.png)
BULLETIN 1
Strait of Hormuz crisis: Fertilizer scarcity will affect next harvests and food supplies, FAO warns
.png)
Figure: (Left to Right) Gordan Grlić-Radman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia, Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Italy, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, and FAO Deputy Director-General Maurizio Martina attend the MED9++ Ministerial Meeting at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. ©FAO
FAO 07/05/2026
Rome – The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, emphasized today that the global fertilizer scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027. He spoke at the Ministerial Meeting of the MED9++ Countries on “Supporting Food Security and Access to Fertilizers” co-chaired by FAO, Italy and Croatia.
Addressing ministers and senior representatives gathered in Rome, the Director-General stressed that the current crisis extends far beyond geopolitics, increasingly affecting food production, trade, agricultural inputs and access to food worldwide.
“We meet at a moment of profound strain,” the Director-General said. “This is not only a geopolitical crisis, but also a disruption at the core of the global agrifood system.”
Qu highlighted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, which under normal conditions carries substantial shares of globally traded oil, liquefied natural gas, sulfur and fertilizers. Disruptions to maritime flows through the corridor, he warned, are already tightening fertilizer markets and increasing energy costs, with potentially severe consequences for agricultural production and food prices.
“Agriculture operates within a crop calendar that cannot be postponed,” he said. “Fertilizers must be applied at specific moments in the crop cycle. If they do not arrive on time, yields are reduced, regardless of what happens later.”
Qu added that a delay of even a few weeks forces farmers to reduce fertilizer use or abandon application altogether. He explained that the impacts seen today are not limited to current prices, but are transmitted forward into the next harvests, which would tighten food supplies into the last half of 2026 and 2027.
The Director-General noted that the impacts are particularly concerning because they coincide with critical planting and fertilization periods across major producing regions.
Import-dependent countries in Africa, Asia and parts of the Middle East are among the most exposed, especially those already facing acute food insecurity, economic fragility or climate-related shocks.
The Director-General emphasized that no country is insulated from the crisis and outlined three priority areas for coordinated action.
In the immediate term, he stressed the importance of keeping supply chains functioning by facilitating alternative trade routes, avoiding export restrictions, supporting farmers’ access to agricultural inputs and protecting humanitarian supply chains.
Over the medium term, he called for strengthened regional coordination, diversification of fertilizer and energy sources, and targeted support for the most vulnerable economies.
In the long-term, Qu underscored the need for structural transformation to reduce dependence on concentrated supply routes and fossil fuel-based inputs, including through investments in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, innovative fertilizer solutions and stronger storage and logistics systems.
Qu welcomed the MED9++ initiative to strengthen cooperation on fertilizer access and food security, noting that the platform aligns with FAO’s Strategic Framework and its vision of the Four Betters: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.
He reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to continue providing technical analysis, policy support and convening capacity to help countries address the evolving challenges facing global agrifood systems.
The Ministerial Meeting of the MED9++ Countries on “Supporting Food Security and Access to Fertilizers” brought together ministers and senior representatives from over 40 Mediterranean and partner countries and organizations to discuss the implications of disruptions to global energy, fertilizer and food supply chains, and to strengthen regional cooperation on food security and agrifood system resilience.
See https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/strait-of-hormuz-crisis--fertilizer-scarcity-will-affect-next-harvests-and-food-supplies--fao-warns/en
Addressing ministers and senior representatives gathered in Rome, the Director-General stressed that the current crisis extends far beyond geopolitics, increasingly affecting food production, trade, agricultural inputs and access to food worldwide.
“We meet at a moment of profound strain,” the Director-General said. “This is not only a geopolitical crisis, but also a disruption at the core of the global agrifood system.”
Qu highlighted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, which under normal conditions carries substantial shares of globally traded oil, liquefied natural gas, sulfur and fertilizers. Disruptions to maritime flows through the corridor, he warned, are already tightening fertilizer markets and increasing energy costs, with potentially severe consequences for agricultural production and food prices.
“Agriculture operates within a crop calendar that cannot be postponed,” he said. “Fertilizers must be applied at specific moments in the crop cycle. If they do not arrive on time, yields are reduced, regardless of what happens later.”
Qu added that a delay of even a few weeks forces farmers to reduce fertilizer use or abandon application altogether. He explained that the impacts seen today are not limited to current prices, but are transmitted forward into the next harvests, which would tighten food supplies into the last half of 2026 and 2027.
The Director-General noted that the impacts are particularly concerning because they coincide with critical planting and fertilization periods across major producing regions.
Import-dependent countries in Africa, Asia and parts of the Middle East are among the most exposed, especially those already facing acute food insecurity, economic fragility or climate-related shocks.
The Director-General emphasized that no country is insulated from the crisis and outlined three priority areas for coordinated action.
In the immediate term, he stressed the importance of keeping supply chains functioning by facilitating alternative trade routes, avoiding export restrictions, supporting farmers’ access to agricultural inputs and protecting humanitarian supply chains.
Over the medium term, he called for strengthened regional coordination, diversification of fertilizer and energy sources, and targeted support for the most vulnerable economies.
In the long-term, Qu underscored the need for structural transformation to reduce dependence on concentrated supply routes and fossil fuel-based inputs, including through investments in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, innovative fertilizer solutions and stronger storage and logistics systems.
Qu welcomed the MED9++ initiative to strengthen cooperation on fertilizer access and food security, noting that the platform aligns with FAO’s Strategic Framework and its vision of the Four Betters: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.
He reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to continue providing technical analysis, policy support and convening capacity to help countries address the evolving challenges facing global agrifood systems.
The Ministerial Meeting of the MED9++ Countries on “Supporting Food Security and Access to Fertilizers” brought together ministers and senior representatives from over 40 Mediterranean and partner countries and organizations to discuss the implications of disruptions to global energy, fertilizer and food supply chains, and to strengthen regional cooperation on food security and agrifood system resilience.
See https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/strait-of-hormuz-crisis--fertilizer-scarcity-will-affect-next-harvests-and-food-supplies--fao-warns/en
BULLETIN 2
Study Shows Gene Arrangement Controls DNA Folding and Expression
Study Shows Gene Arrangement Controls DNA Folding and Expression
.png)
May 6, 2026
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have discovered that altering the arrangement of genes, or “gene syntax,” could create circuits that synergize to maximize output. The study found that when a gene is activated, it changes the physical structure of nearby DNA, creating ripple effects that can either boost or suppress neighboring genes.
The team found that DNA becomes looser upstream of an active gene and more tightly wound downstream, affecting how easily other genes can be accessed. By testing different types of syntax (tandem, divergent, and convergent), the researchers observed how these biophysical changes impact gene activity.
The researchers engineered gene circuits containing two genes arranged in tandem, divergent, or convergent configurations and induced stem cells which can differentiate into many other types of cells (pluripotent). The results confirmed their predictions, showing that divergent arrangements boosted expression of both genes, while tandem setups suppressed downstream genes, with effects reaching up to a 25-fold increase or decrease in gene expression and spanning distances of up to 2,000 base pairs between genes.
Using a high-resolution genome mapping technique called Region Capture Micro-C, the researchers found that DNA downstream of an active gene becomes tightly twisted into structures known as plectonemes, making it harder for RNA polymerase to bind and activate nearby genes. To better examine this effect, they used a newly developed system called STRAIGHT-IN Dual, which enables efficient insertion of two genes into the same DNA strand. The findings could help scientists design more precise and efficient synthetic gene circuits for applications in gene therapy and biotechnology.
For more information, read the article from MIT News.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21813
The team found that DNA becomes looser upstream of an active gene and more tightly wound downstream, affecting how easily other genes can be accessed. By testing different types of syntax (tandem, divergent, and convergent), the researchers observed how these biophysical changes impact gene activity.
The researchers engineered gene circuits containing two genes arranged in tandem, divergent, or convergent configurations and induced stem cells which can differentiate into many other types of cells (pluripotent). The results confirmed their predictions, showing that divergent arrangements boosted expression of both genes, while tandem setups suppressed downstream genes, with effects reaching up to a 25-fold increase or decrease in gene expression and spanning distances of up to 2,000 base pairs between genes.
Using a high-resolution genome mapping technique called Region Capture Micro-C, the researchers found that DNA downstream of an active gene becomes tightly twisted into structures known as plectonemes, making it harder for RNA polymerase to bind and activate nearby genes. To better examine this effect, they used a newly developed system called STRAIGHT-IN Dual, which enables efficient insertion of two genes into the same DNA strand. The findings could help scientists design more precise and efficient synthetic gene circuits for applications in gene therapy and biotechnology.
For more information, read the article from MIT News.
See https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21813
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
ZmWAK3 overexpression enhances cold tolerance via coordinated improvement of antioxidant defense and photosynthesis
Qian Yang, Aohan Wang, Nan Wang, Tianhui Yu, Jingxu Zhang, Mengyun Kou, Yuan Zhong, Xiuzhen Zhai, Hao Su, Shuohang Lv, Qing Miao, Ying Liu, Jiahui Suo, Xiaocui Yan & Huijun Duan
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; May 9 2026; vol. 139; article 151
Qian Yang, Aohan Wang, Nan Wang, Tianhui Yu, Jingxu Zhang, Mengyun Kou, Yuan Zhong, Xiuzhen Zhai, Hao Su, Shuohang Lv, Qing Miao, Ying Liu, Jiahui Suo, Xiaocui Yan & Huijun Duan
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; May 9 2026; vol. 139; article 151
.png)
COLD TOLERANCE IN MAIZE
Key message
The ZmNAC100-ZmWAK3 transcriptional module enhances maize cold tolerance by coordinately enhancing antioxidant defense and improving photosynthetic efficiency.
Abstract
Low temperature is a major abiotic stress that constrains agricultural productivity by severely inhibiting crop growth and development, leading to substantial yield losses. As a chilling-sensitive crop, maize is particularly vulnerable to cold stress. Cold conditions induce excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species in plants, disrupting photosynthetic performance, compromising antioxidant defense systems, and disturbing cellular ion homeostasis. In this study, we demonstrated that the maize wall-associated receptor kinase gene ZmWAK3 positively regulates the response to low temperature. Using overexpression and mutant lines, we found that ZmWAK3 overexpression enhanced chilling tolerance by improving ROS scavenging capacity and photosynthetic efficiency. In contrast, zmwak3 mutant exhibited a cold-sensitive phenotype. At the molecular level, combined evidence from yeast one-hybrid, dual-luciferase reporter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that the transcription factor ZmNAC100 directly binds to the ZmWAK3 promoter and activates its transcription. Furthermore, silencing ZmNAC100 in maize not only reduced cold tolerance but also downregulated ZmWAK3 expression. Collectively, our results elucidate a low-temperature response pathway in maize mediated by the ZmNAC100-ZmWAK3 module, which enhances cold tolerance by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, alleviating oxidative damage, and improving photosynthetic performance.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-026-05257-y
Low temperature is a major abiotic stress that constrains agricultural productivity by severely inhibiting crop growth and development, leading to substantial yield losses. As a chilling-sensitive crop, maize is particularly vulnerable to cold stress. Cold conditions induce excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species in plants, disrupting photosynthetic performance, compromising antioxidant defense systems, and disturbing cellular ion homeostasis. In this study, we demonstrated that the maize wall-associated receptor kinase gene ZmWAK3 positively regulates the response to low temperature. Using overexpression and mutant lines, we found that ZmWAK3 overexpression enhanced chilling tolerance by improving ROS scavenging capacity and photosynthetic efficiency. In contrast, zmwak3 mutant exhibited a cold-sensitive phenotype. At the molecular level, combined evidence from yeast one-hybrid, dual-luciferase reporter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that the transcription factor ZmNAC100 directly binds to the ZmWAK3 promoter and activates its transcription. Furthermore, silencing ZmNAC100 in maize not only reduced cold tolerance but also downregulated ZmWAK3 expression. Collectively, our results elucidate a low-temperature response pathway in maize mediated by the ZmNAC100-ZmWAK3 module, which enhances cold tolerance by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, alleviating oxidative damage, and improving photosynthetic performance.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-026-05257-y
