ACNS-11, June 2007

Welcome to the ACNS-11. Kindly send your comments and suggestions to: africancrops@wananchi.com

By African Crops News Team

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A Summary Report on the Third General Meeting on Biotechnology, Breeding & Seed Systems for African Crops (ICV3), 26-29 March, 2007, Maputo, Mozambique.

The conference was hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation and the Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Moçambique. Over 400 scientists, seed producers and distributors, extensionsists, policymakers, representatives from non-governmental organizations, farmers and students converged in Maputo for four days to deliberate on the improvement of African crops, seed systems and research capacities in national research and input delivery systems. Special focus was given to plant breeding, applied biotechnology and seed delivery.  A total of 217 abstracts comprising 127 oral presentations and 90 posters were presented and covering the leading food crops of Africa. The conference highlighted achievements being made in the development, deployment and adoption of new and improved crop varieties with desirable characteristics for enhanced agricultural productivity. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation together with The Rockefeller Foundation presented the recently created ‘Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa’ (AGRA).  A detailed overview of the conference proceedings is available at www.africancrops.net/news/june07/report.htm while a complete summary of outputs from each theme will be presented in the next issue of the newsletter. The full abstracts and more information about the conference is available in the website, www.africancrops.net/rockefeller/icv3.

Reports  Back up

Results of IR-Maize activities in 2006

CIMMYT reports outcomes of field tests of IR-maize from 15 sites infested with Striga in eastern and southern Africa. The fields test results provide information on changes in grain yield from IR-Maize, resistance to pests and diseases, maturity and other agronomic attributes compared to commercial hybrids and local varieties in the two regions. During the year, 12 IR maize varieties were tested with one pre-leased and another fully released for commercial production. Researchers and seed companies can use the information generated from this work in making selections of various IR maize hybrids and/or open pollinated varieties (OPVs) for possible nomination for registration and commercialization in the two regions.  A detailed description on the results is available at http://www.africancrops.net/news/june07/ir-maize.pdf. Requests for more information cal also be sent to Dr. Marianne Banziger, Director, CIMMYT Global Maize Program, Email: m.banziger@cgiar.org. Comments about this article can be posted at the Maize Forum of the African Crops Message and Discussion Board or by email to: africancrops@wananchi.com.

Invited Article: Marker-Assisted Introgression of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) for Stay-green in Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L). Moench]

Drought is a major limiting factor in agriculture and development of more drought tolerant crops will enhance food production in affected areas. The “stay-green” trait in sorghum enhances drought tolerance and supports photosynthesis during the grain-filling period in some genotypes. Marker-assisted selection for this trait can enhance the efficiency of its selection. In a marker-assisted backcrossing programme, four stable stay-green Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) were transferred from the stay-green donor parent to the senescent recurrent parent. After two additional marker-assisted backcrossing and two selfing generations, four and five backcross families with single and double putative QTLs respectively, were selected. Early generation stay-green introgression lines generated were evaluated for their agronomic and stay-green related characteristics under well watered and water-stress conditions both in field and greenhouse conditions for two seasons. Most of the introgression lines were better than their senescent parent in terms of green leaf area. One introgression line exhibited potential for higher grain yields and stay-green related characteristics. The advanced generation introgression progeny lines are being evaluated for both stay-green and grain yield related characteristics. The complete description of the project and abstracts of various journal articles is available at http://www.africancrops.net/news/june07/bantte.htm. Comments about this article can be posted at the Sorghum Forum of the African Crops Message and Discussion Board or by email to: kassahunb@gmail.com or africancrops@wananchi.com

 Announce  Back up

PhD Scholarship in Plant Breeding. The African Centre for Crop Improvement at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa is offering scholarships to young, African scientists interested in Plant Breeding involving cereals, roots and tubers and legumes. Applicants should send CV, 3 references and a letter of motivation to Mrs Felicity de Stadler at: destadlerf@ukzn.ac.za by 30 June 2007. For more information on this scholarship, visit African Centre for Crop Improvement

HarvestChoice: Better Choices, Better Lives. HarvestChoice is a three-year initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The initiative will identify promising technologies and strategies that can help raise the productivity of agricultural systems most beneficial to poor people. It is a joint research project by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Center for International Science and Technology Practice and Policy (InSTePP) at the University of Minnesota recently launched the research project, HarvestChoice. Read a summary description of the initiative at http://www.africancrops.net/news/june07/harvestchoice.htm and for more information visit: www.HarvestChoice.org

Doctoral Training in Insect Sciences.  The African Insect Science for Food and Health, in partnership with 32 African Universities, is calling for applications for doctoral research fellowships under the African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Sciences (ARRPIS). Applicants should send a completed application form, title of proposed study, current curriculum vitae, academic certificates, references from two referees and a letter of support from a ARPPIS university either by email or post by 15 June 2007 to: The Network Coordinator, ARPPIS, c/o icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health, Duduville Headquarters - Kasarani off Thika Road, P.O. Box 30772, 00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya. Email: arppis2007@icipe.org. For more information go to http://arppis.icipe.org/announcements.html.

Call for applicants: African Fellows Programme.  The Rothamsted International African Fellows Programme aims to provide problem-focused training in Europe for mid-career African scientists.  Fellowships will be awarded on a competitive basis through an assessment panel for periods of 6 months, although they can vary from 4 to 12 months depending on the nature of the project. Examples of potential project areas include crop nutrition, soil fertility, post-harvest technology, alternative crops, livestock management and plant protection. Interested applicants can get more information from: RI African Fellowship Co-ordinator, Rothamsted International Email: rothamsted.international@bbsrc.ac.uk or visit http://http//www.rothamsted-international.org/HTML/Fellowships/AFP_main_page.html.

TWOWS postgraduate training fellowships for women scientists. The Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS) is offering postgraduate training fellowships for women science graduates (below 40 years of age) from countries in sub-Saharan Africa and least developed countries. Closing date for applications is 31 July 2007.  For more information, contact TWOWS, email: info@twows.org or visit http://www.twows.org.

publications  Back up

Conference publication. Proceedings of the First International Meeting on Cassava Breeding, Biotechnology and Ecology held in Brasilia during 11-15 November 2006, are now available online at: http://www.geneconserve.pro.br/meeting2/proceedings.pdf.

The Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) Annual Report for FY 2006. IPM CRSP Annual Report for FY 2006 has been posted in the website. It reports IPM work carried out in the regions, Latin America and the Caribbean, South and southeast Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, West and East Africa; and global programs on Parthenium, insect transmitted viruses, diagnostic laboratories, impact assessment and database development. Electronic or hard copies of this report could be obtained from R. Muniappan, IPM CRSP, email: rmuni@vt.edu.

 conferences  Back up

5th International Symposium of Rice Functional Genomics, Tsukuba, Japan on Oct 15-17, 2007. Online registration for the meeting is now open. Appicants should submit an abstract for oral and poster presentation. The deadline for submission is August 15, 2007. More information visit http://www.isrfg2007.com

The CHEMRAWN XII Conference on The Role of Chemistry in Sustainable Agriculture and Human Wellbeing in Africa. The conference will take place at Stellenbosch University, 2-5 December 2007 in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Abstracts deadline is 31 July 2007. Contact email: conference@chemrawn.co.za Website, http://www.chemrawn.co.za.

2007 Scientific Events. An extensive listing of upcoming conferences, meetings, workshops and trainings for 2007 is available at http://www.seedquest.com/Calendar/2007.htm.

8th African Crop Science Society Conference. 27-31 October 2007, El-Minia, Egypt. Full papers should be submitted by 30 April 2007. Upload abstracts, register, view program and more information at conference website http://www.acss2007.org

resources Back up

Agri-biotech in sub-Saharan Africa. SciDev.Net has launched a new collection on the current status and future prospects for agricultural biotechnology in sub-Saharan Africa. It includes a review of the changing attitudes to biotechnology in the region, facts and figures outlining existing initiatives and a selection of the Internet's most relevant and useful documents and websites. For more information http://www.scidev.net:80/agribiotech/sub-saharan_africa. For GM and non-GM advances in agricultural biotechnology visit the agri-biotech dossier.

Agricultural Biotechnology Network in Africa (ABNETA). ABNETA has re-developed its website, www.abneta.org, to provide a better service to its members and stakeholders. Among the new additions are the News Page, a list of helpful How To's, and Links to useful sources of information, a Database for research and development contacts in Africa. ABNETA is run by the African Biotechnology Stakeholders’ Forum (ABSF) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from FAO, USDA and the Wain Fund. For more information, please contact Dr David Priest on david.priest@fao.org. You can register with ABNETA at  http://www.abneta.org/site/pages/reg/index.php.

A new web site on Ecological Pest Management in Coconut. This personal website of Indrajith Wickramananda of the Coconut Research Institute, Sri Lanka is aimed at communicating with scientists working on insect plant interactions and host plat resistance. Visit the web site at http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/ECPM3931

FAO Research and Extension Portal. This Portal provides a gateway to sound information on research, technology, extension and their linkages in order to enable decision-makers, research institutes, extension services and regulatory bodies, to make informed decisions. Visit http://www.fao.org/sd/sdrr/portal/index_en.htm.

A new cis-regulatory element analysis tool for rice genes.  The Plant Genome Research Unit of the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan, announces the release of the novel web tool which searches cis-element candidates from the upstream regions of differentially regulated genes of rice. This tool is designed so that any plant genome researchers can use it easily without extreme informatic skills. Access the website at http://hpc.irri.cgiar.org/tool/nias/ces or contact Shoshi Kikuchi, email: skikuchi@nias.affrc.go.jp.

CGIAR Virtual Library: A New Online Resource for Agricultural Development Professionals. The CGIAR Virtual Library (CGVlibrary) is an internet gateway that allows agriculture and development specialists to search an interdisciplinary array of leading databases on agriculture, food policy, and the environment.  It enables users to retrieve thousands of full-text documents, abstracts, or references from the online libraries of the CGIAR research centers and over 160 other databases. Users can access more than 4,000 online journals without any registration or fees. Visit: http://vlibrary.cgiar.org.

The Rockefeller Foundation Innovation Initiative. The Foundation’s Innovation Initiative aims to spur the development of innovations to help poor or vulnerable people around the world. The Initiative hopes to increase the number of solutions to development problems. It will enhance the process of innovation by funding access of researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs working on development problems to proven innovation models and resources worldwide. Visit website at http://www.innocentive.com.

funding  Back up

Call for applications IFS Research Grants. IFS calls for applications from young scientists in developing countries for research on the sustainable management, use or conservation of biological or water resources. Deadline is 30 June, 2007.  For more information visit IFS website http://www.ifs.se

Call for Concept Notes: Action research on ‘Value chains and the rural poor in disadvantaged regions’.  ODI is calling for Concept Notes from researchers, civil society and entrepreneurs for four action research projects under the theme of ‘Value chains and the rural poor in disadvantaged regions’. These studies will start in September 2007. Full details on the call are available in the Call for Concept Notes application form. Typed Concept Note Forms shall be presented to ODI either electronically or by post by 16:00hrs (UK time) on Friday 29th June 2007. Further information is available at www.odi.org.uk/idrc.

African Scientist Fellowship Program. The Institute for Genomic Diversity at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) is accepting applications for the African Scientist Fellowship Program. This program funds a 4-6 month training and research visit to IGD for work in genetic diversity assessment, molecular marker development, marker-assisted breeding, and related studies. Please see http://www.igd.cornell.edu for details on applying. Deadline is June 30, 2007. Recipients need to hold a minimum of a M.Sc. or Ph.D. or be currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program, be a citizen of an African nation, and be proficient in English.

The Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (LEAP). The Borlaug LEAP is a fellowship program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to enhance the quality of thesis research of graduate students from developing countries who show strong promise as leaders in the field of agriculture and related disciplines. LEAP is part of the overall Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellows Program sponsored by the USDA.  Deadline: August 8, 2007. Visit http://leap.ucdavis.edu for further information.

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We invite articles, announcements and other information for the next issue of AFRICAN CROPS NEWS SERVICE that comes out in the FIRST week of July 2007. To see previous newsletters, go to: http://www.africancrops.net/news. 

About The African Crops News Service. The African Crops News Service covers current research and developments in improvement of African crops and seed systems. The service compliments the africancrops.net website to enhance further the sharing of news and information from projects supported by The Rockefeller Foundation and those by other organizations. The service team welcomes short articles and information on your project and organization, research networks and country for inclusion in the upcoming issues of the newsletter. Read more on the African Crops News Service at http://africancrops.net/news/.

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