Fungus threatens wheat around globe

'Stem rust' could wipe out 80% of world's crop

By David Akin, Canwest News Service, June 25, 2009

Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to stop
a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the world's
wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such staples
as bread and pasta through the roof.

Canadian officials say the airborne fungus, which is known as Ug99, has so
far proved unstoppable, making its way out of eastern Africa and into the
Middle East and Central Asia.

The fungus is now threatening areas that account for more than one-third of
the world's wheat production, and scientists in North America say it's only
a matter of time before the pest hits the breadbasket regions of North
America, Russia and China.

"I think it's important people start recognizing what a big threat this is.
This could mean world famine. This is quite the deal," said Rob Graf, a
research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's research centre
in Lethbridge, Alta.

The United Nations calls Ug99 "a major threat" to world food security.

"Anything that one part of the world gets, another part of the world will
eventually get," said Doug Robertson, president of The Grain Growers of
Canada. "Stem rust can be a really devastating disease."

Ug99 -- first found in Uganda in 1999 -- is a type of stem rust. Spores
from the fungus attach themselves to the stalk of a wheat plant and a
pustule that causes the reddish-brown rust colour grows. The pustule takes
over the plant's nutrient and water system to nurture more pustules and
spores instead of grain.

Rust is a problem wheat growers have been dealing with since biblical
times. Canadian wheat producers last dealt with a massive rust problem in
the 1950s.

"Those producers who are challenged with feeding the world should be
concerned about this," said Rick Istead, executive director of the Alberta
Winter Wheat Producers Commission. "If this rust becomes rampant in North
America, we believe all wheat types would be susceptible: spring and winter
and durum wheat."

Whenever a new rust-causing fungus is discovered, scientists develop a new
strain of wheat that can fight off the fungus.

They do this by introducing different genes into wheat plants using
conventional breeding techniques, but that can be time-consuming, taking as
many as 12 years to produce new pest-resistant wheat variants.

Scientists working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture have already
tested 16,000 wheat varieties, trying to find the genetic combination that
will beat back Ug99.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $26.8 million U.S. to Cornell
University in New York to set up the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat
project.

"Resource-poor farmers are particularly vulnerable to wheat-stem disease,
which has the potential to wipe out entire crops," said Dr. Rajiv Shah,
director of agricultural development for the foundation's global
development program.

Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are also working on the
problem. The federal government gave the Morden Research Centre in Manitoba
an additional $250,000 in funding this year to build new laboratory
facilities specifically for Ug99 research.

Almost all the research in North America to develop new wheat strains is
funded by governments.

There is little or no research money poured into wheat, grain growers say.

"This is one of the concerns that a lot of grower groups have," Istead
said. "Cereals haven't had type or amount of research dollars spent on them
because there's more of an attractive pull into corn and soybeans, just
because of the return on investment."

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

--

Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest
of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest
good of everyone. - John Maynard Keynes

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:43 -0500, Michel Boucher wrote:

> Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to stop
> a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the world's
> wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such staples
> as bread and pasta through the roof.

That's fine with me.

-sw

"Sqwetz" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:43 -0500, Michel Boucher wrote:
>
>> Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to
>> stop
>> a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the
>> world's
>> wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such
>> staples
>> as bread and pasta through the roof.
>
> That's fine with me.
>
> -sw

Me too since I'm on a low-carb anti-diabetes diet. ;-)

On Jun 25, 1:33*pm, Sqwetz > wrote:
> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:43 -0500, Michel Boucher wrote:
> > Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to stop
> > a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the world's
> > wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such staples
> > as bread and pasta through the roof.
>
> That's fine with me.

I suppose there won't be any secondary economic effects that will
affect you, then?

You probably don't eat corn, but I imagine that higher corn prices
have affected you.

Cindy Hamilton

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:21:16 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton wrote:

> On Jun 25, 1:33*pm, Sqwetz > wrote:
>> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:43 -0500, Michel Boucher wrote:
>>> Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to stop
>>> a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the world's
>>> wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such staples
>>> as bread and pasta through the roof.
>>
>> That's fine with me.
>
> I suppose there won't be any secondary economic effects that will
> affect you, then?
>
> You probably don't eat corn, but I imagine that higher corn prices
> have affected you.

Not at all. Corn prices significantly lower than they were last year
at this time. And they are only slightly up from 2 years ago.

http://www.indexmundi.com/commoditie...corn&months=60

So if something were affecting me, it ain't the corn.

-sw

On Jun 25, 5:19*pm, Sqwetz > wrote:
> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:21:16 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> > On Jun 25, 1:33*pm, Sqwetz > wrote:
> >> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:43 -0500, Michel Boucher wrote:
> >>> Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to stop
> >>> a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the world's
> >>> wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such staples
> >>> as bread and pasta through the roof.
>
> >> That's fine with me.
>
> > I suppose there won't be any secondary economic effects that will
> > affect you, then?
>
> > You probably don't eat corn, but I imagine that higher corn prices
> > have affected you.
>
> Not at all. Corn prices significantly lower than they were last year
> at this time. And they are only slightly up from 2 years ago.
>
> http://www.indexmundi.com/commoditie...corn&months=60
>
> So if something were affecting me, it ain't the corn.

The title of the article was "Stem rust' could wipe out 80% of world's
crop".

It has not yet so there is not likely any effect on corn prices yet.
Of course if we lose 80% of the wheat crop the economic consequences
are likely to be noticeable what with the rioting, looting, etc that
will be happening. Who knows, the price of corn may go up.

John Kane Kingston ON Canada

Michael, great that you posted such in a food group (IMO)

Food security relates directly to National security eventually.

Living and working in a grain growing area (in fact we have just
finished seeding here last 2 days)

UG99 and its cousins are of great concern to growers .

Happily we dont have it (UG99) here at this time but have to battle
stripe rust and other pathogens all the same .

There is some interesting research on the subject if you wish to do a
google and a bit of drilling down .

Look up Dr Michael Ayliffe and Dr Evans Lagudah from CSIRO
two good blokes and dedicated scientists on this specific problem.

Michael is working very hard on UG99 among other things

Here there are some cross pollinated varieties from rice grass
and sea grass (natural not GM ) as we only grow GM free grains here at
the moment .


If you want reams of chapter and verse and access to embargoed
scientific papers etc email me via spamlister at gmail dot com


Like our brothers in distress in other grain growing jurisdictions
we have to fight tooth and claw for the ever dwindling research dollars.

Again thanks for bringing this to the foodies attention
Cheers
P


Michel Boucher wrote:
> Fungus threatens wheat around globe
>
> 'Stem rust' could wipe out 80% of world's crop
>
> By David Akin, Canwest News Service, June 25, 2009
>
> Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to stop
> a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the world's
> wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such staples
> as bread and pasta through the roof.
>
> Canadian officials say the airborne fungus, which is known as Ug99, has so
> far proved unstoppable, making its way out of eastern Africa and into the
> Middle East and Central Asia.
>
> The fungus is now threatening areas that account for more than one-third of
> the world's wheat production, and scientists in North America say it's only
> a matter of time before the pest hits the breadbasket regions of North
> America, Russia and China.
>
> "I think it's important people start recognizing what a big threat this is.
> This could mean world famine. This is quite the deal," said Rob Graf, a
> research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's research centre
> in Lethbridge, Alta.
>
> The United Nations calls Ug99 "a major threat" to world food security.
>
> "Anything that one part of the world gets, another part of the world will
> eventually get," said Doug Robertson, president of The Grain Growers of
> Canada. "Stem rust can be a really devastating disease."
>
> Ug99 -- first found in Uganda in 1999 -- is a type of stem rust. Spores
> from the fungus attach themselves to the stalk of a wheat plant and a
> pustule that causes the reddish-brown rust colour grows. The pustule takes
> over the plant's nutrient and water system to nurture more pustules and
> spores instead of grain.
>
> Rust is a problem wheat growers have been dealing with since biblical
> times. Canadian wheat producers last dealt with a massive rust problem in
> the 1950s.
>
> "Those producers who are challenged with feeding the world should be
> concerned about this," said Rick Istead, executive director of the Alberta
> Winter Wheat Producers Commission. "If this rust becomes rampant in North
> America, we believe all wheat types would be susceptible: spring and winter
> and durum wheat."
>
> Whenever a new rust-causing fungus is discovered, scientists develop a new
> strain of wheat that can fight off the fungus.
>
> They do this by introducing different genes into wheat plants using
> conventional breeding techniques, but that can be time-consuming, taking as
> many as 12 years to produce new pest-resistant wheat variants.
>
> Scientists working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture have already
> tested 16,000 wheat varieties, trying to find the genetic combination that
> will beat back Ug99.
>
> The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $26.8 million U.S. to Cornell
> University in New York to set up the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat
> project.
>
> "Resource-poor farmers are particularly vulnerable to wheat-stem disease,
> which has the potential to wipe out entire crops," said Dr. Rajiv Shah,
> director of agricultural development for the foundation's global
> development program.
>
> Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are also working on the
> problem. The federal government gave the Morden Research Centre in Manitoba
> an additional $250,000 in funding this year to build new laboratory
> facilities specifically for Ug99 research.
>
> Almost all the research in North America to develop new wheat strains is
> funded by governments.
>
> There is little or no research money poured into wheat, grain growers say.
>
> "This is one of the concerns that a lot of grower groups have," Istead
> said. "Cereals haven't had type or amount of research dollars spent on them
> because there's more of an attractive pull into corn and soybeans, just
> because of the return on investment."
>
> © Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
>

Phil-c <invalid@invalid> wrote in :

> Michael, great that you posted such in a food group (IMO)

Who's this Michael you're talking to?

--

Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest
of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest
good of everyone. - John Maynard Keynes

Michel Boucher wrote:

> Phil-c <invalid@invalid> wrote in :
>
>> Michael, great that you posted such in a food group (IMO)
>
> Who's this Michael you're talking to?


Why, Michael JACKSON, natcherly...!!!

;-P


--
Best
Greg

Michel Boucher wrote:
> Phil-c <invalid@invalid> wrote in :
>
>> Michael, great that you posted such in a food group (IMO)
>
> Who's this Michael you're talking to?
>

OOPS Sincere apologies (better go get my reading specs )

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:44:26 -0700 (PDT), John Kane wrote:

> On Jun 25, 5:19*pm, Sqwetz > wrote:
>> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:21:16 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>> On Jun 25, 1:33*pm, Sqwetz > wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:21:43 -0500, Michel Boucher wrote:
>>>>> Scientists in Canada and around the world are racing to find a way to stop
>>>>> a destructive fungus that threatens to wipe out 80 per cent of the world's
>>>>> wheat crop, causing widespread famine and pushing the cost of such staples
>>>>> as bread and pasta through the roof.
>>
>>>> That's fine with me.
>>
>>> I suppose there won't be any secondary economic effects that will
>>> affect you, then?
>>
>>> You probably don't eat corn, but I imagine that higher corn prices
>>> have affected you.
>>
>> Not at all. Corn prices significantly lower than they were last year
>> at this time. And they are only slightly up from 2 years ago.
>>
>> http://www.indexmundi.com/commoditie...corn&months=60
>>
>> So if something were affecting me, it ain't the corn.
>
> The title of the article was "Stem rust' could wipe out 80% of world's
> crop".
>
> It has not yet so there is not likely any effect on corn prices yet.

I'm pretty sure we were referring to past corn prices. Not crystal
ball corn prices.

-sw

Phil-c <invalid@invalid> wrote in :

> Michel Boucher wrote:
>> Phil-c <invalid@invalid> wrote in :
>>
>>> Michael, great that you posted such in a food group (IMO)
>>
>> Who's this Michael you're talking to?
>
> OOPS Sincere apologies (better go get my reading specs )

And thanks for the interest in helping me find material, but really, that
was my job for 16 years. I can find stuff you didn't even know existed.
And I have been around rfc for almost twenty years, so newbie tips I don't
need, thanks.

--

Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest
of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest
good of everyone. - John Maynard Keynes