CropBiotech Update: January 28, 2005

From: Subject: CropBiotech Update: January 28, 2005 Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 11:33:27 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C506BF.842C40A0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C506BF.842C40A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.isaaa.org/kc/CBTNews/2005_Issues/Jan/CBT_Jan_28.htm CropBiotech Update: January 28, 2005

CropBiotech Update

A weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech = for=20 developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on = Crop=20 Biotechnology, International=20 Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications = SEAsiaCenter=20 (ISAAA), and AgBiotechNet

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January 28, 2005

In This=20 Issue:

	Italy=20 Says Go to GM Planting		Norton=20 Sheds Light on Impact Assessment
	Policies=20 to Combat Hunger Outlined		New=20 Marker Found for Nematode Resistant = Wheat
	Paper=20 Looks at GM Development in Africa		Announcements:
	Malaysia=20 to Release Biotech Policy		Biosafety=20 Symposium Proceedings Released
	African=20 Politicians Challenged Over their Attitude Towards=20 Science		In=20 Vitro Biology Meeting
	Impact=20 of Selected Transgenic Crops in Hungary=20 Estimated		CBT=20 News Feature: Dr. Surinder Vasal and Dr. Evangelina=20 Villegas
	European=20 Research Council to be Set Up

ITALY SAYS GO TO GM=20 PLANTING

The Italian parliament approved the planting = of=20 genetically modified (GM) crops on January 25, 2005. = "We=20 sought to guarantee freedom of choice for Italian = producers,=20 while heading off the risk of diffuse and uncontrolled = contamination by GM (organisms)," said Agriculture = Minister=20 Gianni Alemanno in an ANSA news service release. The = approval=20 stressed that safeguards needed to be in place to = prevent any=20 possible contamination of traditional crops. =

Reuters reported that it will be up to each = of Italy=92s=20 regions to set the detailed rules, although most of = them want=20 to remain GM free. It was perceived that the law would = still=20 uphold a moratorium on GM crops since the co-existence = law=20 sets out rules to ensure conventional and organic = crops are=20 not contaminated by GM seeds.

See the Reuters article at http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/
newsdesk/L25681379.ht= m.

POLICIES TO COMBAT=20 HUNGER OUTLINED

Pedro Sanchez and MS Swaminathan outline the=20 recommendations by the United Nations (UN) Hunger Task = Force=20 for =93Cutting World Hunger In Half.=94 Their focus is = on Africa,=20 and their paper is published in the January 21, 2005 = of=20 Science.

The Hunger Task Force has seven = recommendations to=20 address the issue, namely: 1) moving from political = commitment=20 to action, 2) performing policy to create an enabling=20 environment for hunger reduction, 3) increasing = agricultural=20 productivity of food-insecure farmers, 4) improving = nutrition=20 for chronically hungry and vulnerable groups, 5) = reducing=20 vulnerability through productive safety rights, 6) = increasing=20 incomes and making markets work for the poor, and 7) = restoring=20 and conserving natural resources essential for food = security.=20

Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region in the = world=20 where hunger prevalence is over 30%, the authors say, = and the=20 recommendations can be easily applied. Sanchez and = Swaminathan=20 suggest =93entry points=94 for possible programs, = including=20 community nutrition programs, school feeding programs, = and=20 increased investment in soils and water.

The article may be downloaded at http://www.science.com/.

PAPER LOOKS AT=20 GM DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

In =93Putting GM Technologies to Work: Public = Research=20 Pipelines in Selected African Countries,=94 Idah = Sithole-Niang,=20 of the Department of Chemistry, University of = Zimbabwe, and=20 colleagues identify and examine public research = pipelines for=20 GM crops in Zimbabwe, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa, = and=20 offer suggestions on improving the state of GM = research for=20 each country based on their findings. Their research = is=20 documented in the November 2004 issue of The African = Journal=20 of Biotechnology.

For instance, South Africa, the report = states, presents=20 an important case study. The research its scientists = undertake=20 is required to be linked to industry, with the aim of=20 providing relevant products to end users.

Researchers also found that 13 public = institutions in=20 the 4 countries have stably transformed 21 crops, with = 17% of=20 the events for maize, 13% for potatoes, and 11% each = for sugar=20 and tomatoes. Of all traits incorporated, virus = resistance=20 comprised 34% of all crops, while insect resistance = made up=20 20%.

The researchers hope that their data will be = useful in=20 formulating new policies, including greater = South-South=20 collaboration.

Download the article at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB/PDF/
Pdf2004/Nov/ = Sithole-Niang%20et%20al.pdf

MALAYSIA=20 TO RELEASE BIOTECH POLICY

Malaysia is set to launch its country=92s = policy on=20 biotechnology before mid-2005. Bernama (Malaysian New = Agency)=20 quotes Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi = as=20 saying that this policy will outline the directions = and=20 measures for its development.

Speaking at the official opening of the = Melaka=20 Biotechnology Institute at Ayer Keroh, the Prime = Minister said=20 that while the country=92s use of biotechnology is = still in its=20 infancy, he is =93very much committed to raising the = use of=20 biotechnology as a catalyst in the development of new = sources=20 of wealth and income for Malaysians.=94

For more news summaries about biotechnology = in=20 Malaysia, email the Malaysian Biotechnology = Information Centre=20 at BICalerts@bic.org.my or=20 info@bic.org.my.

AFRICAN=20 POLITICIANS CHALLENGED OVER THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS=20 SCIENCE

The African struggle to overcome hunger and = food=20 deficit can only be achieved through concerted efforts = and=20 strong political will from its leaders, a leading = scientist=20 has observed.

Nobel Prize laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug noted = that=20 politicians were shunning the role science can play = towards=20 developing the African continent. In a keynote address = to over=20 200 African crop breeders in the 2nd general meeting = of the=20 Biotechnology, Breeding, and Seed systems for African = crops in=20 Nairobi, Kenya, Dr Borlaug said that much of the = achievements=20 made during the green revolution could be achieved in=20 Africa.

=93What we need is for two or more African = politicians to=20 be committed to the goal of eradicating hunger. This = can only=20 be done through the use of various scientific means at = the=20 continent=92s disposal,=94 he added.

While officially opening the forum, Kenya=92s = Minister of=20 Agriculture, Kipruto arap Kirwa challenged scientists = to=20 translate their research work into viable projects = that would=20 help the African farmer in combating food insecurity. = =93We must=20 work closely with the private sector and create an = environment=20 that we can increase their participation in = agricultural=20 development and in extending the benefits of research = to=20 African farmers,=94 noted Kirwa.

For more on the conference contact the Kenya=20 Biotechnology Information Centre or visit their = website at http://www.isaaa-africenter.org/.

IMPACT OF=20 SELECTED TRANSGENIC CROPS IN HUNGARY=20 ESTIMATED

Dr. Matty Demont and colleagues of the Center = for=20 Agricultural and Food Economics, Catholic University = of=20 Leuven, Belgium, estimate the =93Potential Impact of=20 Biotechnology in Eastern Europe: Transgenic Maize, = Sugar Beet,=20 and Oilseed Rape in Hungary.=94 Their approximations = are based=20 on hypothetical planting of transgenic maize, sugar = beet, and=20 oilseed rape in the agricultural season of 2003, in = areas of=20 1,150,000 ha, 53,000 ha, and 71,000 ha, respectively.=20

Two common pests of maize, the European corn = borer=20 (Ostrinia nubilalis H=FCbner) and Western corn = rootworm=20 (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte), were both = considered=20 in the study. The adoption of Bt maize resistant to = the=20 European corn borer, researchers found, could save the = Hungarian farmer 19 euros/ha on average, taking into = account a=20 seed price premium of 6 euros/ha, or 10% of the actual = seed=20 cost. Bt maize resistant to the Western corn rootworm, = on the=20 other hand, could also save the Hungarian farmer 46 = euros/ha=20 on average, with a seed price premium of 25 euros/ha, = or 40%=20 of the actual seed cost.

The introduction of herbicide tolerant maize, = sugar=20 beet and oilseed rape could save the Hungarian farmer = 22, 81,=20 and 20 euros/ha, respectively. The model predicts seed = price=20 premiums of respectively 8, 81, and 12 euros/ha and = early=20 adoption rates in 2003 of 40%, 38%, and 35%. =

The full study is available at: http://www.agr.kuleuven.ac.be/aee/clo/
wp/demont2005a.= pdf

EUROPEAN=20 RESEARCH COUNCIL TO BE SET UP

The Identification Committee convened by the = European=20 Commission for Science and Research will meet to = recommend the=20 composition of the governing body of a future European = Research Council. The establishment of the Research = Council=20 will be included in the proposal for a Seventh = Framework=20 Programme for Research and Development that the = Commission=20 will present in April 2005.

The Council is expected to focus on basic=20 investigator-driven research in support of future = innovation=20 and economic growth. The focus will be on scientific=20 excellence identified by fellow scientists, rather = than the=20 Commission.

For more information, visit http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleases
Action.do?ref= erence=3DIP/05/90&format=3DHTML&aged=3D0&language=3Den&gu= i
Language=3Den.

NORTON SHEDS=20 LIGHT ON IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Dr. George W. Norton, Professor and ABSPII = Coordinator=20 for Socio-Economic Studies, Department of Agricultural = and=20 Applied Economics, Virginia Tech, delivered a talk on=20 =93Assessing Impacts of Crop Biotechnology Research=94 = on January=20 25, 2005, at The Southeast Asian Regional Center for = Graduate=20 Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Los Banos, = Laguna,=20 Philippines.

The purpose of conducting impact assessment, = Dr. Norton=20 said, was to establish program priorities, assess = product=20 profitability to make recommendations to farmers, and = to=20 estimate economic, environmental, health, and = nutritional=20 benefits. Impact assessment, he added, should be = conducted=20 from the laboratory, to the field, to the market, and = even=20 after commercialization.

His recent research has also shown the = possible gains=20 developing countries may obtain from GM adoption. The=20 Philippines, for instance, is estimated to earn $270 = million=20 over 15 years if it adopts Bt rice, and $303 million = if it=20 adopts herbicide tolerant rice. Indonesia, on the = other hand,=20 will benefit the most from drought tolerant rice, and = the=20 country stands to gain $552 million once the crop is = adopted.=20

His studies on nutritional assessment also = deal with=20 biotech crops, including Rosette virus resistant = peanuts in=20 Uganda. Current research by his office showed that = poverty=20 decreased by 1.3% at 50% adoption of the = crop.

The seminar was sponsored by the Agricultural = Biotechnology Support Program II (ABSPII), Institute = of Plant=20 Breeding (IPB), and SEAMEO-SEARCA. For more = information, visit=20 http://www.searca.org/.

NEW = MARKER FOUND=20 FOR NEMATODE RESISTANT WHEAT

Wheat plants can be destroyed by the soil = nematode=20 Heterodera avenae without protection by the Cre genes. = Cre-3,=20 in particular, has been incorporated into several = wheat=20 varieties lacking nematode resistance; these = transgenic plants=20 have already been distributed to breeders.

Identifying wheat carrying the Cre-3 gene is = undertaken=20 by marker-assisted selection (MAS), using Cre3spf/2. = The=20 process, however, cannot distinguish between plants = homozygous=20 for Cre-3 and those heterozygous for it. MAS, = moreover, is=20 costly.
E.M. Martin and colleagues of Primary = Industries=20 Research in Victoria Australia, however, recently = reported the=20 =93Identification of microsatellite markers associated = with the=20 cereal cyst nematode resistance gene Cre-3 in = wheat.=94 Their=20 findings are published in the Australian Journal of=20 Agricultural Research.

By mapping genes closest to Cre-3, Martin=92s = research=20 team found a microsatellite marker, designated as = Xgwn301.=20 Tests have shown that the association between marker = and gene=20 is maintained through different stages of = introgression, and=20 is not influenced by the presence of other Cre genes. = This is=20 important when considering the incorporation of more = than one=20 resistance gene into adapted wheat varieties, and, = since=20 Xgwn301 is specific for Cre-3, the marker may help = overcome=20 the challenge of pyramiding Cre genes.

Download the article at http://www.publish.csiro.au/journals/ajar

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

BIOSAFETY=20 SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS = RELEASED

The proceedings of the 8th International = Symposium on=20 the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms have = been=20 released. Conducted from September 26 - 30, 2004 in=20 Montpellier, France, the symposium tackled such topics = as the=20 commercialization and biosafety aspects of Bt and = other=20 insecticidal crops, the biosafety aspects of = virus-resistant=20 transgenic crops, GMO regulations worldwide, and = systems=20 approach in biosafety debates and biosafety=20 communication.

Download the complete proceedings at http://www.isbr.info/
document/proceedings_montpellier= 2004.pdf

IN VITRO=20 BIOLOGY MEETING

The 2005 In Vitro Biology Meeting will be = held from=20 June 5 - 8, 2005 in Baltimore, Maryland. It will focus = on=20 issues relevant to plant, vertebrate, invertebrate, = and=20 cellular toxicology research. For more details, visit = http://www.sivb.org/meetings.asp.

CBTNews=20 Features

DR. SURINDER = VASAL AND DR.=20 EVANGELINA VILLEGAS

The World Food Prize in 2000 was = awarded to Drs.=20 Surinder Vasal and Evangelina Villegas for their = contribution to developing maize containing = twice as=20 much usable protein as normal maize. Their = breakthrough=20 discovery of Quality Protein Maize, or QPM, has = had a...=20

Read= =20 more...

Do=20 not hesitate to tell other colleagues/contacts about this mail = list. If=20 they wish to join, they should send an e-mail message to knowledge.center@isaaa.org= =20 leaving the subject blank and entering the one-line text message = as=20 follows: SUBSCRIBE Crop Biotech Network

To=20 stop receiving this newsletter, please send an e-mail message to = knowledge.center@isaaa.org= =20 and write, "unsubscribe newsletter" in the subject box.

Please visit CropBiotech Net web pages (http://www.isaaa.org/kc)=20 to view previous issues of this newsletter and see other available = resources for download.

While we = are still=20 developing this site, feel free to e-mail (knowledge.center@isaaa.org= )=20 us for your views and comments on any crop biotechnology product = and=20 related issues.

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