Newly Discovered Fungus Threatens World Wheat Crop

RickRussellTX writes "The UN reports that a variety of the rust fungus originally detected in Uganda in 1999 has already spread as far north as Iran, threatening wheat production across its range. The fungus infects wheat stems and affects 80% of wheat varieties, putting crops at risk and threatening the food sources for billions of people across central Asia. Although scientists believe they can develop resistant hybrids, the fungus is moving much faster than anticipated and resistant hybrids may still be years away. Meanwhile, national governments in the path of the fungus are telling folks that there is nothing to worry about."

Boom!

[BadAnalogyGuy]

The question isn't whether we need to send John Madden in with some Boom! Fast Actin' Tinactin!, but can we eat this new fungus?

Some fungi are delicious.

just eat it

[circletimessquare]

just eat it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut [wikipedia.org]

Considered a pest in most of the United States, smut feeds off the corn plant and decreases the yield. Usually smut-infected crops are destroyed. However, in Mexico corn smut is called huitlacoche (IPA: [witakote], sometimes spelled cuitlacoche), a Nahuatl word reportedly meaning raven's excrement [1]. It is considered a delicacy, even being preserved and sold for a higher price than corn. For culinary use, the galls are harvested while still immature -- fully mature galls are dry and almost entirely spore-filled. The immature galls, gathered two to three weeks after an ear of corn is infected, still retain moisture and, when cooked, have a flavor described as mushroom-like, sweet, savory, woody, and earthy. Flavor compounds include sotolon and vanillin, as well as the sugar glucose.

uh... never mind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergot [wikipedia.org]

Ergotism is the name for sometimes severe pathological syndromes affecting humans or animals that have ingested ergot alkaloid-containing plant material, such as ergot-contaminated grains. The common name for ergotism is "St. Anthony's fire", in reference to the symptoms, such as severe burning sensations in the limbs.[3] These are caused by effects of ergot alkaloids on the vascular system due to vasoconstriction of blood vessels, sometimes leading to gangrene and loss of limbs due to severely restricted blood circulation. The neurotropic activities of the ergot alkaloids may also cause hallucinations and attendant irrational behaviour, convulsions, and even death.[1][2] Other symptoms include strong uterine contractions, nausea, seizures, and unconsciousness. Historically, controlled doses of ergot were used to induce abortions and to stop maternal bleeding after childbirth. Ergot alkaloids are also used in products such as Cafergot (containing caffeine and ergotamine or ergoline) to treat migraine headaches. Simple ergot extract is no longer used as a pharmaceutical preparation.[citation needed] Monks of the order of St. Anthony the Great specialized in treating ergotism victims with balms containing tranquilizing and circulation-stimulating plant extracts; they were also skilled in amputations.[citation needed]

Oh, no!

[techno-vampire]

There's a fungus amongus!

Re:Strains

[CSMatt]

Great. Among everything else we now have to worry about illegal wheat crossing the border.

Re:Oh, no!

[sapphire wyvern]

But is the fungus among us humongous?

Re:We'll be fine

[SEWilco]

Don't worry. The UN will publish a strongly worded resolution telling the fungus to stop. If that doesn't work they'll send a wheat-keeping force.

Re:Oh, no!

[catmistake]

ergo, I am seeing things

Re:panic merchants seek attention, news a 11

[NotQuiteReal]

Apparently 100 years is not enough time to learn from mistakes...

100 years is too long. Hardly anyone lives that long, and nobody has time to read about all that has gone on before, and even if they did, they wouldn't be doing anything, they'd be reading about it. Nobody listens to people who just read about stuff, they're just a bunch of nerds.

You need good old politics to get stuff done. We'll ignore the wheat blight and grow corn to burn in our cars, and when the wheat crop fails, maybe we'll remember we can eat corn instead!

Then politicians can take credit for staving off the famine by encouraging corn farmers.

Re:Strangely the brits

[Anonymous Coward]

not if i hunt you down and skin you.

Re:It's okay

[Rei]

Of course hemp comes up! Hemp does everything! [abovetopsecret.com] With it, you can make rope, clothes, food, furnature, computer chips, gold, planets, the One Ring, you name it, hemp can do it!

Q: I've heard hemp mills are awfully loud.
A: They run as quiet as a cloud.

Q: What if, perchance, hemp plastics should bend?
A: Not on your life, my stoner friend.

Q: What about us doped-up slobs?
A: You'll be given cushy jobs!

Q: The ring came off my pudding can!
A: Use a hemp one, my good man.

Q: Were you sent here by the devil?
A: No, good sir, I'm on the level.

You see, America, hemp's your only choice. Put down your bongs and raise your voice!

You're such a...

[greatscottsby]

Fungi!! (Fun-guy)!!

Re:Immunity is fiction.

[Anonymous Coward]

It would seem a tiny user id and an assertive tone is what passes for 'informative' 'round here.

http://www.aegis.com/news/newsday/1998/ND980701.html [aegis.com]

Re:Strangely the brits

[ElBeano]

Oh, don't be silly. Growing the food DOES cost money. The parent post said "if we chose to" but it really is a bit more complicated than that. There have been times when we worked with other countries to make sure their populations were well fed, outside of the normal economic system. Google "oil for food" for more.

i tried amaranth cereal once

[circletimessquare]

it was like eating gravel

hopefully american food processors can turn it into a sweet mushy goo, like most of the food i'm comfortable with

Re:Faithy Governments

[Nimey]

I have it on good authority [wikipedia.org] that we could have avoided all of those if we, as a nation, would turn back to God and expel those nasty gays, pagans, and so forth.

Re:Oh, no!

[rubycodez]

that's in very spore taste and not fungi at all