Sunday, June 14, 2009

Wheat Rust Spreading, Humanitarian Disaster Possible

The LA Times has an article reporting on a new Wheat fungus that says may destroy 80% of the entire worlds wheat crops in the next few years as it spreads out of Africa.
This is not an immediate threat but something that you should be aware of.
Wheat can be stored for thirty years or more.

Named Ug99, it is wheat stem rust fungus that has no cure yet and has already spread from Africa to Iran and will inevitably spread to the rest of the world.
They are calling it a Time Bomb.

Fear that the fungus will cause widespread damage has caused short-term price spikes on world wheat markets. Famine has been averted thus far, but experts say it's only a matter of time.

"A significant humanitarian crisis is inevitable," said Rick Ward, the coordinator of the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat project at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y


I am not trying to induce any kind of panic but just want to make people aware of a potential for world wide disaster and how it may affect you.

Oregon State University has a similar article printed in the Oregonian
.

This is not an immediate threat but something to take into consideration before shortages and price hikes start taking effect.

This is not the first time I have heard of this but it is the latest update on it.
I would remind everyone what happened last year with Rice supplies.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:01 PM

    Not being a bio engineer or a rocket scientist,but could this be from GM seed's? If a virus or bacteria can adapt,why not a fungus?
    Dean in az

    ReplyDelete
  2. Coming out of Africa, I would say no at first but those naughty little bastards from Monsento just settled a lawsuit after killing a bunch of people, who knows?
    Most likely it is a natural genetic mutation that happens constantly.
    Unfortunately, it is spreading quite rapidly and the Bio Physicists can't get a handle on it yet.

    It's like Aids fer wheat plants.
    Isn't that a pleasant thought.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This will fit in nicely with expected draughts from global warming. Oh I forgot there is no such thing.
    I'm sure Monsanto will come up with a genetically modified plastic wheat that will survive a nuclear attack. The only problem? It will be inedable to all but the toughest rats.

    ReplyDelete