On September 8, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released its World Food Price Index.The August 2023 average was 121.4 points, down 2.6 points (2.1%) from the previous month, reversing last month's price increase and 38.3 points (24.0%) below the peak reached in March 2022.The decline was driven by lower prices for dairy, vegetable, and fruit products. This decline reflected decreases in the price indexes for dairy products, vegetable oil, meat, and cereals, while the price index for sugar increased moderately. Rice prices, on the other hand, showed an upward trend, increasing by 9.8% from the previous month.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) has published an analysis of data showing that forest fires have increased in recent years. In boreal and subarctic coniferous forests, a "fire-climate feedback loop" has emerged, while in tropical forests, increased human activity in forest areas has exacerbated vulnerability to forest fires. In temperate and subtropical regions, climate change and land-use change have contributed to the recent increase in fires. There is an urgent need to halt deforestation and forest degradation and to enhance forest resilience according to local conditions.

Climate change poses a very serious threat to Africa, especially to fragile and conflict-affected countries. On August 30, the International Monetary Fund released a report stating that fragile states in Africa are the biggest victims of climate change, and warned of more catastrophic consequences if the international community does not help these countries adapt to extreme weather events.

Phosphorus, one of the three main plant nutrients, is closely linked to plant growth and yield. It is therefore essential to provide plants with sufficient phosphorus. However, many agricultural areas around the world are deficient in phosphorus, and in developing regions such as Africa, economic constraints make it difficult to purchase enough fertilizer. As a result, crops often suffer from chronic phosphorus deficiency. Through genetic analysis of two rice varieties with contrasting root shapes, JIRCAS has discovered genetic loci that control lateral root development and the number of crown roots in rice, and has shown that these genes play a role in increasing phosphorus uptake by plants in phosphorus-deficient fields. The results of this research are expected to lead to improved rice yields in developing regions where phosphorus deficiency is widespread, and to reduced fertilizer application as a result of improved phosphorus use efficiency in rice.

Climate change is a problem that goes beyond greenhouse gas emissions and has a disproportionate impact on vulnerable social groups and generations with inadequate adaptive capacity. On August 28, the United Nations called on Member States to urgently address climate change, biodiversity loss and widespread environmental pollution to ensure the right of children to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

The desert locust is an important pest that causes serious agricultural damage in Africa and Asia. Because there are many unknowns about its ecology in the field, inefficient and environmentally damaging pest control measures have to be used after an outbreak of desert locusts has occurred and the problem has become apparent. To address this problem, JIRCAS has been developing efficient pest control techniques based on desert locust ecology to reduce the damage to agriculture. In this issue, we present the results of research on the collective behavior of desert locust nymphs, in particular the avoidance of cannibalism during molting, which is essential for the establishment of pest control methods that lead to a reduction in the use of pesticides.

JIRCAS conducted research on the preparation of silage using mulberry branches and leaves, which are also used as fodder trees worldwide, and showed that the silage fermentation quality and synergistic effects were improved by adding lactic acid bacteria inoculant and cellulase. Using the latest DNA sequencing technology, the dynamic variation of the bacterial flora in silage fermentation and the correlations among bacterial species were also clarified. Lactic acid bacteria and cellulase promoted the succession of dominant bacteria from Gram-negative to Gram-positive in anaerobic fermentation, forming a microbial network centered on lactic acid bacteria. These results are expected to be applied in the future as a silage preparation method using local natural fodder tree resources to improve livestock nutrition, which is deficient during the dry season in semi-arid areas, and to increase livestock productivity and farmers' income.

Soils have a unique property called "phosphorus (P) retention capacity," which refers to their ability to bind with phosphates. When soil has a high P retention capacity, the P fertilizer applied in a cropland may bind to the soil before being absorbed by crops. This reduces the efficiency of fertilization. Therefore, P retention capacity is used for fertilization management. Recent studies have shown a close relationship between P retention capacity and soil moisture content. A research team from JIRCAS and the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar used this relationship to develop a method that accurately and easily estimates P retention capacity from soil moisture content, including a clever use of table salt (sodium chloride).

During this summer holiday, reports of extreme wildfires and typhoon-related flooding have come from many parts of the world. As global warming continues, the likelihood of such extreme events affecting people's lives is expected to increase, and there is an urgent need for accurate information for preparedness on the one hand, and a commitment by all stakeholders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.