Category: Industry News

Just as grass lawns regrow after they are mowed, rice fields can regrow after they are harvested. This second harvest – known as a ratoon crop – has traditionally yielded only a small fraction of the first harvest. But farmers in China are now benefitting from laboratory and field studies conducted by the Joint FAO/IAEA… Continue reading Rice fields in China double yields by “ratooning”

An international team of researchers has come up with an innovative solution to the HIV pandemic – genetically modified rice. GMO rice has already been developed to tackle malnutrition and climate change. Now scientists from the US, UK, and Spain have developed a new strain to manage HIV symptoms in countries where traditional medicines can… Continue reading Scientists develop a strain of genetically modified rice that neutralizes HIV

Bt modification in maize does not affect non-target beneficial microorganisms such as endophytes. Although Bt maize is one of the most popular GM crops in the world, little is known about potential impacts on ecosystem functionalities. Genetically modified Bt maize contains a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) which provides resistance to major… Continue reading Bt maize has no impact on beneficial bacteria

Japan has announced that it has put an end to its ban of Canadian wheat imports, CBC news reports. Following the discovery of genetically modified wheat in Southern Alberta, the Asian country stopped all shipments. Ottawa confirmed that the decision to lift the suspension marked the end to all international trade actions following the finding… Continue reading Japan announces end of Canadian wheat imports suspension

We’re often told to eat our vegetables, and for good reason. But face it: They often kind of suck. Our supermarkets teem with towers of flawless looking squashes and tomatoes—but where’s the flavor? For generations, plant breeders have largely been taking their orders from the food industry, in pursuit of varieties that are high-yielding and… Continue reading Squash is a mediocre vegetable. It doesn’t have to be that way.

While the vast majority of soybeans produced in Brazil are GMO varieties, there remains a niche market for conventional soybeans (non-GMO) in the European and Asian markets. Of the three major soybean producing countries, Brazil, United States, and Argentina, Brazil has the largest capability of producing conventional soybeans. There is even an organization in Brazil… Continue reading Conventional Soybeans (non-GMO) continue to find a niche in Brazil

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled on the so-called new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs). It said crops obtained by mutagenesis are GMOs as the techniques and methods of mutagenesis alter the genetic material of a plant in a way that does not occur naturally. FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the main courtroom… Continue reading Top EU court: GMO rules cover plant gene editing technique

Currently, over 90 percent of corn, cotton, and soybean acreage in the United States is planted with genetically engineered (GE) seeds. Most of these GE seeds are either herbicide tolerant (HT) or insect resistant (Bt). Seeds that have both HT and Bt traits are referred to as “stacked.” A decade ago, 40 percent of U.S.… Continue reading USDA: Most U.S. corn and cotton acreage in 2018 used GE seeds with stacked traits

Researchers from the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM), working closely with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), have discovered a new case of demethylation inhibitor (DMI) Group 3 fungicide resistance affecting barley crops in Western Australia’s southern grainbelt region. The resistance was found in the pathogen responsible for the disease… Continue reading Research uncovers new changes in fungicide resistance in barley in Western Australia

This figure shows a simplified cascade of some of the MYB-related events from environmental perception through to the diversity and quality of consumer traits in fruits and vegetables. – Credit: Allan and Espley/Trends in Plant Science Forget vegetables with dull colors and fuzzy skin or fruits that lack of flavor–the produce aisle of the future… Continue reading How plant breeding technologies could make fruits and vegetables more exciting to eat