b'leaves. News from the So Paulo Research Foundation announced a biological control agent with the poten-tial to protect corn from pests: the fungus Cordyceps javanica. which is found in some commercially avail-able bioinsecticides. The mechanism by which the fungus controls sap-sucking insects was unclear until a recent study conducted at the So Paulo Advanced Research Center for Biological Control (SPARCBio).Stunt Disease on Maize in ArgentinaArgentinas maize harvest is significantly reduced this year due to an outbreak of a stunt disease spread by leafhoppers. The population surge of these insects, carrying the harmful spiroplasma, has severely affected the 2023/24 maize crop, particularly in the hardest-hit northern provinces. Here, losses range between 40% and 50%, compared to the usual worst-case scenario of 5%. To address the situation, the government has expedited the approval of two insecticides recommended for controlling spiroplasma disease. However, this action comes too late for the current harvest. Additionally, the outbreaks progres-sion depends on the arrival of lower temperatures, as leafhoppers cannot survive temperatures below 4 degrees Celsius.Agrality appoints Carolina Galickas as CFO a foundational gap in plant science knowledge. The Latin American agribusiness company Agrality, whichwork could ultimately find applications in the develop-recently acquired the U.S.-based Nebraska Irrigatedment of new grain varieties, an area in which MSU is a Seeds, announced Carolina Galickas as its new Globalregional leader.CFO. Prior to Agrality, Galickas was the CFO and head of finance at Agree.Ag. She also served as CFO LatinStudy Shows Agricultural Technology is Helping America South for First Data Corporation and spent 12Cut Emissionsyears in leadership roles at Monsanto. A new study shows new agricultural technology and management can eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, APSA Introduces New Executive Director producing net negative emissions. This would reduce The Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA) has intro- more greenhouse gas than food systems are adding. duced its new executive director, Francine Sayoc,Benjamin Z. Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the who took the organizations reins Feb. 1. Sayoc bringsCollege of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell extensive background in working with regulators andUniversity, and Maya Almaraz, associate research the private sector to communicate, advocate, andscholar at Princeton University, recently led the study, shape policies, reforms, legislation, institution-building,published in PLOS Climate. They reported that using and partnerships. agricultural technology could result in more than 13 billion tons of net negative greenhouse gas emissions Plant Science Research at Montana Stateeach year. The paper shared that the food systems Explores Protein Distribution in Barley of the world generate 21% and 37% of the planets Research in Montana State Universitys College ofgreenhouse gas emissions each year which could Agriculture is seeking to identify exactly which plantgrow to 50% and 80% by 2050 if left unmanaged. enzymes control this critical crop value. Andreas Fischer, a professor in the Department of PlantGhana Genebank Becomes 100th Depositor to Sciences and Plant Pathology, is using recent fundingSafeguard Food Crops in the Seed Vaultfrom the U.S. Department of Agricultures NationalOn Oct. 24, Ghana becomes the 100th depositor Institute of Food and Agriculture to fill what he callsto deposit seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, 38/ SEEDWORLD.COMLATAM'