Weekly News of Global Agriculture XXXIII

1. Argentina will increase its budget for the prevention and control of avian influenza

On February 21, in order to avoid the current spread of avian influenza to large-scale farms, which would have a huge impact on export, the Argentine Ministry of Economy announced that it would increase the financial budget for the prevention and control of avian influenza epidemic and compensate the farmers at the same time. According to relevant data, the annual export value of Argentine poultry products is about 350 million US dollars.

2. Brazil temporarily suspendedbeef exports to China due to mad cow disease

On February 22, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) issued a statement confirming that one case of "mad cow disease" was found and has been reported to the World Organization for Animal Health; According to the official sanitary protocol, the export to China will be suspended from February 23. However, Brazil is strengthening its dialogue with the Chinese authorities to display all information and quickly rebuild the beef trade between the two countries.

3. India sets up panel to monitor impact of heat wave on wheat crop

On February 21, according to the Indian Financial Express, although the planting area of India's main winter crops hit a new high, the current high daytime temperature in some parts of India may have adverse effects on the wheat crops that are about to enter the temperature-sensitive growth period. This prediction triggered India's concern about the wheat stock situation. For this reason, the Indian Ministry of Agriculture established a special committee to monitor the impact of hot and dry weather conditions on the wheat harvest.

4. Iran will export dairy products to China

On February 24, Iran's Minister of Agriculture Javad Sadatinejad said that according to the first phase of the 25-year agreement reached between China and Iran, Iran would provide dairy products to China for the first time in history, which would create a good start for the cooperation between the two sides. Iran expects to earn some $2 billion from exports of dairy products to China in the next two years.

5. Short tRNA anticodon stem and mutant eRF1 allow stop codon reassignment

Czech researchers analyzed a previously undescribed trypanosomatid, Blastocrithidia nonstop, and found that in this species in-frame stop codons are underrepresented in genes expressed at high levels and that UAA serves as the only termination codon. This study described a previously unknown, universal mechanism that has been exploited in unrelated eukaryotes with reassigned stop codons.

6. Nitrogen supply affects ion homeostasis by modifying root Casparian strip formation through the miR528-LAC3 module in maize

Chinese researchers reported that N supply affects ion homeostasis of maize. It showed that N luxury significantly delayed Casparian strip (CS) formation in maize roots. N luxury induced the expression of ZmmiR528 in whole root and root tips The results indicate that ZmmiR528 affects CS formation of maize by regulating the expression of ZmLAC3 and modification of CS formation has the potential to improve maize quality.

7. Plant HEM1 specifies a condensation domain to control immune gene translation

Chinese researchers identified Arabidopsis HEM1 as a global translational regulator of plant immunity. The study reveal that the hem1 mutant increases the translation efficiency of pro-death immune genes. The results suggest that HEM1 condensation constitutes a brake mechanism of immune activation by controlling the tissue health and disease resistance trade-off during ETI.

8. Novel sensitive isothermal-based diagnostic technique for the detection of African swine fever virus

Indian researchers developed a rapid, simple, and sensitive diagnostic technique for the detection of ASFV nucleic acid. The saltatory rolling-circle amplification (SRCA) technique was used for the first time to detect ASFV. The results indicate that the SRCA assay is a simple yet sensitive method for the detection of ASFV that may improve the diagnostic capacity of field laboratories, especially during outbreaks.

9. China will strengthen agricultural technical cooperation with Belarus

Mr. Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, met with Igor Brello, Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus and his delegation in Beijing. Both sides spoke highly of the achievements of bilateral agricultural cooperation and will strengthen agricultural technical cooperation.

10. The DPRK held the 7th Plenary Session of the 8th CPC Central Committee to discuss agricultural issues

The expanded meeting of the 7th plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Korean Labor Party was held at the headquarters of the Central Committee, chaired by Kim Jong Un, the leader of the DPRK, to discuss agricultural issues.

11. U.S. AND EU, AGRICULTURAL GIANTS WITH FEWER AND FEWER FARMERS

For all their differences, the United States and the European Union share a common experience — the abrupt decline in farm numbers, said the agriculture ministers of the agricultural powerhouses. The transformation of the agriculture sector, more recent in Europe than in the United States, resulted in a relatively small number of large farms that produce the majority of the food and many small farms with little revenue from crops and livestock.

12. WET CONDITIONS CONTINUE IN BRAZIL AS PLANTING WINDOW CLOSES

The last full week of February 2023, week ending on Feb. 25, was another drier than normal week for the major soybean-producing regions of Argentina. According to data from WeatherTrends360, this was the fifth driest final week of February in 30+ years. Drought is affecting soybean supplies in Argentina and as the weeks go by without significant rainfall, the situation grows dire. 

13. Australia Allows Import and Distribution of GM Chrysanthemum

GM chrysanthemum cut flowers are authorized to be sold throughout Australia, but they will not be grown in the country or used in commercial human food and animal feed. The license decision was informed by a Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan (RARMP) undertaken by the OGTR with inputs from stakeholders nationwide, including consultations with the public, state and territory governments, local councils, Australian Government agencies, the Minister for the Environment, and the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee.