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Published online 17 March 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.168

News: Q&A

Wheat fungus threatens global crops

Mexico meeting works to halt stem rust's spread.

A devastating strain of stem rust (Puccinia graminis), a fungus that infects wheat, is moving out of Africa towards wheat growing regions on other continents. Called Ug99, it was identified in Uganda and classified in 1999.

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  • Is it possible to do crop rotations--substituting other grains for wheat? Does the fungus target wheat alone?

    • 18 Mar, 2009
    • Posted by: Brian Kilgore