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Poster Session: Industrial, Non-Industrial |
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Roundtable: Policy Issues in New Crop and New Uses |
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(Director, CIA, Retired)
Recent Australian crop production in some areas has not been as profitable as local producers may have wished. Advisory and support personnel have responded to producers' concerns by trying to make the current rural enterprises more efficient. Alternatively, some producers have chosen to pursue their own commercial futures through diversification of their farming systems with new crop (or animal or aquaculture) industries. A new crop can be defined as a crop that has not previously been commercially successful in an area. How does one choose a new crop for research and development? The objective of this review is to describe some recently developed Australian processes aimed at answering this question, through market-focussed, industry involvement. Incentives for new crop development range from personal motivation, community-based ideals and regionally-based needs to national imperatives. Personnel incentives for pursuing new crops have included attempts by producers to recover from (or avoid) financial crises, the pursuit of windfall profits, or the commercialization of a hobby. Such incentives distract attention from the ultimate purpose of any new rural business, which is to create value through satisfying the needs of the consumer. Regional or national funding initiatives can also have incentives other than value creation. Barriers to the diversification of farming systems through new crops include the lack of reliable information about the available new crops options, the high risks inherent in establishing a supply chain for a new crop product and the long lag period before profits are forthcoming, if they come at all. The new processes developed in Australia assist with:
The future viability of new crop enterprises cannot be predicted accurately. This is because marketing and economic factors are chaotic in their behavior. Instead, this new approach empowers the members of a new crop industry, such as producers, processors, agents, entrepreneurs, etc. to collectively focus their goals and to pursue them. Groups identify consumer needs, describe the new crop product, establish the components of their supply chain and then enter a commercial market, once appropriate benchmarks for their investment, growth, and returns have been set. Such an approach encourages many new industry-driven niche industries, each of which can determine its own needs in terms of future research and development. Some of these new crop industries may eventually prove to be commercially significant over large areas. Trying to predict the latter has proven to be a waste of resources. In conclusion, a new crop industry's greatest resource is people. Contact: R.J. Fletcher, School of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Queensland Gatton, 4343, Qld, Australia. Tel: 61 7 5460 1311. Email: r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au Whilst considerable data on crop species and their metabolites existed from both national and European Commission-funded studies, little collated or critical evidence existed on extract of markets or market specifications for non food crops in European Union. The objective of the IENICA project was to correct the deficiency through a series of reports and technology transfer events supported by a website (http://www.csl.gov.uk/ienica). Whilst coordination of the project was undertaken in UK, 14 EU member states were assessed by their national representatives in the IENICA project then individual reports collated centrally and presented on the website. Approaches were regulated through a structure and protocol. Significant market opportunities for biorenewables were identified in the oils, fibres, carbohydrates and speciality product sector although degree of exploitation was variable between EU member states. Constraints were also identified and reported. Surprisingly it was concluded that industry was not necessarily keen to take up new products, and sometimes they were even unaware of the opportunities available to them. Contact: M.F. Askew, Alternative Crops and Biotechnology Group, Central Science Laboratory, DEFRA, Sand Hutton, York, UK, YO41 1LZ. Tel: 01904 462309. E-mail: m.askew@csl.gov.uk
Canadian agriculture is based upon the introduction and successful adaptation of crop species into various regions of the country. The catalyst for successful expansion of spring wheat production in the prairie region was the introduction and development of adapted germplasm and region-specific agronomic management strategies. The continued success of the canola industry was brought about by a multidisciplinary approach to creating a unique oilseed crop (through the elimination of erucic acid and glucosinolates from the seed) and involved biochemists, plant breeders, physiologists, pathologists, agronomists, nutritionists and a great diversity of other expertise. Canada has a strong history of identifying new crop opportunities, and putting together the necessary expertise to ensure both production and market success. Crop diversification in Canadian agriculture is experiencing a time of growth and excitement. Chickpea area has increased dramatically in the past three years to 450,000+ ha. The production of both field pea (1,460,000 ha) and lentil (732,000 ha) has increased several fold in the last decade. The rapid expansion of these three crops makes Canada their largest global exporter. Canada is also the world’s largest exporter of mustard and canaryseed. This production is primarily based in the prairie provinces of western Canada (Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba). In addition, the prairies have thriving dry bean and sunflower industries, plus developing activity in spice production (coriander, caraway) and essential oil crops (peppermint, spearmint). Many other potential alternate crop species (linola, fenugreek, low-THC hemp, borage and safflower) are in various stages of commercial research and development in western Canada. Other parts of Canada have been expanding production of ginseng, cranberry, and other crops with exciting value-added opportunities. Canada’s diversification success has come about because of four major influences: (1) the need to diversify crop production in the face of large global surpluses in some of our primary crops; (2) Canada has a huge agricultural land area available with a diversity of climatic conditions for which suitable introduced crops can be found; (3) Canada’s primary producers are motivated, knowledgeable growers who have been willing to take on new challenges; and (4) the Canadian research community has developed focused, multidisciplinary programs to identify and develop new crops for Canada, which have strong market potential in collaboration with industry and commodity groups. Many hurdles must be overcome for continued crop diversification in Canada. Research funding has been identified as a key to continued success (by both the federal and provincial governments), although the resources needed to make continued progress are still not adequate. Crop diversification still has to compete with research funding to established crops and struggles to find industry money to "match" public investment. Canada faces specific production issues as the area planted to some of these crops expands at an extraordinary rate. Markets continue to fluctuate as global competition increases. Global buyers need to understand that Canada is a long-term player in these markets, although Canada is now sometimes viewed as the "new kid on the block." The past twenty years have seen a tremendous increase in crop diversification throughout Canada. Efforts are being intensified so that Canada can realize its full potential in both crop diversification and value-added processing of these "new" crops. Contact: S.F. Blade, Crop Diversification Centre North, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, 17507 Fort Road, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5B 4K3. Tel: 780-415-2311. E-mail: stanford.blade@gov.ab.ca
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AND NEW USES
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In 1950, the United States produced one-half of the world’s oil and historically has dominated world oil production. However, dominance has now shifted to the middle east where three-fourth of the world’s oil reserves with two-third located in the Persian Gulf. Currently, over one-half of all oil used in the United States is imported and the amount of these imports exceeds all of Saudi Arabia’s production. Approximately two-third of all petroleum in the United States is used for transportation purposes, which is essential for commerce, and the lifeblood of our economy. During Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait, Iraq controlled one-third of the world’s oil supply, making Americans keenly aware of our dependence and vulnerability. Additionally, as the rest of the world strives for the American standard of living, energy use in developing countries has increased 250 percent in the past 25 years. This increase is expected to continue well into the future, meaning that the demand for ever-decreasing supplies will continue to grow, causing economic and political turmoil throughout the world. Programs to promote ethanol production and use as a gasoline supplement or substitute have been part of the U.S. Department of Energy since its inception. In addition to being renewable and domestically produced, biomass sources are available wherever plants grow and organic wastes are generated. Traditionally, U.S. ethanol production has focused on starch, and more specifically, corn grain feedstocks. The technology to produce ethanol using starch and sugar feedstocks is considered mature in the United States. However, these resources are in the human food chain, and therefore are relatively expensive, making cost-effective ethanol production difficult. For example, approximately 2.5 gallons of ethanol can be produced from a bushel of corn. If corn costs $2.50 per bushel (a reasonable average for U.S. conditions), then ethanol production cost for the feedstock alone is $1 per gallon. These conditions make cost-effective ethanol production from corn grain difficult without government incentives and byproduct sales. Lignocellulosic feedstocks are more plentiful and not in the human food chain, and thus are less expensive. However, due to their chemical bonding and mix of C5 and C6 sugars and other reasons, these feedstocks are difficult to convert cost-effectively into ethanol. After almost 200 years of research, cost-effective technologies are on the horizon and several commercialization efforts are underway. These technologies include acid and enzymatic processes followed by fermentation, thermochemical processes, and thermochemical processes followed by fermentation. All have advantages and disadvantages. Companies striving to commercialize these technologies are working with a variety of feedstocks and trying a variety of approaches. The first commercial ethanol-from-cellulose plants are projected to be online within two to five years. Contact: P.C. Badger, General Bioenergy, Inc., P.O. Box 26, Florence, AL 35630, USA. Tel: 256-740-5634. E-mail: pbadger@bioenergyupdate.com In a systems approach, basic research moves to applied research and is then transferred to a commercial entity. Demonstration and market identification lead to commercialization. Market penetration is where the best ideas often falter. Push marketing--a company pays to promote products--is often not as effective as pull marketing. Federal mandates to "buy green," along with similar state and local programs, have the potential of using the $800 billion leverage of the U.S. governments (local, state, federal) to pull biobased products into the market and make companies manufacturing those products successful. Executive Order 13101, Greening the Government Through Recycling and Waste Prevention, charged USDA with listing biobased products in the Federal Register by March 2000 and promoting biobased products to the federal procurement community. On August 13, 2000, a notice of intent to publish such a list with a request for public comment was printed in the Federal Register. It will be a definitive source of information on the makeup and size of the emerging biobased products and bioenergy industry and will provide a mechanism for tracking the growth of those industries. With limited funding, USDA-ARS has developed a pilot biobased products web site (www.usda-biobasedproducts.net). Information on only three of thirteen categories of biobased industrial products is now on the site, but work continues. Leading by example, in July Secretary Veneman announced that USDA agencies will use biodiesel and ethanol fuels in their fleet vehicles where practicable and reasonable in cost. The Department will request coordination in the following areas:
Current federal discussions about biobased products and bioenergy have created a favorable climate to increase funding for biobased products and bioenergy research as requested by the Administration. Contact: R.B. Buckhalt, OTT, USDA-ARS, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Room 4-1152, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. Tel: 301-504-4895. E-mail: rbb@ars.usda.gov Biofuels in Europe, as typified by European Union (EU-15), have been developing for more than a decade in both the solid and the liquid biofuels sector. The drivers for development have been diverse and often unlinked although all combine to give new uses for land, agricultural crops, products or wastes. Considerable contribution to energy supplies can be made from forestry sources although the extent to which this occurs varies considerably from state to state. EU-15 energy policies are developing and "white papers" have set targets for achievement. These have a specified "biomass" component as well as wind, water, photovoltaic, and other contributing components. An examination of such proposals, allied to analysis of other EU-15 policies (e.g., Common Agricultural Policy) and overlaid by wide overarching protocols and concordats (e.g., Kyoto; WTO) will explain how the current European position has been arrived at and those developments which are likely to come from it. It is to be noted that the regulatory/legislative systems in EU-15 run upon a two-tier system whereby the broad EU-15 regulation is implemented at member state level by national legislation. Hence, the UK Energy Crops Scheme falls under European Council Regulations 1257/1999. Contact: M.F. Askew, Alternative Crops and Biotechnology Group, Central Science Laboratory, DEFRA, Sand Hutton, York, UK, YO41 1LZ. Tel: 01904 462309. E-mail: m.askew@csl.gov.uk
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MEDICINALS, AROMATICS, NUTRACEUTICALS Aromatic oils extracted from plants have long been used in foods, flavorings, and fragrances. Plants which provide new and unique fragrances and aromas have potential for commercialization as new crops. In this context, a wide range of sub-Saharan African aromatic plants will be reviewed as potential new sources of essential oils, and the challenges in the commercialization of these plants will be discussed. Some of the selected plants include Acorus calamus (calamus), Aframomum spp., (Grains of Paradise), Agathosma spp. (buchu), Artemisia afra (African wormwood), Cananga odorata (Ylang ylang), Cinnamomum camphora (camphor tree, ravintsara), Eriocephalus africanus (wild African rosemary), Eucalyptus citriodora, Helichrysum spp. (helichrysum), Lantana aromatica, Lippia japonica (African fever tea), Lippia multiflora (Ghana bush tea), Melaleuca viridiflora (niauli), Mentha spp. (wild mint), Mondia whitei, Ocimum spp., Pelargonium spp., Pteronia incana, Ravensara aromatica (ravensara), Salvia spp., Tarchonanthus camphoratus (African wild camphor bush), Valeriana capensis (South African Cape valerian), Xylopia aethiopica (West African pepper), and Zingiber officinale (ginger). The commercialization of new aromatic oils can also be targeted around the bioactivity of the extractable oils, and in this context the discovery of new uses and applications of the essential oils will further drive the research and development process. Essential oils with promising antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, and/or health-related properties will be presented. A final consideration in the field of new aromatic essential oils is the potential impact of genetic engineering of aromatic plants, and its potential utility to both increase total essential oil production and/or to strategically alter aroma. As genes involved in the biosynthesis of aromatic compounds are being cloned, such genes are becoming available for the modification of targeted aroma profiles in other plants. This has exciting ramifications to increase the diversity and improve the aroma characteristics in our foods, herbs, ornamental, and floricultural plants. Contact: J.E. Simon, Center for New Use Agriculture and Natural Plant Products, 59 Dudley Road, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. Tel: 732-932-9711 (X355). E-mail: jesimon@aesop.rutgers.edu
Chinese medicinal plants have the potential to become an important, minor crop in the U.S. Public interest in oriental medicine appears to be increasing as the concept of using herbal remedies becomes more acceptable and legitimate for treatment of human ailments. Current imports of these plant materials from China, according to Chinese medicine practitioners, frequently lack the quality necessary for marketing in Western countries. Domestic production by U.S. growers offers the possibility of clean, quality plant material that could be directly marketed to practitioners and processors. Preliminary evaluation of data indicates that many Chinese medicinal species (over 150 species have been tested) can grow well in North America. Indeed, many Chinese medicinal plants grown in China come from ecological zones similar to those of the U.S. Cultivation of these plants will depend on adapting culture of the plants to Western field conditions and to successful marketing of the plant materials. Practitioners of traditional Oriental medicine are trained to use a wide variety of medicinal plants combined according to established formulas. Processors develop formulas, which generally includes six to ten plant species, to be used by practitioners in developing a treatment for patients. Although the traditions of cultivation, harvesting, and processing of Chinese botanicals are ancient and specific to each species of plant, no impediments to domestic productions in America or Europe are apparent. Many Chinese medicinal plants are similar to native American species and should acclimatize well to local environmental conditions. Some difficulty may arise because of the long term growth required for woodland species (10-15 % of Chinese medicinal plants), but these would probably be satisfactory for agriculture under orchard conditions. While most Chinese medicinal plants have not been produced for the medicinal botanical market in the U.S., a number of these plants are grown as ornamentals and are commonly available in the nursery trade. Because a large number of the Chinese medicinal plants are perennials that appear to require few environmental inputs, the plants should be excellent candidates for ecologically beneficial, low maintenance specialty crops. Contact: Lyle E. Craker, Laboratories for Natural Products, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. Tel: 415-545-2347. E-mail: craker@pssci.umass.edu
Plants are the foundation for a significant part of human medicine and for many of the most widely used drugs designed to prevent, treat, and cure disease. A number of our cultivated crop plants, including many vegetable crops, were domesticated for medicinal purposes prior to their current use as food. Folkloric transmission of plant-based cures represents a fundamental and formidable reservoir of information for most human cultures. While such remedies are still widely practiced throughout the world, recent scientific developments in the U.S. and other developed countries ushered in a new era of synthetic medicine. During the 20th century, modern medical science introduced monomolecular drugs, many of which have achieved great success and improved public health. However, along with this revolution has come a realization that many traditional plant-based remedies, which generally contain a wide variety of secondary compounds, have been forgotten or obscured. Beginning with the discovery of the vitamins in the early part of the 20th century, key elements of the health functionality of specific crop plants were elucidated. This information led to a greater understanding of the importance of vegetable crops in the human diet. In the past decade, great strides have been made to improve our understanding of how plant secondary compounds in vegetable crops influence human health. The current emphasis on food functionality in the marketplace has highlighted the importance of nutritional components in vegetable crops. While a few vegetable crops have been substantially modified in this regard, much of the research in this area has focused on gaining a better understanding of how secondary compounds that are already present may impact human health, or be influenced by the horticultural environment. This presentation will include a review of the historical development of vegetable phytoceuticals with an emphasis on underutilize crops, new versions of old crops, and strategies for future crop development. Contact: I.L. Goldman, Department of Horticulture, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA. Tel: 608-262-7781. E-mail: ilgoldma@facstaff.wisc.edu
Podophyllotoxin is the starting material for the semi-synthesis of the anticancer drugs etoposide, teniposide, and etopophos. These compounds have been used for the treatment of lung and testicular cancers as well as certain leukemias. It is also the precursor to a new derivative CPH 82 that is being tested for rheumatoid arthritis in Europe, and to other derivatives used for the treatment of psoriasis and malaria. Several podophyllotoxin preparations are on the market for dermatological use to treat genital warts. Since the total synthesis of podophyllotoxin is an expensive process, availability of the compound from natural renewable resources is an important issue for pharmaceutical companies that manufacture these drugs. Currently, the commercial source of podophyllotoxin is the rhizomes and roots of Podophyllum emodi Wall. (syn. P. hexandrum Royle), an endangered species from the Himalayas. In recent studies, we concluded that the leaf blades of the North American Mayapple (P. peltatum L.) may serve as an alternative source of podophyllotoxin production. Since leaves are renewable organs that store lignans as glucopyranosides, podophyllotoxin can be obtained by conversion of podophyllotoxin 4-O-D-glucopyranoside into the aglycone using our buffer extraction procedure. This extraction procedure of P. peltatum leaves yields podophyllotoxin in amounts similar to the ethanol extraction of P. emodi rhizomes and roots. Podophyllum peltatum accessions with podophyllotoxin-rich leaf biomass were identified and transplanted to different growing conditions by vegetative cuttings. Results indicate that the lignan profile in leaves does not change over time or due to environmental conditions. Podophyllotoxin and a-peltatin contents in the blades seem to be stable with an inverse relationship between these compounds. Podophyllotoxin-rich leaf accessions showed low biosynthetic capability to synthesize a- and b-peltatin and the opposite was also true, indicating that selection and cultivation of high-yielding podophyllotoxin leaf biomass may reduce production costs. There has been an increasing interest in domestication and cultivation of P. peltatum for podophyllotoxin production. However, there remains a need for the confirmation of the most economical and available sources since podophyllotoxin is also present in other genera. Most importantly, feasibility will depend on the cost of P. peltatum cultivation and on the podophyllotoxin purification process. Contact: Moraes, R.M., NCNPR, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi,University, MS 38677, USA. Tel: 662-915-1147. E-mail: rmoraes@olemiss.edu
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Canola is the second largest oilseed crop in the world providing 14% of the world’s supply, yet it is still considered a NEW crop in the United States. Canola is new in the sense that it has a relatively short history in the United States. Significant domestic markets were not created until GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status was granted by the FDA in 1985, allowing its oil to be used in foods marketed in the U.S. Early expectations were that canola would take the United States by storm as this new, improved, and a renamed version of rapeseed had done in Canada in the previous decade. Many experts projected 8-10 million acres in the U.S. by the turn of the century with broad scale adoption in the Midwest and Southeast. Although the current canola acreage in the United States of 1.6 million acres falls far short of those original projections, these production levels would still lead you to believe that canola is probably the greatest new crop success in the United States since the development of soybean as an oilseed. Unfortunately, this is true in only one region, the Northern Plains. Of 1.6 million acres of canola produced this year in the U.S., 1.4 million were grown in North Dakota and most of those within a hundred miles of the Canadian border. Virtually all of the U.S. canola production can be viewed simply has an extension of Canadian production that is largely supported by Canadian infrastructure, Canadian varieties, and Canadian markets. Several other production regions in the United States have demonstrated good potential for canola production, but they have experienced very little growth over the past fifteen years and are still struggling to develop or sustain viable canola industries. Introducing canola elsewhere besides the Northern Plains has been largely unsuccessful due to the host of problems that are all too familiar to those of us who work routinely with new crops. Absences of local markets, unavailability of locally adapted varieties, lack of registered crop protection chemicals, reluctance of farmers to adopt a new crop, various production challenges, absence of infrastructure, meager research funds, limited crushing capacity, and strong world competition combined with no incentives for domestic production have each played a role in stifling commercialization efforts in one or more regions. Probably the most common constraint is the formidable "chicken or egg" dilemma caused by the large initial production level that is required for profitable commercialization. Fortunately, some of the many barriers that stifled early commercialization efforts in the U.S. have now come down. The "Freedom to Farm" philosophy reflected in the last farm bill removed many cropping restrictions and made it possible for producers to incorporate new crops, such as canola, into their production systems. Coverage of canola crops by Federal Crop Insurance, inclusion of canola and related oilseeds in the Commodity Loan Program at a favorable loan rate, registration of a host of new crop protection chemicals, and the development of better adapted varieties by publicly-funded regional breeding programs should greatly improve the chances of successful commercialization of canola in other regions of the U.S. over the next 10 to 20 years. Yet the harsh reality remains. Introduction of a new crop is a long-term undertaking, especially if attempted in the absence of a coordinated national policy that encourages and supports new crops research and development programs. Contact: Dr. Paul L. Raymer, The University of Georgia, Griffin Campus, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223, USA. Tel: 770-228-7324. E-Mail: praymer@griffin.peachnet.edu
Recently, there has been a resurgence in the use of flaxseed for food and industrial uses. Flaxseed is produced primarily in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and the prairie provinces of Canada. North Dakota is the leading producer in the United States with approximately 9.9 million bushels produced on 500,000 acres annually. The United States has not produced enough flaxseed in recent years (10.7 million bushels annually) to meet its domestic needs. Therefore, approximately 50 to 60 percent of the flaxseed is imported from Canada. The major use of flaxseed still remains for linseed oil. Industrial linseed oil is extracted and used for paints and coatings, linoleum, oil cloth, printing inks, soap, patent leather, base oils, brake linings, and herbicide adjuvants. A moderate resurgence for the food use of flaxseed has occurred both in the United States and Canada. Flaxseed and cold-pressed flaxseed oil can be purchased in many food stores in North America. Flaxseed has a pleasant, nutty flavor with few side effects. The principal benefits of flaxseed in both human and animal nutrition are the high levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in its oil, and the high content of both soluble and insoluble fiber in the seed. Flaxseed contains 55-58% ALA in its fatty acid profile. It is a widely known that the inclusion of omega-3 fatty acid into human diet has a very positive health benefit. Research has been reported that the omega-3 fatty acids are associated with lowered risk of coronary heart disease by reduction of triglyceride levels in the blood. Other health-related research has shown that flaxseed lignin can aid in reducing the risk of hormone-dependent cancer such as breast, endometrial and prostrate as well as decreasing menopausal symptoms. Flaxseed also is being used in swine rations to increase litter size and birth weight. Laying hens fed flaxseed in rations are now producing healthier omega-3 eggs for human consumption. Flaxseed is being used in early rations for feeder cattle to reduce shipping fever. In preliminary studies, flaxseed has induced immunity to a respiratory bacterial endotoxin in young feeder cattle. Gains in efficiency were greatest for cattle fed diets containing flax, and were substantially improved relative to diets containing full-fat soybeans or beef tallow. Death losses also were significantly lower for stressed cattle fed flaxseed as the lipid feed supplement. Flaxseed stem fiber is now being processed and used for a number of products. In addition to cigarette paper, flax fibers are being used for pulp and paper, erosion control mats, reinforcing materials in plastics and particle composite products. Contact: D.R. Berglund, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, USA. E-mail: dberglun@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Sesame is one of the oldest cultivated crops known to man. There are archeological remnants dating to 5,500 BC in the Indian subcontinent. However, sesame faces the following paradox: It is not a major crop because there is little research, and there is little research because it is not a major crop. In order to become a major crop, sesame has to be converted from a manual crop to a mechanized crop. There was some sesame grown in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s using binders, shocking, and combining. However, when the Brazero program was ended, there was no manual labor to do the shocking and the sesame program died. In 1978, Sesaco was formed to try to completely mechanize the crop. For the past 60 years, the major obstacle has been the shattering of the capsule at harvest. Two genes have been discovered that keep the capsule closed – the indehiscent gene in 1943 and the seamless gene in 1986. However, these genes have not worked because there is too much damage to the seed when opening these capsules mechanically. Sesame is over 50% oil, and thus must be handled very gently. Initial direct harvest in 1978 resulted in 90% seed losses. By 1982, the crop could be harvested completely mechanically by swathing the sesame, leaving it to lie horizontally, and then picking it up with a combine when dry. The initial variety was adequate with a 30% loss with no rain, but could lose as much as 60% with just a little rain on the drying windrow. From that time forward, there have been 24 varieties released, each with better shatter resistance. By 1989, there was enough shatter resistance to allow direct harvest when the plants were dry. In 1995 and even with rain, there was only a 30% loss. In 1997, the shatter resistance was good enough that the completely dry sesame stayed in the field for 6 weeks in the rain with only a 10% loss. Along with improvements in shatter resistance, breeding has successfully incorporated resistance to aphid, white fly, and root rot. For the past 33 years, the breeding focus was to have the actual yields approach the potential yields by ameliorating yield preventers and yield reducers. The challenges for the future are (1) continue to improve potential yield, which was sacrificed for shatter resistance, (2) register herbicides, and (3) get crop insurance. World consumption of sesame continues to increase. With mechanized sesame, the U.S. can become one of the major producers of sesame. Contact: D. R. Langham, Sesaco Corporation, 4308 Centergate, San Antonio, TX 78217, USA. Tel: 210-590-3352. E-mail: yuma@texas.net
In 1995, the membership of the National Sunflower Association (NSA) determined that adjustments to the existing fatty acid structure of sunflower were needed to attract consistent domestic markets for the oil. All sectors of the sunflower industry were represented on a planning committee that laid out a strategy for converting the U.S. sunflower acreage to a mid-level oleic fatty acid sunflower seed (later to become known as NuSun). The decision to change was prompted by communication with major users of vegetable oil who reported concerns about the future use of hydrogenated oils, especially for frying. They indicated that a mid-level oleic sunflower oil might provide desired stability without hydrogenation. A major initial hurdle was determining whether NuSun sunflower oil would indeed meet the needs of the domestic snack food frying industry. This was needed before the hybrid seed industry was willing to make investments in a new breeding program. An existing patent on high oleic sunflower seed was another complication for starting breeding programs. Generating confidence in industry members and farmers that NuSun sunflower had market potential was a critical factor throughout the first five years of the project. The hybrid seed companies faced the major challenge. The new hybrids had to have all of the essential requirements of yield, oil content and the other agronomic characteristics found in traditional hybrids. The hybrids also had to meet the oleic content needs of the end user. Farmers faced the challenges of switching to hybrids with limited testing and the necessity of keeping NuSun sunflower separate from traditional production. That required separate storage on the farm or immediate market outlets at harvest. Crushing plants provided a market incentive to farmers by paying a slight premium for NuSun. The first handler, the grain elevators, had to find a method to segregate NuSun from traditional hybrids and maintain separate storage. An instrument was identified that could provide a quick and inexpensive way to determine seeds high in oleic acid. Extensive taste and performance testing of the NuSun occurred at private and public facilities as soon as sufficient oil became available in the l998-99. All of the research reports came back favorably. As early as 1999 several regional potato chip companies reported using NuSun and were pleased with the oil’s performance and consumer acceptance. One continuous theme repeated from research taste panels to industrial users was the excellent taste of the products produced in NuSun. NuSun received a big boost in July 2000 when Proctor & Gamble announced that the company would be using NuSun in the production of Pringles chips. This provided a strong vote of confidence for the decision that was made in 1995. Hybrid seed companies were making excellent progress with NuSun hybrids. By the 2000 season it was estimated that one-third of the U.S. oil-type acres were planted to NuSun. That was approximately 650,000 acres. Estimates are that 2001 NuSun acreage will approach about half of the U.S. sunflower oil-type acreage. The market and hybrid performance will continue to direct the rate of acreage conversion to NuSun. Contact: Larry Kleingartner, National Sunflower Association, 4023 State Street, Bismarck ND 58502, USA. Tel:701-328-5100. E-mail: jkngrtnr@sunflowernsa.com
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Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a summer annual belonging to the Labiatae family. This species originated in the mountainous areas of west-central Mexico and northern Guatemala. Pre-Columbian civilizations used chia seeds as the raw material for making medicines as well as nutritional compounds. It was one of the main crops of the Pre-Columbian societies of the region, and was surpassed only by corn and beans in terms of significance. The city of Tenochtitlan received an annual tribute from conquered nations, a minimum of 4,400 tons of chia. Also, the city received annually chia produced by the Aztec intensive agriculture system, which utilized 9,000 ha of chinampas. Chia seeds contain varying amounts of oil of between 32-39%, with the highest natural percentage of a-linolenic acid known (60-63%). Chia has been shown to hold significant potential in the food industry as a source of w-3 fatty acids. Hens fed chia seeds have produced eggs with up 59 mg of w-3 fatty acid/g of yolk. Milk from cows fed chia has 30% more w-3 fatty acid than milk from cows fed conventional diets. Chia-enriched broiler diet provides 2.7 to 3.5 times more w-3 fatty acids and a similar cholesterol content per edible portion of white and dark meat with skin, respectively, than an equal sized portion of canned tuna. In addition to the w-3 content, extracts of chia seed have been shown to exhibit strong antioxidizing characteristics. The more important antioxidants isolated to date are: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol flavonols. Chia seed contains 32-39% fiber, of which 5% is soluble fiber useful as a dietary fiber. In addition to the usefulness of the seed, chia biomass contains an abundance of essential oils, which are of significant commercial importance in the flavor and fragrance industries. Thus, chia’s chemical composition, and/or its nutritional value, gives it a very high potential for use within both food and medicinal markets. Contact: Wayne Coates, Southwest Center for Natural Products Research & Commercialization, The University of Arizona, 250 E. Valencia Road, Tucson, AZ 85706, USA. Tel: 520-741-0840. E-mail: wcoates@u.arizona.edu
There is growing interest in vegetable oil-based lubricants and functional fluids. Vegetable oils are renewable and biodegradable so they can be formulated to make vegetable-based or bio-based lubricants that are more environmentally sensitive than similar conventional petroleum-based products. Using an environmentally friendly product can save an equipment operator a substantial amount of money in terms of oil spill related clean up, fines and down time. This presentation is about the formulation and use of vegetable oils in industrial lubricants and how developers of new crops and seekers of new uses can best interact with companies that develop and market specialty fluids. Topics will include a review of the current state of the art of vegetable oil formulations, their strengths and weaknesses, and the differences between various vegetable oil types. Formulating with vegetable oils will be explored, with emphasis on lubricant characteristics, what formulators need to know about base oils to begin their work, especially in terms of preliminary testing and compatibility with chemical additives. By providing formulators with the required oil properties in the terms they understand, their interest can be maintained and development time reduced. The major driving forces for bio-based lubricants will be discussed. What is the state of current and pending legislation and what other factors make people buy vegetable-based lubricants? While there is no universal definition of environmental preferability, many of the currently used definitions will be explained. A brief overview of market opportunities will be explored including current bio-based oil purchasers, their needs and necessary performance specifications that must be met. Finally, a formulator’s wish list will be outlined. This list is developed with the lubricant formulator in mind with the intention of guiding new crop developers to develop crops with the highest probability of commercial success. Contact: Mark Miller, Terresolve Technologies, 35585 Curtis Blvd., Eastlake, OH 44095. Tel: 440-951-8633. E-mail: memiller@terresolve.com
2Cátedra de Cultivos Industriales, Facultad de Agronomía (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
The high oleic phenotype in cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) originated from a dominant mutation (Ol) in the cultivar Pervenets. Ol has been widely used in the development of high oleic inbred hybrids and is necessary for producing the high oleic phenotype. We previously showed that a seed specific D12 oleate desaturase gene (OLD-7) was duplicated and weakly expressed in OlOl homozygotes and the nucleotide sequences of the coding regions of wildtype and mutant oleate desaturase genes were identical, and speculated that the duplicated gene disrupted the OLD-7 promoter. To test this, our objective was to design oligonucleotide primers to amplify the DNA fragment hypothesized to reside between the tandemly repeated genes. Using long distance PCR, a 3,000 bp fragment was amplified from the mutant line, whereas no fragments were amplified from the wildtype line. DNA sequencing confirmed that a 3,000 bp fragment resides between tandem repeats of OLD-7. We cloned upstream and downstream regions flanking the OLD-7 coding region in wildtype and mutant lines. Our aims were to identify the novel splice site, confirm that the promoter sequence is disrupted in the mutant line, and develop and map dominant and co-dominant DNA markers for OLD-7, specifically insertions-deletions (INDELs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We are using the PH-C × PH-D RIL population to identify candidate genes and QTL that interact with Ol. SNP or other markers for OLD-7 will be integrated with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers on the genetic map to facilitate marker-assisted selection for the high oleic phenotype in sunflower. PH-C × PH-D, a recombinant inbred line (RILL) mapping population, segregated for Ol and quantitative trait loci (QTL.) affecting oleic acid concentration. The oleic acid distribution was continuous in two sites and two locations. Contact: S.J. Knapp, Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-3002, USA. Tel: 541-737-5842. E-mail: steven.j.knapp@orst.edu
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As an increasing priority for New Uses Council Inc., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and other public and private entities, has been to develop an internet-based communications network for the variety of individuals with an interest in some segment of new uses, new crops and other biobased product technologies. A system, or combination of systems to connect the whole emerging industry is necessary for many reasons. These include the need for leadership, assist in developing a unified public policy voice and to participate with all those involved in their efforts to avoid reinventing the wheel when it comes to research priorities and applications. As part of this broad effort, the U.S. Dept. of Energy has announced plans to develop a "Virtual Bioenergy Center" to connect those with a specialized interest in bioenergy and biofuels. There are similar efforts being developed around the world, with major networks in Canada, Europe and Japan. As a central catalyst to this effort, AgroTech Communications, Inc. has developed the Biobased Information System (BIS) to ensure multidirectional communication between a worldwide network of users. The Biobased Information System (BIS) was created by AgroTech Communications, Inc. to sort and administer information flow between originators of biobased information, publishers of that information, and the thousands of individuals worldwide who benefit from the system. Originators create content for use on the system, while publishers are any website administrators in the world who would like to use biobased information in their own website. All the features of the system are available through a password-protected area of the website. The implementation of the Biobased Information System (BIS) will continue to bring the entire biobased industry together to pool resources, avoid mistakes, develop a unified approach to public policy and other factors necessary to build a vibrant and fast-growing industry. Contact: Peter A. Nelson, AgroTech Communications, Inc., 7777 Walnut Grove Rd., Suite LLB4, Box 50, Memphis, Tennessee 38120, USA, Tel: 901-309-1668, Fax: 901-309-382. Email: pnelson@agrotechfiber.com. Web: http://www.biobased.org
The failure of many nonwood fiber pulp and paper projects is due to the inability to understand the suitability of wood as a papermaking raw material. Even agricultural residues, which have certain cost advantages compared to fiber-only crops, must be able to compete against the inherent advantages of wood. Trees are a low-maintenance crop that is fairly insulated against environmental fluctuations. Wood has good bulk density and can be economically transported and stored. Wood is a clean material, with a low content of foreign materials, metals, and silica. The fibers from wood have a uniform, normal distribution, with a low content of parenchyma, pith, and unusable structures. Wood fibers have a wide range of lengths, but even the shortest lengths are useful for papermaking. Fiber wall thickness and integrity in wood fibers are sufficient to provide good strength and good recyclability, but still allow collapse into flat ribbons for papermaking. Agricultural residues are derived from annual crops, which require significant maintenance during growth and harvest. Since annual crops are sensitive to environmental conditions such as drought or flood, some amount of material must be kept on reserve to provide a buffer. Residues tend to have a low bulk density, resulting in high storage costs and limiting the distances they can be transported economically. In addition to foreign materials entrained with the residues during harvest, many residues have a significant content of metals and silica. Some residues have a significant amount of parenchyma and pith, which cause problems in both pulping and papermaking. Most residues have short fibers with thin walls, producing adequate tensile strength, but poor tear strength and recyclability. The most significant advantage of agricultural residues compared with wood is that they have a very open structure and have lignin that is not very condensed. These properties can cause residues to respond to very mild pulping processes (chemical and chemical-mechanical) in a way that wood cannot. Redesigning a pulp mill to take advantage of these properties may give residues the edge necessary to compete with wood. Contact: M. V. Byrd, Jr., Dept. of Wood & Paper Science, NC State University, Box 8005, Raleigh, NC, 27695-8005, USA. Tel: 919-515-5790. E-mail: med_byrd@ncsu.edu
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Israel is a tiny country. Its domestic market is small – too small to warrant R&D activity – and in the world market it cannot compete against the large producers of common crops. However, if Israeli growers were provided with new crops for export, they could successfully aim for the lucrative exotic niche. This is the rationale that led us to initiate a program for domestication of new fruit crops 17 years ago. These totally new crops, which do not exist in Europe, the U.S. or Japan, are being introduced into the only open space available for agricultural development in Israel – the Negev desert. The aim of the program is to develop the know-how required for the production and marketing of exotic fruits, mainly for the export market. We introduced over 40 different fruit-tree species and tested them in the five ecozones found in our desert. Many did not survive, some turned out to have no commercial value, but others seem very promising. Four species have already penetrated the European market. Among the failures were yehib, Cordeauxia edulis from the Horn of Africa, which proved highly sensitive to low temperatures, mongongo, Ricinodendron rautaneni, with low yields, and Harpephyllum caffrum, which produces tiny fruit with only a small edible portion. All the species that were successfully introduced into the European markets belong to the Cactaceae and hence are efficient water users. This is obviously a tremendous advantage for Israel, a country with severe water shortages. The cacti in question include Cereus peruvianus, trade name Koubo, an erect outdoor-grown summer-bearing plant; its smooth oval fruits are medium-sized, with a variously-hued red peel and white aromatic pulp. Hylocereus undatus and H. polyrhizus, also summer-bearing, have scaly fruits, and Selenicereus megalanthus, which is both winter- and spring-bearing, bears spiny fruit. All are epiphytic and have to be grown on trellises under shade (due to photoinhibition). However, they differ in sensitivity to high and low temperatures and requirements for shade and water. S. megalanthus also known as "yellow pitaya," has a delicious white- fleshed fruit with a yellow peel, with large thorns easily removed at harvest. H. undatus also known as Dragon fruit or white-fleshed red pitaya, bears beautiful large fruit (300-600 g) with green scales and a very mild taste. H. polyrhizus is similar to H. undatus, but has a strong color and a glowing, deep-purple pulp. Unlike the cactus pear, all have soft edible black seeds similar to those of kiwi fruit. Apart from their beautiful appearance, the main reason for their success was the special attention given to marketing. Other species considered to have potential as export crops are: marula, Sclerocarya birrea sbsp caffra from southern_Africa; Vangueria infausta (mmilo), Strychnos cocculoides and Strychnos spinosa,_also from southern Africa; and argan, Argania spinosa,_an oil-producing tree from Morocco. Argan and marula can tolerate the extreme temperatures and salinities that prevail in the Negev desert. The main obstacle to introducing real new crops remains the marketing issue and the refusal of the establishment to support the newly emerging crop. There are many more fruit trees waiting for the scientific community and the granting agencies to explore their potential and give them a chance to become the crops of the future. Contact: Y. Mizrahi, Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion university of the Negev. P.O.B 653 Beer-Sheva 84243, Israel. Tel 972-8-6461969. Email: mizrahi@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Over the years since early historic times, the nature of salads has changed in both style and content. In the last quarter century, substantial changes have occurred on four main fronts: 1) the types of lettuces used; 2) the appearance and expansion of value-added products; 3) the addition of new or previously little used species; and 4) a growing interest in nutritional and health value of salad vegetables. Different lettuce types have historically predominated in different regions of the world. In the US, until the early years of the 20th Century, we consumed several types of lettuces. With development of the Western shipping industry, iceberg lettuce became synonymous with salad. In recent years, the development of the salad bar and the increasing feasibility of shipping non-iceberg types long distances brought a resurgence in the use of romaine, butterhead, and leaf lettuces. The value-added revolution started with shredding of lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage for institutional uses. Now, the shredding and chopping of several kinds of salad vegetables, combined in numerous ways in small family-size plastic packages, are a major force in the produce industry and have contributed to a radical shift in home food preparation. Spring mix or mesclun, the combination of young small leaves of various kinds, is in the throes of extremely rapid growth over the last few years. We have been introduced to a bewildering number of new leaves: arugula, tat soi, frisee, beet tops, and many others. The last change is incipient. It is a growing interest in the nutritional value and antioxidant capacity of the various kinds of lettuces, as well as the other species now being consumed in our salads. This interest may stimulate a corresponding interest in breeding for increased content of beneficial compounds. Contact: Edward J. Ryder, USDA-ARS, U.S. Agricultural Research Station, 1636 E. Alisal St., Salinas, CA 93905. Tel: 831-744-2860. E-mail: eryder@pacbell.net
The genus Vigna (Leguminosae) contains several species that are of considerable economic importance in many developing countries. Cowpeas (V. unguiculata [L.] Walp.), mung beans (V. radiata [L.] Wilczek), and urd beans (V. mungo [L.] Hepper) are key dietary staples for many millions of people. Additionally, adzuki beans (V. angularis [Willd.] Ohwi & Ohashi), bambara groundnuts (V. subterranea [L.] Verdn.), mat beans (V. aconitifolia [Jacq.] Marechal), and rice beans (V. umbellata [Thunb.] Ohwi & Ohashi) are important in the diets of many societies. Many of these Vigna species are also valued as forage, cover, and green manure crops in many parts of the world. Annual worldwide production of the various Vigna species probably exceeds 20 million hectares, and virtually all of this production is in developing countries. The economic Vigna species exhibit a number of attributes that make them particularly valuable for inclusion in many types of cropping systems. They can be grown successfully in extreme environments (e.g., high temperatures, low rain fall, and poor soils) with few economic inputs. Many of these species produce multiple edible products, and these products provide subsistence farmers with a food supply throughout the growing season as well as harvested seeds that are easy to store and transport. For example, tender shoot tips and leaves of cowpeas can be consumed as soon as the plants reach the seeding stage and immature pods and immature seeds can be consumed during the fruiting stage. Harvested dry seed of all of the Vigna crops can be consumed directly, and seeds of several of the crops are commonly used to make flour or produce sprouts. Plant residues and haulms can be used as fodder for farm animals. Vigna food products exhibit many excellent nutritional attributes and these products provide a needed complement in diets comprised mainly of roots, tubers, or cereals. Except for cowpeas, which were heavily researched in the U.S. early in the 20th century, there has been little research on any of the Vigna species until recent decades. Although there are appreciable efforts in the international research arena at present directed toward cowpeas and mung beans, many of the Vigna species are still largely ignored by the scientific community. However, plant explorers and the plant germplasm preservation community long ago recognized the potential importance of the economic Vigna species. These people have done a commendable job of collecting and preserving Vigna germplasm, and appreciable collections of Vigna germplasm are held by various national and international agencies. All of the economic Vigna species have potential for introduction or increased production in the U.S. The introduction or expansion of the culture of Vigna species in the U.S. would create new opportunities and provide alternative crops for American farmers, give American consumers access to new and novel foods, and increase the bio-diversity of crops used in American agriculture. Contact R.L. Fery, USDA-ARS-US Vegetable Laboratory, 2875 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29414-5334. Tel: 843-556-0849. E-mail: rfery@awod.com
Profit margins for traditionally grown agronomic crops such as corn, soybean, and small grains have been minimal the past several years. This coupled with nearly a 50% reduction in the tobacco quota in the past four years, a primary source of revenue for North Carolina farmers has caused growers to search for alternative agricultural enterprises which are profitable. Warm season vegetables such as muskmelons or cantaloupes are grown profitably by several growers throughout North Carolina. Besides cantaloupe, there is a great diversity of melon (Cucumis melo) types with unique flavors and appearance that could provide crop alternatives and profits for growers. One objective of this program was to screen advanced lines or cultivars of the different melon types and determine their adaptability (i.e. yield, disease resistance/susceptibility) to North Carolina growing conditions. The second objective was to take promising melon cultivars/types and test market them for buyer and consumer acceptance. A third objective is grower participation in the marketing development and economic analysis of the specialty melons. Each year, specialty melons for field testing are obtained by contacting international and national seed company representatives, and individual plant breeders. Melons for testing include juan canary, Japanese, oriental-crisp-flesh, Galia, Christmas, rochet, charentais, and honey dew types. In 10 to 12 m long rows, melons are evaluated for horticultural qualities such as yield potential (number and weight), fruit shape and size, sugar content, flavor, flesh texture, optimum time to harvest, and shelf life. Based on these criteria, melon cultivars that show potential for commercial production are included in the screening trial the following season. Those melons only suited for local sales (highly perishable or low yielding) are typically not included in the screening trial the subsequent year. After one to two years of field trials, melon cultivars or types which show high potential are test marketed. Test marketing is done several ways; sampling product to local grocery store chains as well as independent grocers, sampling a few boxes, which are add-on items as part of a trailer load with grower cooperators, and via consumer surveys. If the particular melon type is well received, a few growers volunteer to produce small acreage (0.5 to 1 acre) of the melons during the third year in order to provide some volume for continued test marketing. If there is buyer acceptance of the melon, increased grower participation along with increased acreage occurs the fourth year. Continued support is provided through extension programming and marketing by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, respectively. Several melons show good potential as a specialty item. For example, a crisp-flesh-oriental melon has garnered market acceptance. Approximately 10 growers are now producing this crisp flesh melon commercially and have shipped between 60 to 70 tractor trailer loads in 2001. A number of other melon types are being tested on-farm to evaluate their commercial potential. These melons were originally screened on the research station and determined to be well adapted to North Carolina environmental conditions. This program is only four years old and has provided consumers with new crop items and growers with new opportunities along with educational program support. At least one-half of the growers shipping the oriental crisp flesh melon are tobacco growers that are using this additional income that was lost due to reduced tobacco acreage. Contact: J.R. Schultheis, North Carolina State University, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609, USA. Tel: 919-515-1225. E-mail: Jonathan_Schultheis@ncsu.edu
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Paniceae is the largest tribe of the Gramineae family, with more than 1,400 species. This summarizes the advances in cultivar development, management, and utilization for the most economically important species of this tribe, which include proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. Beauv.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.R. Br.). Recently, grain types of pearl millet and proso millet have been released and U.S. acreage has continued to increase, especially for proso millet. Advanced lines of foxtail are being tested for grain yield potential in the High Plains region that have been selected for improved resistance to wheat streak mosaic. Foxtail millet lines are also being developed to better meet the market for individual heads for caged birds and for forage production. Proso millet germplasm is being developed with starch characteristics unique to the U.S. market and may improve the export potential of the crop. Recent releases of pearl millet for forage based on manipulation of the photoperiod response are starting to be marketed. Management research has been limited, but new herbicides have been labeled that help in controlling weeds in all three crops. These millets reliably produce grain and forage under the most adverse conditions around the world. They have the potential to improve our cereal food supply, produce forage for livestock production and provide for the leisure activity of feeding birds. Contact: David D. Baltensperger, University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center, 4502 Avenue I, Scottsbluff, NE 69361, USA. Tel: 308-632-1261. E-mail: dbaltensperger1@unl.edu
Amaranth has been a "New Crop" in the United States since the late 1970s. It is grown for grain, leafy vegetable, forage, and ornamental use. Amaranth grain is an international commodity exported from Peru, the United States and other countries. It is used in health-food breakfast cereals and other high-value food products. Amaranth grain brokers estimated grain prices in July 2001; farmers were paid $1.30 to $1.80 per kg for certified organic grain and $0.90 to $1.10 per kg for conventional grain. With average U.S. yields of 670-1,340 kg/ha, organic growers can gross $870-2,410 per ha. Grain amaranth production in the United States is at levels similar to the 1990s, estimated at 400-2,000 ha per year. Improved varieties and cultural methods could help the industry by lowering production costs. Plant breeding work in progress is intended to reduce seed shattering during late-season storms, and to increase yield potential. Amaranth is under investigation as a forage crop internationally. Forage is the main use for the 60,000 ha of amaranths grown yearly in China. Amaranth can yield 12,400-kg/ha dry weight of forage that is very digestible and contains 25% protein. Nitrate can reach toxic levels. These nitrate levels diminish in older plants, and are influenced by genotype and environment. Vegetable amaranths are adapted to warm-humid summer growing conditions in the United States. They are an excellent source of dietary carotenoids and iron. Immigrant populations from countries where amaranth vegetable use is important continue to purchase vegetable amaranths in the U.S. Dietary iron could become a marketing advantage in the U.S. where iron deficiency is common. Ornamental amaranths are commonly used as bedding plants in the United States. The popular Amaranthus tricolor types could be improved by breeding for improved resistance to Phomopsis amaranticola leaf and stem blight. Other ornamental types such as ‘Elephant Head’ are attractive, easy to grow and should be promoted. Amaranths are desirable because they add to farmer and consumer options, offering good performance for crop rotations. The amaranth community is making progress with the problems that limit amaranth’s use. Contact: D.M. Brenner, North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1170, USA. Tel: 515-294-6786. E-mail: dbrenner@iastate.edu
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Our laboratory conducts research on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) focused on the development of enhanced germplasm and genetically superior inbred lines, the development of genomics and molecular breeding tools, and genetic and functional genomic analyses of economically and biologically important traits. My aims are to describe genomics and molecular breeding tools for sunflower, review the aims of the Compositae Genome Initiative (CGI), and describe the development of the sunflower and lettuce expressed sequence tag (EST) databases. The specific topics to be covered are: the development of 1,100 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for sunflower, an analysis of the extraordinary allelic diversity of SSRs in exotic and elite sunflower germplasm, the discovery and analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in sunflower by cloning long PCR amplicons and sequencing alleles from diverse genotypes, the development of a genome map for sunflower comprised of DNA markers for high-throughput genotyping, initial analyses of 100,000 ESTs from sunflower and lettuce, the discovery of SSRs and SNPs in the sunflower EST database, and an overview of functional genomic and molecular breeding analyses of a variety of economically and biologically important traits in sunflower. CGI is a collaborative research program between OSU, University of California, Davis (Richard Michelmore, Kent Bradford, and Louise Jackson), Indiana University (Loren Rieseberg), and University of Massachusetts, Boston (Rick Kesseli). The Compositae is a family comprised of 20,000 species and an enormous number of economically important crops, e.g., safflower and noug, several new crops, e.g., guayule, Calendula, and Grindelia, and ecologically important species. One of the rationales for the CGI was to create a public EST database that could be mined for genes involved in secondary chemistry, biotic and abiotic stress, and disease resistance. The tools and resources developed by the CGI should accelerate the discovery of genes underlying economically important traits, biochemical pathways, and developmental and physiological processes in the Compositae. Contact: S.J. Knapp, Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-3002, USA. Tel: 541-737-5842. E-mail: steven.j.knapp@orst.edu
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