GPC E-Bulletin October 2015

Plant discovery could help develop stress-resistant crops
A gene that helps plants to remain healthy during times of stress has been identified by UK researchers. Its presence helps plants to tolerate environmental pressures like drought – and it could help create crops that can better withstand adverse conditions.

Root microbiome engineering improves plant growth
In a recently published review paper in Trends in Microbiology, two integrative biologists present how it is possible to engineer the plant soil microbiome to improve plant growth, even if the plants are genetically identical and cannot evolve.

A cure for vitamin B6 deficiency
Plant scientists at ETH Zürich and the University of Geneva (Switzerland) have set out to find a way to increase vitamin B6 production in the roots and leaves of the cassava plant. This could prevent vitamin B6 deficiency among people who consume mostly cassava.

First global food and agriculture plant genetics data library gets go-ahead
Delegates from the 136 member nations of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture have given their approval to set up an international information gateway for the genetic data of food crop seeds.

3rd International Plant Physiology Congress
11–14 December 2015, New Delhi, India.

International Plant & Animal Genome XXIV
9–13 January 2016, San Diego, USA.

Lots of new reports, and an archive of useful documents from the last few years, are available on our website. Head to the Resources page and click ‘Reports’.

lobal Harvest Initiative
Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report: Building Sustainable Breadbaskets
More…The Global Food Security (GFS) Programme is inviting expressions of interest from post-doctoral researchers to take part in a Policy Lab on sustainable nutrition. If you are interested in taking an interdisciplinary and systems approach to a policy-relevant issue, who would relish the opportunity to produce an evidence-based report that will be widely read by policy, industry and the public, then this is for you.

Spotted a funding opportunity we’ve missed? Please tell us about it by emailing lisa@globalplantcouncil.org

Applications are also now open (until 30 November 2015) for the 2016 New Phytologist Tansley Medal, awarded each year to an outstanding early-career plant science researcher. More information here.

Biofortification
New Media Fellow Amelia Frizell-Armitage spoke to Professor Cathie Martin about biofortification and her work to improve the nutritional content of tomatoes.
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Taking Care of Wildlings
Hannes Dempewolf from the Global Crop Diversity Trust explains why it’s so important to conserve the wild relatives of our modern-day crops.
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