The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, today presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India with the FAO Agricola Medal, the Organization’s highest award, in a ceremony held in the historic Plenary Hall at FAO’s Rome headquarters.

Bacterial type III effector proteins, particularly transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) secreted by Xanthomonas spp., play critical roles in pathogen-host dynamics. While TALEs facilitate bacterial infections, they also possess vulnerabilities that plants and scientists can exploit to develop mechanisms of resistance. This review encompasses the characteristics and functions of TALEs, examining both their virulence and avirulence roles, and the host plants' counter-strategies.

Wageningen University & Research (WUR), in partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature, is conducting new field trials for genetically modified (GM) potatoes. The trials will evaluate potato lines developed using New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) to precisely add or switch off multiple genes. By instilling stacked resistance against aggressive pests and diseases, such as late blight, caused by the destructive pathogen Phytophthora infestans, researchers expect the new varieties to drastically minimize farmers' reliance on chemical pesticides.