44 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM INTERNATIONAL NEWS GLOBAL SEED WATCH AUSTRALIAN RESEARCHERS LOOKING AT WHEAT GENES, EGYPT HALTING TOMATO EXPORTS, AND EGGPLANT VARIETIES TAKING SHAPE IN THE PHILIPPINES STATUS AUSTRALIA Long-term research investments by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in partnership with the CSIRO are investigating the develop- ment of genes that increase the length of the coleoptile, a protective sheath enclos- ing the shoot tip and first leaves of wheat. Seed which germinate with long coleoptiles can be sown deeper in the soil to make use of residual moisture left over from summer rains. This means plants with long coleoptiles are potentially better suited to capturing yield benefits associated with early sowing than plants with shorter coleoptiles. CSIRO wheat geneticist Greg Rebetzke leads this research and said his team was committed to delivering traits and germplasm for improving crop variety’s water use efficiency, as well as weed-competitiveness. “Drought commonly limits produc- tivity of Australian wheat crops. This research is about delivering ‘more crop per drop’ so grain growers can get max- imise benefit from rainfall, as well as con- tributing to the breeding of new wheat lines that are more weed-competitive,” Rebetzke said. As part of this research investment CSIRO researchers have identified new, alternative dwarfing genes that could potentially reduce crop stature without reducing coleoptile length and early growth, as well as genes that actively promote coleoptile length. The dwarf- ing genes are associated with reduced lodging when grown under conditions of higher nitrogen fertilisation. These new parental germplasm shows considerable promise in breeding wheats with improved water-use effi- ciency, weed-competitiveness, and larger root systems/greater nitrogen uptake. “Australian wheat breeders now have new genes that can produce a wheat plant the same height as varieties such as Mace or Yitpi, but that have a longer coleoptile of up to 12.5cm in length that can access water stored deeper in the subsoil,” Rebetzke said. Wheat lines incorporating these genes have undergone field testing at the GRDC’s Managed Environment Facilities throughout Australia and at the Central West Farming Systems’ Condobolin Agriculture Research and Advisory Station in NSW. STATUS EGYPT Ministry of Agriculture ordered to stop tomato seed imports after the infection of thousands of acres with yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) was confirmed. Samples taken from the fields for analysis tested positive for the virus, according to the investigation committee tasked to probe into the issue, the minis- try added in a statement. Earlier in October, the Egyptian authorities launched investigations after a group of farmers suffered losses in their 2018 tomato crops which resulted from planting seeds of class 023, infected with tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Com m ittees of the state-ow ned Agricultural Research Center (ARC) ana- lyzed samples of the infected tomatoes from several planted areas. The infected crops were planted on around 10,000 acres across many rural areas, mainly in Nobaria and Wadi al-Natroun cities in Beheira governorate. The cost of cultivating one acre of tomato was estimated at LE 50,000 (US$ 2,795). Tomato is considered one of Egypt’s major exported crops. STATUS GHANA Some smallholder soybean farmers in the Sandu Community in the Savelugu municipality of the Northern Region have begun using best agronomic practices to improve their crop production. According to them, they harvested over 10 bags of soybeans on an acre of land in 2017 as compared to 2016 where they harvested less than 15 bags on 2 acres in 2016. The increment according to the farm- ers is due to the innovative farming method introduced to them by the Center for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) collaboration with Countrywise Communication providing training best farm management practices for over 3000 farmers across the northern regions. Soybeans farming has become very popular in the Northern Region due to the increase in demand for soybeans. About 3000 farmers in the north now cultivate soybeans alongside other food crops such as maize, millet and yams Farmers in this sector are often con- fronted with challenges including poor agronomic practices which have nega- tively impacted on yields. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UK aid funded technology is expected to reach about 45,000 farmers in 150 com- munities in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions. STATUS PHILIPPINES A project funded and monitored by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) will develop improved eggplant varieties with increased resistance against insect pests, specifically eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB) and leafhopper. The project titled, “Development of Improved Eggplant Varieties with New Plant Defense Genes for Multiple Insect Resistance Using Innovative Technologies,” will be implemented by the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (IPB-UPLB), in collaboration with the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the University of the Philippines Diliman (NIMBB-UPD), University of Tsukuba in Japan, and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Eggplant is considered to be the top vegetable crop of the Philippines.