b'INTERNATIONAL NEWSGLOBAL SEED WATCHAUSTRALIA INVESTING IN SOYBEAN PROGRAM AND GHANA RELEASES FIRST GM CROPduction to 150,000 tonnes per year equating to $75 millionby STATUS AUSTRALIA improving production in existing areas and expanding soybean into new regions. The national soybean breeding program will focus The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) willon improved varieties for the existing soybean growing regions in invest $3 million in a new five-year soybean breeding program thatQueensland and New South Wales and work towards expansion will be led by the University of Adelaide and aims to deliver newfor new regions such as Central Queensland and South Australia. elite soybean varieties to Australian growers. Since 2012, GRDC has invested over $5 million in soybean breeding that has developed new varieties and advanced breeding material.STATUS GHANAWorth $6 million in total, the new breeding program will accelerate the delivery of new varieties to growers by speed breed- The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna ing using new technology to improve germplasm evaluation andAgricultural Research Institute has released the pod borer-resistant other key breeding processes. (PBR) cowpea, the first genetically modified crop to be developed GRDC oilseeds and genetic technologies manager Allisonin the country, for commercial cultivation. Pearson said the investment would evaluate breeding material withThis cowpea variety is resistant to diseases (pod borer pest), the goal of improving yield potential and ensuring that new varietiesmatures early, is highly nutritious and gives higher yields. meet the quality parameters of domestic and international end users. With the support of partners such as the United States Agency Australian soybean production is around 40,000 tonnes perfor International Development, and the African Agriculture year. Its expansion has been limited due to inconsistent and unre- Technology Trust Foundation (AATF), it tookCSIR-SARI over liable production, exacerbated by environmental factors, crop pricea decade of research to get this PBR cowpea variety, as well as secure and variety choice. the necessary regulatory approval for its commercialisation in the Within 10 years, Soy Australia wants to increase annual pro- country.(Source: GNA News Agency) Future-proofing the Europeanseed coating industry withSeedworxDayspringand Hort BSA.October 13-16 Visit us at Euroseeds! Table #8158ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE'