Peter Dannenberg, Boris Braun, Clemens Greiner, Alexander Follmann, Michaela Haug, Pujo Semedi Hargo Yuwono, Markus G. Stetter, Thomas Widlok, S. Kopriva
In the context of multiple crises, policymakers and practitioners prioritize the solving of certain challenges above others. In this context, supposedly purely environmental challenges like biodiversity loss have often been deprioritized and solutions to tackle them are publicly or quietly postponed (again and again). An example is the postponement of the EU “nature conservation package” in view of the threat of food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine. The following arguments outline why biodiversity loss is not only an environmental challenge but also a global societal challenge to safeguard global food security and why postponing biodiversity measures is not only bad for biodiversity but can also endanger food security itself.Food security and biodiversity are often counterbalanced. However, we argue that preserving global biodiversity is crucial to safeguarding food security. We first generally outline that biodiversity can (1) support agricultural production, (2) mitigate negative effects of pollution, and (3) provide livelihood outcomes. We then, in particular, argue that biodiversity (4) provides diverse diets to fight hidden hunger, (5) is crucial for resilience against future food security risks, (6) is a precondition for future genetic modifications, (7) addresses the diversity of cultures, income and diets, and (8) is important for place‐sensitive food production. We conclude that “stop hunger first, then worry about diversity afterward” is not a sustainable option.
{"title":"Eight arguments why biodiversity is important to safeguard food security","authors":"Peter Dannenberg, Boris Braun, Clemens Greiner, Alexander Follmann, Michaela Haug, Pujo Semedi Hargo Yuwono, Markus G. Stetter, Thomas Widlok, S. Kopriva","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10492","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10492","url":null,"abstract":"In the context of multiple crises, policymakers and practitioners prioritize the solving of certain challenges above others. In this context, supposedly purely environmental challenges like biodiversity loss have often been deprioritized and solutions to tackle them are publicly or quietly postponed (again and again). An example is the postponement of the EU “nature conservation package” in view of the threat of food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine. The following arguments outline why biodiversity loss is not only an environmental challenge but also a global societal challenge to safeguard global food security and why postponing biodiversity measures is not only bad for biodiversity but can also endanger food security itself.Food security and biodiversity are often counterbalanced. However, we argue that preserving global biodiversity is crucial to safeguarding food security. We first generally outline that biodiversity can (1) support agricultural production, (2) mitigate negative effects of pollution, and (3) provide livelihood outcomes. We then, in particular, argue that biodiversity (4) provides diverse diets to fight hidden hunger, (5) is crucial for resilience against future food security risks, (6) is a precondition for future genetic modifications, (7) addresses the diversity of cultures, income and diets, and (8) is important for place‐sensitive food production. We conclude that “stop hunger first, then worry about diversity afterward” is not a sustainable option.","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"179 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140479118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aisha M. So, Michelle G. J. L. Habets, C. Testerink, Phil Macnaghten
The societal debate on the use of genome‐edited crops has been polarised from the start. While policymakers struggle to democratically resolve this dilemma, plant scientists have been criticised for taking up advocative roles and thereby risking further polarisation. This study demonstrates how plant scientists themselves perceive their roles and responsibilities. Indeed, those scientists active in the debate were found to fulfil advocative roles, and there seems to be an underlying, persistent—and very traditional—view on roles and responsibilities of scientists within the community. Critical reflection on this view is required for better democratic dialogue and decision‐making. More interdisciplinary interaction could facilitate this reflection. In this paper, we examine how plant scientists from Wageningen University and Research (WUR) demarcate their roles and responsibilities in relation to the societal impact of their research, in response to calls for public legitimacy of their research, and within the societal debate on the governance of genome‐edited crops (GE crops) in Europe. We analysed 16 semi‐structured interviews, 5‐day journals, and (social) media contributions of plant scientists at WUR. Our study demonstrates that the perceived roles and responsibilities of the interviewees were aligned with the ideal of the scientist as value‐free, as separate from society, and as producing knowledge that leads to unproblematic societal benefits through industry. When confronted with the polarised debate on the governance of genome editing (GE) technology, the reflexivity that our respondents had demonstrated in general, tended to be dispersed. Respondents rarely considered the GE crop debate, or their own position, to be value‐based. Those respondents active in the debate were found to fulfil advocative roles, and they struggled to recognise the validity of viewpoints other than their own. We hypothesise that this decreased reflexive capacity is a product of the long‐term polarisation of the GM/GE debate, mediated by both their conceptual alignment with the linear model of innovation and their limited interactions outside of their field. In order to better align the perspectives of social and natural scientists on the topic of science‐responsibility, and to constructively contribute to the debate on GE crops, we argue for more interaction between the these two communities.
关于使用基因组编辑作物的社会辩论从一开始就两极分化。在政策制定者努力以民主方式解决这一难题的同时，植物科学家因扮演倡导者的角色而受到批评，并因此面临进一步两极分化的风险。本研究展示了植物科学家自己是如何看待自己的角色和责任的。事实上，我们发现那些积极参与辩论的科学家都扮演着倡导者的角色，而且在社区内，对于科学家的角色和责任似乎存在着一种潜在的、顽固的、非常传统的观点。为了更好地进行民主对话和决策，需要对这种观点进行批判性反思。在本文中，我们研究了瓦赫宁根大学（Wageningen University and Research，WUR）的植物科学家是如何在其研究的社会影响方面、在回应公众对其研究合法性的呼吁方面、以及在欧洲关于基因组编辑作物（GE crops）治理的社会辩论中划分其角色和责任的。我们的研究表明，受访者所认知的角色和责任与科学家的理想是一致的，即科学家是无价值的，是独立于社会的，是通过工业生产知识来带来无问题的社会效益的。面对关于基因组编辑（GE）技术管理的两极分化辩论，受访者总体上表现出的反思性趋于分散。受访者很少认为基因编辑作物辩论或他们自己的立场是以价值为基础的。我们的假设是，这种反思能力的下降是转基因/通用电气辩论长期两极分化的产物，而他们在概念上与线性创新模式的一致性以及他们在本领域之外的有限互动又是这种两极分化的中介。为了更好地协调社会科学家和自然科学家在科学责任这一主题上的观点，并为有关转基因作物的辩论做出建设性的贡献，我们认为这两个群体之间应进行更多的互动。
{"title":"The societal roles and responsibilities of plant scientists in the context of genome‐edited crops","authors":"Aisha M. So, Michelle G. J. L. Habets, C. Testerink, Phil Macnaghten","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10485","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10485","url":null,"abstract":"The societal debate on the use of genome‐edited crops has been polarised from the start. While policymakers struggle to democratically resolve this dilemma, plant scientists have been criticised for taking up advocative roles and thereby risking further polarisation. This study demonstrates how plant scientists themselves perceive their roles and responsibilities. Indeed, those scientists active in the debate were found to fulfil advocative roles, and there seems to be an underlying, persistent—and very traditional—view on roles and responsibilities of scientists within the community. Critical reflection on this view is required for better democratic dialogue and decision‐making. More interdisciplinary interaction could facilitate this reflection.\u0000In this paper, we examine how plant scientists from Wageningen University and Research (WUR) demarcate their roles and responsibilities in relation to the societal impact of their research, in response to calls for public legitimacy of their research, and within the societal debate on the governance of genome‐edited crops (GE crops) in Europe.\u0000We analysed 16 semi‐structured interviews, 5‐day journals, and (social) media contributions of plant scientists at WUR.\u0000Our study demonstrates that the perceived roles and responsibilities of the interviewees were aligned with the ideal of the scientist as value‐free, as separate from society, and as producing knowledge that leads to unproblematic societal benefits through industry. When confronted with the polarised debate on the governance of genome editing (GE) technology, the reflexivity that our respondents had demonstrated in general, tended to be dispersed. Respondents rarely considered the GE crop debate, or their own position, to be value‐based. Those respondents active in the debate were found to fulfil advocative roles, and they struggled to recognise the validity of viewpoints other than their own.\u0000We hypothesise that this decreased reflexive capacity is a product of the long‐term polarisation of the GM/GE debate, mediated by both their conceptual alignment with the linear model of innovation and their limited interactions outside of their field. In order to better align the perspectives of social and natural scientists on the topic of science‐responsibility, and to constructively contribute to the debate on GE crops, we argue for more interaction between the these two communities.\u0000","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"48 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140479070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wen-Hao Han, Jun-Xia Wang, Feng‐Bin Zhang, Shun-Xia Ji, Yu-Wei Zhong, Yinquan Liu, Shu-Sheng Liu, Xiaowei Wang
Conventional pest management measures release large amounts of chemical or plastic pollutants into the environment. Nicotiana benthamiana, a commonly employed laboratory model plant, demonstrated remarkable lethality and attractiveness towards several important Hemiptera and Thysanoptera insect pests. Field trials showed that the N. benthamiana plants can be used as a dead‐end trap to successfully control these pests, comparable to commercial plastic sticky traps. Notably, the N. benthamiana in the field grew well without negatively impacting crop growth, natural enemies, and pollinators. This study unearths a new benefit of N. benthamiana and develops an easy‐to‐apply and sustainable strategy for field pest control. Hemiptera and Thysanoptera insects pose persistent threats to agricultural production. Conventional management strategies involve the release of chemical or plastic agents, causing adverse environmental and global health issues. Notably, Nicotiana benthamiana, a globally utilized model plant, exhibits remarkable lethal effects and attraction towards these pests. In this study, we explored the potential of using N. benthamiana for Hemiptera and Thysanoptera pest control in the laboratory and field. Through net cover and three field assays over 2 years, we demonstrated the efficacy and benefits of using N. benthamiana as a field‐deployed pest control dead‐end trap. N. benthamiana demonstrated nearly 100% lethality to whiteflies, aphids, and thrips, with emitted volatiles attracting these insects. Field trials showed that potted and planted N. benthamiana blocks and traps whiteflies and thrips from several Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae crops effectively, comparable to common commercial yellow and blue sticky boards. Moreover, N. benthamiana in the field exhibited robust growth in commercial greenhouses without negatively impacting crop growth, natural enemies, and pollinators. Our study introduces an innovative, easily implementable, and sustainable approach for controlling Hemiptera and Thysanoptera pests. Moreover, it unveils the novel utility of N. benthamiana in field‐based pest management.
传统的害虫防治措施会向环境中释放大量的化学或塑料污染物。作为一种常用的实验室模式植物，Nicotiana benthamiana 对几种重要的半翅目和鞘翅目害虫具有显著的致死性和吸引力。田间试验表明，本菜属植物可用作死角诱捕器，成功控制这些害虫，其效果可与商用塑料粘性诱捕器媲美。值得注意的是，本菜在田间生长良好，不会对作物生长、天敌和传粉昆虫造成负面影响。这项研究发现了 N. benthamiana 的新益处，并为田间害虫控制开发了一种易于应用且可持续的策略。半翅目和蓟马科昆虫对农业生产构成持续威胁，传统的管理策略涉及释放化学或塑料制剂，造成不利的环境和全球健康问题。在本研究中，我们探索了在实验室和田间使用烟草来控制半翅目和鞘翅目害虫的潜力。通过为期两年的净覆盖和三项田间试验，我们证明了将大叶女贞用作田间害虫控制死角诱捕器的功效和益处。大叶女贞对粉虱、蚜虫和蓟马的致死率接近 100%，其释放的挥发性物质能吸引这些昆虫。田间试验表明，盆栽和人工种植的 N. benthamiana 能有效阻断和诱捕几种茄科和葫芦科作物上的粉虱和蓟马，其效果可与常见的商用黄色和蓝色粘虫板媲美。我们的研究提出了一种创新、易于实施且可持续的方法来控制半翅目和蓟马科害虫。此外，它还揭示了 N. benthamiana 在田间害虫管理中的新用途。
{"title":"A new feature of the laboratory model plant Nicotiana benthamiana: Dead‐end trap for sustainable field pest control","authors":"Wen-Hao Han, Jun-Xia Wang, Feng‐Bin Zhang, Shun-Xia Ji, Yu-Wei Zhong, Yinquan Liu, Shu-Sheng Liu, Xiaowei Wang","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10484","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10484","url":null,"abstract":"Conventional pest management measures release large amounts of chemical or plastic pollutants into the environment. Nicotiana benthamiana, a commonly employed laboratory model plant, demonstrated remarkable lethality and attractiveness towards several important Hemiptera and Thysanoptera insect pests. Field trials showed that the N. benthamiana plants can be used as a dead‐end trap to successfully control these pests, comparable to commercial plastic sticky traps. Notably, the N. benthamiana in the field grew well without negatively impacting crop growth, natural enemies, and pollinators. This study unearths a new benefit of N. benthamiana and develops an easy‐to‐apply and sustainable strategy for field pest control.\u0000Hemiptera and Thysanoptera insects pose persistent threats to agricultural production. Conventional management strategies involve the release of chemical or plastic agents, causing adverse environmental and global health issues. Notably, Nicotiana benthamiana, a globally utilized model plant, exhibits remarkable lethal effects and attraction towards these pests.\u0000In this study, we explored the potential of using N. benthamiana for Hemiptera and Thysanoptera pest control in the laboratory and field. Through net cover and three field assays over 2 years, we demonstrated the efficacy and benefits of using N. benthamiana as a field‐deployed pest control dead‐end trap.\u0000N. benthamiana demonstrated nearly 100% lethality to whiteflies, aphids, and thrips, with emitted volatiles attracting these insects. Field trials showed that potted and planted N. benthamiana blocks and traps whiteflies and thrips from several Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae crops effectively, comparable to common commercial yellow and blue sticky boards. Moreover, N. benthamiana in the field exhibited robust growth in commercial greenhouses without negatively impacting crop growth, natural enemies, and pollinators.\u0000Our study introduces an innovative, easily implementable, and sustainable approach for controlling Hemiptera and Thysanoptera pests. Moreover, it unveils the novel utility of N. benthamiana in field‐based pest management.\u0000","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"115 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140480238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sugarcane (Saccharum cvs.) is one of the most important cash crops globally. Related varieties and species of cane grasses of the genus Saccharum are also important subsistence crops in the Indo‐Pacific region. Despite the significance of these crops globally and recent advances in genetic characterisation, the histories and geographies of domestication are poorly understood. A scenario for the geodomestication of sugarcane is proposed to highlight the diversity of Saccharum species and their significance for future proofing sugarcane. The historical agrobiodiversity of cane grasses, together with practices of cultivation, uses and associated forms of practical and symbolic knowledge, provide culturally appropriate bases for crop improvement.An historical scenario for the domestication of sugarcane (Saccharum cvs.) is proposed based on a literary review of a range of agronomic, archaeobotanical, archaeological, genetic, historical, linguistic and phytogeographic sources. The proposed scenario outlines a protracted, multistage domestication process for the extended period before the directed breeding programmes that led to the development of modern commercial cultivars over the last 100 years or so. First, the initial management, cultivation and translocation of Saccharum robustum within the circum‐New Guinea region produced cultiwilds (viz., morphogenetically wild plants cultivated and translocated by people) and, arguably, some S. robustum cultivars. Second, the spontaneous generation of sugar‐rich pith in some S. robustum plants and subsequent anthropic selection led to the development of ‘domesticated’ Saccharum officinarum within the circum‐New Guinea region. Third, the dispersal under cultivation of S. officinarum cultivars brought them into contact with wild‐type Saccharum spontaneum populations around the Indo‐Pacific, which led to the development of sugarcane (S. officinarum × spontaneum) hybrids that were subsequently cultivated and selected vegetatively. These ancient hybrids Saccharum barberi and Saccharum sinense became regionally important in India and China, respectively.Although much research has focussed on clarifying the Saccharum lineages directly contributing to the major commercial sugarcane cultivar lineages, such a teleological interpretation misses a vast range of agrobiodiversity in terms of the plants (S. robustum, S. officinarum, S. barberi, S. sinense and S. cvs.); domestication status (wild, cultiwild and domestic); and, practices (associated with cultivation, use and traditional knowledge) in the past. The diversity of plants and practices in the past provides the historical backdrop against which any linear interpretation of sugarcane domestication should be understood. This historical reconstruction of domestication processes draws attention to this agrobiodiversity, which can inform breeding programmes seeking to diversify and improve sugarcane cultivars for commercial and subsistence agriculture into the future.
{"title":"Forgetting cane grasses: Switching temporal focus to reveal mosaics of Saccharum diversity","authors":"Tim Denham","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10489","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10489","url":null,"abstract":"Sugarcane (Saccharum cvs.) is one of the most important cash crops globally. Related varieties and species of cane grasses of the genus Saccharum are also important subsistence crops in the Indo‐Pacific region. Despite the significance of these crops globally and recent advances in genetic characterisation, the histories and geographies of domestication are poorly understood. A scenario for the geodomestication of sugarcane is proposed to highlight the diversity of Saccharum species and their significance for future proofing sugarcane. The historical agrobiodiversity of cane grasses, together with practices of cultivation, uses and associated forms of practical and symbolic knowledge, provide culturally appropriate bases for crop improvement.An historical scenario for the domestication of sugarcane (Saccharum cvs.) is proposed based on a literary review of a range of agronomic, archaeobotanical, archaeological, genetic, historical, linguistic and phytogeographic sources. The proposed scenario outlines a protracted, multistage domestication process for the extended period before the directed breeding programmes that led to the development of modern commercial cultivars over the last 100 years or so. First, the initial management, cultivation and translocation of Saccharum robustum within the circum‐New Guinea region produced cultiwilds (viz., morphogenetically wild plants cultivated and translocated by people) and, arguably, some S. robustum cultivars. Second, the spontaneous generation of sugar‐rich pith in some S. robustum plants and subsequent anthropic selection led to the development of ‘domesticated’ Saccharum officinarum within the circum‐New Guinea region. Third, the dispersal under cultivation of S. officinarum cultivars brought them into contact with wild‐type Saccharum spontaneum populations around the Indo‐Pacific, which led to the development of sugarcane (S. officinarum × spontaneum) hybrids that were subsequently cultivated and selected vegetatively. These ancient hybrids Saccharum barberi and Saccharum sinense became regionally important in India and China, respectively.Although much research has focussed on clarifying the Saccharum lineages directly contributing to the major commercial sugarcane cultivar lineages, such a teleological interpretation misses a vast range of agrobiodiversity in terms of the plants (S. robustum, S. officinarum, S. barberi, S. sinense and S. cvs.); domestication status (wild, cultiwild and domestic); and, practices (associated with cultivation, use and traditional knowledge) in the past. The diversity of plants and practices in the past provides the historical backdrop against which any linear interpretation of sugarcane domestication should be understood. This historical reconstruction of domestication processes draws attention to this agrobiodiversity, which can inform breeding programmes seeking to diversify and improve sugarcane cultivars for commercial and subsistence agriculture into the future.","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"435 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140479964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Parasitic weeds in African rice systems threaten household‐level food security and income generation. Most affected farmers are smallholders with limited capacities to address these pests. Obligate parasites Striga asiatica and Striga hermonthica (witchweed) are problematic in rainfed upland rice, affecting approximately 312,000 households. Facultative parasite Rhamphicarpa fistulosa (rice vampireweed) has more recently become problematic in rainfed lowland rice, affecting approximately 133,000 households. A better appreciation of differences in biology, ecology and host–parasite interactions between these weeds, and the implications for species‐specific management, will inform awareness and preparedness among regional actors.
{"title":"Differences in the ecology of witchweed and vampireweed: Implications for rice farming in Africa","authors":"J. Rodenburg, L. Bastiaans","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10491","url":null,"abstract":"Parasitic weeds in African rice systems threaten household‐level food security and income generation. Most affected farmers are smallholders with limited capacities to address these pests. Obligate parasites Striga asiatica and Striga hermonthica (witchweed) are problematic in rainfed upland rice, affecting approximately 312,000 households. Facultative parasite Rhamphicarpa fistulosa (rice vampireweed) has more recently become problematic in rainfed lowland rice, affecting approximately 133,000 households. A better appreciation of differences in biology, ecology and host–parasite interactions between these weeds, and the implications for species‐specific management, will inform awareness and preparedness among regional actors.","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"57 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140494090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chunmeng Huang, Zhi Wang, Pengyu Zhu, Wenjie Xu, Zhixin Du, Yike Qian, Wei Fu
Advancements in science and technology enable us to address the challenges of the times: hunger, malnutrition, climate change, and dwindling natural resources. One of the most significant innovations in food and agriculture is the advent of genetic engineering, which may help us address the aforementioned challenges. Millions of people could benefit from the application of genetically engineered crops in agriculture and food. However, it is vital that biosafety assessments of unintended effects are carried out to identify any potential risks to humans, the environment, or society. The study compared the extent of siRNA, transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in the leaves of four RNAi‐based genetically engineered rice lines to evaluate whether RNAi‐based genetically engineered rice that is resistant to black‐streaked dwarf virus experiences changes not seen in the non‐genetically engineered counterpart. siRNA, transcriptome, and metabolome profiling were conducted. siRNAs with different lengths and abundance were highly enriched in the transcript of rice; however, relative expression analysis of eight potential off‐target genes revealed that there was no decrease in gene expression in the RNAi‐based genetically engineered lines, meaning that no off‐target phenomena were caused as a result of siRNA derived from invert repeat sequences of rice black‐streaked dwarf virus in this study. This study identified some differentially expressed genes and differentially accumulated metabolites in the RNAi‐based genetically engineered lines; however, they were not enriched in pathways detrimental for humans, animals and the environment. Only 30 differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway via a combined analysis using two‐way orthogonal partial least squares model. These genes belonging to salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, cytokinin, abscisic acid, and brassinosteroid pathway involved in pathways related to virus resistance or infection response were significantly changed. Taken together, there was no off‐target in RNAi‐based genetically engineered rice lines and may have a positive effect on virus resistance overall in this study.
{"title":"RNAi‐based genetically engineered rice resistant to black‐streaked dwarf virus does not show adverse genetic effects: A multi‐omics analysis","authors":"Chunmeng Huang, Zhi Wang, Pengyu Zhu, Wenjie Xu, Zhixin Du, Yike Qian, Wei Fu","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10477","url":null,"abstract":"Advancements in science and technology enable us to address the challenges of the times: hunger, malnutrition, climate change, and dwindling natural resources. One of the most significant innovations in food and agriculture is the advent of genetic engineering, which may help us address the aforementioned challenges. Millions of people could benefit from the application of genetically engineered crops in agriculture and food. However, it is vital that biosafety assessments of unintended effects are carried out to identify any potential risks to humans, the environment, or society.\u0000The study compared the extent of siRNA, transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in the leaves of four RNAi‐based genetically engineered rice lines to evaluate whether RNAi‐based genetically engineered rice that is resistant to black‐streaked dwarf virus experiences changes not seen in the non‐genetically engineered counterpart.\u0000siRNA, transcriptome, and metabolome profiling were conducted. siRNAs with different lengths and abundance were highly enriched in the transcript of rice; however, relative expression analysis of eight potential off‐target genes revealed that there was no decrease in gene expression in the RNAi‐based genetically engineered lines, meaning that no off‐target phenomena were caused as a result of siRNA derived from invert repeat sequences of rice black‐streaked dwarf virus in this study.\u0000This study identified some differentially expressed genes and differentially accumulated metabolites in the RNAi‐based genetically engineered lines; however, they were not enriched in pathways detrimental for humans, animals and the environment. Only 30 differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway via a combined analysis using two‐way orthogonal partial least squares model. These genes belonging to salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, cytokinin, abscisic acid, and brassinosteroid pathway involved in pathways related to virus resistance or infection response were significantly changed.\u0000Taken together, there was no off‐target in RNAi‐based genetically engineered rice lines and may have a positive effect on virus resistance overall in this study.\u0000","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"3 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139598436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Makenzie E. Mabry, Nuala F Caomhánach, R. Abrahams, M. L. Gaynor, Kasey K Pham, Tanisha M. Williams, Kathleen S. Murphy, V. Smocovitis, D. Soltis, P. Soltis
It is important to recognize how our current understanding of plants has been shaped by diverse cultural contexts, as this underscores the importance of valuing and incorporating contributions from all knowledge systems in scientific pursuits. This approach emphasizes the ongoing bias, including within scientific practices, and the necessity of discussing problematic histories within spaces of learning. It is crucial to acknowledge and address biases, even within scientific endeavors. Doing so fosters a more inclusive and equitable scientific community. This article, while not comprehensive, serves as a starting point for conversation and an introduction to current work on these topics.In response to a global dialog about systemic racism, ongoing inequalities, appeals to decolonize science, and the many recent calls for diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion, we draw on the narratives of plants to revisit the history of botany. Our goal is to uncover how exclusionary practices have functioned in the past and persist today. We also explore the numerous opportunities and challenges that arise in the era of information as we strive to establish a more inclusive field of botany. This approach recognizes and honors the contributions of historically marginalized groups, such as Black and Indigenous communities. We hope that this article can serve as a catalyst for raising awareness, fostering contemplation, and driving action toward a more equitable and just scientific community.
{"title":"Building an inclusive botany: The “radicle” dream","authors":"Makenzie E. Mabry, Nuala F Caomhánach, R. Abrahams, M. L. Gaynor, Kasey K Pham, Tanisha M. Williams, Kathleen S. Murphy, V. Smocovitis, D. Soltis, P. Soltis","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10478","url":null,"abstract":"It is important to recognize how our current understanding of plants has been shaped by diverse cultural contexts, as this underscores the importance of valuing and incorporating contributions from all knowledge systems in scientific pursuits. This approach emphasizes the ongoing bias, including within scientific practices, and the necessity of discussing problematic histories within spaces of learning. It is crucial to acknowledge and address biases, even within scientific endeavors. Doing so fosters a more inclusive and equitable scientific community. This article, while not comprehensive, serves as a starting point for conversation and an introduction to current work on these topics.In response to a global dialog about systemic racism, ongoing inequalities, appeals to decolonize science, and the many recent calls for diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion, we draw on the narratives of plants to revisit the history of botany. Our goal is to uncover how exclusionary practices have functioned in the past and persist today. We also explore the numerous opportunities and challenges that arise in the era of information as we strive to establish a more inclusive field of botany. This approach recognizes and honors the contributions of historically marginalized groups, such as Black and Indigenous communities. We hope that this article can serve as a catalyst for raising awareness, fostering contemplation, and driving action toward a more equitable and just scientific community.","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139609860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Neo, K. Chong, S. Lindsay, David J. Middleton, Puay Yok Tan, K. Er
Cities present a unique challenge for conservation. While overall native biodiversity is reduced, remnant habitats in the urban matrix can be important refugia for native and endemic species. This study reviews the rediscovery of 173 presumed nationally extinct plant taxa and discovery of 155 new native plant records, including 22 new to science and five endemics, in the botanically densely‐collected tropical city‐state of Singapore. The findings of this study indicate that plant rediscoveries and new discoveries are still possible in cities and urban areas with remaining fragments of original forest reserved for species protection, and investment in comprehensive botanical surveys and taxonomic research. The conservation of native species‐dominated forest fragments and investment into botanical surveys and taxonomic research have enabled the rediscovery of presumed nationally extinct plant taxa and discovery of new native plant records in the tropical city‐state of Singapore. We compared national plant checklists of 2009, 2022, and the national Red Data Book (third edition in press) to enumerate rediscovered and newly discovered native vascular plant taxa in the last 14 years. We examined if these were from taxonomic specialist redetermination of only pre‐existing specimens or newly collected from field surveys, and if they were from particular sites and vegetation types, disproportionately represented by certain life forms and families, and predominantly threatened. We documented 173 rediscoveries and 155 new records after 2009, including 22 new to science and five endemics. Most rediscoveries were newly collected from field surveys, but most new records resulted from redetermination of pre‐existing specimens. Native species‐dominated forest fragments were the most important sites for the first collection of new records or first re‐collection of rediscoveries. Trees and climbers were well‐represented among the rediscoveries and new records. Epiphytes were significantly under‐represented compared to their proportion in the presumed nationally extinct flora. Most rediscoveries and new records are nationally Critically Endangered but regionally and globally not assessed. Our findings indicate hope for the persistence of rare native plant species and opportunities for conservation in cities.
{"title":"A botanical oasis rather than a biological desert: Rediscoveries, new species and new records in a tropical city","authors":"L. Neo, K. Chong, S. Lindsay, David J. Middleton, Puay Yok Tan, K. Er","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10482","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10482","url":null,"abstract":"Cities present a unique challenge for conservation. While overall native biodiversity is reduced, remnant habitats in the urban matrix can be important refugia for native and endemic species. This study reviews the rediscovery of 173 presumed nationally extinct plant taxa and discovery of 155 new native plant records, including 22 new to science and five endemics, in the botanically densely‐collected tropical city‐state of Singapore. The findings of this study indicate that plant rediscoveries and new discoveries are still possible in cities and urban areas with remaining fragments of original forest reserved for species protection, and investment in comprehensive botanical surveys and taxonomic research.\u0000\u0000The conservation of native species‐dominated forest fragments and investment into botanical surveys and taxonomic research have enabled the rediscovery of presumed nationally extinct plant taxa and discovery of new native plant records in the tropical city‐state of Singapore.\u0000We compared national plant checklists of 2009, 2022, and the national Red Data Book (third edition in press) to enumerate rediscovered and newly discovered native vascular plant taxa in the last 14 years. We examined if these were from taxonomic specialist redetermination of only pre‐existing specimens or newly collected from field surveys, and if they were from particular sites and vegetation types, disproportionately represented by certain life forms and families, and predominantly threatened.\u0000We documented 173 rediscoveries and 155 new records after 2009, including 22 new to science and five endemics. Most rediscoveries were newly collected from field surveys, but most new records resulted from redetermination of pre‐existing specimens. Native species‐dominated forest fragments were the most important sites for the first collection of new records or first re‐collection of rediscoveries. Trees and climbers were well‐represented among the rediscoveries and new records. Epiphytes were significantly under‐represented compared to their proportion in the presumed nationally extinct flora. Most rediscoveries and new records are nationally Critically Endangered but regionally and globally not assessed.\u0000Our findings indicate hope for the persistence of rare native plant species and opportunities for conservation in cities.\u0000","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"53 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139527576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Fuks, Frijda Schmidt, M. I. García-Collado, Margot Besseiche, Neal Payne, Giovanna Bosi, Charlène Bouchaud, E. Castiglioni, Vladimir Dabrowski, Suembikya Frumin, Dorian Q. Fuller, Roman Hovsepyan, S. Muthukumaran, L. Peña-Chocarro, Guillem Pérez Jordá, Jérôme Ros, M. Rottoli, Philippa Ryan, Robert Spengler, Chris J. Stevens, S. Valamoti, Ehud Weiss, Michelle M. Alexander, M. Gros‐Balthazard
Agrobiodiversity is central to sustainable farming worldwide. Cultivation, conservation and reintroduction of diverse plant species, including ‘forgotten’ and ‘underutilized’ crops, contribute to global agrobiodiversity, living ecosystems and sustainable food production. Such efforts benefit from traditional and historical knowledge of crop plants' evolutionary and cultural trajectories. This review is a first attempt at systematically gauging species representativeness in studies of archaeological plant remains. Results indicate that, in addition to discipline‐specific methodological sources of bias, modern agricultural biases may replicate themselves in crop history research and influence understandings of ‘forgotten crops’. Recognizing these biases is an initial stride towards rectifying them and promoting agrobiodiversity in both research and practical applications.So‐called ‘forgotten’ or ‘orphan’ crops are an important component of strategies aimed at preserving and promoting biodiversity. Knowledge of historical cultivation, usage, and geographic and evolutionary trajectories of plants, that is, crop history research, is important for the long‐term success of such efforts. However, research biases in the crops chosen for study may present hurdles. This review attempts to systematically identify patterns in crop species representativeness within archaeology‐based crop history research. A meta‐analysis and synthesis of archaeobotanical evidence (and lack thereof) is presented for 268 species known to have been cultivated for food prior to 1492 CE from the Mediterranean region to South Asia. We identified 39 genera with known crop plants in this geographical and historical context that are currently absent from its archaeobotanical record, constituting ‘orphan’ crops of archaeobotany. In addition, a worldwide synthesis of crop species studied using geometric morphometric, archaeogenetic and stable isotope analyses of archaeological plant remains is presented, and biases in the species represented in these disciplines are discussed. Both disciplinary methodological biases and economic agenda‐based biases affecting species representativeness in crop history research are apparent. This study also highlights the limited geographic diffusion of most crops and the potential for deeper historical perspectives on how crops become marginalized and ‘forgotten’.
{"title":"Orphan crops of archaeology‐based crop history research","authors":"D. Fuks, Frijda Schmidt, M. I. García-Collado, Margot Besseiche, Neal Payne, Giovanna Bosi, Charlène Bouchaud, E. Castiglioni, Vladimir Dabrowski, Suembikya Frumin, Dorian Q. Fuller, Roman Hovsepyan, S. Muthukumaran, L. Peña-Chocarro, Guillem Pérez Jordá, Jérôme Ros, M. Rottoli, Philippa Ryan, Robert Spengler, Chris J. Stevens, S. Valamoti, Ehud Weiss, Michelle M. Alexander, M. Gros‐Balthazard","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10468","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10468","url":null,"abstract":"Agrobiodiversity is central to sustainable farming worldwide. Cultivation, conservation and reintroduction of diverse plant species, including ‘forgotten’ and ‘underutilized’ crops, contribute to global agrobiodiversity, living ecosystems and sustainable food production. Such efforts benefit from traditional and historical knowledge of crop plants' evolutionary and cultural trajectories. This review is a first attempt at systematically gauging species representativeness in studies of archaeological plant remains. Results indicate that, in addition to discipline‐specific methodological sources of bias, modern agricultural biases may replicate themselves in crop history research and influence understandings of ‘forgotten crops’. Recognizing these biases is an initial stride towards rectifying them and promoting agrobiodiversity in both research and practical applications.So‐called ‘forgotten’ or ‘orphan’ crops are an important component of strategies aimed at preserving and promoting biodiversity. Knowledge of historical cultivation, usage, and geographic and evolutionary trajectories of plants, that is, crop history research, is important for the long‐term success of such efforts. However, research biases in the crops chosen for study may present hurdles. This review attempts to systematically identify patterns in crop species representativeness within archaeology‐based crop history research. A meta‐analysis and synthesis of archaeobotanical evidence (and lack thereof) is presented for 268 species known to have been cultivated for food prior to 1492 CE from the Mediterranean region to South Asia. We identified 39 genera with known crop plants in this geographical and historical context that are currently absent from its archaeobotanical record, constituting ‘orphan’ crops of archaeobotany. In addition, a worldwide synthesis of crop species studied using geometric morphometric, archaeogenetic and stable isotope analyses of archaeological plant remains is presented, and biases in the species represented in these disciplines are discussed. Both disciplinary methodological biases and economic agenda‐based biases affecting species representativeness in crop history research are apparent. This study also highlights the limited geographic diffusion of most crops and the potential for deeper historical perspectives on how crops become marginalized and ‘forgotten’.","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"24 23","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139530601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maize is one of the most consumed grains worldwide. Its production and international trade are expected to continue increasing because of its use as animal fodder and direct human food. Although maize's history spans millennia, in the last century it underwent significant changes due to genetic engineering, particularly during the Green Revolution. Due to maize's importance for current food security and energy production, it is fundamental to understand this engineering process to assess the implications of current styles of maize production for local and global landscapes, scientific institutions, and transnational networks of agricultural science. This article aims to explain how Mexican agricultural expertise contributed to the development of cytogenetics as a specialized field in the study of the diversity of maize within the framework of the Green Revolution. To this end, the article follows the work of Mexican agronomist Takeo Ángel Kato Yamakake within the activities of the Inter‐American Maize Improvement Program (IMIP), formally established in 1960. By reconstructing the debate on the genetic implications of chromosomal structure and function, this study contributes to the historiography devoted to the role played by local experts in the classification, experimentation, and conservation of maize. The article is based on sources from Mexico and the United States, an interview with Kato, and the consultation of the database “Rockefeller Fellows. Individual Mobility Awards at Rockefeller‐endowed Organizations, 1914‐1970.” Kato's trajectory provides an overview of agronomy in Mexico and shows the relevance of transnational exchange in the establishment of plant cytogenetics. Kato's academic activity features collaborations with key figures such as Edwin Wellhausen, Albert Longley, Barbara McClintock, W. Gallinat, Czeslawa Prywer, and Almiro Blumenschein. A Green Revolution era quest to unravel the origin of maize as a way of perfecting its genetic manipulation fueled the interest in establishing cytogenetics in Mexico. However, the irruption of the molecular approach made the study of the position of chromosomal knobs less of a priority. Despite this, classical cytogenetics, under Kato's leadership, remains a field that contributed to the knowledge of the vegetal genome, even when the IMIP disappeared and the logic of the Green Revolution lost its centrality.
{"title":"Cytogenetics of maize in Mexico as a field of transnational exchange: The case of Takeo Ángel Kato Yamakake","authors":"Diana Alejandra Méndez Rojas","doi":"10.1002/ppp3.10483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10483","url":null,"abstract":"Maize is one of the most consumed grains worldwide. Its production and international trade are expected to continue increasing because of its use as animal fodder and direct human food. Although maize's history spans millennia, in the last century it underwent significant changes due to genetic engineering, particularly during the Green Revolution. Due to maize's importance for current food security and energy production, it is fundamental to understand this engineering process to assess the implications of current styles of maize production for local and global landscapes, scientific institutions, and transnational networks of agricultural science.\u0000\u0000This article aims to explain how Mexican agricultural expertise contributed to the development of cytogenetics as a specialized field in the study of the diversity of maize within the framework of the Green Revolution. To this end, the article follows the work of Mexican agronomist Takeo Ángel Kato Yamakake within the activities of the Inter‐American Maize Improvement Program (IMIP), formally established in 1960. By reconstructing the debate on the genetic implications of chromosomal structure and function, this study contributes to the historiography devoted to the role played by local experts in the classification, experimentation, and conservation of maize.\u0000The article is based on sources from Mexico and the United States, an interview with Kato, and the consultation of the database “Rockefeller Fellows. Individual Mobility Awards at Rockefeller‐endowed Organizations, 1914‐1970.”\u0000Kato's trajectory provides an overview of agronomy in Mexico and shows the relevance of transnational exchange in the establishment of plant cytogenetics. Kato's academic activity features collaborations with key figures such as Edwin Wellhausen, Albert Longley, Barbara McClintock, W. Gallinat, Czeslawa Prywer, and Almiro Blumenschein.\u0000A Green Revolution era quest to unravel the origin of maize as a way of perfecting its genetic manipulation fueled the interest in establishing cytogenetics in Mexico. However, the irruption of the molecular approach made the study of the position of chromosomal knobs less of a priority. Despite this, classical cytogenetics, under Kato's leadership, remains a field that contributed to the knowledge of the vegetal genome, even when the IMIP disappeared and the logic of the Green Revolution lost its centrality.\u0000","PeriodicalId":508327,"journal":{"name":"PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET","volume":"49 23","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139533195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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