Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Wheat-Killing Fungus Destroys Entire Fields
Ug99, a dangerous fungus that can destroy entire fields of wheat, has been detected in Iran, according to the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization.
The wheat stem rust spores are carried by the wind across continents. Ug99 first appeared in Uganda and quickly spread to Kenya and Ethiopia last year; both countries suffered serious crop yield losses in 2007.
The same strain has now appeared in Iran; Shivaj Pandley, Director of FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division, warns “The fungus is spreading rapidly and could seriously lower wheat production in countries at direct risk.”
This story is uncomfortably close to the main premise of The Death of Grass, a 1956 novel by British author John Christopher (Samuel Youd). The novel was published in the U.S. as No Blade of Grass.
In the story, a viral strain has attacked rice crops in East Asia; mutations of this virus also threaten wheat and barley in Europe and West Asia. The problem is believed to have arisen due to industrial contaminants in the soil and in the air.
The story was made into a film; the movie No Blade of Grass was released by MGM in 1970. The first few minutes of the film are shown in the video below.
(Video excerpt from No Blade of Grass)
Early in the film, a news program is playing on a television in the corner of a pub; people in Britain gorge themselves while the news plays on.
"...a major historical catastrophe. The epidemic of grass disease has spread to Africa and parts of South America. All parts of the grass family, wheat, barley, rye etc. are affected..."
Story via UN News Centre; thanks to Vik for the tip on the real story and the science-fictional predecessor.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 3/16/2008)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Agriculture ")
MK-V Smart Tractor - Fully Electric, Farmer Optional
'A small electric tractor was working at the far side, and a slight hum could be heard from where he sat.' - Warner Van Lorne, 1936
Vertical Farm In Singapore's Output Is 1.5 Tons Per Day
'A towering eighty-story structure like the office "In-and-Out" baskets stacked up to the sky.' - Pohl and Kornbluth, 1952.
Mashambas Skyscraper Farm Design Wins
'...a towering eighty-story structure like the office In-and Out baskets stacked up to the sky.' - Poh and Kornbluth, 1952.
Self-Driving Tractors From China Plan Ahead
'Machines that seemingly with full consciousness walked out into the fields to do their daily work.' - Otfrid von Hanstein
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Miss Alabama Beauty Contest Offers Different Standards
'...they moved with the ease of dandelion puffs.'
Has Musk Given Up On Full Self Driving (FSD)?
'...some bored drone pusher in a remote driving centre...'
Prufrock-3 'The Monster' Ready To Launch
Just go for it.
Drones In Vast Airborne Grids
'These pods were programmed to hang in space in a hexagonal grid pattern...'
Starship Special Edition For Lunar Shuttle
Love those special edition spaceships.
Capturing Asteroids With Nets
'...the meteor caught and halted just as a small boy catches a swift ball in his cap.'
Project Hyperion - Generation Ship Designers Needed!
'We have decided that it shall be but one ship... it must contain everything needed to take us through the generations.'
AI Welfare Position At Anthropic Filled By Human
'You’re the robopsychologist of the plant, so you’re to study the robot itself...'
Marslink Proposed By SpaceX
'It was the heart of the Solar System's communication line...'
Simple Way To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'... designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
Wood-Panelled LignoSat Launched
'The Consul remembered his first glimpse of the kilometer-long treeship...'
Laser-Beam Welding In Orbital Factories
'His contract with Space Industries required him to work summers in their orbital factory.'
'Iceberg House' Of Travis Kelce Reflects Science Fiction Of Past Century
'The basement was huge... carved deep into the rock that folded up to underlie the ridge...'
Mechazilla Arms Catch A Falling Starship, But Check Out SF Landing-ARMS
'...the rocket’s landing-arms automatically unfolded.'
A System To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'...points and patches of light... sliding all over their faces in a programmed manner that had been designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
Robot Hand Separate From Robot
'The crawling, exploring object was V-Stephen's surgeon-hand...'
