News & Events

Researchers from Australia and New Zealand studied the relationship of trust with social attitudes and motivations in forming perspectives on scientific issues such as climate change, vaccines, and gene drives. The findings are published in the Journal of Trust Research. Trust in science and scientists (TSS) is an emerging field of interest that explores science applications and their impact to society. The role of TSS among scientific topics may vary, depending on other psychosocial factors involved. Researchers surveyed 8,199 participants from New Zealand to explore TSS, focusing on vaccines, climate change, and gene drive.

This study was aimed to have a better understanding of the functional domains of the product of AC2, a protein having a trans-activation function on the late promoters of begomoviruses. The bipartite begomovirus Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus (SLCMV) was chosen for this study. Infectious SLCMV clones carrying mutations in AC2 were analysed for infectivity, accumulation of viral DNA and trans-activation of the CP promoter in the experimental host Nicotiana benthamiana.

Researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark have developed a new method that could enable the detection of specific DNA sequences using a smartphone camera. The technique uses engineered proteins that generate light when DNA is present, potentially making DNA testing faster, cheaper, and more accessible in food, healthcare, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.

The CGIAR is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Namukolo Covic as Head of the CGIAR Liaison Office for Africa, effective 1 January 2026. In this strategic role, Dr Covic will support the CGIAR Continental Champion for Africa — a rotational role currently held by Dr Simeon Ehui, Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) — in advancing CGIAR’s mission to deliver science and innovation that transform food, land, and water systems across Africa.

Anthocyanins are plant pigments that can be used as natural food colorants. We developed Midwestern, purple corn lines with enhanced anthocyanin content exclusively in the pericarp tissue layer: two lines near-isogenic to elite inbreds B73 and Mo17 (B73 Color Converted and Mo17 Color Converted, respectively) and two recombinant inbred lines (RILs) with diverse anthocyanin profiles (Amazonas and Maize Morado). In Experiment 1, a time-series, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of whole pericarp tissue was conducted on three pigmented genotypes

Researchers at the Whitehead Institute have developed a chemical method to generate large-scale genetic diversity in crops, providing a more accessible alternative to traditional mutation breeding. Published in PLOS Genetics, the study led by Mary Gehring describes the use of etoposide, a chemotherapy drug, to induce structural variants—large-scale DNA changes like deletions and duplications—in germinating seeds.

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is funding the deal with $5 million. CGIAR will provide training for local workers and launch joint projects in the agricultural sector. It extends to research on sustainable water management and digital tools to make irrigation methods more efficient. The partnership will produce a technological roadmap for crop improvement in Saudi Arabia, using local research facilities.

Sweet potato is a globally important root crop known for its exceptional nutritional density. Various cooking methods, such as baking, boiling, and steaming, are used to enhance palatability and modify functional properties. Here, we explored the effects of culinary techniques in sweet potatoes. A total of 3794 non-volatile metabolites were identified across raw and cooked samples, providing a comprehensive metabolic snapshot of sweet potato under different processing conditions. Specifically, 1776, 1688, and 1662 DEMs were identified in steamed, boiled, and baked samples compared to raw controls.

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a new genetic method to separate male and female mosquitoes, which is highly beneficial for large-scale mosquito control programs. Led by Doron Zaada and Prof. Philippos Papathanos, the study aims to improve existing separation strategies that are labor-intensive, difficult to scale, and rely on releasing only male mosquitoes.

Climate change is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, wreaking havoc across food, land and water systems around the world. Women—who hold essential roles in these systems—are often the most affected. Lacking equal access to the resources, tools and information needed to adapt, women face disproportionate impacts. Yet, in their resilience, women are also leading local responses and driving transformations within their food systems.

Rice blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most devastating diseases that affects rice production globally. Identifying new QTLs or R genes for blast resistance is crucial for developing rice varieties with enhanced resistance. In this study, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify QTLs associated with blast resistance was conducted using phenotypic and genotypic data from 236 rice accessions.

A landmark 60-year global study covering 205 countries and regions has uncovered the evolutionary patterns of nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency (NUE and PUE) in four major staple crops of rice, wheat, maize, and soybean. Led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the study found that despite a massive surge in fertilizer application, NUE and PUE remain critically low.