Institute for International Crop Improvement ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENT HIGHLIGHTS / 2014 OUR MISSION Improve the Human Condition through Plant Science
MENTORED 8 4 STUDENTS FROM COUNTRIES PURSUING ADVANCED DEGREES IN PLANT BIOLOGY
INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL CROP IMPROVEMENT DISCOVERY Scientists at the Institute seek to translate key discoveries in plant disease and pest management, genomics, advanced breeding, and nutrition to staple crops that contribute to food security, and that are underserved by commercial agriculture. Recent work has focused on cassava, sweet potato, rice, maize, cowpea, sorghum, banana and millets. COMMUNITY The Institute works in partnership with international research institutions, NGOs, funding agencies and regulatory agencies. Members of the Institute are involved in 22 international collaborations, connecting leading scientists and cuttingedge technologies, training international scientists, and providing regulatory, biosafety and project management services. IMPACT The Institute is committed to delivering products to communities where improved crops are needed most, and where they will have disproportionate impact. Enhanced staple crops will provide improved food security, nutrition and economic stability to smallholder farmers and their families.
COMPLETED 65 FIELD TRIALS TO DATE 22 COLLABORATIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE 2014 HIGHLIGHTS CROP DISEASE AND PEST MANAGEMENT Demonstrated that improved plants with resistance to Cassava Brown Streak Disease are effective in normal agricultural practice in both Kenya and Uganda. Developed cassava lines in a second farmer preferred variety and planted superior candidates in a field trial in Kenya. Initiated a collaboration with funding from the International Potato Center (CIP) in Lima, Peru to develop insect resistant sweet potato for Kenya. Obtained funding to launch two projects with partners in Nigeria to develop cassava with improved agronomic traits. Established research collaboration with Purdue University for control of parasitic plants in sorghum. IMPROVEMENT OF NUTRITIONAL QUALITY Advanced application of technology to enhance plant biomass accumulation for animal feed. Advanced a project for enhanced nutrient utilization in corn. Produced cassava plants with nearly three times the iron than typical cassava in the greenhouse. Developed analytical tools to evaluate bananas with improved levels of Vitamin A and iron. Began testing 100+ candidate cassava lines with enhanced Vitamin A content in Puerto Rico. FIELD TRIAL AND BIOSAFETY SUPPORT Conducted 10 field trials with international partners on three major crops, an important step in improving nutritional quality and yield of food security crops in the developing world. > Facilitated field trials in Nigeria and Ghana for insect resistant cowpea. > Received approval from Kenya government to conduct field trials of virus resistant sweet potato. > Initiated a field trial in Puerto Rico to further test cassava with increased iron content. Provided biosafety support and training in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and the Caribbean. Conducted training for mosquito control trials to reduce malaria in Kenya, Burkina Faso and Mali.
2014 ACTIVE GRANTS AND CONTRACTS PROJECT DESCRIPTION SPONSOR START/END TOTAL GRANT A Cassava Breeding Community of Practice Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa Production of data for the regulatory assessment of golden rice Bt Cowpea BioCassava Plus II Bio-Fortified Sorghum for Africa Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa II Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa II An assessment of the social and economic impacts of deploying virus resistant cassava cultivars in East Africa Drought Tolerant Cereals Regulatory development for HEG-modified mosquitoes Commercial Contract Bio-Fortified Sorghum for Africa II Commercial Contract Regulatory Support for Banana 21 Project Program for Biosafety Systems Development of Herbicide Tolerant Cassava Virus Resistant Sweet Potato Cowpea Regulatory Project Sweet Potato Action for Security and Health in Africa African Agricultural Technology Foundation U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) International Rice Research Institute African Agricultural Technology Foundation Howard G. Buffett Foundation Monsanto Fund John Templeton Foundation U.S. Department of Energy Foundation For The National Institutes of Health Iowa Corn Promotion Board Howard G. Buffett Foundation Arcadia Biosciences Queensland University of Technology USAID Howard G. Buffett Foundation African Agricultural Technology Foundation April 2009 Mar. 2014 Sept. 2009 Oct. 2014 Nov. 2009 Dec. 2014 Aug. 2010 Aug. 2014 Nov. 2010 Nov. 2015 Jan. 2011 Dec. 2014 April 2011 April 2016 June 2011 June 2016 Mar. 2012 Mar. 2014 Sept. 2012 Sept. 2017 Oct. 2012 July 2016 Jan 2013 Dec. 2014 May 2013 April 2014 July 2013 Dec. 2016 Sept. 2013 Aug. 2016 Oct. 2013 Sep. 2014 Nov. 2013 Oct. 2016 Mar. 2014 Feb. 2015 May 2014 May 2015 July 2014 May 2015 $417,299 $2,694,416 $248,083 $170,050 $8,257,560 $4,241,365 $5,548,750 $5,299,944 $249,999 $526,676 $1,095,600 $129,414 $973,555 $60,000 $622,874 $218,781 $2,177,824 $103,503 $334,500 $92,000 TOTAL $33,462,193 Peer-reviewed articles published by IICI scientists. Khatri, S., Nahid, N., Fauquet, C.M., Mubin, M., and Nawaz-Ul- Rehman, M.S. (2014). A betasatellite-dependent begomovirus infects ornamental rose: characterization of begomovirus infecting rose in Pakistan. Virus Genes 49, 124-131. Odipio, J., Ogwok, E., Taylor, N.J., Halsey, M., Bua, A., Fauquet, C.M., and Alicai, T. (2014). RNAi-derived field resistance to Cassava brown streak disease persists across the vegetative cropping cycle. GM Crops and Food 5, 1-4. Ogwok, E., Alicai, T., Rey, M.E.C., Beyene, G., and Taylor, N. (2014). Distribution and accumulation of cassava brown streak viruses within infected cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) plants. Plant Patholology. Olasanmi, B., Akoroda, M.O., Okogbenin, E., Egesi, C., Kahya, S.S., Onyegbule, O., Ewa, F., Guitierrez, J., Ceballos, H., Tohme, J., and Fregene, M. (2014). Bulked segregant analysis identifies molecular markers associated with early bulking in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). Euphytica 195, 235-244. Patil, B.L., and Fauquet, C.M. (2014). Light intensity and temperature affect systemic spread of silencing signal in transient agroinfiltration studies. Molecular Plant Patholology. Raybould, A., Quemada, H., and Romeis, J. (2014). Introduction to ISBGMO12: biosafety research past, present and future. Transgenic Research 23, 911-914.
INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL CROP IMPROVEMENT The Institute for International Crop Improvement at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center was established in 2012 with a generous gift from the JS McDonnell Foundation to improve the productivity and nutritional value of food security crops, and to advance delivery of improved crops to underserved regions. Improve the Human Condition through Plant Science www.danforthcenter.org 975 North Warson Road / St. Louis, Missouri 63132 314.587.1000 Printed with solvent-free inks & emission-free coatings on recycled stock that utilized 30% post-consumer recovered fiber paper. 2015 Donald Danforth Plant Science Center