80 / SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2019 INDUSTRY NEWS Delivering the people, industry, business and product news you need to know. Submissions are welcome. Email us at news@issuesink.com. Iowa State University researchers overcame the quirks of the soybean cyst nematode’s DNA to sequence its genome, paving the way for better management practices to combat the No. 1 pest that threatens Iowa soybeans. The research was published recently in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Genomics. Nematode populations build up in fields and stay for years, meaning infested acres become a perennial management concern for farmers. Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (now the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program) and through additional support from Grain Farmers of Ontario. University of Saskatchewan researchers played a key role in an international consortium that has sequenced the entire genome of durum wheat — the source of semolina for pasta according to an article published today in Nature Genetics. “This ground-breaking work will lead to new standards for durum breeding and safety of durum-derived products, paving the way for production of durum wheat varieties better adapted to climate challenges, with higher yields, enhanced nutritional quality, and improved sustainability,” says Luigi Cattivelli of Italy’s Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA). In an exciting discovery, USask plant breeder Curtis Pozniak, along with University of Alberta scientists Gregory Taylor and Neil Harris, identified the gene in durum wheat responsible for accumulation of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal found in many soils. The USask team discovered how to significantly reduce cadmium levels in durum grain, ensuring the safety and nutritional value of the grain through selective breeding. Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV) – originally thought to be insignificant, this virus is now spreading at lightning speed across Europe’s oilseed rape fields, reports German plant breeding company Deutsche Saatveredelung AG (DSV). According to a report recently published, the virus which is becoming increasingly widespread in the oilseed rape growing regions of Europe, poses a major threat to oilseed rape yields. Studies have shown that yield losses of up to 30% can be expected. In addition to the direct impact on yield, infection with Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV) also reduces the crop’s thousand-seed weight and oil content. The risk, and the uncertainty, is that the damage often goes unnoticed or is easily mistaken for nutrient deficiencies and abiotic stress. A new online tool and community, called Beescape, enables beekeepers, or anyone interested in bees, to understand the specific stressors to which the bees in their managed hives, home gardens or farms are exposed, according to researchers at Penn State. “Pollinators, particularly bees, play a vital role in supporting ecosystems in agricultural, urban and natural landscapes,” says Christina Grozinger, professor of entomology and director of the Center for Pollinator Research in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Pennsylvania beekeepers lose nearly 50% Working together to improve access to and availability of climate-resilient maize varieties in eastern Africa, the Clinton Foundation and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) are launching a partnership that will not only improve access by smallholder farmers to modern maize varieties but also aim to bolster food security in Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania. The Clinton Foundation is launching this partnership through the Clinton Development Initiative, which works in the region to improve economic opportunity for farmers through better access to markets, technology, and inputs like seeds and fertilizer. Grain Discovery in partnership with the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) have leapt into the future of farm-to-table traceability with a pilot that used blockchain to follow locally produced Certified soybean seed through production and processing, ending with freshly packed tofu hitting grocery store shelves. This first-of-its-kind pilot was supported by an investment of $58,000 from Agriculture and