Precision breeding, an innovation to extend flower shelf-life

A pot of pretty petunias will practically sell itself, but petunias don’t retain their beauty for long. A joint Israeli-American “precise breeding” project is now working toward extending the shelf-life of these popular flowers.
The three-year collaboration brings together a patented plant-breeding technology called MemoGene, developed by Israel’s Danziger Innovations and the Hebrew University’s Yissum tech-transfer company, with a DNA editing platform developed by Precision Biosciences in North Carolina.
The platform’s biological “scissors”will be tailored to cut open the flower’s genome at exactly the right spot for MemoGene to deliver the life-extending trait.
“It’s a perfect symbiosis, because we each have a piece of a two-piece puzzle,” says Hanne Volpin, deputy CEO and head of R&D at Danziger Innovations. “We have the technology to deliver tools to make the modification to the genome, while Precision Biosciences owns the IP for the biological scissors that cut the genome.”
The partnership is supported by a grant from the BIRD (Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development) Foundation warded in December last year.
“This new technology enables and democratizes the process of crop perfection, because until now only very large corporations like Monsanto were active in this area,” says BIRD Director of Business Development Ron Maron.
“Now, smaller companies and even university startups can get into this field and offer quicker and cheaper new traits to plant breeders.”
It’s fitting that the petunia project has an Israeli partner. “Plant breeding started in the Middle East and a few other places about 8,000 years ago, and we’re continuing the tradition,” Maron points out.
Precise breeding
Volpin explains that “domesticating” plants for the market by selecting genes to enhance yield and seed quality causes some desirable traits to be lost along with undesirable ones. Reinserting the lost “good” trait is a cumbersome, lengthy process that can be shortened by using GMO genetic modification – a technique that is highly regulated because it raises questions of safety in food crops.
“Our [genetic engineering] technology is as specific as GMO, but it’s deregulated because we’re not adding any new genes you wouldn’t find in nature,” says Volpin. This advantage hastens commercialization and avoids consumer concerns.
Though the technology can be applied to just about any crop – and probably will be in the future – petunias were a good place to start. The pink-to-purple flower is a favorite; 300 million to 350 million cuttings are supplied to growers around the world every year. And the flower is well understood on a molecular level due to numerous scientific studies.
Another reason to start with petunias is Danziger’s expertise and market share in petunia varieties. The family-owned Danziger Innovations, founded in 2008, is the R&D spinoff of the 62-year-old Danziger Dan Flower Farm, one of the world’s top five providers of petunia cuttings.
“Our petunias are propagated by cuttings, not by seeds,” explains Yael Matar, in charge of Danziger’s business development. “We export our propagating material from Israel to growers and nurseries all over the world.”
Located in Mishmar HaShiv’a near Ben-Gurion International Airport, Danziger Dan Flower Farm is one of biggest floriculture breeders and exporters in Israel, supplying not only petunia cuttings but also propagating material for many ornamental plants and flowers to customers in 60 countries.
The innovative petunias coming from the new joint project are to be tested and implemented in Israel as well as in Danziger-owned flower farms in Guatemala and Kenya, where land and water are more plentiful than in Israel.

                                                                                     Courtesy: ISRAEL21c

Did you know that there are 'More innovation possible in snack tomatoes'??

The snack tomato segment will develop further through the coming years. That's what grower Maurice Weijs of nursery Van Kester-Weijs in the Netherlands predicts in the latest issue of the magazine KAS.

The snack tomato is very popular worldwide and Kester-Weijs was one of the pioneers introducting this product years ago. Maurice Weijs thinks this segment still has a lot of oppurtunities to innovate. "A good snack tomato is sweet with little acidity, has an oval shape and should be eaten by children in one bite. But we are also constantly testing new types, colors, sizes and brands. We are a serious party for seed companies because of our strong position in snack tomatoes. They like to work with us to continue to improve the snack tomatoes and often come to us first when new varieties are available."

Weijs also thinks there will be new ways to present the snack tomatoes to the customer. His company is always looking for innovations in packaging. "For example, we were the first company with a shaker for tomatoes. And we wil always try to be innovative at every level."

                                                                            Courtesy of Hortbiz

Hicure posts good results in the fight against mildew

Rose nursery Arend Roses in Maasland, the Netherlands has achieved good results with the product Hicure of Syngenta in fight against mildew. That's what the cultivation managers Ferry Rodijnen and Chris Bot say. Also other ornamental products profit by Hicure.

"In week 38 we started a trial with the drip of Hicure in the rose variety Avalanche, after Syngenta approached us. At first mainly to see if it would improve the shelf life, yield and quality of our roses. But when we also started testing Hicure with the rose variety GrandPrix, we noticed that the mildew pressure significantly decreased", says Van Rodijnen.

"Unlike the greenhouse with Avalanche where Hicure was dripped, we started spraying it in the greenhouse with GrandPrix," Chris Bot continues. "And we saw the mildew pressure improve every week, with less leaf spot being caused. As a result, we were able to deliver a better quality of roses, which thus also provides for higher sales."

Amino AcidsBecause the results were promising, Arend Roses also started to spray Hicure at another plant. And also at that location the crop improved quickly. "It is too early for conclusions, for that we have to test Hicure over a long time", Van Rodijnen says. "But the fact is that we are very satisfied with the product and its effects on our roses so far. To be clear: Hicure does not make the mildew go away. It is a product on the basis of amino acids that, in fact, does not kill anything. But it does ensure that the plant receives a better defense mechanism."

Hicure is also being used in other crops. Growers of gerberas and kalanchoe for instance also indicaded that Hicure has a high added value. 
                                                                 Courtesy of: TuinbouwCommunicatie

A milestone for Africa as it has more than 410 fair trade producers

There are more than 410 fair trade-certified food-producing businesses, associations and coops in African agriculture involving hundreds of thousands of farmers. Fair trade promises better pay and working conditions for laborers.
In some of the harshest social, political and climactic conditions on Earth, fair trade farmers and laborers make food that is of the highest global standards.
Organic agriculture is meant to sustain the health of soils, ecosystems, biodiversity and people. It relies on local conditions rather than on external influences that sometimes have adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines traditional knowledge, innovation and modern science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.
Organic agriculture is developing rapidly. It’s now practiced in more than 120 countries and almost half the organic farmers are in Africa, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
Fair trade aims to help farmers and workers get a better deal, influencing socio-economic conditions along the value chain of certified products to the benefit of farmers and workers. These conditions include wage levels in hired labor companies such as plantations and factories.
“The duty to help workers materialize this right does not rest on employers alone,” says FairtradeAfrica. “The entire global value chain needs to play its part.”
Fair trade stimulates demand by organizing consumer campaigns to encourage buying of Fairtrade-certified products.
Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade based on a partnership between producers and consumers. It offers consumers a way to reduce poverty through their everyday shopping.
The Fairtrade label appears on food as a consumer guarantee that disadvantaged producers in developing countries are getting a better deal.
As a consumer you will pay higher prices for organic products. Products do not have to be organic to be fair trade but it seems a natural marriage in many cases. Fairtrade premiums are often used to train producers in organic and sustainable techniques such as composting and using recycled materials.
African fair trade practitioners are producing dried fruits, rooibos tea, coffee, cocoa, cotton, cut flowers, and commodities such as shea butter, among others.
                                                          Courtesy of : AFK Insider

Nordic Flower Expo in Denmark

130 plus exhibitors were present at the inaugural Nordic Flower Expo (April 13-15). Hosting impressive country pavilions, Denmark and Colombia were present on a grand scale. Using the best of horticultural life style products, the joint marketing company for the Danish pot plant industry Floradania built a stand-out Danish pavilion inspired by the country’s leading role in ornamental plants. Floradania has lead work across no fewer than 35 plant nurseries on a world class presence at Nordic Flower Expo.
With an annual production of approximately 400 million plants, 70% of which are exported, Denmark ranks as the world’s second-largest exporter of potted plants. Adapting the production to new market situations is one challenge for Denmark’s ornamental horticulture industry, another is coping with upcoming, current issues in terms of sustainability and environmental consciousness setting new standards for implementation of recirculating irrigation systems and biological pest control.
Organised by Nova Exhibitions and BureauSierteelt.nl and supported by the Dutch Association of Wholesale Trade in Ornamental Products (VGB), the Danish Floradania association and the International Florist Association Florint, the new Nordic Flower Expo took place at the MalmöMässan convention centre in Malmö.
The three day event targeted trade visitors from Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their Baltic neighbours: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The Baltic region is considered to be a very interesting and promising export market for the coming years, while Scandinavia is a mature market with a high floriculture consumption and intense market competition. As in most EU countries florists dominate the market but other retail channels are continuing to increase their market share, particularly supermarkets and garden centres. The Nordic region is of great economic importance and has a very high GDP per capita.
The Nordic Flower Expo gave the exhibitors an excellent chance to look for new business partners, handle sales agreements personally and keep themselves up-to-date on the latest development within the complete floriculture and horticultural market of Scandinavia and the Baltic region. During the exhibition several interesting demos and seminar programs were organised.

                                                                           Courtesy of; FloraCulture International

Armenia exported 1200 T of tomatoes, cucumbers

Some 200 tons of tomatoes and 1,000 tons of cucumbers were exported from Armenia over the first three months of 2015, Armenian Deputy Agriculture Minister Robert Makaryan said Tuesday at a news conference. 
He mentioned for comparison that 1 tons of tomatoes and 3 tons of cucumbers were exported over a period between January and March 2014. Makaryan said 90% of exports go to Russia. 
«There is demand for Armenian tomatoes and cucumbers at Russia's market», he said. 
The deputy agriculture minister found it difficult to answer ARKA News Agency's question about the volumes to be sent to Russia in 2015. 
He just said that exports to Russia are expected to grow significantly this year. 
Makaryan allayed fears that prices for agricultural products might rise at local market because of exports. 
«Supply will be ensured to local market first of all and then will export excessive stock», he said.

                                                                                                                   Courtesy of :  Reatures.

Ways to kick Start Successful Agribusiness Ventures

As we continue to juggle the year , a lot of indications of earlier activities of 2014 show that serious attention would be drawn to agriculture, with a business unusual dimension for the sector. What this means is that agriculture would no longer be seen as mere farming- a laborious venture with lot of waiting period for benefits to be gotten but rather as a business, a source of employment for the youths, a source of livelihood and most importantly (especially to me) a sector that young people would begin to find desirous, attractive and lucrative.

To succeed as young people and agric entrepreneurs, it is important that we are armed with not only the relevant information, right and appropriate skills to thrive but have a strong desire and see the attractive but BIG picture in Agriculture, Food Supply Chain, and Food Safety etc.

·         Be Business Plan Ready: Funding and grant competitions and opportunities would open up in 2015. One of the basic requirements is that you MUST have a business plan. It is important that you have one ready at all times. You just have to be ready when the opportunity comes knocking at the door. Be it a competition or the opportunity to pitch your plan before potential clients or investors.
 

·         Leverage on the Skills and Knowledge (of your friends and associates): Involve trusted friends (vision or dream builders) in your endeavor. The world we live in is blessed with very blessed individuals and this offers us a win-win environment. Be willing to ask for help from friends who would be ready to do some tasks for you at no cost or a cheaper one. Let us take this as a typical example, do you need to do graphic design works for branding of your agro firm why not talk to a friend who has got expertise in graphic design. Often, such ones are willing to do it for free or at a comfortable discount. BUT never take the help or discount for granted.
 

·         Network and Join the right support Organizations: Trust me, being part of the right networks and organizations either online or offline makes it possible to gain access to information and resources needed. All these organizations or networks have products, resources, seminars, workshops and other opportunity openings that young agro entrepreneurs need from time to time.
 

·         Do not Joke with Farmers’ Organization: Interestingly, government, research institutions, organization, banks etc. both local and international desire always to align with groups of farmers rather than individuals. So ensure that you are part of a farmers’ organization or cooperative at the very least. What more, interacting with fellow farmers and agro allied service providers helps in understanding the terrain and create synergy to tackle common problems and challenges.
 

·         Be Information Hungry: it is often said that “knowledge is Power”. As young people (with a so much passion, desire that finds Agriculture attractive), we need to be HUNGRY for relevant and credible information and resources. Sometimes this information opens up tips, opportunities and a large array of doors and networks that would be helpful. This brings me to the Power of the Social Media Networks. Merely following the research bodies like CGIAR, FARA, CIMMIT on twitter connects you to lot of information that would be invaluable.
 

·         Engage in Personal Development and Training: Everyday new findings and results are revealed or unraveled through researches. More knowledge is provided about value chains and investment opportunities for entrepreneurs in the sector. As young entrepreneurs it is important that you get the right trainings through workshops, conferences and specialized training classes. Sometimes you have to pay for them. It could be a new method of cropping or livestock management or even soft skills and business management training. All these make us fit for the sector and ready to excel.

Join the revolution of Young Agropreneurs; our Nation and continent waits on us to turn things around. This is real business. Follow these tips and some more you may have gathered on your own and be sure of success. See you all at the top. 

Source: Young Professionals for Agricultural Development 

Invitation to a match making meeting at Norfolk Hotel n Monday 12th January 2015, Welcome all.

On behalf of the Egyptian Electrical Council and the Egypt Embassy we would want to extend a special Invitation to you or one of your directors/Managers to come and meet some of the Egyptian Directors of leading manufacturers of electrical,doors and locks,power and air conditioning and ventilation systems/products coming to Kenya on 12th January 2015 at Norfolk Hotel,

and they are Keen to meet one of your representative, having been highly recommended by the Egypt Embassy in Kenya and special request from themselves.
If you major in any of the below field of service, your presence will be a great boost;

• Farm Associations
• Large scale Farmers
• Farm machinery suppliers and sellers
• Horticultural association ,farmers
• Ministry of agriculture –Procurement/production
• Sugar cane sector
• Maize sector                                                                                                                               For More Information  call Robert using: +254728294911