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< Back The 2023 Annual LIMPP Workshop: Focus on Student Engagement The LIMPP Workshop takes place annually and aims to train students and discuss results with them. The LIMPP Workshop , an annual event organized by the Laboratory of Molecular Plant-Pest Interactions of Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (Embrapa Cenargen) , centered its 2023 edition on students engagement , emphasizing their training and active participation in the discussion of research outcomes . Held on November 17 th and 20 th, the LIMPP Workshop provided a platform for m aster’s and undergraduate students, and technical professionals to present the progress and outcomes of their projects conducted throughout 2023. This year's workshop was skilfully coordinated by Master's student Náttany Souza Costa and Undergraduate student Sara Rocha. Their leadership was complemented by the guidance of postdoctoral researcher Francisco Humberto Henrique and researcher Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa. As well as presenting the results, the workshop was designed to equip students with essential presentation skills, including slide preparation and the ability to respond to questions from both a review panel and the attending audience. A total of 12 engaging presentations took place over the two days of the event. Below are the photographs capturing moments from each presentation: The master's students Gabriele Louise Trindade Araújo and Náttany Souza Costa. The technical training André Campos Soares and Mateus Meira dos Santos presenting your results in the LIMPP Workshop. The master's students Naiara Cordeiro Santos and João Pedro Abreu Sousa.The technical training Mariana Hildebrand and Gustavo Ruffo presenting your results in the LIMPP Workshop. The master's students Julia Moura do Rosário Santana and Lays Antunes Teixeira. The technical training Raíre Cavalcante and undergraduate student Sara Rocha presenting your results in the LIMPP Workshop.

< Back More efficient maize growth Maize has a significantly higher productivity rate compared with many other crops. The particular leaf anatomy and special form of photosynthesis (referred to as 'C4') developed during its evolution allow maize to grow considerably faster than comparable plants. As a result, maize needs more efficient transport strategies to distribute the photoassimilates produced during photosynthesis throughout the plant. Researchers at HHU have now discovered a phloem loading mechanism that has not been described before -- the bundle sheath surrounding the vasculature as the place for the actual transport of compounds such as sugars or amino acids. The development of this mechanism could have been the decisive evolutionary step towards the higher transport rate that has made maize plants especially successful and useful. It is also likely linked to the more effective C4 photosynthesis used by maize compared with other plants, which only use C3 photosynthesis. The study was led by Dr. Ji Yun Kim and Prof. Dr. Wolf B. Frommer from the Institute of Molecular Physiology at HHU. Plant leaves have different structures on the upper (adaxial) and lower (abaxial) sides, and each side performs different tasks. In maize, for example, sucrose transporters (SWEET) act in the `bundle sheath cells' (which frame the vascular bundle like a wreath) on the abaxial side of the leaf. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, sugars released via SWEETs from phloem parenchyma cells are transported directly into the neighbouring companion cells via active transport. In maize, sugar is released in the direction of phloem by two large bundle sheath cells. The large surface of the bundle sheath cells compared to phloem parenchyma allows much higher transport rates. Compared to Arabidopsis, maize could transport sugar more effectively. Doctoral student and first author Margaret Bezrutczyk from HHU emphasize: "The bundle sheath cells arranged in a wreath look the same at first glance. The single cell sequencing approach we used made it possible for the first time to distinguish between different types of bundle sheath cells in a maize leaf. With this technology, we expect that more cell types, especially those in the vascular bundles will be discovered in the future." Institute Head Prof. Frommer emphasizes the significance of the finding, saying: "Maize plants are extremely productive due to their C4 photosynthesis. It is conceivable that the productivity of rice or other crops can be increased by transferring the loading mechanism from maize to these crops." Source: Materials provided by Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf . Original written by Arne Claussen. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Margaret Bezrutczyk, Nora R. Zöllner, Colin P. S. Kruse, Thomas Hartwig, Tobias Lautwein, Karl Köhrer, Wolf B. Frommer and Ji-Yun Kim. Evidence for phloem loading via the abaxial bundle sheath cells in maize leaves . The Plant Cell , 2021 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaa055

< Back Biotechnology generates alternatives to climate change Using genetic engineering, a biotechnologist develops drought-tolerant soybean plants and receives awards. Climate change has proven to be one of the greatest threats to agricultural sustainability and productivity worldwide, and soybean cultivation is no exception. Increasing global average temperatures, occurrences of extreme weather events, and water stress have significantly affected this economically and nutritionally valuable crop. To mitigate the effects of water stress on soybean cultivation, efforts include the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, particularly the use of biotechnology to generate genetic variability and offer more resilient plants to these effects. And it is in this context that biotechnologist Luanna Pinheiro de Albuquerque Freitas Bezerra - a Ph.D. student in the Program in Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology at the Catholic University of Brasília (UCB) - has been developing her thesis under the guidance of Dr. Maria Fátima Grossi-de-Sá at Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology / CENARGEN. According to Luanna, "the study provides innovative strategies and a biotechnological solution for the development of superior soybean cultivars, thus mitigating the negative effects on productivity generated by drought stress." Using precision genetic engineering, Luanna aims to suppress the death of soybean plant cells when they are in a drought situation. The project has two strategies. In the first strategy, a system was developed for the overexpression of the GmBiP gene via dCas9-VP64. The second strategy involves a non-transgenic alternative for the development of drought-tolerant soybean. For this purpose, the GmNAC030 gene was knocked out via CRISPR/Cas9. And the results obtained by Luanna have already earned her two awards. In 2022, the project came in second place at the XXVI Student Talent Meeting of Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Post-graduate level. In 2023, presenting the results of your thesis, Luanna received an honorable mention at the VIII Brazilian Symposium on Molecular Genetics of Plants. The poster titled: "Precision genetic engineering for drought tolerance in soybeans and its effects on the programmed cell death pathway of the endoplasmic reticulum" was among the best among all the posters at the Symposium.

< Back Dr. Marcio Alves-Ferreira talked about his latest paper in Plant Biology 2022 Conference From Plant Biology 2022: Plants vs Insects Session Recap At Plant Biology 2022, a varied group of speakers presented the latest advances from one of the oldest wars that takes place in our world: Plants versus insects, during the “Plants Versus Insects” concurrent symposium on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Attendees heard news from multiple front lines: cotton, cowpea, and Arabidopsis, and I served as a correspondent to share the details of this gathering with the global plant science community. Let’s go! Cotton vs Cotton Boll Weevil During the first talk, Chair Dr. Marcio Alves-Ferreira , from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, talked about his latest paper in Current Plant Biology . They aimed to identify molecular players mediating the defense response of cotton ( Gossypium spp) to the Cotton Boll Weevil (CBW, Anthonomus grandis ), an insect pest that attacks reproductive structures causing severe loss in cotton fiber production. Plants identify herbivores through Herbivore-Associated Molecular Patterns (HAMPs), such as molecules present in insect oral secretions (a combination of regurgitated material from the gut and saliva). HAMPs are recognized by membrane receptors that can activate Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAKPs), that participate in the transduction of the signal leading to the establishment of the defense response (see Snoeck et al., 2022 ). The series of events that take place from the recognition of patterns to the set-up of the inducible defenses is collectively known as Pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). PTI has been deeply studied in the interaction between plants and pathogens (for more information and the newest research on the topic, see more from Plant Biology 2022 via Plant Biology EXTENDED, coming soon!). Dr. Alves-Ferreira and collaborators found that different CBW extracts, such as oral secretions or egg extracts, were able to activate MAPKs in cotton and in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, the activation of MAPKs was independent of previously characterized receptors required for the defense against bacteria or fungus. Together, their results showed that HAMPs from CBW activate PTI, although the receptors involved remain unknown ( de Moura et al., 2022 ). Dr. Alves-Ferreira also mentioned that they are working on the analysis of a RNAseq data from cotton leaves infested with CBW in order to keep dinging in the molecular pathways behind the cotton-CBW battle. Stay alert for news! Know Your Weapons: Not All Jasmonates are the Same! The next talk was about one of my favorite topics: Jasmonates. For those who haven’t had the chance to talk to me (maybe the lucky ones, he!), jasmonates are a group of lipid-derived compounds that regulate the balance between growth and defense ( Wasternack and Feussner, 2018 ). Ariel Sorg, a PhD student from the Gilroy lab (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA), found that specific jasmonates are required for different responses, i.e., some jasmonates trigger defenses against herbivores, while others are required for growth repression. By the way, I must mention that they have designed a robot that regularly touches plants to induce stress responses. Besides being super cool, the robot could mimic signals derived from flying insects casually touching leaves. Cowpea vs Lepidoptera (with some help from Nicotiana benthamiana and Manduca sexta ) Inceptin, a HAMP present in Lepidoptera oral secretions ( Schmelz et al., 2006 ; Schmelz et al., 2007 ), enhance the expression of defense genes in cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ), such as Kunitz trypsin inhibitors (KTI). KTI are anti-insect proteins that affect the digestion of leaf tissues in the larvae guts, and therefore, are detrimental for growing. KTIs contain a variable number of cysteines that form disulfide bonds required for protein structure and stability ( Blow et al., 1974 ). PhD student Natalia Guayazan Palacios presented her work with the Steinbrenner lab (University of Washington, USA) where they designed a heterologous system to study whether the number of cysteines can also impact KTI anti-herbivore function. They expressed different versions of KTIs in N. benthamiana and performed bioassays with M. sexta . After letting the caterpillars feed on the leaves, the researchers recorded the growth of the caterpillars, and then extracted proteins from different sections of the digestive system of the insects. They followed the presence of KTIs and, as control, peroxidases (inceptin-induced defense proteins with a different activity) by western blot. Only KTIs were found in the guts, which is consistent with their anti-digestive function. Therefore, the N. benthamiana-M. sexta system can be a powerful tool to test protease inhibitors as potential direct defenses. And, with respect to the role of the cysteines in KTI activity, I think we may have interesting news soon! Plants vs Aphids vs Ladybugs To keep in line with the multiple advantages of using N. benthamiana as tool, I will continue with the talk of Dr. Georg Jander from the Boyce Thompson Institute, USA. RNA interference (RNAi) technologies are emerging as a powerful tool to control pests. They rely on engineering a plant to express a RNAi that targets insect genes needed for growth or development. However, if the RNAi is not species-specific, it may damage beneficial insects. Dr. Jander and collaborators used N. bentamiana plants expressing a RNAi against green peach aphids ( Myzus persicae ), and evaluate if the RNAi was transmitted to, and could negatively affect ladybugs ( Coccinella septempunctata ) that prey on the aphids. For those like me who love ladybugs: don’t worry! Even if RNAi was found in the ladybugs, it can be designed in a way that is only detrimental to aphids. Phew! Arabidopsis vs Aphids Finally, also belonging to the aphid world, there was the presentation of Dr. Keyan Zhu-Salzman (Texas A&M University, USA), where she explained a recent paper from her lab about how plants coordinate defenses with their daily rhythm. Circadian clock-regulated defenses allow plants to anticipate pest attacks and allocate resources at the most beneficial time of the day, thus minimizing metabolic cost. A previous report found that CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1), a well-known central circadian clock regulator, link daily cycles with defenses against Trichoplusia ni caterpillars ( Goodspeed et al., 2012 ). Dr. Zhu-Salzman and her team found that although a functional circadian clock confer resistance to green peach aphids, CCA1 over expression lines, that lack circadian rhythm, were more resistant to aphid feeding. To solve the mystery behind this apparent contradiction, they performed in-depth data mining using published transcriptomic data sets and found that CCA1 regulates indolic glucosinolates (iGS) biosynthesis. Their results showed that CCA1 has a role in both circadian dependent and independent defenses ( Lei et al., 2019 ). Source: ASPN

< Back CAPES Thesis Award 2021 Tese premiada pela Capes valida sistema de melhoramento por edição de genoma e apresenta novo protocolo para transformação da soja O interesse pela genética de plantas sempre conduziu a vida acadêmica do bioquímico Bruno Paes de Melo, que se dedicou a ela na graduação na UFV, como bolsista de iniciação científica, no mestrado e no doutorado, esses realizados no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Aplicada . Foi em sua última experiência como estudante da UFV que Bruno desenvolveu a tese Transcriptional modulation and characterization of plant-specific transacting factors , defendida em 2020. O trabalho rendeu a ele destaque na 16ª edição do Prêmio Capes de Tese, cujo resultado foi divulgado no dia 3 de setembro. Orientada pela professora Elizabeth Pacheco Batista Fontes – sua orientadora desde a iniciação científica -, a tese ficou entre as 49 selecionadas das 1.376 avaliadas de todo o país. Na pesquisa premiada pela Capes na área de Ciências Agrárias I, Bruno explorou a funcionalidade de alguns fatores de transcrição (reguladores centrais da expressão gênica nas células) em plantas submetidas a diferentes situações de estresse. Sua exploração acabou revelando à comunidade científica novos alvos e, consequentemente, novas metodologias para o melhoramento genético moderno ou biotecnológico. Com seu estudo, o pesquisador apresentou maneiras inovadoras de se fazer plantas com performances melhores diante de diferentes desafios. A tese tem quatro capítulos que Bruno define como “diferentes entre si, mas com dois focos”: a validação de um sistema de melhoramento biotecnológico por edição de genoma e a otimização de um protocolo para transformação genética da soja e a caracterização de novos genes-alvo para esse fim. No que diz respeito à validação do sistema de melhoramento, a proposta do Bruno foi explorar a funcionalidade de AREB-1, um fator de transcrição, da planta do gênero Arabidopsis , que descende de um ancestral comum de algumas hortaliças, como a couve e a mostarda. A opção em explorar a Arabidopsis se deu pelo fato de que, no universo das plantas, ela é considerada modelo, já que tem todo um genoma muito bem descrito e as vias metabólicas e de sinalização celular bem elucidadas. “É uma planta em que a transformação genética é muito fácil”, explica Bruno. Segundo ele, quando se faz um trabalho em Arabidopsis , sabe-se o que esperar. “Como eu precisava testar uma nova estratégia, isso precisaria ser feito num sistema que eu conhecesse a resposta, para saber se havia ou não dado certo”. Bruno descreveu uma nova estratégia de modulação da transcrição de AREB-1 por CRISPR/dCas9 em Arabidopsis para tolerância à seca. O AREB-1 é extensivamente caracterizado nas adaptações fisiológicas ao estresse hídrico. Ou seja, a função desse gene é conferir à planta maior tolerância ao estresse hídrico. Assim, plantas que têm a expressão deste gene aumentada são mais tolerantes à seca. Em sua pesquisa, Bruno aumentou a transcrição deste gene utilizando CRISPR/dCas9, uma estratégia de modulação transcricional baseada em edição de genoma que ainda é muito nova, tendo despontado na biotecnologia há menos de 10 anos. Ele fez isso a partir de uma alteração na cromatina (complexo de DNA e proteínas que se encontra dentro do núcleo celular) de modo a facilitar o acesso da maquinaria de transcrição ao local onde o gene AREB-1 se encontra. Essa abordagem usada para modular a expressão de um gene foi inovadora. O pesquisador explica que, geralmente, quando se quer fazer a modulação de um gene ou se coloca um promotor de vírus, que fica expressando todo o tempo na planta, ou se faz um silenciamento para inibir aquele gene. “O que fiz foi uma alteração do genoma em nível estrutural. Eu alterei a forma do genoma e isso fez com que a expressão desse gene aumentasse”, conta o pesquisador. Por isso, justifica, “escolhi a Arabidopsis , porque se a expressão do gene aumentasse, eu já sabia tudo o que iria acontecer com a planta”. Segundo Bruno, a superexpressão do gene AREB-1 mediada por CRISPR promoveu uma melhora no desempenho fisiológico das plantas transgênicas em 30 dias de privação de água. Os resultados revelam, portanto, uma estratégia molecular que permite a ativação racional de genes endógenos em plantas por meio de modulação da atividade da cromatina direcionada a um interesse agronômico. “Com essa edição do genoma, eu consegui obter plantas que, mesmo em déficit severo de água, tiveram boa performance, ou seja, não morreram e permaneceram verdes e produtivas. Eu validei uma estratégia que pode ser aplicada em grandes e quaisquer culturas, como a soja. A estratégia é universal”. Funções da família NAC na soja Durante o doutorado, Bruno também aprofundou seus estudos em fatores de transcrição NAC, genes que ele pesquisa desde 2013, que foi, inclusive, objeto de sua dissertação de mestrado. NAC é uma superfamília com 180 membros de genes, número atualizado em sua pesquisa de mestrado. Até então, apenas 132 genes eram descritos como pertencentes à família NAC na soja. Na pesquisa premiada pela Capes, o objetivo foi explorar as funções de dois genes NAC no controle de respostas a estresses e à senescência na soja. A proposta era elencar possíveis alvos para o melhoramento molecular, pois a partir do momento em que se conhece o gene e a função dele, se sabe como manipulá-lo dentro da planta com as características que se deseja. Bruno conta que os fatores de transcrição da família NAC têm o que se chama de plasticidade funcional: “alguns deles conferem tolerância a estresses múltiplos”. Tal característica permitiu que o pesquisador explorasse genes que tinham papéis contrastantes: um deles conferia resistência ou tolerância a vários tipos de estresse e atenuava a senescência e outro fazia justamente o contrário, aumentava a suscetibilidade da planta a estes mesmos estresses e acelerava a senescência. Bruno fez a transformação de Arabidopsis com estes genes para conferir se o efeito sobre a planta era o que se desejava para uma característica agronômica, visando transformar a soja. “Como a transformação da soja é difícil, o que se constitui num aspecto limitante para o seu melhoramento, eu desenvolvi um protocolo para facilitar a transformação desta planta e melhorar a eficiência deste processo”, conta o pesquisador. Para isso, ele combinou duas técnicas na metodologia para a transformação genética da soja: a biolística (transferência direta de DNA em uma célula para criação de organismos transgênicos) e a transformação mediada por Agrobacterium tumefaciens (bactéria do solo bastante utilizada na geração de plantas transgênicas). Na prática, Bruno fez microferidas em células do eixo embrionário da soja aumentando a infectividade da bactéria, que é capaz de transferir um DNA exógeno para a planta. Em geral, os protocolos atuais que empregam a Agrobacterium tumefaciens ou a biolística exibem baixa eficiência e exigem etapas sucessivas de cultivo e regeneração de plantas in vitro , com extensas perdas por contaminação e escurecimento do tecido. No protocolo desenvolvido por Bruno, a soja é transformada e regenerada in vitro em um único passo, reduzindo, assim, o tempo de geração das plantas transgênicas. De acordo com o pesquisador, num melhoramento convencional, este tempo pode chegar a até 12 meses. Com o seu protocolo, o processo de regeneração da soja é finalizado em até seis semanas. Além disso, a alta capacidade regenerativa do eixo embrionário permite alongamento do caule, desenvolvimento radicular e regeneração da planta. Durante a sua investigação, Bruno também identificou 32 novos genes NAC putativos, ou seja, genes que, apesar de terem as mesmas características dos NAC já descritos, não podem ser assim considerados plenamente pelo fato de que nem todos foram validados. Com essa descoberta, o pesquisador atualizou a superfamília no genoma da soja que já tinha 180 membros. “Já era uma família bem descrita, com muitos membros já caracterizados. Com a descoberta de 32 novos genes-alvo, abrem-se mais possibilidades para o melhoramento biotecnológico explorar suas diferentes funções na resistência a estresses específicos”. Importância O pesquisador que atua numa multinacional do mercado de sementes lembra que, atualmente, grande parte das cultivares produzidas no Brasil é transgênica. Em sua opinião, os transgênicos vieram para, dentre outras possibilidades, melhorar a produção, a resistência à praga e o desempenho das plantas, especialmente em momentos como o que estamos vivendo de grandes mudanças climáticas. Por essa razão, considera que seu trabalho traz uma importante contribuição à agricultura. “Estou mostrando novos métodos de se fazer transgênicos e um melhoramento muito mais associado à biotecnologia do que ao melhoramento clássico”. Nesse último, de acordo com Bruno, se cruza, por exemplo, uma planta resistente com uma outra que produz muito para se obter uma planta resistente e produtiva. “Agora, com o melhoramento biotecnológico, se consegue colocar as duas características ao mesmo tempo na planta”. A pesquisa de Bruno teve o apoio da Capes e foi realizada no Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Plantas do Instituto de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária (Bioagro) da UFV. Esse laboratório é associado ao Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT) em Interações Planta-Praga, coordenado pela professora Elizabeth Fontes. O estudo gerou a publicação de artigos em periódicos importantes, dentre eles a Frontiers in Plant Science, referência na área de biologia molecular de plantas, e a Scientific Reports, que integra o grupo Nature. Além disso, virou capítulo de livros e recebeu menção honrosa no International Symposium on Plant Molecular Genetics, promovido pela Sociedade Brasileira de Genética. Source: UFV and CAPES

< Back INCT PlantStress Biotech’s Participation in the International Congress of Nematology (ICN) in Antibes Juan-Les-Pins, France Professor Robert Miller (UnB), a member of the INCT PlantStress Biotech , participated in the 7th International Congress of Nematology (ICN) in Antibes Juan-Les-Pins, France, between the 1st and 6th of May 2022. As an invited speaker in the omics session, he delivered a lecture entitled “Analysis of the banana root transcriptome in response to root-knot nematode infection and water deficit” with focus on results generated in the INCT project. Drought and nematodes are constraints to global agriculture that can occur simultaneously. Banana ( Musa spp.), whilst among the world’s most widely consumed fruits, is susceptible to both drought stress as well as infection by the endoparasitic root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita . Data from a transcriptome analysis of the responses to RKN, drought and combined stresses in a drought resistant Musa acuminata genotype from the Embrapa breeding program was presented. The ICN conference provided a forum for presentation and discussion on the state of the art of nematology, with the participation of scientists from more than 55 countries worldwide - https://www.alphavisa.com/icn/2020/index.php .

< Back Coordinator of the INCT PlantStress Biotech participated in the RNAi Discussion Forum during the Brazilian Congress of Entomology The researcher and coordinator of INCT PlantStress Biotech, Maria Fatima Grossi de Sa, participated in the RNAi Discussion Forum held on September 24, 2024, during the XXIX Brazilian Congress of Entomology in Uberlândia. At the event, she presented a talk titled 'RNAi Approach for Insect Pest Control: Advances, Applications, and Challenges.' Professors Diogo Manzano Galdeano from UFV and José Dijair Antonino from UFRPE also participated in the forum. The discussions addressed various aspects of using RNAi technology for controlling insect pests, combating insect vectors of phytopathogens, and the potential application of biocontrol and RNAi technologies in insect pest management.

< Back Highlight of the INCT PlantStress Biotech at the International Congress of the Brazilian Genetics Society – Genetica 2025 The INCT PlantStress Biotech is a pioneering initiative at the forefront of biotechnology, committed to developing groundbreaking solutions that significantly enhance crop resilience to environmental stresses, including drought, salinity, pests, and extreme temperatures. By harnessing the vast biodiversity of Brazil, the project isolates innovative biotechnological assets to generate biotech products that combat pests (via in planta and topical applications), improve drought tolerance, reducing dependence on chemical inputs, and driving sustainable and high-impact practices in Brazilian agriculture. Supporting Brazil’s vital role as a leading global food exporter, the actions of the INCT foster innovation in genetically modified and gene-edited crops, diversifies the agricultural biotech market, and bolster the country’s scientific and technological leadership. Ultimately, INCT is transforming Brazilian agriculture, safeguarding food security, conserving resources, and cementing Brazil’s position as a global leader in cutting-edge agricultural technology. At the International Congress of the Brazilian Genetics Society – Genetica 2025, held in Belém, Pará, from August 13 to 16, 2025, the INCT PlantStress Biotech team led a dynamic session titled “Strategies for Mitigating Abiotic and Biotic Stress in Agriculture.” This influential session showcased three pioneering studies: 1- "Unraveling the molecular and physiological memory responses of the Setaria viridis root system to climate changes," by researcher Marcio Alves Ferreira (UFRJ-RJ); 2- "Molecular and physiological responses to water stress in rice: searching for a resilient crop," by researcher Antonio Costa de Oliveira (UFPEL-RS); and 3- "Innovations in nanoformulations for enhanced RNAi-based insect pest control: overcoming challenges and improving efficacy," by researcher Maria Fátima Grossi de Sa (Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília-DF). Through innovative biotechnology and collaborative efforts, INCT PlantStress Biotech is paving the way for a sustainable, resilient, and globally competitive future for Brazilian agriculture.

< Back INCT PlantStress Biotech Coordinator Receives World’s Top Entomology Award The coordinator of the INCT PlantStress Biotech, Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa, was awarded the prestigious researcher Certificate of Distinction by the Council of the International Congress of Entomology on August 25 in Kyoto, Japan. The esteemed accolade is recognized as the highest honor in entomology worldwide and was presented during the XXVII International Congress of Entomology (ICE 2024). This distinguished award is bestowed every four years to researchers or research groups that have made remarkable contributions to advancing the understanding of entomology. Dr. Grossi-de-Sa’s recognition highlights her profound impact on the field, showcasing her innovative research and unwavering commitment to overcoming critical challenges in biotechnology pest control. As a leader in research, Dr. Grossi-de-Sa utilizes advanced genetic engineering technologies, including RNA interference (RNAi) and genome editing, to develop plants resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. Her research focuses on creating transgenic cotton plants that withstand the cotton boll weevil, significantly benefiting the Brazilian cotton industry. Additionally, she is developing genetically modified soybean and cotton crops resistant to caterpillars, root-knot nematodes ( Meloidogyne spp), and tolerant to drought.

< Back INCT PlantStress Biotech’s Participation in the Crop Genomics for Global Food Security Workshop at PAG 2024 Professor Robert Miller (UnB), a member of the INCT PlantStress Biotech, participated in the 31st Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG ) in San Diego, California, USA between 12-17 January 2024 . As an invited speaker at the Crop Genomics for Global Food Security Workshop, he delivered a lecture entitled “Functional Genomics Approaches to Promote Stress Resilience in Musa” with focus on results generated in the INCT project. The fungal pathogen Pseudocercospora musae is responsible for Sigatoka leaf spot disease, which results in considerable economic losses in bananas, especially in the important Cavendish subgroup. A transcriptome analysis of the early-stage immune responses to P. musae was investigated in resistant Musa acuminata Calcutta 4 leaf material. Data on the characterization of the microRNAs in the early-stage immune response was also presented. The PAG conference provides a forum for presentation and discussion on recent developments and future applications for plant and animal genome projects worldwide. The conference is typically attended by scientists from more than 65 countries worldwide.

< Back INCT PlantStress Biotech: Disseminating Knowledge in Educational Institutions Dr. Ana Cristina Miranda Brasileiro from Embrapa – Cenargen, a member of the INCT PlantStress Biotech, has transfered and disseminated knowledge and technological innovations generated by INCT PlantStress Biotech to society through her participation in science education programs for elementary and high school students from public and private schools in the Distrito Federal (DF) and by welcoming these students for visits to Embrapa. Some of these actions include lectures on the topic “Biotechnology and Transgenics in our daily lives” in the following public schools in the DF: Centro de Ensino Médio Elefante Branco (Cemeb); Centro de Ensino Fundamental No. 01 do Cruzeiro and Centro de Ensino Fundamental 04 – Planaltina, and also Colégio Pódium, a private high school. Other actions included her participation in lectures and visits to Embrapa-Cenargen by students from Escola Polivalente, a public high school within Embrapa’s “Programa Portas Abertas”. These knowledge-transference actions to society are an important component of the INCT PlantStress Biotech and aim to bring science and biotechnology to the general public, mainly elementary and high school students and teachers. The ultimate goal is to integrate science and technology into the everyday lives of the citizens, contributing to the formation through enhanced perception, awareness, and the demystification of scientific subjects.

< Back Genetic engineering can have a positive effect on the climate Agriculture accounts for around 25 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. A large share of these emissions is due to livestock production and fertilizer use. However, more than one-third of agriculture's emissions is caused by land-use change, especially the conversion of forests and other nature reserves to agricultural land in order to satisfy the rising global demand for food and feed. "Using better technologies to increase crop yields on the land already cultivated could reduce this land-use change and the associated emissions," says study author Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim, Director of the Center for Development Research at the University of Bonn. Certain types of genetically modified crops -- such as GM maize and soybean -- are widely grown in other parts of the world, but hardly in Europe. "The main reasons are public acceptance issues and political hurdles," says Qaim. In the new study, he and his colleagues from the Breakthrough Institute used global agricultural data and estimates of the yield effects of GM crops to model how increased technology adoption in the EU would affect production, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions. The estimates suggest that more widespread use of genetically modified crops in the EU could prevent the release of 33 million tons of CO2 equivalents, which corresponds to 7.5 percent of the EU's total annual greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. Higher yields in the EU would have a global effect "Most of these positive climate effects are attributable to reduced land-use change," says Dr. Emma Kovak from the Breakthrough Institute, the study's first author. The conclusion of the research team: "The EU imports a lot of maize and soybean from Brazil, where the expansion of agricultural land contributes to tropical deforestation. Higher yields in the EU could reduce some of these imports and thus help preserve the Amazon rainforest." The authors stress that in their analysis they only look at already-existing genetically modified crops. "New genomic breeding technologies are currently being used to develop a wide range of new crop applications that could lead to additional climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits in the future," says Matin Qaim. The agricultural economist is a member of the Transdisciplinary Research Area "Sustainable Futures" and Cluster of Excellence "PhenoRob -- Robotics and Phenotyping for Sustainable Crop Production" at the University of Bonn. Source: Materials provided by University of Bonn . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Emma Kovak, Dan Blaustein-Rejto, Matin Qaim. Genetically modified crops support climate change mitigation . Trends in Plant Science , 2022; DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.01.004