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."

Comments

Re:panic merchants seek attention, news a 11

[ArcherB]

i'm so sick of being told of what i need to be afraid of. no wonder the world is full of pill popping zombies, i just wish these people would fuck off with their end of the world nonesense. Well, you are doomed either way.
1) Either this fungus will destroy all wheat because the anti-GM-Foods hippies will demand that it's better to let people starve than to let them eat GM-foods.
2) We tell those hippies to wank it and use the GM wheat that is immune to this fungus only to have it kill everyone right as we realize that cyanide is what was making it immune.

You can't win. It really doesn't matter as the shrinking Ozone layer... I mean Global Warming will kill us all anyway.

Re:panic merchants seek attention, news a 11

[Gideon Fubar]

What? You're from wheat country?

in what country? .au?
can you clarify that?