The Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) and the European and Mediterranean Cereal Rust Foundation (EMCRF) have announced a new partnership to strengthen global efforts against cereal diseases. This collaboration aims to improve food security by fostering research, sharing knowledge, and developing sustainable management practices for rust diseases and powdery mildew in cereals, according to a press release.
As part of this partnership, the BGRI will co-organize the 17th International Cereal Rusts and Powdery Mildews Conference, hosted by the University of Alberta and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on behalf of the EMCRF, in collaboration with the Canadian Phytopathological Society. The conference is set to take place from June 15-20, 2025, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
Founded in 2005 by Norman E. Borlaug, Ronnie Coffman, and key partners, the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) has led efforts against wheat rust diseases like Ug99. With nearly two decades of fostering international collaboration and research, BGRI’s new partnership with the European and Mediterranean Cereal Rust Foundation (EMCRF) aims to strengthen global efforts to combat wheat diseases.
Since the 1960s, the EMCRF has organized leading scientific conferences to promote and share the latest research on cereal rusts and powdery mildews. By gathering experts from around the world every four years, these conferences provide cutting-edge research to support global strategies for managing these ongoing threats to cereal production. Through this new partnership, the BGRI will integrate its extensive network of researchers with the EMCRF’s network, enhancing efforts to combat cereal diseases.
“This partnership with the International Cereal Rust and Powdery Mildew Conference marks an exciting chapter in our efforts to combat wheat diseases on a global scale,” said Coffman, vice-chair of the BGRI and emeritus professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS).
“This is an exciting opportunity for us Canadians to host this meeting for the first time in the Americas where we will bring together EMCRF, BGRI, and CPS attendees on one platform,” said Gurcharn Singh Brar, assistant professor of wheat breeding and genetics at University of Alberta and an affiliate assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. “I see this as an opportunity to showcase excellent cereal rusts research done in Canada for decades.”
Key Initiatives of the partnership include:
- Global collaboration platform: The BGRI will serve as a hub for facilitating collaborative research, sharing best practices, and fostering partnerships between researchers, institutions, and farmers. The partnership aims to promote innovative approaches to managing wheat diseases through global pathogen surveillance and research on host vulnerabilities.
- Increased participation of scientists from low-resource countries: The BGRI will promote the active involvement of National Agricultural Research System scientists, particularly early- and mid-career researchers, in the ICRPMC. Through targeted outreach and mentorship programs, the initiative will help strengthen the next generation of cereal disease experts.
- Supporting early-career researchers: The partnership will continue to support the Jeanie Borlaug Laube Women in Triticum (WIT) Early Career Awards, which provide professional development opportunities for wheat scientists. By empowering young researchers in the early stages of their careers, this initiative fosters diversity and innovation in wheat research.
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