R4D Burma

Computer modelling could help to reduce the human cost of cyclones

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Research carried out following Cyclone Nargis which caused extensive flooding and loss of life in Myanmar in May 2008 is being used to develop software to predict the extent of of future storm surges

Poultry, HPAI and Livelihoods in Myanmar A Review.

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:23:00 GMT

Miscellaneous S. Burgos, J. Otte, and D. Roland-Holst 2009 Mekong Team Working Paper No. 8. 35 pp. This document aims to provide a brief country economic overview of Myanmar; a review of the poultry sector that examines production, trade, markets and consumption; information on household income, food expenditures and poultry contribution to nutrition. Finally, it describes the course of HPAI and applied control measures, with their concomitant impacts on livelihoods, the poultry sector and the economy at large. This information should provide background information to be used as additional evidence for policymaking processes at national and international levels.

Does the Media Help or Harm in Potentially Divisive Elections?

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The BBC World Service Trust has launched a new unit for policy advisors to help understand the role that the press can have during elections as the role of media in elections - sometimes negative, sometimes positive - is becoming an increasingly key governance issue

CABI Asia-Pacific Member Country consultation synthesis report, 29-30 November 2007 Beijing, China

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:58:00 GMT

Miscellaneous CABI 2007 CABI, Wallingford, UK, 19 pp.

CABI's programmes are driven by the needs of its Member Countries. To reinforce this connection, CABI is establishing a series of direct dialogues in each region of operation. These aim to strengthen understanding of CABI's activities and capabilities in support of international development and to build close engagement with the regional priorities of Member Countries. These priorities will help to shape CABI's strategic programmes and to help establish the particular forms of mutual commitment and financial resourcing required to deliver its mission. The Asia-Pacific Member Country Consultation was the second of three such dialogues.

Liaison Officers or Member Country representatives from 12 Asia-Pacific Member Countries attended the meeting, together with one representative from Indonesia (a former Member) and one from Canada. The meeting itself was a closed business session for Member Countries. However, in the final session, the outcomes were presented to a wider audience of partners, donors, and stakeholders.

This document outlines the member country objectives; national priorities and key sub-regional issues amongst CABI's Members; and action plans and responsibilities. The countries in the 3 subregional groups were:
1. Australia, China, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam
2. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines
3. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Six key themes were identified:

Trade development and markets
Institutional capacity strengthening and knowledge management
Biofuels and Climate Change
Microbial collection - use and management
ICT and Enterprise development including animal and aquaculture sectors
Integrated Pest Management/Invasive Species in relation to high value crops

The details of the findings for each theme, are summarized in tables in the Appendices

Variation in rice tungro viruses

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed Rice tungro virus disease (RTVD) is the most important virus disease of rice in South and South East Asia. Information on the variability of the two viruses responsible is required if conventional and biotechnology-based approaches to RTVD control are to be deployed successfully. Virus isolates were obtained from eight countries of South and South East Asia. Differences were detected between some isolates of rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV) by cross hybridisation of PCR fragments of the three coat protein genes. Cross hybridisation of genomic clones of rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) distinguished between isolates from ASEAN countries and those from the Indian sub-continent in which there was a deletion of ca. 60 nucleotides. The difference was exploited in developing a PCR-based test to differentiate between the two groups. The wider objective of this project is to develop methods for identifying and distinguishing viruses and their strains for use in plant breeding and plant protection programmes
to provide information for the introduction of non-conventional crop resistance.
The immediate objectives are
To obtain information on which strains of tungro can be deliminated by assessing strain variation of both RIBV and RISV at the viral genome level
to make diagnostic tools available to plant pathologists and agricultural advisors. There appear to be two major geographic variants (strains) of RTBV, one from the Indian subcontinent and the other from South East Asia. This finding has considerable implications on the epidemiology of the virus. Recent experiments also indicated that there might be variation within each of these strains. There is also variation in RTSV in the region of the genome encoding the coat protein this showed both in cross hybridisation of cDNAs and in serological analysis. The variation does not show such a clear geographical relationship as does that of RTBV indicating differences in the epidemiology of the two viruses. Characterise isolates of RTBV from S and SE Asian countries where rice tungro disease is prevalent.

Examine the variation of RTBV from different geographical locations within S and SE Asia.

Develop tests to differentiate strains of RTBV for use in less developed countries.

Determine whether RTBV has a mealybug vector in addition to the known leafhopper vectors. Isolates of rice tungro viruses have been obtained from The Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh and India. Testing various perennial Oryza spp. for susceptibility to the tungro viruses and suitability for long term maintenance of the isolates have been performed. Oryza rufipogon is showing promise in this respect.

Initial analysis of rice cv TN1 indicates that the Delhi isolate gives more severe symptoms then the type isolate from the Philippines and the Bangladesh isolate less severe symptoms still.

Mapping and sequence data on the two viruses were needed for genome comparisions. Sequence of the whole genome of the type isolate of RBTV has been completed and comprises 8002 base pairs. The sequence also gives a complete restriction endonuclease map and the subcloning involved provides an extensive collection of clones of the viral DNA.

Clones and subclones of RBTV have been tested for their use in detecting virus in dot blots of crude sap from infected and healthy rice. Clones and subclones of RTBV will detect RBTV infections of rice but there is a minor problem of a a slight response from healthy rice. This will hopefully be overcome by using different subclones as probes.

Characterisation of the causal virus of pigeonpea sterility mosaic disease: a further step towards attaining sustainability of pigeonpea production in the Indian sub-continent

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed Pigeonpea supplies dietary protein to 1.1 billion people around the world. The crop is used in multipurpose ways and plays an important role in food security, balanced diet and is important in allowing the poor access to food and employment. Sterility mosaic disease (SMD), endemic in the subcontinent is a major constraint on pigeonpea production and the economic well being of the poor farmers. Eco-friendly technologies to enable development of resistant pigeonpea cultivars were developed and several promising sources were identified. This project seeks to select and supply elite pigeonpea genotypes to farmers for cultivation to mitigate losses due to SMD and other major biotic problems to enhance pigeonpea production. This will be achieved by collaborating with national/international institutes and extension workers, who will use the technology for pigeonpea improvement and supply seed to farmers. This will achieve cultivation of high yielding pigeonpea varieties with durable resistance to major biotic constraints and form the basis for sustaining and stabilising pigeonpea production with a consequent increase in income to poor farmers. Promotion of strategies to reduce the impact of pathogens and stabilise yields in semi-arid cereal-based cropping systems, for benefit of poor people. The goal of the project is to improve livelihoods of poor people through sustainable enhanced pigeonpea production by mitigating losses due to SMD through the cultivation of broad-based SMD resistant varieties thereby contributing to the increased economic returns to the farmers and thus poverty alleviation. This was achieved through this project's outputs. Information obtained on important PPSMV isolates and its geographic distribution. Developed efficient resistance screening techniques for the precise selection of broad-based resistant sources, which were used in a participatory manner with NARES to evaluate several cultivated and wild pigeonpea accessions at various agro-ecological conditions. This led to the identification of promising genotypes suitable for cultivation in different agro-ecological zones. For long-term impact of the outputs, the technology and the products of the project were disseminated to the NARES, NGOs and farmers through participatory research, training courses and on-farm trials. This contributed to the capacity building at national level and also stabilises the seed production of promising varieties locally. Further information on three isolates of PPSMV, revealed the diverse nature of the various isolates prevailing in the subcontinent, their geographic distribution, and contributed to the development of bioassays and serological and nucleic acid-based tools which are useful for the identification of isolates, to determine isolate virulence, and for the selection of resistant sources. This way the outputs of the project were interlinked and led to the achievement of the project goal. Sources of SMD resistance in accessions of cultivated and wild pigeonpea germplasm collections underlying priority traits identified and made available for pigeonpea breeding programmes.

Selection of high-yielding pigeonpea cultivars with broad-based resistance to SMD and other biotic constraints suitable for cultivation by resource poor farmers in SMD endemic regions.

Integration of new SMD resistance screening tools and technologies to NARS and NGOs to enhance the efficacy of pigeonpea breeding/improvement programmes.

Additional information on biochemical characteristics of PPSMV and its biotypes. *PPSMV characterisation has led to the development of diagnostic tools and identification of its biotypes, which were categorised into virulent and highly virulent isolates. Three PPSMV isolates were bio-chemically characterised and ELISA and RT-PCR based diagnostic tools developed. SMD epidemiology studied and critical factors contributing to inoculum survival during off seasons identified. Physiological effects of SMD on host plants, flowering and crop yield determined.

*An efficient SMD screening strategy for the precise selection of broad-based resistant sources was established. This method resulted in selection of six pigeonpea varieties (ICP7035, ICPL 87051, 99050, 96053, 96058 and 96061); six breeding lines (ICPL 83015, 93087, 93183, 93184, 95020 and 95024); and fifteen wild pigeonpea accessions (ICP 15164, 15615, 15626, 15684, 15688, 15700, 15701, 15725, 15734, 15736, 15737, 15740, 15924, 15925 and 15926), for on-farm evaluation and utilisation in breeding programmes. ICP7035 has been approved for pre-release and ICPL 96058 and 96053 is being evaluated on-station and on-farm for release to the farmers. Seed of these promising pigeonpea varieties was multiplied and supplied for farmer cultivation and to NARES as foundation and breeders' seed.

*The ICPL96058 is being cultivated by the farmers in central peninsular India, where PPSMV P isolate and fusarium wilt are endemic. This variety has been incorporated into a national IVT programme through the Agriculture Research Station, Gulbarga. The ICP7035 was evaluated for 5 years in the farmers' fields in southern Karnataka. This variety is a boon to SMD resistance due to its durability and broad-based resistance. It was evaluated in the SMD endemic zones where P and C isolates (most severe isolates and resistance to these was scarce) are prevalent. This variety was tested in several states in India, Nepal and China. It can be grown for vegetable and also for seed purposes. It is being well adopted in peri-urban regions in south Karnataka. ICP7035 has been approved for pre-release in south Karnataka, and a proposal for full release of this variety will be submitted in April 2005.

*PPSMV isolates from Coimbatore (C) and Bangalore (B) were characterised; whereas preliminary properties and severity of PPSMV isolates from Varanasi (V) (Uttar Pradesh), Nepalgunj (N) (Nepal), Dharwad (D) and Gulbarga (G) (Karnataka) were determined. B, C, V and N isolates are severe types, and can overcome resistance selected against P isolate. Whereas, B and D isolates are similar to P isolate and have a similar reaction on various pigeonpea genotypes tested. In DAS-ELISA using PPSMV-P polyclonal antibodies, all three isolates reacted with similar sensitivity and specificity. This study indicated occurrence of several PPSMV isolates with varied bio-chemical properties in the Indian sub-continent.

*Nearly 16kb genome of PPSMV-P isolate (c. 30% of PPSMV genome) was obtained. PPSMV genome sequences lacks any similarity with known sequences present in the databases. These sequences were used to devise a new set of oligonucleotide primers. Detailed studies on three PPSMV isolates indicated complexity of various PPSMV isolates occurring in the subcontinent. Some isolates have similar biological properties, but are different in their physico-chemical characters, whereas some isolates have different physico-chemical characters, but have the same biological reaction. Despite continuum in pigeonpea cultivation three PPSMV isolates, P, B and C isolates, are geographically restricted and precise factors contributing to these ,isolations, were not known.

*Physiological effects of PPSMV on pigeonpea determined, which showed that modification of axillary buds into leaf structures even at maturity was the reason for sterility (lack of flower production). The thickness of epidermal cell wall and cuticle in susceptible varieties is lower than in resistant varietie

R4D Burma

Computer modelling could help to reduce the human cost of cyclones

Poultry, HPAI and Livelihoods in Myanmar  A Review.

Does the Media Help or Harm in Potentially Divisive Elections?

CABI Asia-Pacific Member Country consultation synthesis report, 29-30 November 2007 Beijing, China

Variation in rice tungro viruses

Characterisation of the causal virus of pigeonpea sterility mosaic disease: a further step towards attaining sustainability of pigeonpea production in the Indian sub-continent

Poultry, HPAI and Livelihoods in Myanmar A Review.