plant genetic News
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FAO launches new standards for plant genebanks
A new FAO publication is aimed at improving conservation of food crops, many of which are crucial to the world’s food and nutrition security. The publication, Genebank Standards for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, outlines voluntary, international standards for the many repositories – or genebanks - around the world that store seeds and other materials used to ...
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What means does a new bill on genetic protection mean for Jamaica?
It is unlikely that the new bill on genetic resource will have the expressed impact without a fundament change in current views and values about how knowledge is acquired and used, says policymaker Arnoldo Ventura. A bill providing for the protection of Jamaica’s plant genetic resources was passed in the Senate last month (18 January). The bill is related to the International Treaty on ...
By SciDev.Net
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The ethics of the Svalbard global seed vault
When the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in Norway in February 2008, it was hailed as a 'Noah's Ark' for protecting biodiversity for future generations. But critics are concerned about the possibility of large corporations exploiting small seed banks' collections deposited at the vault. Seed banks from around the world are encouraged to deposit their collections at Svalbard. But, according to ...
By SciDev.Net
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Farmers in 11 developing countries win UN-backed grants for conserving crops
Nicaraguan farmers preserving ancient varieties of potatoes, and Kenyan women revitalizing differing types of millet are among projects in 11 developing countries to win supporting grants for their work, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced today. A total of more than $500,000 will go to farming projects in Egypt, Kenya, Costa Rica, India, Peru, Senegal, Uruguay, ...
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Genetic makeup of thousands of rice varieties placed in global seed data pool
Genome sequences of more than 3,000 rice varieties have been placed with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) by the world's leading rice research institute in a move boosting plans to set up a global data exchange system for crop genetic resources. The Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Treaty (ITPGRFA) made ...
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ARS helps preserve indigenous crops in Ecuador
An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist is working with an international group of researchers on a project to improve the livelihoods of people in rural Ecuador by promoting the conservation and use of indigenous crops. People in and around Cotacachi, in the northern Andean highlands, have been farming for thousands of years, and the result is a stunning diversity of crops, some of them ...
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Global interpretation of how New Breeding Techniques would benefit horticulture
AIPH is the World’s Champion for the Power of Plants. Through our Novelty Protection Group, we advocate a strong and effective plant breeders’ rights (PBR) system, encouraging innovation through breeding and rewarding quality of the propagating material, so that new varieties will be produced and will be available for growers. Opening the meeting and introducing our keynote speaker ...
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Loss of flowering plants: higher risks with non-random extinction
A recent study has shown that among flowering plants, species-loss does not occur randomly, but is clustered in families that contain only a small number of species. This suggests that the impact of biodiversity loss will be greater than previously thought and that resources should be targeted on particular plant families. Genetic relationships between flowering plant species (angiosperms) can ...
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Texas AandM receives EPA grant to address pesticides use
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $53,000 to Texas AgriLife Extension Service to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The project will develop data to track patterns of insecticide use and how it affects black margined aphids. IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. The ...
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Ancient crops preserved for future generations in Arctic seed vault
Varieties of one of the world's most important staple crops will be stored for perpetuity deep in the Arctic ice today. José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is joining scientific experts and delegations from Peru, Costa Rica and Norway to witness a ceremony here this afternoon that will help to preserve these vital ...
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US–Nepal hybrid maize project runs into criticism
Uncertainty hangs over a proposed partnership between US and Nepalese scientists to promote hybrid maize in the Himalayan country, after the project sparked local concerns over the potential loss of traditional local varieties and weak biotechnology regulation. The pilot project of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Nepal's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and US ...
By SciDev.Net
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Upcoming IRRI young rice scientist to present research on association mapping of bacterial blight resistance at IRC2014
Christine Jade Dilla-Ermita of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has been selected as one of the 29 Young Rice Scientists (YRS) awardees who will present their research at the 4th International Rice Congress (IRC2014) in Bangkok, Thailand on 27 October-1 November 2014. “To share my research on the genome-wide association analysis of bacterial blight resistance before an ...
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Cultivation of high quality cuttings using near to full-spectrum LED
Seoul Semiconductor develops and commercializes LEDs for horticulture, general illumination, automotive, specialty lighting, and backlighting markets. As the second-largest LED manufacturer globally excluding the captive market, Seoul Semiconductor holds more than 10,000 patents, offers a wide range of technologies, and mass produces innovative LED products such as SunLike, WICOP, NanoDriver and ...
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Call for Abstracts: I International Symposium on Quality Management of Organic Horticultural Produce
The organizing committee of the First International Symposium on Quality Management of Organic Horticultural Produce (QMOH2015) to be held in Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand, during 7-9 December 2015, would like to invite you to submit an abstract for oral or poster presentation at the symposium. This event is organized by Ubon Ratchatanai Rajabhat University (UBRU) and is suppprted by the ...
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Renewed cooperation between CIHEAM and FAO
The International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) based in Paris and FAO will strengthen their cooperation under an agreement signed at FAO's Rome headquarters this week. The Agreement of Cooperation was signed by Bertrand Hervieu, Secretary General of CIHEAM and Hervé Lejeune, FAO Assistant Director-General and Directeur de Cabinet. In it, both organizations agreed ...
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Grasslands: The future of sustainable agriculture
Grassland: Quietness and Strength for a New American Agriculture was written to increase our awareness of the vital role grass and grassland plants have in ensuring a sustainable future for American agriculture. Published by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, the book's content is geared toward agriculturists, students, the ...
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Global wild seed hunt begins
An international project to collect seeds from the wild relatives of 23 of the world's major food crops including maize, rice, wheat and potato, has received its first funding. Last week (10 December) Norway, home to the world's largest seed bank, in Svalbard in the Arctic, pledged US$50 million towards the collection, which is expected to take ten years to complete. Research and planning will ...
By SciDev.Net
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Transgenic Corn Found to Damage Stream Ecosystems
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, October 11, 2007 (ENS) - A widely planted variety of genetically engineered corn has the potential to harm aquatic ecosystems, finds a new study by an Indiana University professor of environmental science and his colleagues. Pollen and other plant parts containing toxins from genetically engineered Bt corn are washing into streams near cornfields and harming a type of fly ...
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Updated Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide available July 20, 2015
The 3rd edition of the Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide is now available. The updated guide is a convenient, easy-to-use reference to 20 characteristics of 45 rootstocks. It highlights 21 recently released rootstocks, some of which show reduced citrus greening incidence in early field trials. Of the 45 rootstocks, 12 are time-honored commercial ones, 12 are minor commercial ones that are ...
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Crop Science Society of America Presents Awards in Long Beach
The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) will recognize the following individuals at the 2010 Awards Ceremony on Oct. 31-Nov. 3 during their Annual Meetings in Long Beach, CA, www.acsmeetings.org. The annual awards are presented for outstanding contributions to crop science through education, national and international service, and research. Jianming Yu, Kansas State University –Early ...
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