Agriculture scientist Dr Matthew Cock, chief scientist for Cabi, a UK-based agri-environment research organisation, lists some of the biggest biological threats to global food security.
Pests like desert locust, western corn root worm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), the Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium), mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) and colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) are suggested together with plant diseases, causing famine in the past: potato blight (Phytophthora infestans), or big economic losses in agricultural production: wheat stem rust strain Ug99 (Puccinia graminis tritici), South American rubber blight (Microcyclus ulei) and cofee wilt disease (Fusarium xylarioides). The original article (BBC News) was cited also by IPM in the South (18 Jan 2012). Please note:
National Plant Diagnostic Network by University of Florida: an excellent example of on-line training, monitoring organisation and information sharing. via @plantclinic 
PhysOrg.com - Sugar may be a treat for humans, but for aphids it can be life threatening. A $452,000 grant to Cornell and Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI) will fund research exploiting this vulnerability to control agriculturally important insect pests. When aphids and similar insects feed on plants, they transmit viruses, bacteria and other disease-causing microbes to the plant, there is an urgent need for new strategies for insect control, because insects are developing resistance to traditional broad spectrum insecticides. Douglas and Georg Jander, an associate scientist at BTI, proposed a new method to deter insects: genetically engineering plants to protect themselves by disrupting crucial processes in the insect gut for coping with the high levels of sugar in their diet of plant sap. Genes in the insect can be specifically targeted without any side effect on the plants. RNA interference (RNAi) or gene silencing will be tested in two model plant species - Arabidopsis and tobacco - and with insect pests including the peach-potato aphid, the sweet potato whitefly and the potato psyllid.
The European Commission's Horizon 2020 is a framework document. The proposal is divided into three priority areas: Excellent Science; Industrial Leadership; Societal Challenges. In addition the roles of the JRC and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) are specified.
In 2011 the European Commission drafted proposals for a Regulation to establish the development of the next Framework Programme to replace the Framework Programme 7 (FP7) which was coming to an end. This was entitled Horizon 2020. The European Commission has agreed the proposals and it is expected that final agreement of the European Parliament will be reached in 2013, with the launch of the first calls expected in 2014.
The continuation of identifying research priorities and communicating these priorities to DG Research and Innovation, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as well as the Member States is an aspect of European Food Safety Authority's Science Strategy relating to the strengthening the scientific evidence for risk assessment and risk monitoring. Contributing to the developing Horizon 2020 programme will be integral in meeting the objectives in this area.
Within the proposal Part III, Societal Challenges relates directly to the policy priorities and societal challenges identified in the Europe 2020 Strategy. One of the main objectives in this part focuses on “Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime research, and the bio economy” with the specific objective “to secure sufficient supplies of safe and high quality food and other bio-based products, by developing productive and resource-efficient primary production systems, fostering related ecosystem services, along side competitive and low carbon supply chains.” Plant health with research on harmful organisms fits to this safe food reference in the proposal. The broad lines of activities under this part include „sustainable and competitive agri-food sector for a safe and healthy diet‟. 
Diseases caused by aphid-transmitted viruses such as Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) have increased in snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in the Midwestern United States. Plants immediately surrounding agricultural fields may serve as primary virus inocula for aphids to acquire and transmit to bean crops.
Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 4, Page 506-514, April 2012. Chen FP et al. (2012) presented the first baseline sensitivity of fungi, causing brown rot of stone fruits, M. fructicola collected from China to a DMI fungicide. Sterol 14α-demethylase inhibitors (DMIs) continue to be important in the management of brown rot of Monilinia spp. worldwide. In this study, the sensitivity of 100 Monilinia fructicola isolates from four unsprayed orchards and two packinghouses in Beijing, China, to the new DMI fungicide was evaluated. Laboratory mutants resistant to SYP-Z048 were generated using UV irradiation but no mutants occurred spontaneously. Resistance was stable after 10 weekly consecutive transfers on fungicide-free medium. The inability of M. fructicola to generate spontaneous DMI-resistant mutants coupled with reduced fitness of Y136F mutants can explain why this target site mutation has not yet emerged as a DMI fungicide resistance determinant in M. fructicola field populations worldwide. Chen FP et al. (2012) Baseline Sensitivity of Monilinia fructicola from China to the DMI Fungicide SYP-Z048 and Analysis of DMI-Resistant Mutants.- Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 3, Page 416-422, March 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-11-0495 
Speaking as a panelist in the "Emerging Risks in the Global Food System" a session organized by William Fry, Cornell professor of plant pathology, Singh noted: "... enhanced breeding techniques such as shuttle breeding are helping create new durable disease-resistant varieties of wheat that will increase yields to better meet global demand." PhysOrg.com 
PhysOrg.com by Kay Ledbetter: Wheat streak mosaic virus is the most prevalent disease in the southwestern wheat producing region of the U.S. Dr. Charlie Rush and Jacob Price, AgriLife Research plant pathologists in Amarillo began a study with varieties of wheat with bred-in resistance to wheat streak mosaic virus and an influence of different temperatures. The disease incidence depends on vectors: wheat curl mites, which have the potential to build high populations very quickly. When populations explode, wheat streak can spread to epidemic proportions in a short time, causing devastating losses throughout the wheat growing region. The temperatures affect this process: “If you have a lower number of mites, and a lower number of those are carrying the wheat streak virus, it will reduce the incidence of disease and reduce the potential for development of an epidemic,” Rush said. Study shows that temperatures above 24 deg C may change disease resistance to the virus bred into them. While several varieties of wheat have resistance, there has been a problem with that genetic resistance breaking down in temperatures above 75 degrees F. 
The blog is for Polk County Florida small farms and pesticide applicators as a method of communication and sharing information. It is administered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension Polk County Extension Agent, Mary Beth Henry. She has listed new and revised EDIS publications in the Agriculture program area that have been released to the public in January 2012. 
Additional experiments by the plant pathologists, including a "deep sequencing" analysis, ruled out the possible suspects of phytoplasma, viruses and other pathogens as significant GBS causal agents. Tobacco ring spot virus ... The Ralstonia solanacearum species complex causes economically significant diseases in many plant families worldwide. Although generally limited to the tropics and subtropics, strains designated race 3 biovar 2 (R3Bv2) cause disease in cooler tropical highlands and temperate regions. Beside real-time PCR new testing methods are presented. Youngsil Ha et al. (2012) A Rapid, Sensitive Assay for Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3 Biovar 2 in Plant and Soil Samples Using Magnetic Beads and Real-Time PCR, Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 2, Page 258-264, February 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-11-0426 Comment: Ralstonia solanacearum is a quarantine pest in Europe, USA and Canada. Its race 3 causes brown rot of potatoes. Geotrichum candidum causes sour rot of fresh-market stone fruit such as peach and nectarine. Since 2001, the incidence of sour rot has increased in California, a semi-arid production area, which is considered atypical for the occurrence of the disease. Nitidulid beetles and fruit flies were found to play a role in disease transmission. The study identified sources of inoculum of G. candidum in orchards and packinghouses, and provides information to guide development of disease management. Yaghmouri et al. (2012) Biology and Sources of Inoculum of Geotrichum candidum Causing Sour Rot of Peach and Nectarine Fruit in California.- Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 2, Page 204-210, February 2012. Pine wilt disease is one of the most serious epidemic tree diseases in Japan, and resistant pine trees have been developed through a breeding program. To evaluate resistance of resistant families of Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii, to the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, isolated from the field, and to determine whether differentiation of pathogenicity to resistant pine families appears in the nematode isolates, seedlings of five resistant pine families were inoculated with 25 nematode isolates. Akiba et al. (2012) Virulence of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Isolated from Naturally Infested Pine Forests to Five Resistant Families of Pinus thunbergii.- Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 2, Page 249-252, February 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-12-10-0910 |
Disease-resistant raspberries – from FreshFruitPortal.com Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including the development of disease-resistant raspberries in the U.S., news on a biofertilizer that could save citrus crops... 
June 2012 Issue of Phytopathology Now Online:
"Feeding the World in 2050: Career Opportunities for Future Scientists," hosted by the department of Plant Pathology, will emphasize the wide array of degree programs and career opportunities in plant pathology and agricultural sciences, said Anne Dorrance, a plant pathologist with joint appointments with OSU Extension and OARDC.
RT @Ag_Answers: Open house to showcase careers, advances in plant pathology and #ag sciences http://t.co/QRZafAGb #OSU... 
A new molecular technique has been developed to detect simultaneously:
Peiró A, Pallás V, Sánchez-Navarro JA (2012) Simultaneous detection of eight viruses and two viroids affecting stone fruit trees by using a unique polyprobe. European Journal of Plant Pathology 132(4), 469-475. http://www.springerlink.com/content/xw11115683416648/
Via Petter Françoise Apple ring rot and Botryosphaeria canker are severe diseases affecting apple production in China, but there is confusion regarding which pathogens cause these diseases and their similarity to other diseases, such as white rot of apple, and ring rot and Botryosphaeria canker of pear. In this study, the pathogen of apple ring rot in China was compared with the pathogen of apple ring rot in Japan and Korea, the pathogen of Botryosphaeria canker of apple and pear in China, the pathogen of pear ring rot in China, and the pathogen of white rot of apple in the United States.
Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 4, Page 486-496, April 2012.tp://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-11-0635
The Panel on Diagnostics in Bacteriology met in Sofia at the kind invitation of the Central Laboratory for Plant Quarantine, part of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. This was the third joint meeting with the European Association of Phytobacteriologists (EAP).View the main conclusions of the meeting at
http://www.eppo.org/MEETINGS/2011_meetings/bacteriology.htm Via Petter Françoise 
The most widespread phytoplasmas, vectors and measures for disease control in Slovenia Phytoplasmas, as fastidious wall-less mollicutes, colonize phloem tissue of many plant species, including grapevine and fruit trees. They are transmitted between plants by vegetative propagation and by sap-sucking insect vectors, which enable spread of the diseases. ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’, associated with apple proliferation, ‘Ca. P. prunorum’, associated with European stone fruit yellows and ‘Ca. P. pyri’, associated with pear decline, were detected in several fruit-growing areas of Slovenia. The most widespread phytoplasma on grapevine in Slovenia was the stolbur phytoplasma, (‘bois noir’), but ‘Flavescence dorée’ phytoplasma, associated with serious disease of grapevine, has been detected in Slovenian vineyards. Mehle N et al. (2012) The most widespread phytoplasmas, vectors and measures for disease control in Slovenia.- Phytopathogenic Mollicutes 2011(1)2 p 65- 76. Online ISSN : 2249-4677. IndianJournals.com 
Research collaboration between US (Kansas State University will be the only American university involved) and Australian plant biosecurity center. Officials at Kansas State University and at Australia's leading plant pests research center are finalizing an agreement for a collaboration aimed at increasing agricultural security in both countries. Once formalized, the six-year partnership will pair Kansas State University plant pathology and entomology experts with those from the Australian Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, or CRC. The center is a consortium among several of Australia's leading governmental research institutions and universities. Through this partnership, researchers will study emerging plant diseases and insect pests that threaten American and Australian agricultural systems and develop new strategies and technologies to defend against them. NewsReleaseWire.com 
In recent years, scientists have begun to apply powerful genetic tools to the study of plant circadian rhythms. Researchers have found that as many as one-third of the genes in Arabidopsis thaliana - a widely studied species in plant biology - are activated by the circadian cycle. Rice biochemist Michael Covington found that some of these circadian-regulated genes were also connected to wounding responses. In a study of the molecular underpinnings of plants' pest resistance, Rice University biologists have shown that plants both anticipate daytime raids by hungry insects and make sophisticated preparations to fend ... February 2012. EDIS is the Electronic Data Information Source of UF/IFAS Extension and a collection of information on different advices on several topics was collected by Woogle (sample page) tagged "florida data recovery"... 
In 2010, a serious outbreak of crown gall disease was observed on 3-year-old grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cv. Cabernet Sauvignon in two commercial vineyards located in the South Banat District in Serbia. In Plant Pathology laboratory at University of Belgrade Agrobacterium vitis was identified as causal agent of crown galls by several molecular, biochemical and bioassay methods. Kuzmanović et al. (2012) First Report of Agrobacterium vitis as the Causal Agent of Grapevine Crown Gall in Serbia, Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 2, Page 286, February 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-11-0600 Comment: Despite the authors claim the first report of A. vitis in Serbia, they wrote that crown gall disease had been sporadically observed in vineyards in Serbia in previous years. Indeed, the disease is well established in this part of Europe. Usually the reason for an outbreak in a young plantation is an introduction of latently infected planting material. Though, source of infection is probably in mother plants. Samples were tested against seven viruses, including Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV), Papaya ringspot virus-watermelon strain (PRSV-W, formerly known as Watermelon mosaic virus-1), Squash mosaic virus (SqMV), Watermelon mosaic virus-2 (WMV-2), and Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), using dot-immunobinding assay (DIBA). New weed host species were found to be infected with PRSV. Some weed species contained possible new viruses. Ali et al. (2012) Distribution of Viruses Infecting Cucurbit Crops and Isolation of Potential New Virus-Like Sequences from Weeds in Oklahoma Plant Disease, Volume 96, Issue 2, Page 243-248, February 2012. The Soybean Cyst Nematode. It is a major player in production, and there have been millions of dollars lost to this nematode. The Soybean Cyst Nematode has a very narrow host range. |
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