Globally, 800 million people are malnourished. Heavily subsidised farmers in rich countries produce sufficient surplus food to feed the hungry, but not at a price the poor can afford. Even donating the rich world's surplus to the poor would not solve the problem. Most poor people earn their living from agriculture, so a deluge of free food would destroy their livelihoods. Thus, the only answer to world hunger is to safeguard and improve the productivity of farmers in poor countries. Diets of subsistence level farmers in Africa and Latin America often contain sufficient carbohydrates (through cassava, corn/maize, rice, wheat, etc.), but are poor in proteins. Dietary proteins can take the form of scarce animal products (eggs, milk, meat, etc.), but are usually derived from legumes (plants of the bean and pea family). Legumes are vital in agriculture as they form associations with bacteria that `fix-nitrogen' from the air. Effectively this amounts to internal fertilisation and is the main reason that legumes are richer in proteins than all other plants. Thousands of legume species exist but more common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are eaten than any other. In some countries such as Mexico and Brazil, beans are the primary source of protein in human diets. As half the grain legumes consumed worldwide are common beans, they represent the species of choice for the study of grain legume nutrition. Unfortunately, the yields of common beans are low even by the standards of legumes, and the quality of their seed proteins is sub-optimal. Most probably this results from millennia of selection for stable rather than high yield, and as such, is a problem that can be redressed by modern genetic techniques. We have formed an international consortium called `Phaseomics' to establish the necessary framework of knowledge and materials that will result in disease-resistant, stress-tolerant, high-quality protein and high-yielding beans. Phaseomics will be instrumental in improving living conditions in deprived regions of Africa and the Americas. It will contribute to social equity and sustainable development and enhance inter- and intra-cultural understanding, knowledge and relationships. A major goal of Phaseomics is to generate new common bean varieties that are not only suitable for but also desired by the local farmer and consumer communities. Therefore, the socio-economic dimension of improved bean production and the analysis of factors influencing the acceptance of novel varieties will be an integral part of the proposed research (see Figure 1). Here, we give an overview of the economic and nutritional importance of common beans as a food crop. Priorities and targets of current breeding programmes are outlined, along with ongoing efforts in genomics. Recommendations for an international coordinated effort to join knowledge, facilities and expertise in a variety of scientific undertakings that will contribute to the overall goal of better beans are given. To be rapid and effective, plant breeding programmes (i.e., those that involve crossing two different `parents') rely heavily on molecular `markers'. These genetic landmarks are used to position

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Beans (Phaseolus spp.) - model food legumes

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is the most important noctuid pest in the Americas and has recently become an invasive pest in Africa. A detailed record of S. frugiperda's host plants is essential to better understand the biology and ecology of this pest, conduct future studies, and develop Integrated Pest Management programmes. In this study, we collected and systematically arranged the fragmented bibliographic information on S. frugiperda feeding records. Furthermore, we registered new records of host plants for S. frugiperda based on eight years of surveys in Brazil. The literature review and surveys resulted in a total of 353 S. frugiperda larval host plant records belonging to 76 plant families, principally Poaceae (106), Asteraceae (31) and Fabaceae (31). The literature search revealed 274 (77 % of total) bibliographic records, while 82 (23 %) are new records from surveys in Brazil. The new comprehensive and updated host plant list will improve our understanding of pest biology and management, as well as facilitate future studies on this pest.

/pdf/host-plants-of-spodoptera-frugiperda-lepidoptera-noctuidae-24uej9ywjw.pdf

Host Plants of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Americas

Transgenic maize, Zea mays L., event TC1507 produces the Cry1F protein to provide protection from feeding by several important lepidopteran pests, including Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Reports of reduced field performance against this species in Puerto Rico were investigated, and laboratory bioassays showed that S. frugiperda collected from the affected area exhibited lower sensitivity to the Cry1F protein compared with typical colonies from other regions. The resistance was shown to be autosomally inherited and highly recessive. The Puerto Rico colony was shown to be moderately less sensitive than susceptible laboratory strains to Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac, but the differences in sensitivity were dramatically smaller than for Cry1F. Potential contributory factors to the emergence of resistance to Cry1F in Puerto Rico populations of S. frugiperda include the tropical island geography, unusually large population sizes in 2006, and drought conditions reducing the availability of alternative hosts. In response to this resistance incident, the technology providers have stopped commercial sales of TC1507 maize in Puerto Rico pending potential reversion to susceptibility.

https://bioone.org/journals/Journal-of-Economic-Entomology/volume-103/issue-4/EC10040/Discovery-and-Characterization-of-Field-Resistance-to-Bt-Maize/10.1603/EC10040.pdf

Discovery and Characterization of Field Resistance to Bt Maize: Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Puerto Rico

▪ Abstract Infection of maize kernels by toxigenic fungi remains a challenging problem despite decades of research progress. Cultural practices, including crop rotation, tillage, planting date, and management of irrigation and fertilization, have limited effects on infection and subsequent mycotoxin accumulation. Current infrastructure and grain storage practices in developed countries can prevent postharvest development of mycotoxins, but this aspect remains a threat in developing countries, especially in tropical areas. Because most mycotoxin problems develop in the field, strategies are needed to prevent infection of growing plants by toxigenic fungi. Developing genetic resistance to Aspergillus flavus, Gibberella zeae, and Fusarium spp. (particularly F. verticillioides) in maize is a high priority. Sources of resistance to each of these pathogens have been identified and have been incorporated into public and private breeding programs. However, few, if any, commercial cultivars have adequate levels of...

Cultural and genetic approaches to managing mycotoxins in maize.

Field-evolved resistance to Cry1F maize by Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Brazil

A series of laboratory assays were performed to compare the relative impact of commercial and experimental cultivars of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (L.), expressing zero, one, or two insecticidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, on several lepidopteran pests. Assays in which larvae were fed fresh plant tissue indicated that dual-toxin B. thuringiensis (Bt) cultivars, expressing both Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab endotoxins of B. thuringiensis, were more toxic to bollworms, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and beet armyworms, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), than single-toxin cultivars expressing Cry1Ac. Assays in which lyophilized plant tissue was incorporated into artificial diet also indicated improved activity of the dual-toxin Bt cultivar compared with single-toxin plants. Both bollworm and tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), growth was reduced by Bt cotton, particularly the dual-toxin cultivar. Although assays with lyophilized tissues were done using largely sublethal doses, bollworm survival was reduced by the dual-toxin cultivar. It appears that this newly developed Bt cotton expressing two toxins will be more effective and have a wider range of activity on these lepidopteran pests.

https://bioone.org/journals/Journal-of-Economic-Entomology/volume-94/issue-3/0022-0493-94.3.752/Impact-of-Bt-Cottons-Expressing-One-or-Two-Insecticidal-Proteins/10.1603/0022-0493-94.3.752.pdf

Impact of Bt Cottons Expressing One or Two Insecticidal Proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner on Growth and Survival of Noctuid (Lepidoptera) Larvae

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), and southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar, are important pests of corn, Zea mays L., in the southern USA. Germplasm lines with moderate levels of resistance to leaf feeding by these pests have been developed and released. Techniques for transforming corn have expanded opportunities for developing corn with higher levels of resistance and additional mechanisms of resistance to various insect pests. In this investigation, transgenic corn hybrids with insecticidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki were evaluated for resistance to fall armyworm and southwestern corn borer in field tests and laboratory bioassays. The transgenic hybrids sustained significantly less leaf feeding damage than the resistant check hybrids. Both survival and larval growth were reduced. Growth was also reduced when larvae were fed laboratory diets comprised primarily of lyophilized leaf or husk tissue. Southwestern corn borer larval survival on the transgenic corn hybrids was very low in both the field tests and laboratory bioassays. The high levels of resistance to fall armyworm and near immunity to southwestern corn borer of these transgenic corn hybrids provide the highest levels of resistance documented for fall armyworm and southwestern corn borer.

Transgenic corn evaluated for resistance to fall armyworm and southwestern corn borer.

Field studies were conducted in 1995 to 1997 to determine the effect of the southwestern corn borer (SWCB) on Aspergillus flavus kernel infection and aflatoxin accumulation in maize hybrids. In 1995, when A. flavus conidia were applied to silks in a spray and SWCB neonate larvae in maize cob grits were placed in the leaf axil at the top ear of commercial hybrids, aflatoxin contamination and A. flavus kernel infection were highest in plants treated with both the fungus and the insect. In 1996, using the same inoculation and infestation techniques, aflatoxin levels and kernel infection were much lower than in 1995 and SWCB had no effect on aflatoxin contamination or kernel infection. In another study in 1996, the effect of SWCB on aflatoxin contamination and A. flavus kernel infection in hybrids resistant and susceptible to A. flavus was determined. The inoculation-infestation technique involved applying maize cob grits containing A. flavus conidia and SWCB larvae to silks. When SWCB was combined w...

Effects of the southwestern corn borer on Aspergillus flavus kernel infection and aflatoxin accumulation in maize hybrids.

Registration of Mp708 Germplasm Line of Maize

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), has become one of the most serious pests of corn and grasses throughout the Americas. The importance of this insect prompted the compilation of this bibliography comprising 1310 references. Five abstracting periodicals, a general bibliography on Spodoptera, and the authors' personal literature files served as sources for these references. Publications printed prior to January 1984 are included in this bibliography. Each publication has been classified into one or more of the following categories: ecology, hosts, distribution, economic damage, biological control, chemical control, cultural control, host plant resistance, attractants, rearing, taxonomy, physiology, morphology, and bibliographies. Reprints of this bibliography are not available. However, a copy of the bibliography may be obtained by sending a 5 1/4" or a 3 1/2" diskette to the senior author and specifying whether the copy is to be in text (ASCII) code or WordPerfect 5.0 format.

https://journals.flvc.org/flaent/article/download/58467/56146

Frank M. Davis

Papers

Impact of Bt Cottons Expressing One or Two Insecticidal Proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner on Growth and Survival of Noctuid (Lepidoptera) Larvae

Transgenic corn evaluated for resistance to fall armyworm and southwestern corn borer.

Effects of the southwestern corn borer on Aspergillus flavus kernel infection and aflatoxin accumulation in maize hybrids.

Registration of Mp708 Germplasm Line of Maize

The fall armyworm: a bibliography.