India: National speed breeding crop facility inaugurated

Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh today inaugurated the first-of- its-kind “National Speed Breeding Crop Facility” at the premier National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) in Mohali.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, “this initiative is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s priority of doubling the farmer`s Income, ensuring their economic empowerment and promoting Agri-StartUps”. He said, farmers will now have the opportunity to improve their crop qualitatively as well as quantitatively.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, “Biotechnology speedy seeds facility will cater to all the States of India, but it will especially be useful for the North Indian States like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and the UT of J&K. Adding further, he said, “this facility will augment transformational changes in crop improvement programs by accelerating the development of advanced crop varieties that could sustain climate change and contribute to the food and nutritional demand of the population with implementation of speed breeding cropping methods.”

The Minister said, “DBT institute of NABI has developed technology of ‘Climate- resistant crops’, by harnessing these technologies the farmers will not be restrained to cultivate a crop in a particular season rather they will have the liberty to practise farming irrespective of climate conduciveness”.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, while highlighting the recent achievements of institutes under the Ministry of Science & Technology, said, “Our institutes have specialized technologies in fruit, flowers, and crop cultivation through modern genetic means.” He recalled the success of ‘Tulip’ Cultivation by CSIR Palampur, and he also recalled the development of ‘108-petal lotus’ by CSIR Lucknow, which won an award in the TV series KBC. He further emphasized that applying the latest technology in the farming sector will add to the country’s economic growth by supplementing modern Science and Technology tools to the traditional vocation of farming in India.

“Bio-manufacturing and Bio-foundry will drive India’s future bio-economy and promote Green Growth,” said Dr. Jitendra Singh. According to him, the Ministry is working with a synergy and integrative approach, keeping in view the emphasis of PM Modi on combining Science and Technology with traditional knowledge to supplement India’s economy.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also highlighted the fact that under PM Modi, “India’s bio-economy has grown 13 folds in the last 10 years from $10 billion in 2014 to over $130 billion in 2024”.

Addressing the inauguration, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, “In the 3rd consecutive term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been projected to emerge as the 3rd largest economy of the world and rise to be the largest in coming years. Contribution of the agriculture sector will therefore be crucial for the Indian economy”.

Dr. Jitendra Singh informed that the Modi Government is conscious of the importance of Bio-economy, and thus, the recent ‘Vote of Account-Budget’ had a provision for a special scheme for Bio-manufacturing.

According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, institutes like NABI will have an important role to enable the transformational progress and value addition in farming sector productivity.

The facility will directly help a) Scientists and Researchers from government institutions, private institutions, and leading industries in India engaged in agricultural and biotechnology research and development of improved crop varieties and products, b) Plant Breeders working for crop development, and c) Progressive farmers who are contributing to adoption of new varieties with superior yield and nutritional traits.

In his address, Prof. Ashwani Pareek, Executive Director, NABI, said the speed breeding crop facility will be used to develop new varieties such as wheat, rice, soybean, pea, tomato, etc., by using a precisely controlled environment (light, humidity, temperature) to achieve more than four generations of a crop per year.

The NABI institute has significantly contributed to ‘Atal Jai Anusandhan Biotech (UNaTI) Mission (Poshan Abhiyan) and Biotech Kisan Hubs for Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana etc, he said.Publication date: Tue 12 Mar 2024

Read Full Post »

FAO: Releases 15 Case Studies on the Use of Biotechnologies

FAO Releases 15 Case Studies on the Use of Biotechnologies to Meet the Needs of Smallholders

• Compiled by Staff
• January 12, 2024
•   Biotechnology, Farming, Seed World Europe

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released a compilation of case studies showcasing the impactful use of agricultural biotechnologies to meet the needs of smallholders in developing countries, marking a significant step forward in the global efforts to achieve a sustainable agriculture and food systems.

Agricultural biotechnologies, ranging from low-tech tools like artificial insemination and tissue culture to high-tech methods such as whole genome sequencing, have emerged as a crucial part of the toolbox for transforming food systems. Recognizing their potential, FAO has been actively promoting knowledge sharing and innovation in agriculture through the application of biotechnologies.

The report covers 15 case studies that highlight successful applications of biotechnologies in diverse sectors, including crops, livestock, fisheries, forestry, and agro-industry, and a wide range of species, world regions and production systems, emphasizing that biotechnology extends beyond genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and is applicable to smallholders in developing countries. Collecting experiences worldwide, the case studies demonstrate how biotechnologies contribute to increased productivity, improved livelihoods, disease management, and the conservation of genetic resources essential for sustainable smallholder production systems.

One of the key messages emerging overall from the report, is the need for farmers to increase their yields while equally facing the current and future challenges of climate change. Which are the ingredients for success?

The report identifies four:

• Partnerships
• Long-term commitment
• Government support
• Good communication

FAO also anticipated that these case studies, presented in the context of a rapidly evolving field, will serve as a source of inspiration and guidance for those seeking to harness biotechnologies for the benefit of smallholder farmers.

Click here to read the publication.

Source: Euroseeds

RELATED ARTICLES

Regulatory and Political Challenges of New Breeding Techniques

FAO Joins the Digital Public Goods Alliance

FAO Director-General Opens the 8th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture

Canada

Read Full Post »

USA: Tar spot was confirmed in central Missouri cornfields in 2023

How far south did tar spot travel in 2023?

Problems ahead for 2024? Tar spot was confirmed in central Missouri cornfields; universities look for answers through DNA.

Mindy Ward

January 17, 2024

2 Min Read

PINNING DOWN DISEASE: Tar spot, a disease that generally does not like heat, is finding a way to survive. It’s moved south, and researchers are looking into its DNA to see exactly what is at work in Missouri cornfields.KIERSTEN WISE, BUGWOOD.ORG

Mandy Bish spent the early days of fall 2023 stopping at random cornfields in central Missouri looking for tar spot, and she found it about 90% of the time.

“It might have taken me four or five plants,” the University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist explained, “but I could confirm it pretty rapidly.”

By season’s end, tar spot spread to an additional 25 additional counties in the state, bringing the grand total to 49 counties dealing with this fungal pathogen.

In most regions of the state, tar spot appeared later in the season, and yield losses were not observed. However, there were instances in northwest and northeast Missouri where yield losses occurred.

It boils down to environmental conditions and perhaps disease design.

Weather prompted early arrival

Bish’s phone started ringing in June 2023 with reports of tar spot in Missouri.

“I said it wasn’t tar spot because it was too early,” she said, “but I was wrong.”

During the MU Crop Management Conference in December, she explained how the risk of tar spot increases when cooler temperatures (minimum air temperature is less than 59.7 degrees F) and cooler dew-point temperatures (less than 55.6 degrees) combine over a window of time. And that was the scenario in the state for June when air and dew-point temperatures were about 6 degrees below the three-year average.

https://b72b8da1256caa7bd5ec3efa1f3d52ec.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

However, July saw warmer temperatures, with some regions reaching triple digits. “This disease does not like heat, and it got hot,” Bish said. “The disease kind of stagnated.”

By mid- to late August, cooler temperatures returned with a little moisture from Mother Nature and irrigation pivots. Tar spot started spreading once again across Missouri cornfields.

“One thing we know is you have to have some moisture for disease progression,” Bish explained. “So just seeing it first, you don’t need moisture, but to have a progression of the disease, you need some moisture and that’s what happened.”

With environmental conditions out of many growers’ controls, university researchers are looking into others means to slow the spread of the tar spot, right down to its DNA.

Studying the genome of tar spot

The fungal pathogen Phyllachora maydis causes tar spot. However, with the rapid spread of the disease, Bish and university researchers are wondering if the pathogen is the same in all states. Are there types (or races) of the pathogen that are more adapted to thrive in Southern climates?

University researchers are working together to answer this question. Comparing DNA from different samples of the pathogen can help scientists understand and provide researchers with more information about tar spot across the Corn Belt.

Bish said the results may provide a launching pad for opportunities to improve management of this corn disease.

Read more about:Tar Spot

About the Author(s)

Mindy Ward

Editor, Missouri Ruralist

Mindy resides on a small farm just outside of Holstein, Mo, about 80 miles southwest of St. Louis.

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism, she worked briefly at a public relations firm in Kansas City. Her husband’s career led the couple north to Minnesota.

There, she reported on large-scale production of corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and dairy, as well as, biofuels for The Land. After 10 years, the couple returned to Missouri and she began covering agriculture in the Show-Me State.

“In all my 15 years of writing about agriculture, I have found some of the most progressive thinkers are farmers,” she says. “They are constantly searching for ways to do more with less, improve their land and leave their legacy to the next generation.”

Mindy and her husband, Stacy, together with their daughters, Elisa and Cassidy, operate Showtime Farms in southern Warren County. The family spends a great deal of time caring for and showing Dorset, Oxford and crossbred sheep.

Read Full Post »

Fungal populations in leaves may give insights into the health of forest ecosystems

08 September 2023

Teagasc Forestry Development Department 

Jo Ruane and Niall Farrelly provide an overview of ADAPTForRes, a new research project coordinated by Teagasc, which is an all island research collaboration aimed at strategies to increase the resilience in Irish forests.

Endophytes are fungi which have co-evolved with plants and grow inside plant tissue without causing any negative consequences to the host. Endophytic fungi can be beneficial to plants and promote plant growth by producing phytohormones, which  can promote root and shoot formation and/or facilitate better nutrient update.  Such hormones can also have a protective effect by acting as biological control agents and increase the plants resilience to environmental stresses. This is achieved by the production of antimicrobial and antioxidant like compounds which act to provide the tree with a pest and pathogen like defence mechanism.

Specific species of fungal endophytes have been known to enhance the thermal and drought tolerance of the trees by increasing the rate of photosynthesis and water retention under water limited conditions. The capability for increasing stress tolerance is anticipated to play an important role in the management of plants that are used as crops, albeit for food or timber in the future. In addition, recent studies have demonstrated the role of endophytic fungi as a bio-inoculant to enhance protection against disease.

The presence and composition of endophytes in habitats can tell us a lot about the conditions of a crop on a given site. In their endophytic phase, they work to provide a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with the host plant without causing any negative consequences. However, endophytes can also exist as latent pathogens which may become active under certain environmental conditions. If we understand what type of endophytes exist, it may prove to be a useful early indication if there are potential disease causing endophytes present in an ecosystem before they become problematic.

Fungal endophytes as early warning system

Climate change will create uncertainties for how forest ecosystems will adapt and alter our strategy to manage and protect our forests.  We must be vigilant to limit the introduction of novel invasive fungal pathogens and have strategies to limit the spread and effect of existing diseases.  It is uncertain whether warmer conditions associated with climate change will increase the prevalence of certain pathogens by providing conditions which will allow them to proliferate. Early warning systems such as monitoring are good strategies to detect diseases early on, before they become fully established, thus there is a greater chance of attaining a successful outcome for their control.

ADAPTForRes, a new research project coordinated by Teagasc, is an all island research collaboration aimed at strategies to increase the resilience in Irish forests.  Changing climate conditions in some cases may result in a positive outcome for forests, by promoting increased growth (e.g. longer growing season) or bring negative effect consequences depending on how well the tree species can adapt to changing conditions.

It is hoped AdaptForRes will increase knowledge on endophyte diversity in Irish forests, including pathogenic endophytes, of Irish trees. The project hopes to provide innovative ways for detecting endophytes in Irish Forests.  The goal is to explore ways of improving on the early warning systems that we have in place.

ADAPTForRes – Sampling Endophytic fungi

Flavio Storino, who is a PhD student, based at University College Dublin, is conducting the study on endophytic fungi in Irish forests. The research will demonstrate a baseline for fungal foliar diversity in trees at specific locations throughout Ireland. This work essentially creates a template for the development of a future surveillance network, which will enable foresters to ascertain the presence of pathogens in particular areas.

This task involves determining fungal endophyte populations in leaf samples from three different tree species in Ireland, both native and non native. These are Sessile oak, Scot’s pine and Sitka spruce.

Figure 1: Flavio Storino sampling sessile oak leaves for endophyte analysis

How do we determine endophytic populations?

Leaf samples are collected and the endophytic fungi are then extracted from the leaves, grown in growth media, isolated and genetically identified. This could have potential as a novel way to detect the presence of disease causing fungi. Essentially, this work is a preliminary study to see if such methods are robust to utilise as part of a surveillance efforts for Irish forests.

Figure 2: Needle samples placed on growth media to promote endophyte growth

Once pure cultures of the fungi have been isolated, the DNA is extracted and segments are amplified by PCR testing (polymerase chain reaction). This is a technique for rapidly producing or amplifying millions to billions of copies of a specific segment of DNA.

Figure 3: Endophyte proliferation following incubation

A technique known as barcoding allows the isolates to be further studied. These DNA barcodes can be compared to a reference library to provide a precise identification. An existing database of reference material has been compiled through previous research studies for example, Gembank.

Evaluation of the diversity of fungi out using statistical analysis (incl. diversity indices-which is a way to give a numerical value to how diverse an ecological community is). Overall, this research is invaluable and provides the first study of the population genetics of forest endophyte on the island of Ireland.

This article is an overview of forest protection measures within the ADAPTForRes project. The project is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The authors would like to thank Flavio Storino for demonstrating the field and laboratory techniques involved in the study.

For more forestry related material. Visit the Teagasc Forestry Development Department webpage.

• Animals
• Crops
• Environment
• Food
• Rural Economy
• Education

Our Organisation

• About
• Publications
• News & Events
• Contact
• Cookie Policy

Connect with us

• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Linkedin
• View all

Read Full Post »

‘Jumping genes’ help plants adapt to extreme temperature and pathogens

Friday, 16 June 2023 11:41:41

Grahame Jackson posted a new submission ”Jumping genes’ help plants adapt to extreme temperature and pathogens’

Submission

‘Jumping genes’ help plants adapt to extreme temperature and pathogens

Phys.Org

by Saahil Acharya, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
Jumping genes, or transposons, are sections of DNA that can copy themselves and jump between different parts of the genome, and might help plants adapt to stressful, changing conditions, according to a study published in Nature Communications on June 5, 2023.

Using a cutting-edge sequencing technique, researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and the Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN found that Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant used as a model for scientific research, expresses thousands of hybrids between regular genes and jumping genes. The plant alters the expression of these hybrid genes in response to environmental stresses such as excessive heat, or pathogens. These findings could contribute to the development of new crops that can better cope with stressful environments.

Regulation of gene expression (in other words, how a cell controls which genes are active) is vital for the correct functioning of all living things. When genes are expressed, genetic instructions are converted from DNA into RNA transcripts, ensuring useful products like proteins are made at the right time and in the right place.

Read on: https://phys.org/news/2023-06-genes-extreme-temperature-pathogens.html

---

Read Full Post »

Endangered Bee: New Approach to Saving

Completing Genome of Rusty Patched Bumble Bee May Offer New Approach to Saving Endangered Bee

USDA Agricultural Research Service sent this bulletin at 06/20/2023 08:54 AM EDT

View as a webpage ARS News Service Rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis). (Photo by Clay Bolt, D5119-1) Completing Genome of Rusty Patched Bumble Bee May Offer New Approach to Saving Endangered Bee For media inquiries contact: Kim Kaplan, 301-588-5314 LOGAN, Utah, June 20, 2023 — A detailed, high-resolution map of the rusty patched bumble bee’s genome has been released by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) scientists, offering  approaches for bringing the native pollinator back from the danger of extinction. Putting together the rusty patched bumble bee genome is part of the Beenome 100 project, a first-of-its-kind effort to create a library of high-quality, highly detailed genome maps of 100 or more diverse bee species found in the United States. Beenome 100 is a collaborative undertaking of ARS and the University of Illinois. The expectation is that this library will help researchers answer the big questions about bees such as what genetic differences make a bee species more vulnerable to climate change or whether a bee species is likely to be more susceptible to a pesticide. The rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) is an important pollinator of bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), milkweed, and other wildflowers, as well as crops such as cranberries, plums, apples and alfalfa. But in the last 20 years or so, its population is estimated to have declined by 87 percent. In 2017, the species was listed as “endangered.” Where rusty patched bumble bees were once common across the Upper Midwest and Northeast in 28 states and 2 Canadian provinces, now their range is down to disconnected spots in 13 states and one Canadian province. Among the few places they are still regularly found is around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota and in Wisconsin. “With the amount of detailed information that we and other researchers now have access to in this newly sequenced genome, we have an opportunity to find a whole different approach to strengthening rusty patched bumble bee populations,” said research entomologist Jonathan B. Uhaud Koch with the ARS Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research Unit in Logan, Utah. Koch explained that some of the factors contributing to the decline of rusty patched bumble bees are already known: loss of habitat, reduced variety of nectar sources, climate change, exposure to pesticides, and more pathogens and pests. While scientists have known the widespread presence of the fungal pathogen Varimorpha bombi (formerly called Nosema bombi) has a detrimental impact on many rusty patched bumble bee populations, Koch was a bit surprised by how much Varimorpha genetic material he found in the bumble bee sample that was used to develop the genome map. “We used a small piece of abdominal tissue from a single male collected from a nest in Minnesota, which, given the endangered status of the rusty patched bumble bee, seemed like a very good idea,” Koch said. “It’s only with the most cutting-edge equipment that you could resolve an entire genome of 15,252 genes and 18 chromosomes from a tiny bit of one bumble bee. It turns out about 4.5 percent of the DNA the researchers sequenced came from Microsporidia, the fungal group that includes Varimorpha bombi. “That’s a massive amount of genetic information from the bee tissue sample to be associated with Varimorpha bombi. It demonstrates how pervasive the pathogen is,” Koch said. “Having this high-quality genome will support the identification of genetic differences between rusty patched bumble bee populations that appear to be doing well versus where they are in decline,” Koch said. “This may give us a handle on identifying the genes that give the more capable population its flexibility to deal with its environment. We may also gain a better understanding of the genetic basis of bumble bee behavior, physiology and adaptation to changing environmental conditions.” Once the more successful genes for a particular type of local condition are identified, researchers will be able to give a population a boost in the right direction when it comes to restoring the rusty patched bumble bee to an area through captive breeding programs. This research was funded by ARS and USFWS. The research was published in the journal G3: Genes | Genomes | Genetics and the genome is available on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website. The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact. Interested in reading more about ARS research? Visit our news archive U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Research Service

Subscribe to updates from USDA Agricultural Research Service

Email Address

e.g. name@example.com

Read Full Post »

New Analysis Refines Taxonomy of Dermestid Beetles

ENTOMOLOGY TODAY 9 HOURS AGO LEAVE A COMMENT

<img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19030" data-attachment-id="19030" data-permalink="https://entomologytoday.org/2022/12/08/new-analysis-refines-taxonomy-dermestid-beetles/warehouse-beetle-trogoderma-variabile/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/entomologytoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/warehouse-beetle-trogoderma-variabile.jpg?fit=2500%2C1519&ssl=1" data-orig-size="2500,1519" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="warehouse beetle (Trogoderma variabile)" data-image-description="<p>The warehouse beetle (<em>Trogoderma variabile</em>) is one of about 1,700 species in the family Dermestidae, which are scavengers that are important as grain pests, ecosystem recyclers, and forensic tools. A new, robust molecular and morphological analysis of beetles in the family Dermestidae improves understanding of the group’s evolutionary relationships—valuable knowledge for pest management, trade regulations, and forensic entomology. (Photo via Pest and Diseases Image Library, Bugwood.org) </p> " data-image-caption="<p>The warehouse beetle (<em>Trogoderma variabile</em>) is one of about 1,700 species in the family Dermestidae, which are scavengers that are important as grain pests, ecosystem recyclers, and forensic tools. A new, robust molecular and morphological analysis of beetles in the family Dermestidae improves understanding of the group’s evolutionary relationships—valuable knowledge for pest management, trade regulations, and forensic entomology. (Photo via Pest and Diseases Image Library, Bugwood.org)

The warehouse beetle (Trogoderma variabile) is one of about 1,700 species in the family Dermestidae, which are scavengers that are important as grain pests, ecosystem recyclers, and forensic tools. A new, robust molecular and morphological analysis of beetles in the family Dermestidae improves understanding of the group’s evolutionary relationships—valuable knowledge for pest management, trade regulations, and forensic entomology. (Photo via Pest and Diseases Image Library, Bugwood.org)

By John P. Roche, Ph.D.Beetles in the family Dermestidae are scavengers that are important as grain pests, ecosystem recyclers, and forensic tools. Accurate information on identifying the genera and species in this group is valuable to pest control, trade restrictions on grain pests, estimates of biological diversity, and forensics. A new study by researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Canberra, Australia, published in November in Insect Systematics and Diversity, shares a molecular and morphological analysis of dermestid beetles to improve our understanding of the group’s evolutionary relationships.The family Dermestidae contains about 1,700 species, known by various names including the hide beetles, skin beetles, larder beetles, and carpet beetles. Example species include the khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium), a serious pest of grain; the hide beetle (Dermestes maculatus), which can be used in forensics; and the black carpet beetle (Attagenus unicolor), which can damage carpets and clothes.

<img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19031" data-attachment-id="19031" data-permalink="https://entomologytoday.org/2022/12/08/new-analysis-refines-taxonomy-dermestid-beetles/dermestidae-beetles/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/entomologytoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/dermestidae-beetles.jpeg?fit=3000%2C3705&ssl=1" data-orig-size="3000,3705" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="dermestid beetles" data-image-description="<p>The beetle family Dermestidae contains about 1,700 species, known by various names including the hide beetles, skin beetles, larder beetles, and carpet beetles. Examples of species include: (A, B) <em>Thylodrias contractus</em> (A female, B male) (C) <em>Trinodes hirtus</em>, (D) <em>Ctesias serra</em>, (E) <em>Anthrenus scrophulariae</em>, (F) <em>Eurhopalus vespulae</em>, (G) <em>Lanorus punctatus</em>, (H) <em>Thorictus</em> sp. on its ant host, (I) <em>Dermestes maculatus</em>, (J) <em>Trogoderma versicolor</em>, (K) <em>Telopes fasciatus</em>, and (L) <em>Orphilus subnitidus</em>. (Image originally published in Zhou et al 2022, <em>Insect Systematics and Diversity</em>.)</p> " data-image-caption="<p>The beetle family Dermestidae contains about 1,700 species, known by various names including the hide beetles, skin beetles, larder beetles, and carpet beetles. Examples of species include: (A, B) <em>Thylodrias contractus</em> (A female, B male) (C) <em>Trinodes hirtus</em>, (D) <em>Ctesias serra</em>, (E) <em>Anthrenus scrophulariae</em>, (F) <em>Eurhopalus vespulae</em>, (G) <em>Lanorus punctatus</em>, (H) <em>Thorictus</em> sp. on its ant host, (I) <em>Dermestes maculatus</em>, (J) <em>Trogoderma versicolor</em>, (K) <em>Telopes fasciatus</em>, and (L) <em>Orphilus subnitidus</em>. (Image originally published in Zhou et al 2022, <em>Insect Systematics and Diversity</em>.)

The beetle family Dermestidae contains about 1,700 species, known by various names including the hide beetles, skin beetles, larder beetles, and carpet beetles. Examples of species include: (A, B) Thylodrias contractus (A female, B male) (C) Trinodes hirtus, (D) Ctesias serra, (E) Anthrenus scrophulariae, (F) Eurhopalus vespulae, (G) Lanorus punctatus, (H) Thorictus sp. on its ant host, (I) Dermestes maculatus, (J) Trogoderma versicolor, (K) Telopes fasciatus, and (L) Orphilus subnitidus. (Image originally published in Zhou et al 2022, Insect Systematics and Diversity.)

Dermestids are important economically because they can cause serious losses to stored grain. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service estimates that khapra beetle infestations often destroy 30 percent of the infested grain product. Dermestid pests of grain are difficult to control because they can live for long durations without food, and they hide in cracks and other locations that allow them to avoid control measures such as fumigation. On the positive side, dermestids provide vital ecosystem services as scavengers. They are also important to taxidermy because they are used to clean flesh off of bones and to forensics because beetles feeding on corpses can help law enforcement estimate when an individual died.Yu-Lingzi Zhou, Ph.D., senior curator in Coleoptera at CSIRO’s Australian National Insect Collection, and colleagues examined mitochondrial genome sequences of 477 species of dermestid beetles using a technique called genome skimming. Genome skimming samples a smaller proportion of the genetic code than full-genome sampling, allowing it to effectively answer questions in evolutionary biology at a lower cost.It is important to have an accurate picture of the taxonomy of groups, but the taxonomy of Dermestidae has been changing considerably in past decades, and analyses have been incomplete, with some genera of the group being inferred from only one individual female beetle. A new phylogeny of the group was published in 2021, but it was based on only 16 new and 15 publicly available samples. The present study by Zhou and colleagues is much more extensive, looking at 477 specimens representing all subfamilies, about 90 percent of recognized tribes and subtribes, and 80 percent of genera. (Tribes and subtribes are groups above the level of the genus but below the level of the family.)  It is the first comprehensive analysis of the phylogeny of Dermestidae.To construct their phylogenetic trees, Zhou and her colleagues used a leading technique in phylogenetic analysis called maximum likelihood analysis. This is a statistical method that calculates the probability that the observed DNA sequences are consistent with a particular phylogenetic tree representing evolutionary relationships among species.In their study, they found support for the Dermestidae family containing six subfamilies:

1. OrphilinaeTrinodinaeDermestinaeAttageninaeMegatominaeTrogoparvinae

Subfamily Megatominae is the largest group and contains the most species.

<img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19033" data-attachment-id="19033" data-permalink="https://entomologytoday.org/2022/12/08/new-analysis-refines-taxonomy-dermestid-beetles/dermestidae-phylogeny/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/entomologytoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/dermestidae-phylogeny.jpeg?fit=2813%2C3750&ssl=1" data-orig-size="2813,3750" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="dermestidae phylogeny" data-image-description="<p>A new, robust molecular and morphological analysis of beetles in the family Dermestidae improves understanding of the group’s evolutionary relationships—valuable knowledge for pest management, trade regulations, and forensic entomology. Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia obtained and analyzed mitogenomic data from 477 museum specimens of Dermestidae, producing a revised view of the phylogenetic relationships within the family, shown here at the subfamily level. (Image originally published in Zhou et al 2022, <em>Insect Systematics and Diversity</em>.) </p> " data-image-caption="<p>A new, robust molecular and morphological analysis of beetles in the family Dermestidae improves understanding of the group’s evolutionary relationships—valuable knowledge for pest management, trade regulations, and forensic entomology. Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia obtained and analyzed mitogenomic data from 477 museum specimens of Dermestidae, producing a revised view of the phylogenetic relationships within the family, shown here at the subfamily level. (Image originally published in Zhou et al 2022, <em>Insect Systematics and Diversity</em>.)

A new, robust molecular and morphological analysis of beetles in the family Dermestidae improves understanding of the group’s evolutionary relationships—valuable knowledge for pest management, trade regulations, and forensic entomology. Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia obtained and analyzed mitogenomic data from 477 museum specimens of Dermestidae, producing a revised view of the phylogenetic relationships within the family, shown here at the subfamily level. (Image originally published in Zhou et al 2022, Insect Systematics and Diversity.)

The mitochondrial DNA data collected in this study are able to resolve questions that were unanswerable using morphological characters alone. For example, Zhou and colleagues report, “We found that morphological characters traditionally used for delimiting Megatominae genera show pervasive homoplasy [i.e., they arose through convergent evolution] and thus are of limited value.” But their genomic data were able to delineate members of this group into three tribes: Ctesiini, Anthrenini, and Megatomini.The investigators found that what had previously been called the genus Trogoderma and had been believed to be a single evolutionary group was actually made up of members of different evolutionary branches—or, what evolutionary biologists call “polyphyletic.” The species are now split into the genus Trogoderma in the Northern Hemisphere and the genus Eurhopalus in the Southern Hemisphere. Trogoderma in the Northern Hemisphere includes pest species such as khapra beetle; the warehouse beetle (Trogoderma variabile), and Trogoderma glabrum, sometimes known as the the glabrous cabinet beetle. Thus, native species of the genus Trogoderma, including the khapra beetle, are not present in Australia. “As khapra beetles are also transported in packaging material of non-food goods,” the authors report, “countries that are free of the khapra beetle enjoy significant trade advantages when exporting to other countries that haven’t been infested yet.”In addition to their phylogenetic analysis, the investigators conducted an extensive morphological study of Dermestidae, including the morphology of different developmental stages of the species. “The combination of molecular analyses and thorough research on the morphology of adults, larvae, and pupae have allowed reconstruction of the most comprehensive phylogeny of the family, with most major clades and relationships among them recovered with high levels of support,” they write.The genomic data Zhou and colleagues collected in their study have been submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s GenBank and so will be available to other scientists for additional analysis of the group. With improved methods and wider availability of genomic data, further improvements in our understanding of Dermestidae will allow for improved control and refined utilization of members of this important group.

Read More

“Molecular Phylogeny of Dermestidae (Coleoptera) Reveals the Polyphyletic Nature of Trogoderma Latreille and the Taxonomic Placement of the Khapra Beetle Trogoderma granarium Everts”Insect Systematics and Diversity

John P. Roche, Ph.D., is an author, biologist, and science writer with a Ph.D. in the biological sciences and a dedication to making rigorous science clear and accessible. He writes articles and books, and does writing and editing for universities, scientific societies, and publishers. Professional experience includes serving as a scientist and scientific writer at Indiana University, Boston College, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and as an editor-in-chief of science periodicals at Indiana University and Boston College.

Read Full Post »

Australia: Gene drive technology to combat invasive mice

University of Adelaide researchers developing gene drive technology to combat invasive mice

ABC Rural

 / By Dylan Smith and Brooke Neindorf

Posted Thu 10 Nov 2022 at 1:49amThursday 10 Nov 2022 at 1:49am, updated Thu 10 Nov 2022 at 3:32pmThursday 10 Nov 2022 at 3:32pm

The technology aims to make future females of invasive mice species infertile.(Supplied: University of Adelaide)

Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article

abc.net.au/news/university-of-adelaide-gene-drive-technology-mice-control/101639638COPY LINKSHARE

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have released their findings about the potential effectiveness of gene drive technology to control invasive mice.

Key points:

• A South Australian research team identifies new technology it hopes will eventually curb mice numbers
• Co-author Luke Gierus says the technology is the first feasible genetic biocontrol tool for invasive mammals
• Researchers believe the technology can be developed to work against other invasive pests

The technology — named t-CRISPR — uses sophisticated computer modelling on laboratory mice.

DNA technology is used to make alterations to a female fertility gene and, once the population is saturated with the genetic modification, the females that are generated will be infertile.

Research paper co-first author and post-graduate student Luke Gierus said the technology was the first genetic biological control tool for invasive animals.

“So we can do an initial seeding of a couple hundred mice and that will be enough, in theory, to spread and eradicate an entire population,” he said.

“We’ve done some modelling in this paper and we’ve shown using this system we can release 256 mice into a population of 200,000 on an island and that would eradicate those 200,000 in about 25 years.”

Paper co-author Luke Gierus says the technology has a long way to go but signs are promising.(Supplied: Luke Gierus)

The team has been undertaking the research for five years.

Mr Gierus said the next step would be to continue testing in laboratories before releasing mice onto islands where the team could safely monitor the effects.

He said the method was far more humane than other methods, such as baiting.

“It’s potentially a new tool that can either be used alongside the current technology or by itself,” Mr Gierus said.

“This is quite a revolutionary technology that gives us another way to try and control and suppress mice.”

Invasive mouse species have caused millions of dollars in damages to crops in recent years.(ABC News Video)

Technology welcomed

CSIRO research officer and mouse expert Steve Henry said wiping out mice from agricultural systems would be a wonderful outcome but he could not see it happening any time soon.

“The farming community are fantastic in terms of their willingness to adopt new ideas, so while it’s really important to do this research, the time frame is long and we need to make sure we don’t say we have a solution that’s just around the corner.”

But Mr Henry believed the technology would be welcomed with open arms when it did arrive.

CSIRO researcher Steve Henry says farmers are keen on innovative solutions.(ABC News: Alice Kenney)

“While we need to be focusing on the stuff that we can use to control mice now, we also need to be looking outside of the box in terms of these new technologies … into the future,” he said.

Mr Henry said that while he did not have extensive knowledge about the technology, it was exciting.

“The other thing that is really cool is you can make it so it doesn’t affect native rodent species as well,” he said.

Farmers group welcomes research

Grain Producers South Australia chief executive officer Brad Perry said introduced mouse species could severely damage crops and equipment, and recent plagues had been destructive.

“When it comes to pests and diseases in grain and agriculture more broadly, we need to be innovative and think outside the square on prevention measures,” Mr Perry said.

He said technology such as this could help farmers save money in the long run.

Invasive mice species can have a devastating impact on crops.(Supplied: Michael Vincent)

“Grain producers currently manage populations by minimising the food source at harvest, and if populations require [it] zinc phosphide baits are used,” Mr Perry said.

“However, using baits adds to input costs, it is not always readily available and there are limited windows to when this is effective.”

Mr Perry said many farmers would be keen to see the technology in the near future.

“We are supportive of additional tools that help reduce introduced mouse populations — particularly when it involves local world-leading research at the University of Adelaide — which is targeted, reduces inputs and is sustainable.”

Get the latest rural news

• Visit ABC Rural for agriculture and mining news, including weather and the markets
• Sign up for Rural RoundUp: Stories from rural and regional Australia, in your inbox every Friday, or for Rural news daily. 

Posted 10 Nov 202210 Nov 2022, updated 10 Nov 202210 Nov 2022

Related Stories

• Farmers, rural residents warned to be vigilant to prevent another mouse plague

Read Full Post »

Australia: Insect DNA barcoding results to be released

Insect DNA barcoding results delight UniSC entomologist

• Education
• 14 Nov 2022 2:18 pm AEST

University of the Sunshine Coast

Insect DNA barcoding results to be released publicly today show exciting progress in the tri-state Insect Investigators project, coordinated across regional Queensland by a UniSC entomologist.

“I’m absolutely blown away by the results to date, and by the enthusiasm of school students and teachers to engage in insect research,” said insect ecology researcher Dr Andy Howe of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Forest Research Institute.

Seventeen Queensland schools (listed below) are among 50 schools involved in the ongoing citizen science project, led by the South Australian Museum.

Only about 30 percent of the estimated 225,000 insect species in Australia are formally named and described.

Thousands of new insects have now been successfully recorded in the project, which connects regional and remote school students with researchers to learn about Australia’s rich biodiversity.

Beerwah State High School was among those that set a Malaise trap on their grounds in March to collect and monitor local insects over a four-week period. It was one of many that Dr Howe has visited across the state to provide updates on insect species through the taxonomic process.

“It makes so much sense to engage our schools in research on insect taxonomy; schools are located throughout many environment types, which means they can collect a huge diversity of insects, simultaneously,” Dr Howe said.

“We can then use the data to not only name undescribed species, but importantly contribute to distribution maps of thousands of insects and spiders, which contributes to managing the environment sustainably.”

Overarching project leader Dr Erinn Fagan-Jeffries said more than 14,000 insect specimens were selected to be DNA barcoded by the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics at The University of Guelph in Canada, and today the DNA barcoding results will be released.

Dr Fagan-Jeffries said DNA barcoding involved sequencing a small section of the genome and using the variation among these barcodes to discriminate species.

“While the gold standard is always going to be identifying and describing insects using DNA data in combination with their physical characteristics, the DNA barcodes provide a fast and cost-effective way of shining a light on the remarkable diversity of insects in Australia that we know so little about,” she said.

Through Insect Investigators, participating schools have added more than 12,500 new DNA barcodes to the international online repository, the Barcode of Life Database.

The variation among these barcodes suggests that there are more than 5,000 different species present among the specimens, and just over 3,000 of those are brand new records on the database.

Each of these DNA barcodes relates back to an individual insect specimen that will be deposited in the entomology collections at the South Australian Museum, Queensland Museum and the Western Australian Museum.

Taxonomists from around Australia will then be able to examine and determine if they represent undescribed species.

“It is highly likely that all contributing schools have found species new to Western science which is really exciting, but how many of these species we are actually able to describe is dependent on the resources and support available for taxonomy,” said Dr Fagan-Jeffries.

“Despite there currently being many more insect groups than taxonomists, we are hopeful that the taxonomists will be able to spot some new species that can be described, and in those cases, the students will then be invited to name the unique species that they have discovered.”

Participating Queensland schools:

• ​Back Plains State School
• ​Beerwah State High School
• ​Belgian Gardens State School
• ​Blackall State School
• ​Cameron Downs State School
• ​Columba Catholic College
• ​Gin Gin State High School
• ​Glenden State School
• ​Kogan State School
• ​Mornington Island State School
• ​Mount Molloy State School
• ​Prospect Creek State School
• ​Springsure State School
• ​St Patrick’s Catholic School, Winton
• ​Tamborine Mountain State School
• ​Yeppoon State High School
• ​Yeronga State School

Dr Howe, whose PhD in 2016 examined an exotic ladybird in Denmark, said students enjoyed the information in his talks, designed to be entertaining as well as inspiring.

He said increasing Australia’s knowledge of its insect species could have benefits ranging from better management of the environment and effects of climate change and natural disasters to controlling pests and developing new medicines.

The DNA barcoding results will be released on the website https://insectinvestigators.com.au.

Insect Investigators received grant funding from the Australian Government, is led by the South Australian Museum, and involves 17 partner organisations.

Read Full Post »

A gene from 28 million years ago protects today’s plants against caterpillars

Date:November 15, 2022Source:eLifeSummary:The defense mechanisms plants use to recognize and respond to a common pest — the caterpillar — has arisen from a single gene that evolved over millions of years, according to a new report.Share:

FULL STORY

---

The defence mechanisms plants use to recognise and respond to a common pest — the caterpillar — has arisen from a single gene that evolved over millions of years, according to a report published today in eLife.

The study finds that some plants, such as soybeans, have lost this protective gene over time, and suggests that breeding plants or genetically engineering them to reintroduce the gene could protect against crop failure.

The health status of a plant depends on the immune system it inherits. In plants, this means inheriting certain types of pattern recognition receptors that can recognise distinct pathogens and herbivore-derived peptides, and trigger an appropriate immune response.

“Inheriting the right types of pattern recognition receptors can allow plants to recognise threats and cope with diseases and pests,” explains lead author Simon Snoeck, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Biology, University of Washington, US. ” Although we know many pest-derived molecules which activate immune responses in plants, our knowledge of how plants evolved the ability to sense new threats is limited.”

To address this gap, the team set out to define the key evolutionary events that allowed plants to respond to a common threat — the caterpillar. It was already known that species in a group of legumes — including mung beans and black-eyed peas — are uniquely able to respond to peptides produced from the mouths of caterpillars as they munch through plant leaves. So they looked at the genomes of this group of plants in depth to see whether a common pattern recognition receptor called the Inceptin Receptor (INR) had changed over millions of years, gaining or losing the ability to recognise caterpillars.

They found that a single, 28-million-year-old receptor gene perfectly corresponds with the plant immune response to the caterpillar peptides. They also found that among the descendants of the oldest plant ancestors that first evolved the receptor gene, a few species that could not respond to the caterpillar peptides had lost the gene.

To understand how this ancient gene acquired the ability to recognise new peptides from today’s pathogens, the team employed a technique called ancestral sequence reconstruction where they combined information from all modern-day receptor genes to predict the 28-million-year-old original sequence. This ancestral receptor was able to respond to caterpillar peptides. However, a slightly older version with 16 changes in the receptor sequence could not.

This genetic history, together with computer models showing how the ancient and current receptor structures may have differed, provide clues to how the receptor evolved. It suggests that there was a key insertion of a new gene into the ancestral plant’s genome more than 32 million years ago, followed by rapid evolution of diverse forms of the new receptor. One of these forms acquired the ability to respond to caterpillar peptides, and this new capability is now shared in dozens of descendant legume species.

“We have identified the emergence and secondary loss of a key immunity trait over plant evolution,” concludes senior author Adam Steinbrenner, Assistant Professor at the Department of Biology, University of Washington. “In the future, we hope to learn more about genome-level processes that generate new receptor diversity and identify as-yet unknown immune receptors within plant groups. As increasing genomic data becomes available, such approaches will identify ‘missing’ receptors that are useful traits to reintroduce into plants to help protect crops.”

---

Story Source:

Materials provided by eLife. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Simon Snoeck, Bradley W Abramson, Anthony G K Garcia, Ashley N Egan, Todd P Michael, Adam Steinbrenner. Evolutionary gain and loss of a plant pattern-recognition receptor for HAMP recognition. eLife, 2022; 11 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.81050

---

Cite This Page:

• MLA
• APA
• Chicago

eLife. “A gene from 28 million years ago protects today’s plants against caterpillars.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 November 2022. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221115113928.htm>.

Read Full Post »

Video: UNESCO examines impacts of gene-edited plants and animals

Video: UNESCO examines the environmental and biodiversity impacts of gene-edited plants and animals

UNESCO | November 8, 2022

Credit: UNESCO

Genome editing is a powerful tool. It allows us to modify genes not only to treat human diseases but also to change characteristics of animals and plants within a very short period of time at a much larger scale than any other methods that humans had ever used in the past. A technique called “gene drive” that uses genome editing to spread certain genes in the entire population of a target species could eradicate diseases caused by insects such as malaria and other vector borne diseases. Plants and animals could be more resistant to diseases and grow quicker. But is it safe? What would be the impact on the environment and biodiversity?

The third of the series of Ethics of Genome Editing “3. Impact of Genome editing on plants, animals and environment” is now available in English, French, Japanese, Spanish and other languages subtitles.

Follow the latest news and policy debates on agricultural biotech and biomedicine? Subscribe to our newsletter.

SIGN UP

See the original post here

COMMENTS: CLICK HERE TO READ OR POST

Read Full Post »