Study unlocks secret behind success of disease-causing microbes 23 July 2010 - SeedQuest Researchers from Virginia Tech have identified the mechanism several important microbial pathogens use to infect plants and cause devastating diseases. The study, published in the July 23, 2010, issue of Cell, also provides insights into how some microbes cause diseases in humans and animals...

Escalating Threat of Wheat Rusts 23 July 2010 - Science Last month, nearly 600 scientists from more than 80 countries convened in St. Petersburg, Russia, at the International Wheat Conference to discuss the world's most widely planted crop. This came on the heels of a Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) workshop that focused on the rapidly spreading fungal diseases known as wheat rusts, ...

Virulent Wheat Disease Threatens Global Food Stocks 21 July 2010 - Suite101.com Four newly identified strains of the deadly grain fungus, Puccinia graminis were reported this June at a meeting of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) hosted by Cornell University and held in St. Petersburg, Russia...

Combating stem rust: Uganda pest should give us food for thought 19 July 2010 - Guardian (UK) A lethal stem rust has spread to southern Africa's wheat crop. The fungus, identified in Uganda in 1999 and called Ug99, is a new contender in the long hot war between plant breeders and plant pests. Stem rust is an old enemy, but until Ug99 turned up, plant breeders had thought they were in the ...

Agreed free-to-use resistant and elite material cataloged and stored at national screening sites for short-term storage and at CIMMYT Germplasm Bank, Mexico, for long-term storage. Nature of resistance (seedling or APR) postulated, where relevant. Germplasm exchanged by collaborators with bilateral correspondence and arrangements/requirements (between countries and/or CIMMYT) and guidelines ...

Data collected on SR infection for two occasions and entered in spreadsheet. Data and interpretation (based on comparison to checks and pedigree knowledge) distributed to collaborators by email and posted on BGRI website for GAA collaborators. Distributed data will cover planting date, field design, controls, inoculation dates and methods, field virulence, two readings of SR notes and ...

Material of final cleared shipments stored and labeled. Planting done, epidemics created and nurseries managed. Control varieties checked for predominance of virulence (TTKSK/TTKST/TTTSK). Collaborators informed about performance of material, growth status and disease development at two month stage. Then onwards regular fortnight email or website update to collaborators on disease development ...

Material shipment dispatched by the collaborators based on guidelines posted on BGRI website. Shipment cleared from customs and national quarantine authorities. Receipt of shipment acknowledged to collaborators Shipment further inspected at screening station seed health facility and cleared.

Based on acknowledgment of collaborator on agreement and SRF information, import permit organized and and sent by KARI and/or EIAR. Conditions on import permit must be met.

Request considered within one week of receipt Collaborators notified of agreement - whether GAA or FSA and if iterations needed for season and/or number.