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Winnowing out wheat genes of interest
Rome, Italy
For immediate release
One way to increase the chances of finding a needle in a haystack is to start with a smaller haystack. Michael Mackay, a scientist at Bioversity International, and a group of colleagues recently published a technique for doing just that for the very important needles that are genetic resources. The approach could make plant breeding in response to the challenges of climate change much more efficient and hence make an important contribution to future food security.
The researchers were looking for genes that might confer resistance to powdery mildew, a fungal disease of wheat that can reduce yields by up to 40%. Gene, in this context, takes on many meanings. Sometimes, when researchers talk about different resistance genes, what they really mean are different versions, or alleles, that occupy a particular place on the DNA, which in this case would be called a locus.
One such gene, or locus, is known as Pm3. Since it was first identified 100 years ago, researchers have identified 7 different alleles that can be present at the Pm3 locus, many of which confer resistance to different strains of powdery mildew. Because the Pm3 gene has been cloned, it is possible to use its DNA sequence to search for different alleles that might help to protect wheat against new strains of powdery mildew. The problem is that there are more than 560,000 samples of wheat held in almost 40 genebanks around the world. That’s a pretty big haystack; screening them all would be impractical.
Instead, Mackay and his colleagues used an approach they call FIGS, the Focused Identification of Germplasm Strategy. It works like this: take 400 genebank samples known to have some resistance to powdery mildew and use the geographical location where they evolved and were collected to determine the environmental profile that can be associated with resistance. Then apply that profile to a further 16,089 samples with location data, using the profile as a template to identify those that were found in places that share the conditions associated with resistance. The result is a group of 1320 wheat varieties, mostly from Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan. This much more manageable subset was screened by growing them with diverse strains of powdery mildew. About 16% of the samples (211 of 1320) showed some resistance.
These varieties then moved to the next phase, molecular screening for the presence of different alleles of the Pm3 gene. More than half (111 of the 211) had Pm3 resistance, some in previously unknown forms. In the end the group isolated and identified 7 new functional alleles of the Pm3 gene. It took scientists 100 years to find the first 7 Pm3 alleles. FIGS doubled the number in a fraction of the time.
Resistance to UG99 wheat stem rust
The result is important for several reasons, says Mackay. “It is going to help scientists and breeders to understand resistance to powdery mildew, and to come up with new and more resistant varieties. It also demonstrates that FIGS is an efficient and effective sampling strategy that’s going to a great help for breeders looking for any important adaptive traits in other crops.” Already in the pipeline is a study to help breeders find resistance to the deadly new strain of stem rust, UG99, that threatens global wheat crops.
Perhaps the most important message, however, is that all the new resistance genes were found in landraces, genetically diverse populations kept alive by farmers in harsh environments, who value the adaptability and resilience of these varieties. Improved varieties based on the genetic resources of landraces tend to displace the very landraces on which they depend, making conservation in genebanks essential.
“We need conservation in genebanks and in farmers’ fields,” says Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International, “and this result shows how farmers and breeders can make more effective use of genebank samples. We are going to need all the help we can get to adapt crops to the challenges of climate change, and FIGS is a useful tool for that work.”
ENDS
For further information, contact Jeremy Cherfas
Note to Editors:
Bhullar, N., Street, K., Mackay, M., Yahiaoui, N., & Keller, B. (2009). Unlocking wheat genetic resources for the molecular identification of previously undescribed functional alleles at the Pm3 resistance locus Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106 (23), 9519-9524 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0904152106
This work depended on the co-operation and inputs of several partners: ICARDA, VIR, AWCC, GRDC and the University of Zurich.
Bioversity International, with its Headquarters in Rome, Italy, has worked for more than 35 years to support the improved use and conservation of agricultural diversity. Through international research, in collaboration with partners throughout the world, Bioversity strives to build the knowledge base needed to ensure effective use of diversity to increase sustainable agricultural production, improve livelihoods and meet the challenge of climate change.
Invest in agriculture for highest payback, Bioversity urges G8 development ministers
Rome, Italy, for immediate release
The G8 Development Ministers meeting in Rome convened an outreach session during which representatives of African countries and UN agencies, along with Bioversity International, discussed the problems of development against a background of the current financial crisis.
Top of the list of concrete suggestions that Bioversity International offered to the G8 was investment in agriculture.
“In these times of economic crisis everyone is looking for value for money, and research into agriculture offers a better return on investment than other forms of aid,” said Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International. “We need to invest in different solutions to deliver food security,” he added.
Frison supported the very strong call from Stefano Manservisi, Director General for Development of the European Commission, to put agriculture at the centre of development. In May the EC, with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, pledged to increase spending on development.
Several speakers offered additional support. Jacques Diouf, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, urged donors to invest more in agriculture. And Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the UN’s rural poverty agency, stressed the importance of directing aid at Africa’s small farmers and support to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, which supports Bioversity International and other centres seeking to improve agriculture in the developing world.
The final statement of the meeting, which will go forward to the full G8 in July, did recognise the importance of agriculture. It calls for “coherent and science-based policies aimed at fostering inclusive and environmentally sound agricultural growth managed through an enhanced cooperation at the international, regional and local levels”.
“This is very good news,” said Frison. “Those of us who work on the ground know what is needed,” Frison said, “and this support from donors and our partners is most welcome.”
Bioversity International told the meeting of several studies that showed the value of investment in agriculture. “Growth in agricultural productivity directly and indirectly contributed 83% of growth in GDP in a sample of 62 developing countries,” Frison pointed out. Doubling investment over the next five years from its current level of US$5 billion a year would massively increase production and lift 282 million people in Africa out of abject poverty.
Support to agriculture has plunged from 17% of total aid spending in 1980 to less than 3% in 2006.
Frison further pointed out that there was no single solution to improving food security. “Food security requires many different approaches,” he said. “In addition to larger harvests we need to use all the resources at our disposal to help farmers adapt their agriculture to the stresses of climate change and we need to make full use of agricultural biodiversity to deliver better nutrition and health.”
For further information, contact Jeremy Cherfas +39 06 6118 234 or Cecilia Preite Martinez +39 06 6118 400
G8 Sviluppo: Bioversity International esorta ad investire in agricoltura per ottenere i risultati migliori.
Per immediata pubblicazione
12/06/09 ROMA- Il G8 dei Ministri dello Sviluppo e della Cooperazione ha indetto una sessione di lavoro specificamente rivolta ai rappresentanti dei Paesi Africani e delle organizzazioni internazionali. Le agenzie, e tra esse Bioversity International, hanno discusso il problema della povertà e dello sviluppo in tempi di crisi economica globale.
Tra le soluzioni concrete offerte da Bioversity International l'aumento degli investimenti in agricoltura.
“Di fronte alla crisi globale è importante riuscire a convogliare gli aiuti laddove hanno più impatto e più possibilità di successo. Investire nella ricerca in agricoltura offre un ritorno maggiore in termini di crescita economica e riduzione della povertà di altri tipi di aiuto allo sviluppo”, dice Emile Frison, direttore generale di Bioversity International. “Abbiamo bisogno di trovare e finanziare diversi strumenti per garantire la sicurezza alimentare alle popolazioni dei Paesi in via di sviluppo”, aggiunge.
Queste affermazioni fanno seguito all’intervento in cui Stefano Manservisi, Direttore Generale della Cooperazione allo Sviluppo della Comunità Europea, ha fortemente sostenuto la necessità di rimettere l’agricoltura al centro dell’agenda per lo sviluppo. Lo scorso maggio la Commissione Europea, insieme alla Banca Mondiale e alla Banca di Sviluppo Africana, hanno promesso ulteriori aiuti per lo sviluppo.
Nel corso della riunione, le indicazioni di Bioversity sono state riprese da altri partecipanti. Jacques Diouf, Direttore Generale dell’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l’alimentazione e l’agricoltura (FAO), ha esortato i donatori ad aumentare gli investimenti in agricoltura. Kanayo Nwanze, Presidente del Fondo Internazionale per lo Sviluppo Agricolo (IFAD), l’agenzia delle Nazioni Unite che lotta contro la povertà rurale, ha sottolineato l’importanza di convogliare gli aiuti in Africa a beneficio dei piccoli contadini e di sostenere il Gruppo Consultivo sulla Ricerca Agricola Internazionale (CGIAR). Questo organismo, che a sua volta sostiene Bioversity International, ha come missione il coordinamento ed il supporto di 15 centri di ricerca per l’agricoltura nei paesi in via di sviluppo.
La dichiarazione finale dei Ministri, che sarà discussa al G8 di Luglio all’Aquila, riconosce dunque la centralità dell’agricoltura nei processi di sviluppo ed afferma la necessità di “politiche coerenti e basate sulla ricerca scientifica che promuovano una crescita in agricoltura equa e rispettosa dell’ambiente, e che questa venga sostenuta da maggiore cooperazione a livello locale, regionale ed internazionale”.
“Questa è veramente una buona notizia”, commenta Frison, “quelli di noi che lavorano quotidianamente sul campo sanno cosa è necessario per raggiungere dei risultati e il supporto che riceviamo dai governi e dalle organizzazioni nostre partner per noi è vitale”.
Bioversity International ha ricordato ai Ministri come oramai siano moltissimi gli studi che provano il valore degli investimenti in agricoltura. “La crescita della produttività agricola contribuisce direttamente e indirettamente fino all’83% del PIL su un campione di 62 economie in via di sviluppo prese in esame”, fa notare il dott. Frison. Raddoppiare nei prossimi cinque anni gli investimenti in questo settore, da 5 a 10 miliardi di dollari, aumenterebbe la produzione agricola e potrebbe salvare dalla povertà estrema 282 milioni di persone in Africa.
La percentuale degli aiuti allo sviluppo rivolti al settore agricolo è precipitata dal 17% nel 1980 al meno del 3% nel 2006.
Frison inoltre ha sottolineato come non esista un singolo approccio per combattere l’insicurezza alimentare.“Ottenere la sicurezza alimentare richiede la messa in opera di diversi tipi di strategie: oltre a volere raccolti più abbondanti ed un aumento della produzione, dobbiamo usare le risorse a nostra disposizione per aiutare gli agricoltori ad adattarsi agli stress dovuti al cambiamento climatico. Per ottenere ciò dobbiamo utilizzare al meglio la biodiversità agraria al servizio di un’agricoltura sostenibile e di un’alimentazione e una salute migliori” dichiara il Dott. Frison.
Per ulteriori informazioni contattare:
Cecilia Preite Martinez (c.pmartinez@cgiar.org) +39 06 6118 400
Jeremy Cherfas (j.cherfas@cgiar.org) +39 06 6118 234
Powering economic growth and combating poverty: Bioversity International and the G8
Making the most of agricultural biodiversity
Rome, Italy, for immediate release
The Italian Presidency of the G8 warned development ministers that their meeting, which begins tomorrow, will take place against a difficult background. The global financial crisis has deepened the impact of soaring food prices, especially on the poorest people. And while donor countries are responding with emergency aid, there is a need, as the Presidency puts it, to find ways out of the crisis in the long run. In keeping with the desire for concrete proposals, Bioversity International is convinced that increased investment in research and development aimed squarely at the neediest farmers is a sure way to power development. Furthermore, agricultural biodiversity has a vital role to play in delivering sustainable, resilient and nutritious food security.
Study after study has shown that investments in agricultural research and development offer higher rates of return than any other form of development assistance, and yet in the past few years we have seen across the board declines in funding.
A recent report by the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington DC (like Bioversity International a member of the Alliance of Centres supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) estimated that a doubling of investment in public agricultural research from US$ 5 billion to US$ 10 billion by 2013 would massively increase production and lift 282 million people out of abject poverty. For 62 developing countries over the period 1960 to 1990 growth in agricultural productivity directly contributed 54% of growth in GDP. More efficient agriculture releases additional labour, which adds another 29%.
Despite this, overall spending on public agricultural research and development has declined over the past three decades. Funding by donors to agriculture fell from 17% of total spending in 1980 to less than 3% in 2006.
Controlling and containing soaring food prices
Events of the past couple of years – notably price spikes for food and oil and the global economic turmoil – concentrated attention on development aid. In response to soaring food prices, participants at FAO’s High-Level Conference on World Food Security in June 2008 pledged an additional US$12.3 billion in funds. While emergency responses are crucially important, Bioversity International stresses that additional research and development directly aimed at improving smallholder agriculture in poorer countries is essential to prevent the frequent re-occurrence of fresh crises. This research needs to go beyond the emphasis on simplified systems that depend on high-energy inputs.
Adapting agriculture to climate change
“Unquestionably there is a continuing need to produce more food,” notes Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International. “However, this must be combined with improving sustainability, increasing nutritional well-being and ensuring that agricultural production practices are able to adapt to climate change.”
Research by Bioversity International and others has shown that the judicious use of agricultural biodiversity can reduce problems of pests and diseases, improve nutritional health, increase soil fertility, deliver other ecosystem services, and promote resilience and true food security. Furthermore, these benefits are available to all and not only to those who have the capital and suitable land to benefit from packages of improved technology.
One very positive sign is the recent release of President Obama’s proposed budget for 2010, which increases the US development aid budget from US$ 1.5 billion in 2009 to US$ 2.73 in 2010, with the bulk of the increase earmarked for sub-Saharan Africa. Bioversity and other CGIAR centres are hopeful that an increased amount will be allotted to improving agriculture.
Invest in growth
If the Ministers meeting in Rome really want to help poorer countries to lift themselves out of poverty and to move along the road to food security, better health and generally improved living conditions, they will look seriously at increasing their support for agricultural research and development, ensuring that it makes full use of biodiversity to deliver sustainability and resilience.
For further information, contact Jeremy Cherfas (j.cherfas@cgiar.org) +39 06 6118 234 or Cecilia Preite Martinez (c.pmartinez@cgiar.org) +39 06 6118 400
Note to Editors:
Bioversity International, with its Headquarters in Rome, Italy, has worked for more than 35 years to support the improved use and conservation of agricultural diversity. Through international research, in collaboration with partners throughout the world, Bioversity strives to build the knowledge base needed to ensure effective use of diversity to increase sustainable agricultural production, improve livelihoods and meet the challenge of climate change.
Guardians of Diversity Video
The International Day for Biodiversity this year saw 7 Guardians of Diversity from the Mediterranean honoured for their efforts to conserve and use agricultural biodiversity in farmers fields and in genebanks. The video above encapsulates their work.
Bioversity International and the Mayor of Rome organized the event to pay tribute to people — farmers, community activists, scientists and scholars from all walks of life — who have chosen to devote themselves to the conservation of agricultural biodiversity in the Mediterranean for the benefit of future generations.
Professor Gian Tommaso Scarascia Mugnozza on the same occasion received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his unfailing and continuous efforts to improve agriculture, and in particular to work with genetic diversity, for the common good of humanity.
In the view of Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International, recognition of this type helps to promote the importance of agricultural biodiversity.
“Getting farmers to grow a wider range of traditional crops than they do at present is a challenge that we can only overcome by giving them the right incentives, and these are not just monetary," Frison said at the awards ceremony. "Biodiversity has a crucial cultural and traditional value for many people, and local varieties still reflect the close link between humankind and agriculture, between one’s self-identity and the natural landscape around us.”
