Fresh from the Field, Oct. 26, 2017

Mixing Reverses Pest Resistance to Biotech Cotton

Researchers at University of Arizona (UA) and Beijing’s Institute of Plant Protection discovered an unexpected strategy that can delay, and even reverse, the evolution of resistance by pests to genetically engineered crops. A new study reveals the success of hybridizing genetically engineered cotton with conventional cotton to reduce resistance in the pink bollworm, a voracious global pest.

Cotton, corn, and soybean have been genetically engineered to produce pest-killing proteins from the widespread soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. These Bt proteins are considered environmentally friendly because they are not toxic to people and wildlife. They have been used in sprays by organic growers for more than 50 years, and by millions of farmers worldwide in engineered Bt crops planted on more than 1 billion acres since 1996. Unfortunately, without adequate countermeasures, pests can quickly evolve resistance.

The ingenious strategy used in China entails interbreeding Bt cotton with non-Bt cotton, then crossing the resulting first-generation hybrid offspring and planting the second-generation hybrid seeds. This generates a random mixture within fields of 75 percent Bt cotton plants side-by-side with 25 percent non-Bt cotton plants. 

"Because cotton can self-pollinate, the first-generation hybrids must be created by tedious and costly hand pollination of each flower. However, hybrids of the second generation and all subsequent generations can be obtained readily via self-pollination. So, the hybrid mix and its benefits can be maintained in perpetuity," said Bruce Tabashnik, researcher at UA. 

NIFA supports the research through the Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grant Program.

Read the full story at UANews. USDA photo by Larry Rana.

Climate Smart Weather Tools

Researchers at the University of Florida are helping state growers save millions of dollars via the Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN), a tool to gauge weather in agricultural areas. 

According to Director Rick Lesher, FAWN provides agriculture weather-related data in areas that are not served by the National Weather Service tools located at airports. FAWN allows farmers to monitor evaporation levels, which indicates when they should turn off their irrigation systems. 

Farmers are saving up to two hours of irrigation daily. 

“You can’t be everywhere at once, but FAWN gives us a lead on how to better manage our crops,” said James Shinn, who has citrus and peach groves in Lake Alfred and Vero Beach. “FAWN gives us real-life data on different sites throughout the state. I can’t tell you how beneficial this has been to our industry.”

NIFA supports the work through the Smith-Lever Act Capacity Grant.

Read the full story at Land-Grant Impacts. USDA photo by Larry Rana.

New Beginnings for Future Farmers

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are working to increase local agriculture and expand local food production to support industry and provide jobs to rural America.

Local agriculture is a growing industry in northern New England, with the help of legislation in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. To help these efforts, UNH conducted a regional survey about consumer values and perspectives pertaining to local foods and agriculture.

Researchers found that 54 percent of those surveyed said it was “very important” that any type of fresh produce be grown on local farmland. Other factors considered “very important” to consumers included supporting the local economy (46 percent) and buying produce that is grown without pesticides (45 percent).

Read the full article at UNH. 

NIFA supports the research through the Hatch Act and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Image provided by UNH.

Sweet Corn May Improve Animal Vaccines

Adjuvants are compounds added to animal vaccines to help stimulate the immune system, boosting their effectiveness. Many aluminum-based nonbiodegradable adjuvants may cause inflammation at the vaccine site that may persist for months and diminish the quality of livestock meat in food animal.

Researchers at Purdue University in Indiana discovered another possible adjuvant in teeny, tiny nanoparticles derived from a variety of sweet corn. They found that the new adjuvant stimulates the immune response and has a much briefer period of inflammation that eventually disappears. The new nanoparticle-based adjuvant is biodegradable and inexpensive.

NIFA supports the research through the Hatch Act.

Read more at Nature. USDA photo by Bob Nichols.

Youth from across Minnesota participated in a four-day 4-H Campus Immersion camp that provided fun challenges and hands-on STEM activities. The experience stretched the teen participants’ views of themselves and college life. 

"The purpose is to immerse youth in the college experience and to help them take steps that prepare them to go to college when the time is right," said Jennifer Skuza, assistant dean for Extension 4-H youth development at the University of Minnesota. "The program also helps plants seeds for future college success."

Youth from counties and tribes across Minnesota found it easier to imagine themselves in college by experiencing campus life. "The (University of Minnesota) is different than most college campuses because there's such variety,” said Perry, a 14-year-old Ojibwe member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, whose goal is to study plant science. “It's been fun to stay in the dorms like a college student." 

This experience is part of University of Minnesota Extension’s effort to introduce more youth and families to 4-H, including those who are often underserved in youth development opportunities.

NIFA supports this program with the Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Program.

Watch the 4-H Campus Immersion video. Image provided by University of Minnesota 4-H.