction of genetic diversity in wheat breeding
Public concerns about crop uniformity introduced by modern plant breeding and genetic vulnerability to biotic and abiotic stresses have been one of the major forces driving long-term efforts in plant germplasm conservation for future food security. However, such concerns have gained little empirical support, as recent molecular diversity analyses of improved crop gene pools did not reveal much ...
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Phytotoxic effect of aluminum and chromium on the germination and early growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties Anmol and Kiran
A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the phytotoxic effect of aluminum and chromium on the germination and early growth of two wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties Anmol and Kiran. Seed were treated with 40, 80, 120 and 160 ppm of aluminum and chromium solution individually and in combined form. Observations were made on seed germination, root, shoot and seedling length, and dry ...
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Authentication of medicinal plant material by DNA fingerprinting
Based on their positive therapeutic results, herbal medicines are gaining popularity worldwide for human wellbeing and healthcare. Unfortunately, one major hurdle that might impair their potential future as 'medicine of choice' is the lack of standardisation. Many scientific studies on adulteration of herbal medicines have demonstrated that health consequences of adulterants may vary from life ...
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Plants Activate `Wartime` Protein Production to Fight Invasion
Plants are constantly attacked by bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. When a plant senses a microbial invasion, fundamental changes occur in the chemical soup of proteins inside its cells, the workhorses of life. In a new study published in Cell, Duke University researchers have uncovered a key ingredient in plant cells that reprograms their protein-making machinery to fight disease. Crop ...
By Lifeasible
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THP9 Can Improve Protein Content and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency in Maize Seeds
Teosinte is a wild ancestor of maize, and its seed protein content is three times that of most modern maize lines. In a new study, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Normal University tracked the mechanisms responsible for the decline in seed protein content in maize hybrids and inbred strains. Their findings open new avenues for maximizing seed protein content and ...
By Lifeasible
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No impact of DvSnf7 RNA on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) adults and larvae in dietary feeding tests
The honey bee, Apis mellifera L. is the most important managed pollinator species worldwide and plays a critical role in pollination of a diverse range of economically important crops. Due to this species' importance to agriculture and its historical use as a surrogate species for pollinators to evaluate the potential adverse effects for conventional, biological and microbial pesticides, as ...
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How plants grow and develop
How does a complete plant with stems, leafs and flowers develop from a tiny clump of seemingly identical cells? For a very long time, the mechanism of tissue formation in plants remained unclear. The biochemists from Wageningen University also would not have come up with the answer if it wasn’t for their model building colleagues that simulated plant development with their mathematical ...
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Crop gene banks are preserving the future of agriculture. But who’s preserving them?
As climate change makes crop diversity even more important, gene banks struggle to stay afloat. During the past few years of civil war in Syria, rebel fighters have destroyed Shia mosques and Christian graves, and burned and looted Christian churches while the Islamic State group has demolished priceless artifacts in the region. Nothing seemed sacred to the disparate groups vying for control of ...
By Ensia
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Scientists Uncover Secrets of Plant Regeneration
Japanese researchers have discovered that the WOX13 gene negatively controls the fate of plant cell regeneration and affects the efficiency of plant stem regeneration. Plants possess the unique ability to regenerate completely from a somatic cell, that is, a normal cell that normally does not participate in reproduction. This process involves the de novo (or new) formation of a shoot apical ...
By Lifeasible
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