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BULLETIN 1
What’s really in our food? A global Look at Food Composition Databases—and the Gaps We Need to Fix
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CGIAR June 13 2025
To build healthier food systems, we need better food data. A new research shows where the gaps are—and how innovations like PTFI are helping to close them.
In today’s world, we hear a lot about what we eat: more vegetables, less sugar, local and sustainable, nutrient-rich. But there’s a fundamental question most people don’t think about—how do we actually know what’s in our food? The answer lies in food composition databases (FCDBs), which are collections of data about the nutritional contents of different foods, from macronutrients like protein and fat, to vitamins, minerals and beyond, including specialized biomolecules like antioxidants and phytochemicals.
But a new global review, published in Frontiers in Nutrition Journal, reveals that many of these databases are outdated, inconsistent, or difficult to access altogether—especially in the places that need them most.
https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/whats-really-in-our-food-a-global-look-at-food-composition-databases-and-the-gaps-we-need-to-fix/
BULLETIN 2
A New Chapter for Goat Breeding in Pakistan
In today’s world, we hear a lot about what we eat: more vegetables, less sugar, local and sustainable, nutrient-rich. But there’s a fundamental question most people don’t think about—how do we actually know what’s in our food? The answer lies in food composition databases (FCDBs), which are collections of data about the nutritional contents of different foods, from macronutrients like protein and fat, to vitamins, minerals and beyond, including specialized biomolecules like antioxidants and phytochemicals.
But a new global review, published in Frontiers in Nutrition Journal, reveals that many of these databases are outdated, inconsistent, or difficult to access altogether—especially in the places that need them most.
https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/whats-really-in-our-food-a-global-look-at-food-composition-databases-and-the-gaps-we-need-to-fix/
BULLETIN 2
A New Chapter for Goat Breeding in Pakistan
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CGIAR June 13 2025
ICARDA launched Pakistan’s first-ever Community-Based Goat Breeding Program (CBBP), a science-based, locally-led initiative designed to improve the productivity and resilience of smallholder farmers in goat breeding.
Building on years of successful CBBP experience in Ethiopia and beyond, ICARDA, together with its partners, is bringing this proven approach to Pakistan with the generous support of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The program is being rolled out in close collaboration with Pakistan’s Agricultural Research Council, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Punjab Livestock Department and Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, and community organizations, ensuring that every step reflects both global science and local realities.
To kick things off, trainees from Punjab and Sindh joined national experts in Islamabad for an intensive orientation, laying the foundation for field activities that are now underway. The program aims to establish four CBBP sites, two in Punjab and two in Sindh, engaging 400 rural households who will play a hands-on role in improving goat genetics, tracking performance, and sharing benefits across their communities.
Before fieldwork began, teams underwent practical training on every aspect of the program, from goat identification and baseline data collection to pedigree and performance recording key traits such as body weight at birth and different ages, milk yield and reproduction traits.. Using DTREO, a digital platform co-developed by AbacusBio (New Zealand) and ICARDA, enumerators and researchers alike can now capture real-time data, monitor genetic progress, and make transparent, evidence-based decisions that drive long-term improvement.
In Chakwal, Punjab, newly trained enumerators have already begun household-level data collection. Their work is critical, not only for laying the groundwork for genetic selection but also for empowering farmers with the tools and confidence to lead these efforts themselves.
“We now have everything at hand to run a community-based breeding program in a scientific way,” said Abdul Hussain, a participating national research associate. “Our role now is to support communities with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to lead their own genetic improvement journey.”
By early 2026, 400 households will be fully engaged in this program, each contributing to a growing network of community-led genetic improvement. This breeding program is a pathway to stronger livelihoods, healthier herds, and more resilient rural communities.
See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/a-new-chapter-for-goat-breeding-in-pakistan
Building on years of successful CBBP experience in Ethiopia and beyond, ICARDA, together with its partners, is bringing this proven approach to Pakistan with the generous support of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The program is being rolled out in close collaboration with Pakistan’s Agricultural Research Council, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Punjab Livestock Department and Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, and community organizations, ensuring that every step reflects both global science and local realities.
To kick things off, trainees from Punjab and Sindh joined national experts in Islamabad for an intensive orientation, laying the foundation for field activities that are now underway. The program aims to establish four CBBP sites, two in Punjab and two in Sindh, engaging 400 rural households who will play a hands-on role in improving goat genetics, tracking performance, and sharing benefits across their communities.
Before fieldwork began, teams underwent practical training on every aspect of the program, from goat identification and baseline data collection to pedigree and performance recording key traits such as body weight at birth and different ages, milk yield and reproduction traits.. Using DTREO, a digital platform co-developed by AbacusBio (New Zealand) and ICARDA, enumerators and researchers alike can now capture real-time data, monitor genetic progress, and make transparent, evidence-based decisions that drive long-term improvement.
In Chakwal, Punjab, newly trained enumerators have already begun household-level data collection. Their work is critical, not only for laying the groundwork for genetic selection but also for empowering farmers with the tools and confidence to lead these efforts themselves.
“We now have everything at hand to run a community-based breeding program in a scientific way,” said Abdul Hussain, a participating national research associate. “Our role now is to support communities with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to lead their own genetic improvement journey.”
By early 2026, 400 households will be fully engaged in this program, each contributing to a growing network of community-led genetic improvement. This breeding program is a pathway to stronger livelihoods, healthier herds, and more resilient rural communities.
See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/a-new-chapter-for-goat-breeding-in-pakistan
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
ZmPRR37-ZmYSL14 module enhances salt stress tolerance in maize
Zhixue Liu, Wanjun Zhang, Jing Zhang, Qi Cheng, Jiachen Liang, Chongyu Sun, Jifei Ren, Shifang Zhao, Fan Wu, Jia Shi, Huihui Su, Yanhui Chen, Zhenzhen Ren, Liuji Wu & Lixia Ku
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; June 14 2025; vol.138; article 153
Theoretical and Applied Genetics; June 14 2025; vol.138; article 153
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Key message
Maize YSL gene ZmYSL14 enhances salt tolerance in maize. Our findings demonstrate that ZmPRR37-ZmYSL14 module promotes salt stress tolerance in maize.
Abstract
Environmental challenges, particularly soil salinity, have severely impacted maize production worldwide. Yellow Stripe-Like (YSL) is a subfamily of oligopeptide transporter, and there is limited reporting on its role in salt stress response. In this study, we screened an Ac/Ds mutant library and identified a salt-sensitive line, K17-16H876. Further characterization revealed that the Ds element was inserted into the coding region of Zm00001d054041 (ZmYSL14), which encodes a YSL protein. The zmysl14 mutant exhibited increased salt sensitivity, while ZmYSL14 overexpression lines displayed enhanced salt tolerance. Yeast one-hybrid screening identified a PRR transcription factor, ZmPRR37, which has previously been reported to enhance salt stress tolerance in maize. Dual-luciferase assays and RT-qPCR analysis indicated that ZmPRR37 promotes the expression of ZmYSL14. Our findings suggest the ZmPRR37-ZmYSL14 module enhances salt tolerance in maize. This research enriches the functional understanding of YSL family genes and provides valuable genetic resources for breeding new salt-tolerant maize varieties.
See https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00122-025-04945-5
