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Air conveyors for trailed sprayers: the solution for all types of crops

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Modern control techniques for orchards and vineyards require technological solutions that can increase the efficacy of the treatments while decreasing the impact on the environment.

Treatments of orchards and vineyards are, in fact, essential for obtaining quality products. And, in addition to choosing the best product and timing for spraying, you also need to identify the best machinery in order to optimise these tasks. This is especially important for large crops and results in significant savings in terms of time and resources.

That is why, as sprayer manufacturers, here in IDEAL, we design and manufacture solutions that ensure farmers achieve their goals through a more rational use of plant protection products that limits incorrect use and lowers operating costs.

To treat trees, for example, in vineyards, orchards and olive groves, pesticides are usually distributed by air sprayers for medium and high volumes, thus ensuring comprehensive and uniform coverage of vegetation and optimisation of treatment times.

The agricultural sprayers are, in fact, adapted to different types of crops and meet a series of requirements. But to guarantee the best treatment results in vineyards and orchards with tall, dense vegetation, they must be able to generate a powerful volume of air to achieve uniform coverage and penetration of the product in concealed vegetation as well.

IDEAL’s solution for these requirements is the Perfection sprayer.

Atomizzatore Perfection

All of IDEAL’s sprayers are fitted with powerful axial fans for fast, accurate spraying and distribution.

The hallmark feature that sets the Perfection sprayer apart from all other sprayers is its fan with two ø 800 mm counter-rotating propellers that produce a perfectly balanced, high volume of air for long-range spraying. Moreover, if a greater volume of air is required, the machine can be fitted with ø 900 mm propellers.

The different air conveyors, with which it can also be fitted, ensure consistently effective treatments on various types of crops, including large, dense and tall crops.

More specifically, you can choose between:

  • version for espalier plantation system, with applicable tower-shaped conveyor;
  • version specific for espaliers crops with high and leafy plants, with appliccable higher tower-shaped conveyor “citrus”;
  • version for very high plants with appliccable “hops” conveyor with gun-jets;

Atomizzatore Perfection per noceti

  • version for 2 rows (of vineyard) with “Charentes” stainelss steel conveyor.

Perfection comes with polyethylene tanks with a capacity of 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 3,000 litres, and is the ideal trailed sprayer for tractors for faster and more accurate treatments on various types of large crops.

The machine can be customised with specific air conveyors allowing the operator to aim the spray solution directly at the vegetation, thus combining the power of the sprayer fan, required to ensure the correct distribution of the crop protection product, with the more accurate treatment.

The result is uniform treatment which reaches all the vegetation and reduces waste and dispersion of the product which could lead to drift.

Choosing the agricultural sprayer most suited to the type of crop to be treated and to the system specifications is the key factor for achieving your protection goals and obtaining the best possible crop yield.

At IDEAL, we have developed the Perfection sprayer specifically to meet the needs of farmers who require a machine capable of ensuring excellent results and a wide range of use in large vineyards and orchards. A sprayer that combines great power with efficacy and efficiency, saving time and resources, and providing economic and environmental benefits.

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Amazone’s UX 7601 Super and UX 8601 Super trailed sprayers

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Amazone’s UX 7601 Super and UX 8601 Super trailed sprayers

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The completely newly developed UX 7601 Super with an actual volume of 8,000 l and UX 8601 Super with an actual volume of 9.000 l provide maximum tank capacity on one axle.

They feature compact overall dimensions with an extremely low centre of gravity for optimum stability and a low weight and high payload.

The frame – Super-stable and elastic

The UX 7601 Super and UX 8601 Super feature a completely newly developed frame which leads directly from the axle to the standardly equipped, lower hitch drawbar. The forward-sloping frame shape enables ideal weight distribution of the sprayer – permissible drawbar loads and axle loads are optimally utilised.

The centre of gravity is very low due to the new frame profile, ensuring unrivalled stability on slopes and when cornering. The narrow profile of the spray agent tank with the fresh water tanks mounted on either side of the frame also contributes to its excellent stability under all conditions. The machines have a comparatively low weight thanks to the one-piece frame without a separate drawbar. The maximum permissible total weight is 14 t.

 

Axles – stay on track at all times

Depending on customer requirements, the UX 7601 Super and UX 8601 Super can be equipped with a rigid or steered axle (up to 28° steering angle) for true track following. Due to the compact design, the sprayer is easily manoeuvrable despite the tank capacity, and there is no difference in handling compared with the smaller model sizes. The axle is unsprung as standard, but a hydro-pneumatic axle suspension is available as an option.

Narrow tank – Rounded design

As in the case of the UX 4201 Super, 5201 Super and 6201 Super, the tanks all are made of polyethylene. The big advantage here is the generally very rounded form, inside and outside of the tank. Along with the absolutely smooth inner and outer walls of the spray agent tank, the sprayer is very easy to clean. The clever geometry of the tank means that there are no annoying nooks and crannies which are more difficult to clean. The narrow profile of the spray agent tank enhances stability when the tank is partially filled. For example, the liquid cannot slosh around so much when cornering or on a slope, thereby ensuring absolutely safe driving stability, even with a partially filled tank.

High-capacity pumps without compromise

The new UX models are equipped with a 250 l/min spraying pump and a 350 l/min agitation pump as standard, both of which are piston diaphragm pumps. The dedicated agitation pump ensures sufficient agitation intensity with these larger tank capacities. The technology behind these piston diaphragm pumps enables consistently high delivery capacities, regardless of the spray pressure.

The agitation intensity and application rate are always consistently high, regardless of whether the spray pressure is 2 or 8 bar. In addition, the piston diaphragm pumps are self-priming, which means that the complete spray agent circuit is a very simple set up and with the shortest possible hose routing. Apart from the spray agent tank, this also provides a solid foundation for fast and thorough cleaning.

The newly developed pump generation has larger piston diameters which require a shorter stroke for the same transfer capacity. This means that the diaphragms are subjected to less mechanical stress. The service life is thereby significantly increased and the amount of maintenance work reduced.

Depending on the customer requirement, the spray agent and agitator pumps can either be mechanically driven by a PTO shaft or hydraulically. The hydraulic pump drive, which is fully integrated in the ISOBUS control, regulates the required pump speed fully automatically depending on the operating status.

Maximum performance with HighFlow+

Both of the new UX models can be equipped with the optional HighFlow+ system so as to maximise work rates at the wider boom widths by means of higher working speeds and yet still guaranteeing effective application by maintaining an adequate water spray rate.

The intelligent control technology enables both pumps to be used for spraying while maintaining a high agitation intensity. Despite the enormous application rates of 400 l/min, the machine always has sufficient agitation capacity available to maintain a homogeneous spray agent, thanks to the intelligent control technology. All components of the HighFlow+ system are completely integrated into the cleaning cycle.

Maximum operating comfort via the SmartCenter

The UX 7601 Super and UX 8601 Super are operated via the SmartCenter, which is concealed under the large, one-piece cover on the left-hand side. All machines feature a 60 l induction bowl with a rinse ring, canister rinse nozzle, mixing nozzle for the effective induction of powdery granules, spray lance, tank cover with large storage space and a function for cleaning the induction bowl with the lid closed.

Three levels of operating system are available for the SmartCenter: In addition to the completely manually operated Standard-Pack, the Comfort-Pack with TwinTerminal 3.0 complete with automatic fill stop for suction and bowser filling, remotely controlled cleaning programs and fill level dependent, auto-dynamic agitator regulation is available. The most convenient solution is the Comfort-Pack plus with a pressure-sensitive touch terminal for machine operation with fully automated filling and cleaning processes.

The advantages at a glance:

  • Maximum tank capacity allowable on one axle
  • Optimum weight distribution
  • Low centre of gravity for maximum stability
  • Compact and manoeuvrable
  • Low weight for maximum payload
  • High output yet easy to operate

Equipped with all the innovative, future-proof AMAZONE crop protection technology, the new AMAZONE UX 7601 Super and UX 8601 Super trailed sprayers stand for the highest precision, performance and economy in operation.

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Amazone’s new technology boosts modern crop production

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AMAZONE has developed the FT-P 1502 self-contained front tank based on the successful technology of the UF 02 crop protection sprayers.

The FT-P 1502 front tank is the ideal partner for any application of liquid products. These include hoes with band sprayers, seed drills with liquid fertiliser equipment and many others.

Large spray agent tank and high-capacity pump

The FT-P 1502 front tank with a nominal volume of 1,500 l (actual volume 1,660 l) is equipped with a hydraulically-driven 180 l/min piston diaphragm pump for self-contained use. The oil requirement for operating the pump is 35 l/min.

 

Simple, intelligent operation with the SmartCenter

The operator station of the FT-P 1502 front tank is positioned on the left-hand side and is easily accessible. The operator station can be equipped with the familiar Comfort-Pack of the UF 02 as an option. This includes the TwinTerminal 3.0 for operating the suction side, an automatic fill stop for suction filling, fill level dependent, auto-dynamic agitator regulation and remotely controlled, automatic cleaning programs for quick and thorough cleaning. The FT-P 1502 front tank is equipped with a 180 l fresh water tank that enables efficient cleaning.

Safe and precise metering of plant protection agents and other additives is guaranteed by the large induction device under the large easy-to-open dome cover. The additional step on the large folding platform in front of the spray agent tank makes the induction device very easy to reach. The induction device includes a cleaning pistol, a canister rinse nozzle with a dead man’s handle and a removable stainless steel sieve as standard. The taps for operating the cleaning pistol and the canister rinse nozzle are located directly by the dome cover and are easily accessible. In addition, a storage facility is integrated in the operator station on the tank dome.

Gloves and other items can be safely stored in the dust- and splash-proof, lockable storage compartment on the right-hand side. A hand wash tank with an integrated soap dispenser is located directly beside this.

More safety on the road

The front tank is equipped with marker boards and integrated LED front lights as standard for road use. A TÜV-approved certified camera system, LED work lights and additional ballasting are available as options.

Precise, easy to operate and flexible in use with ISOBUS control

The application rate is controlled and regulated via independent ISOBUS control of the FT-P 1502 front tank. The ISOBUS control regulates the metering depending on the forward speed. Other functions such as automatic part-width section control or part-area, site-specific application can also be implemented. The ISOBUS terminal can also be used for the complete job management and documentation.

Part-width valve chest interface

A part-width valve chest with 2 to 6 part-width sections can be fixed on to any connected implement. The attached implement can be disconnected via a joining socket on the front of the valve chest leaving the part-width valve chest fixed to the machine. This always remains with the implement when the implement is changed. This means that any attached implements can be changed quickly and easily. The working range of the FT-P 1502 front tank covers an application rate of 5 to 100 l/min at a working pressure of 2.0 to 8.0 bar.

Applications for the self-contained front tank:

  • Band spraying in conjunction with a SCHMOTZER hoe
  • Liquid fertilisation during seeding with the Precea or Primera DMC
  • Application of bio-stimulants during sowing or when stubble cultivating
  • Other individual applications

 

The advantages at a glance:

  • Simple intuitive operation and cleaning as well as maximum comfort
  • Compact design for optimum visibility
  • Comfortable induction of supplementary products via the tank dome
  • Precise metering via independent ISOBUS control with forward speed-related rate regulation and part-width section control, with automatic part-width section control and part-area, site-specific metering as an option
  • Maximum flexibility enables a large number of uses
  • Year-round, universal and flexible use in combination with various implements thanks to the autonomous control system
  • Optimised functionality for special applications:
    • Application of plant protection agents in combination with a hoe or
    • liquid fertilisation during sowing with a Primera DMC, precision sowing with a Precea or carrying out soil tillage with a Cenius cultivator

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Amazone’s SCHMOTZER Venterra 2K hoe revolutionizes mechanical weed control

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The Venterra 2K hoes combine an unrivalled passage with a maximised lift height of the parallelograms of almost 50 cm, which opens up new possibilities for mechanical weed control, even in very late crop growth stages.

As a result, damage-free hoeing right to the end is possible for crops with a height of half a metre, even when driving onto the headland, thanks to the interaction with Section Control.

The new design of the parallelograms and the attachment frame enables operation at maximum demand on large acreages as well as a very high working speeds. In combination with the continuing excellent quality of work, the Venterra 2K therefore sets new standards in the hoeing sector.

The Venterra 2K will be available in different versions for the 2022 season. Working widths of 4.5 to 6.75 m can be offered with row widths of 45, 50 and 75 cm in combination with the KPP-L parallelogram and Section Control, or KPP-M with or without Section Control.

The Venterra 2K is guided in the row by a camera system, which guarantees precise guidance at all times, even at very high working speeds. This also underlines that the Venterra 2K is biased towards achieving even higher work rates.

Row protection elements and tools such as finger hoes on separately guided parallelograms, ridging discs or rear harrows are optionally available for all Venterra 2Ks and can be retrofitted at any time.

The compact and lightweight design means that there are no losses in yield due to any detrimental soil compaction. Precise working across slopes without tractor offset is easy thanks to the SCHMOTZER parallel shift frame.

The work involved in changing the share plates is reduced to a few minutes as a result of the RAPIDO quick-change system.

Trailing implements such as finger hoes or ridging discs are mounted on a separate parallelogram with separate depth control and enable direct contour following in all conditions. All hoes are integrated on every parallelogram option with maintenance-free bearings as standard.

The camera and shift frame provide fully automatic control of the hoe at the rear, thereby relieving the stress on the driver.

The compact design of the Venterra reduces the requisite front ballasting of the tractor. The distance between the rear parallelograms and the lower links has been further reduced.

Full compatibility with additional front mounted implements, such as the AMAZONE FT-P 1502 front tank as a band sprayer, is built in.

The hydraulic individual parallelogram lifting system enables damage-free hoeing right to the end of the row as well as the largest clearance available on the market.

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Amazone’s Tyrok 400 plough assures farmers of higher speed for higher output

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With the Tyrok 400, AMAZONE now launches a completely new semi-mounted reversible plough in a choice of seven, eight, or nine furrows for the 400 HP tractor class.

The main features of this plough are its higher output, even under continuous load, perfect quality of work and outstanding robustness. At the same time, the Tyrok offers a high level of comfort thanks to its very simple, reliable and exact adjustability.

Plough bodies meticulously thought-through – SpeedBlade for improved performance

The new SpeedBlade plough body, with its patented extra-large front shin on the mouldboard, makes for minimal wear on the main mouldboard. The main wear point automatically shifts further and further back towards the centre of the plough body as the working speed increases from say 6 km/h up to 10 km/h. As a result, the main wear point of the SpeedBlade plough body is kept on the enlarged front shin of the mouldboard and not back on the main part of the slatted or solid mouldboard, even at these higher forward speeds, meaning, therefore, that only the front shin of the mouldboard needs to be replaced initially on the Tyrok when used at higher speeds. This enormously reduces wearing costs compared to other designs.

Another detail with great effect: the point covers the wing, meaning that the joint is protected by the point. Thanks to this clever join up, no plant residues or baler twine can get entangled. In addition, the open frog prevents soil from sticking under the frog due to its profile so that the maximum ease of pull on the plough body is maintained.

The unique ©plus hardening process provides the basis for high quality during the manufacture of Tyrok wear parts and is a result of the additional introduction of carbon. For example, a very high hardness and thereby a smooth surface is achieved on the front of the mouldboard which ensures a long service life for the wear parts. The reverse side remains, however, relatively soft and is therefore extremely tough and impact resistant.

The SpeedBlade plough body range offers a selection of different slatted and solid mouldboard profiles, depending on the application and the objective. The sophisticated design of the plough bodies combined with the advantages of the ©plus hardening process ensure a low pulling power requirement, thereby reducing fuel consumption. As an option for use in particularly tough conditions, HD share points can be ordered for shorter downtimes and less wear.

The wide furrow clearance is another big plus of the SpeedBlade bodies, especially with the increasing use of wider tractor tyres.

Pure robustness without compromises

The Tyrok is particularly robust thanks to the strong, high-tensile steel rectangular tubular beam having dimensions of 200 x 150 x 10 mm. A decisive benefit over beams from other manufacturers is: the beam does not bend during work even under high loads. This ensures a uniform working depth over the entire length and working width.

The Tyrok also scores points with its new SmartTurn turning system. At the headland, the fast turning procedure is hydraulically slowed down twice just before the end. This results in a damping effect which reduces stress on the plough structure when the cylinder is retracted. There is no need to compromise on speed as the low-stress turnover process is completed within a period of just nine seconds.

The optionally available hydraulic overload safety protection also ensures smooth and material-protective working in arduous operating conditions. The plough body is gently pushed back into the soil via the hydraulic cylinder. The trigger force decreases as the lift height increases. Trip forces of up to 2000 kg can be infinitely adjusted either centrally or separately on each individual body, depending on the operating conditions.

Safe, comfortable and precise adjustment for a perfect working profile

The Tyrok is equipped with mechanical furrow width adjustment as standard. As an option, the working width can be infinitely adjusted hydraulically to suit the conditions from the comfort of the tractor cab. The new AutoAdapt automatic front furrow adjustment offers a huge advantage in terms of comfort and precision.

The hydraulic adjustment of the overall working width automatically adapts the front furrow precisely to the changed working width using the intelligent kinematics of the Tyrok. The basic adjustment of the front furrow or possible adaption is carried out hydraulically from the cab. As a result, changing soil conditions or slopes can be responded to consistently and quickly, thereby enabling perfect matching to the last furrow.

The working depth is mechanically or hydraulically adjusted via the standard optimally damped running gear, which also absorbs large shock loads. In this respect, the substantial support wheel not only ensures precise depth control but also provides optimum soil compaction protection. In addition, the standard hydro-pneumatic suspension of the support wheel ensures maximum driving comfort and safety on the road.

The Tyrok headstock, which can rotate through 180°, ensures an optimum pull line with the minimal lateral pull, and thus reduced pull force requirement. In addition, it also provides outstanding flexibility for attachment as a result of its various coupling alternatives. The Tyrok can also be optionally equipped with traction control for reduced slippage. In this case, another hydraulic cylinder transfers weight to the rear axle of the tractor. This provides maximum pulling power and fuel savings.

All hydraulic functions can be conveniently accessed with very little effort from the front of the headstock in the central SmartCenter settings centre.

Completely equipped for complete performance

Optional soil engaging tools allow the new semi-mounted reversible plough to be universally adapted to all operating conditions. For example, various skimmers or trash boards are available for the clean incorporation of large amounts of organic matter. Additional landside protectors can be attached to the shares to ensure better plough guidance on slopes.

An optional sword landside, which protects the edges of the front shin of the mouldboard from wear and cuts a clean furrow wall, is ideal for regions with stony and heavy soils. Disc coulters can be fitted to the last body for an exceptionally clean furrow clearance.

For simultaneous reconsolidation, AMAZONE offers the Tyrok 400 with a swivel press arm for working with a packer.

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Norbrook® Launches New Tulieve® (tulathromycin injection) antibiotic

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Norbrook® broadens extensive antibiotic line with addition of Tulieve® (tulathromycin injection). New generic Tulathromycin injectable available in exclusive plastic bottle & four different sizes.

LENEXA, KANSAS A more practical and economical generic alternative to Draxxin® (tulathromycin injection) Injectable Solution and other forms of tulathromycin injection is now available from Norbrook®. The company has introduced Tulieve® to its comprehensive and extensive portfolio of anti-infective products available to veterinarians for use in food animals.

According to Eric Moore, DVM, director of technical services for Norbrook®, Tulieve® is a rapidly- absorbed, long-lasting single-shot antibiotic that has proven highly effective against a broad spectrum of bacterial pathogens that affect beef cattle, non-lactating dairy cattle and swine.

“Tulieve®, like other tulathromycin injectables, is a semi-synthetic macrolide class of bacteriostatic antimicrobials that disrupts protein synthesis of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria,” says Dr. Moore. “That’s what makes this class of antibiotics so effective against a broad spectrum of diseases, especially respiratory diseases in cattle and swine.”

Dr. Moore notes that Tulieve® can be administered in a low-volume dose and has a short 18-day withdrawal time for beef and 5-day withdrawal for swine, giving veterinarians and producers more flexibility and options when it comes to managing sick animals.

Those options also include four different sizes of Tulieve®: Exclusive 1 liter, 500 mL (both in hanger bottles), 250 mL and 100 mL. “Tulieve®, from Norbrook®, is the only generic tulathromycin available in plastic bottles, making it easier for veterinarians and producers to handle while reducing the risk of product loss due to breakage.”

With the introduction of Tulieve®, a macrolide, Norbrook® adds a fifth class of chemistry to its anti-infective portfolio, making it the most comprehensive line of antimicrobial treatment options available from one company.

For more information on Tulieve®, contact your local animal health provider or contact our US office here.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR CATTLE: Do not use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older, including dry dairy cows. A pre-slaughter withdrawal time has not been determined for pre-ruminating calves.

Effects on reproductive performance, pregnancy, and lactation have not been determined. Tulieve® has a pre-slaughter withdrawal time of 18 days. Tulieve® should not be used in animals known to be hypersensitive to the product.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR SWINE: Tulieve® has a pre-slaughter withdrawal time of 5 days. Tulieve® should not be used in animals known to be hypersensitive to the product.

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Stress memory in plants could hold key to growing disease resistant crops

Stress memory in plants could hold key to growing disease resistant crops

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In summary

  • Scientists at the University of Sheffield have discovered a mechanism behind how plants can acquire long-lasting resistance against attacks from insects

  • The newly discovered mechanism enables plants to develop ‘immune memory’ to protect themselves in the future

  • The new study in Nature Plants generates opportunities to develop novel crop protection strategies to reduce reliance on damaging pesticides

A mechanism behind how plants can develop long-term immunity to stress has been discovered by scientists at the University of Sheffield.

Biotic stress experienced by plants can take the form of attacks by insect herbivores or disease-causing pathogens. In crops grown for food production, this stress provides a substantial risk to crop yields and is currently managed with the widespread use of pesticides, which are damaging for the environment and can pose a risk to human health.

Due to the urgent need to find better and more sustainable plant protection methods, Professor Jurriaan Ton, from the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food, and his team, investigated how plants are able to acquire long-lasting immunity against these stressors.

The findings, published in Nature Plants, explain a mechanism of how plants ‘remember’ the stress from a previous attack, and that this long-term memory is encoded in a family of ‘junk DNA’ that can prime defence genes for several weeks against further attacks.

Dr Ton, a Professor of Plant Environmental Signalling from the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences and senior author of the study said the findings offer new opportunities to control plant immunity for sustainable crop protection, and reduce our reliance on damaging pesticides for food production.

He said: “We rely on plants to feed the planet, but they are essentially at the bottom of the food chain, they cannot move, so they are incredibly vulnerable to attack from all sides, including insect herbivores and disease-causing pathogens. Like animals, however, plants have evolved the ability to acquire immunity after recovery from biotic stress, but they use different mechanisms to do so.”

“The findings of the study are not only a huge leap forward in our understanding of how plants ‘remember’ the stress from previous attacks, but also uncovers a new epigenetic function of a specific family of ‘junk DNA’ (transposons; DNA that does not code for plant proteins). This knowledge could help us to develop new breeding strategies, and select crop varieties for food production that are primed to fight off pests and diseases.”

The study investigated the long-term effects of the plant stress hormone jasmonic acid on Arabidopsis thaliana, commonly known as thale cress, a relative to cabbage and mustard. Exposed to caterpillars, the group of seedlings treated with jasmonic acid sustained lower levels of damage than the control group.

Although the short-term effects of jasmonic acid on plant defences are well documented, the long-term effects are not, and the team discovered that immune memory of the stress of being treated with jasmonic acid can linger for several weeks, and be transmitted to newly developed leaves to provide long-lasting resistance against the caterpillars.

The results indicated this acquired immunity is controlled by epigenetic mechanisms, involving small RNA molecules that are generated by the AtREP2 family of transposons, which connect with the small RNA-binding protein, AGO1. The RNA-loaded AGO1 proteins then prime distant defence genes for a faster and stronger response to subsequent stress.

The study provides a first model of long-lasting immune memory in plants, and shows how epigenetic modifications to a specific family of junk DNA can prime plants against further damage by pests.

Dr Samuel Wilkinson, Research Associate from the School of Biosciences and first author of the paper, said: “Being that global food security is one of the biggest challenges we will face in the future, it’s imperative that we find new ways to ensure the health and growth of the crops we rely on.

“This research is the first step in being able to complement and enhance the effectiveness and durability of conventional crop breeding strategies, by selecting plants with enhanced immune readiness as an alternative to relying on harmful pesticides.”

The researchers are now collaborating with an international crop breeding company to explore if they can exploit other related epigenetic mechanisms, such as stressors for disease-causing pathogens, and combine them into a novel crop protection strategy for more complex plant genomes.

The researchers are now collaborating with an international crop breeding company to investigate if they can exploit related epigenetic mechanisms to prime crops against devastating diseases.

Samuel added: “The study has opened the way for us to develop a more precise and adjustable method to introduce beneficial epigenetic variation in plant genomes. This would not only be of value to crop protection and breeding, but also represent a valuable research tool to explore the complex mechanisms by which epigenetically altered DNA can prime defence genes within and across plant generations.”

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New study gives hope on fight against deadly wheat virus

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New study gives hope in fight against deadly wheat virus

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In summary

The DNA sequence of a gene in wheat responsible for resisting a devastating virus has been discovered, providing vital clues for managing more resistant crops and maintaining a healthy food supply.

Wheat crops across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa are frequently ravaged by Wheat Yellow Mosaic Virus (WYMV), so there is high demand for wheat varieties or cultivars that can resist this virus.

Published today in PNAS, the study found the resistance gene originated in an ancient Mediterranean wild plant relative of wheat.

Study lead researcher University of Melbourne Dr Mohammad Pourkheirandish said: “This discovery could assist with the development of more resistant wheat cultivars, increase crop yields, and reduce the use of harmful fungicides. It also emphasises the need to preserve biodiversity to protect food supplies.”

WYMV reduces grain yield by up to 80 per cent, causing significant economic losses. The virus is hosted and transmitted by a soil-dwelling fungus that colonises the roots of wheat plants, discolouring wheat leaves, and stunting plant growth.

Microscopic fungal spores containing WYMV can live in soil for up to a decade. While fungicides can kill the spores and stop transmission, the fungicide treatment is neither cost-effective nor ecologically sustainable.

“The viable alternative is to selectively breed or genetically engineer wheat with resistance to WYMV,” Dr Pourkheirandish said.

“Before this research, we knew that a dominant gene called Ym2 reduces the impact of WYMV on wheat plants by more than 70 per cent, but we didn’t understand how the gene achieved this.”

The research team used a technique called positional cloning to locate the Ym2 gene on a chromosome in bread wheat, and found that its DNA sequence codes for a protein of the type known as NBS-LRR. These proteins are ‘guardians’ that detect pathogens and trigger an immune response in plants.

“Now that we know the gene’s DNA sequence, we can select breeding lines carrying Ym2 by simply analysing DNA from a small piece of leaf even without the virus inoculation step,” Dr Pourkheirandish said.

“It will also make it easier to find variants of Ym2 in wild relatives of wheat, which may provide superior disease resistance for further crop improvement.”

The DNA of modern wheat is chimeric, meaning its genetic material derives from several ancestral plants through natural interbreeding, or hybridisation, followed by selective breeding by humans.

By comparing DNA sequences across related species, the researchers discovered that Ym2 in modern bread wheat derives from an ancient wild plant called Aegilops sharonensis, native to eastern Mediterranean countries. A similar gene occurs in Aegilops speltoides, another wild ancestor of bread wheat.

“These wild species would have interbred with cultivated wheat at some point and passed on the genetic resistance that is now so commercially critical,” Dr Pourkheirandish said.

“Ancestral wild plants are a rich source of useful traits, like disease resistance, that plant breeders and geneticists can mine to protect modern crops and maintain a healthy food supply — including the bread, pasta, noodles, couscous, pastries, cakes and other wheat products that many of us depend upon and enjoy.”

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Supporting least developed countries through South-South cooperation

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Least Developed Countries (LDCs) stand to benefit from strong partnerships with their Global South counterparts when it comes to making their agrifood systems more efficient, more inclusive, more sustainable and more resilient, the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Maximo Torero recently said  in Doha.

“Strong global partnerships, including South-South and Triangular Cooperation, provide key support for agrifood systems transformation, and an open exchange of knowledge and expertise around this important topic,” Torero said in an FAO address to a ministerial meeting on South-South Cooperation in the Qatari capital.

The meeting was part of the 5th UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which is guided by the Doha Programme of Action for the 2022-2031 period.

The overarching goals of the Doha Programme include achieving a rapid, sustainable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted the economies of LDCs particularly hard, and building resilience against future shocks.

“LDCs represent a vast potential for sustainable economic growth, improved food security, nutrition and overall welfare,” Torero said. “Nevertheless, we note with concern that the LDCs have seen their economies substantially shrivel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic shocks in the past few years.”

The pandemic has not only caused extreme poverty figures to rise. It has also reversed the progress made during the implementation of the previous Istanbul Programme of Action for LDCs.

“The Doha Programme of Action for the LDCs reminds us that the economic, environmental and social agenda for transitioning to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems remains essential for development,” Torero said.

This also means that COVID-19 recovery programmes and effective responses to the current global crises require focused attention on the transformation of agrifood systems – to ‘build back better’ through higher productivity, diversification, greater resilience, nutrition-smart interventions and supporting a vibrant public-private partnership, including Small to Medium Enterprises, to create quality jobs and enable recovery.

FAO’s role

FAO has built an expansive portfolio of South-South and Triangular Cooperation initiatives by partnering with Southern and Northern member nations during the past 40 years.

Through one of its flagship Programmes, the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme, FAO helps LDCs acquire the knowhow, solutions and technologies they need to sustainably transform their agrifood systems.

With a total contribution of $130 million from China since 2009, national projects under the Programme have supported the transfer and exchange of agricultural technologies and solutions between China and several LDCs.

In Madagascar, for example, the introduction of a Chinese hybrid rice technology in the country resulted in 10 tonnes per hectare increase in rice yield compared to 2.8 tons per hectare with local varieties.

Uganda also witnessed an increase in rice production, from 2.5 tonnes to 10 tonnes per hectare, and a threefold increase in milk production, thanks to the high yield crop and animal varieties introduced through two phases of the FAO-China South-South Cooperation project in the country.

Such examples show how the introduction of simple agricultural practices and technologies could generate dramatic results, transforming the lives of hundreds of thousands of farmers in LDCs.

Other upcoming South-South Cooperation projects, including in Cabo Verde, Sudan, Malawi and Namibia, will support the transfer of similar technologies focused on crop production, animal husbandry and agro-processing.

In addition to innovation and technologies, sustained finance and investment in rural development is also indispensable for sustainable agrifood system transformation in LDCs, Torero told the meeting.

While in Doha, FAO’s Chief Economist also stressed that building resilience in agrifood systems is especially crucial for LDCs, since they are the most vulnerable nations to agrifood systems’ risk and uncertainty as a result of climate change, water stresses, pests and diseases, trade and macroeconomic policies and unexpected events.

Building such resilience involves minimizing risks or vulnerabilities, coping with risks when they occur, and having the capacity to recover and build back better, Torero said during a panel discussion.

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VIVE Crop Protection, A&L Biological unveil R&D Collaboration

VIVE Crop Protection, A&L Biological unveil R&D Collaboration

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A&L Biological Inc. a subsidiary of A&L Canada Laboratories East of London, Ontario, and Vive Crop Protection Inc. of Mississauga (Toronto), Ontario have announced a new partnership to bring biological solutions to North American crop markets.

This collaboration is designed to harness the marketing and technical strengths of each partner to expand the application of existing products and advance the development of future products.

The partnership also will expand and accelerate Vive Crop Protection’s biological portfolio and facilitate A&L Biologicals’ objective of securing market penetration of its microbial library.

A&L brings its proprietary microbial library to the partnership, along with continued research and development capacity, while Vive Crop Protection brings its Allosperse® Delivery Technology and an established sales and marketing team to ensure higher velocity of bringing biological products to market.

“The collaboration with A&L Biological is an exciting milestone as Vive expands its biological portfolio. We continuously strive to deliver more value to growers,” says Darren Anderson, CEO for Vive Crop Protection.

“Biological crop protection products provide a new and important option in the agricultural toolbox, particularly when combined with traditional synthetic chemistry” says Anderson. “Together, Vive and A&L are committed to research and development efforts that accelerate discoveries in breakthrough biologicals for adoption across more acres.”

“This partnership provides the structure needed to fully develop new biological products and technology. The strengths of each company create a formidable team with a platform for success,” says Greg Patterson, CEO for A&L Canada Laboratories.

Successfully achieving this key milestone, the two companies are now entering into the next phase of their partnership and will explore multiple biological actives for development into plant health and or bio control products.

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