If you have news you would like us to share on our website, please contact sarah@globalplantcouncil.org 

Biologists find missing link for the ‘safe’ signal in plants
Plant biologists at Utrecht University and colleagues from the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), have now discovered how the plant metabolises jasmonic acid, issuing a ‘safe’ signal when the threat of pests has passed. 

Nitrogen-efficient crops on the horizon: how can we grow more with fewer emissions?
Through a natural, affordable alternative to farmers’ heavy use of nitrogen fertilizers, science now offers an option to boost crop productivity and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Detailed new genome for maize shows the plant has deep resources for continued adaptation
A new, much more detailed reference genome for maize (corn) has been published in Nature. 

Mathematical biology tackles destructive plant virus
A team of researchers at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (USA) has used mathematical modeling to better understand the dynamics of maize lethal necrosis disease. 

Vinegar: a cheap and simple way to help plants fight drought
Japanese researchers have discovered a new, yet simple, way to increase drought tolerance in a wide range of plants – just by growing them in vinegar.

If you have a conference, meeting, workshop, training course or other event coming up, we can include it in our Events calendar! Please email sarah@globalplantcouncil.org

2nd Latin American Conference on Plant Phenotyping and Phenomics for Plant Breeding
20–22 September 2017. São Carlos, Brazil. 

Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future
22–25 October 2017. Tampa, FL, USA. 

Don’t forget, if you are a member of any of the GPC’s Member Organzations, you can claim a 20% discount on all training workshops offered by Transmitting Science! Just enter the code GC237648 when completing your registration.

Lots of new reports, and an archive of useful documents from the last few years, are available on our website. Head to the Resources page and click ‘Reports’.

Spatial database of the world’s rice production to address research and policy questions on food security
Researchers from all over the world have developed the RiceAtlas: a spatial, open access database that answers key questions like where, when and how much rice is grown globally.

Global diet and farming methods ‘must change for environment’s sake’
Reducing meat consumption and using more efficient farming methods globally are essential to stave off irreversible damage to the environmental, a new study says.

Spotted a funding opportunity we’ve missed? Please tell us about it by emailing sarah@globalplantcouncil.org

Congratulations to Dr Bina Agarwal (University of Manchester, UK),  Dr Paul Gepts (University of California, Davis, USA) and Dr Elena Poverenov (The Volcani Center, Israel), who have been awarded the 2017 Louis Malassis International Scientific Prizes for Agriculture and Food.

The project “Adapting durum wheat varieties to the Senegal Basin for food security”, led by Dr. Filippo Maria Youssef Bassi (ICARDA) has also been awarded the 2017 Olam Prize for Innovation in Food Security. Congratulations!

Would you like to contribute an article to the GPC’s blog? Please get in touch! Email sarah@globalplantcouncil.org

Rise in groundwater overuse could hit food prices
Neena Bhandari discusses a recent Nature paper, which found that the amount of non-renewable groundwater used for irrigation increased by a quarter between 2000 and 2010. 

Genetics to boost sugarcane production
Scientists in Brazil are taking steps towards genetically modifying sugar cane so it produces more sucrose naturally, looking to eventually boost the productivity and economic benefits of the tropical grass.

Broadcasting plant science live to the world
Dr Ian Street reports on ‘Botany.Live!’, an innovative live-streaming initiative launched to celebrate Fascination of Plants Day 2017. 

Click here for details of the GPC Member Societies and Affiliates and their representatives. 

Please contact us (info@globalplantcouncil.org) to find out how your organization can join the Global Plant Council.