September 2008 E-News
SBC Publishes Report
The Seed Biotechnology Center (SBC) is pleased to announce the release of its 2006/2007 Report. The document highlights many of the research, education and outreach activities the SBC has been involved with, as well as details several future projects for the Center. In collaboration with the California, national and international seed industries, the SBC strives to discover and commercialize new seed technologies to benefit agriculture and the consumer. To read about such activities, find the entire report at http://sbc.ucdavis.edu.
Class II of the Plant Breeding Academy
The Seed Biotechnology Center is pleased to announce that Class II of the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy (PBA) is full. Starting last week, a new class of twenty-three students, representing seed companies in ten countries, began their training as plant breeders. Coming from as far as Africa, Australia, Chile and Europe, these individuals work with a diverse variety of crops including grains, fruits, vegetables and cocoa. This two year course involves three, one-week training sessions each year (6 sessions total), and is taught by internationally recognized plant breeders. The course schedule allows students to maintain their working positions while enrolled. Academy graduates will be able to work as independent plant breeders or to direct regional plant breeding programs. For further information, visit the PBA website at http://pba.ucdavis.edu.
Seed Biotechnology Center Analyzes US Transgenic Field Trials
Crops developed using biotechnology are currently the focus of much scientific and political debate. In a study led by Dr. Allen Van Deynze of the Seed Biotechnology Center, current transgenic field trials in the US were evaluated to determine whether there were potential risks associated with such trials. From over 1,000 studies analyzed, the authors determined that while there were instances of low level transgenic material found in marketed food, none have resulted in food safety issues. It is impractical to expect 100% purity in any production food; however, the study was able to determine that co-existence between biotech, conventional and organic foods is possible. For more information, the study may be accessed at http://sbc.ucdavis.edu.
Seed Biology, Production & Quality Course
The Seed Biotechnology Center, together with UC Davis Extension, is offering a two-day class focused on seed biology March 25-26, 2009. This unique course is designed for professionals in the seed industry, crop consultants and growers to update and expand their current knowledge. Participations will learn fundamental and specialized information on topics including seed development, production, harvesting, testing, conditioning, enhancement, storage, and quality assessment. This course is completely updated and the instructors will include: Dr. Derek Bewley (University of Guelph, Canada), Dr. Henk Hilhorst (Wageningen University, The Netherlands), and Dr. Kent Bradford and Dr. Allen Van Deynze from the University of California, Davis. Watch for more information and registration details at http:sbc.ucdavis.edu.
Questions? Comments? Contact Sue DiTomaso at 530-754-7333 or scwebster@ucdavis.edu.