| POLICY INITIATIVES FOR CROP BIOTECH IN INDIA Crop biotechnology is essential for food and nutritional security in India.
However, policy initiatives are necessary to accelerate investments by technology
holders and adoption by the farming community. This was stressed by R.K. Sinha,
executive director of the All India Crop Biotechnology Association, during
his talk at the International Conference on Agricultural Biotechnology in New
Delhi.
Aside from policy initiatives, Sinha noted that transparent protocols for
each crop must be established and that international guidelines be followed.
He also saw the need to establish a world class intellectual property rights
regime for biotechnology inventions and the protection of plant varieties.
Sinha added that concurrent and transparent trials for biosafety for both new
and released events were necessary and that a determined drive against illegal
genetically modified seeds trade was important to maximize the benefits that
biotechnology had to offer.
For a copy of
his PowerPoint presentation as well as those of other speakers, visit http://www.isaaa.org/kc.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF GM IMPROVED RICE
Rice production
has reached its maximum potential but genetically modified (GM) rice breeding
with advancement of functional genomics will provide ample
scope to increase yield, build plant protection, improve nutrition, and enable
rice to grow using less water and in adverse environment. This was the view
of Dr. Swapan Datta, scientist at the International Rice Research Institute
in Los Baños, Philippines, who discussed the potential benefits of GM improved
rice at the International Conference on Agricultural Biotechnology in New Delhi.
Datta said that over 27 million tons of rice yield is lost annually due to
problems brought about by rice pests such as the stem borer, sheath blight,
and bacterial blight. This translates to an annual loss of US$5560 million.
With GM rice, solutions are in the offing to help offset yield loss. He cited
the following initiatives that are currently being done: marker free Bt rice
which is resistance to four insect pests; Xa21 rice resistant to bacterial
blight; marker free Golden indica rice; high iron rice (Ferritin indica); and
salinity-tolerant rice.
Ready for field evaluation are Bt/hybrid rice in China and India; Xa21 rice
in China, Philippines and India; Golden rice in the US, Philippines and India;
and herbicide tolerant rice in Spain, USA and China. For commercialization
by 2005-06 will be Bt rice in China, and Golden Rice and Ferritin rice by 2007-08.
Datta stressed that India can play an important lead role in developing GM
rice along with adequate biosafety regulations.
For a copy of
his PowerPoint presentation as well as those of other speakers, visit http://www.isaaa.org/kc.
ICRISAT SETS FIELD TRIALS FOR GM GROUNDNUT
The International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
has identified resistant lines for genetically modified (GM) groundnut and
is ready for open field trials by July or August 2005. In addition, pigeonpea
transgenics are currently under contained field trials for testing of promising
lines. ICRISAT scientist Dr. Kiran Sharma said that this will be repeated in
2005 under contained trials to be followed by an open field trial in 2006.
Contact Kiran Sharma at k.sharma@icrisat.org for more information.
In related developments, Dr. William Dar, ICRISAT director general, said that
a large number of cultivars have been released from the breeding material/germplasm
supplied by ICRISAT. These cultivars contribute significantly to the increased
productivity and sustainability of agricultural development in India and other
countries.
Dar mentioned that 11 varieties were released in India from the basic germplasm
supplied from ICRISAT. These include sorghum, pigeonpea, pearl millet, small
millets, and chickpea. In India alone, of the 70 pearl millet hybrids in cultivation,
60 were developed on breeding material supplied by ICRISAT.
Dar's PowerPoint
presentation on “Access to germplasm: ICRISAT's experience
in India” can be viewed at http://www.isaaa.org/kc.
SCIENTISTS DEMAND USE OF BIOTECH TO HELP FIGHT BANANA DISEASE
Banana wilt disease is threatening to wipe out Uganda's banana plantations
unless urgent steps are taken to contain the situation. Participants to a symposium
organized by the country's National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)
in Entebbe were told that the disease has destroyed plantations in 21 out of
56 districts and that it was spreading fast.
Consequently, the 300 participants representing various banana stakeholders
urged the government to speed up the process of passing the biosafety law so
that the country can benefit from biotechnology to help solve the problem.
Dr Otim Nape, the director general of NARO, said the wilt menace presents
a clear and present danger to the country's food security. Over 65% of Ugandans
depend on banana for their staple food. The country has put 1.5 million hectares
of land under the crop, producing an estimated 8.5 million tons of bananas
annually, and accounting for 15 % of the world's total output.
Ogenga Latigo, a member of the parliament's Agriculture Committee, told the
audience that he would ask parliament to debate on the biosafety draft bill.
/ Kenya Biotechnology Information Center
For more of the Kenya Biotechnology Center, visit http://www.isaaa-africenter.org.
THAILAND'S BIOTECH ASSOC TO EDUCATE PUBLIC RE GM CROPS
The Biotechnology Alliance Association (BAA) in Thailand has been set up to
educate the public about biotechnology applications including genetically modified
(GM) crops. Dr. Sutat Sriwatanapongse, senior scientist at the National Centre
for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), acting chairman of the
alliance group, said that science-based information will be provided to the
public and that several fora will be organized to discuss the benefits and
risks of GM crops so that stakeholders can make crucial decisions pertaining
to the technology.
The multi-sectoral BAA was organized as a response to the negative
perception of consumers regarding biotechnology, particularly GM crops. Sutat
attributed
the perception problem to the “public's GM knowledge not being based
on science.”
Ranjana Wangvipula
of the Bangkok Post reported that BAA cited the case of GM papaya which was
being said to have adverse effects on human health and
the environment. Dr. Supat Attathom, a scientist at Kasetsart University working
on GM papayas, said this was erroneous and that it was necessary to give science-based
information to clear this perception. Thailand is part of the Papaya Biotechnology
Regional Network of Southeast Asia which seeks to develop transgenic papayas
that address two major constraints that limit the crop's production and availability:
papaya ringspot virus and significant post-harvest losses. For more on the
papaya project in Thailand, email Supat Attathom at agrspa@ku.ac.th.
MANIFESTO ON BIOTECH FOR ABIC 2004
Over three hundred scientists and technologists have already
signed a manifesto favoring the “effective exploitation of scientific principles in modern
agriculture, including, when useful, the safe adoption of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs), and ask the support of colleagues active at the interface
between science and its applications.” This manifesto is being released
in time for the Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference (ABIC)
2004 to be held in Cologne, Germany on September 12 to 15, 2004.
The manifesto also asks politicians and regulators in plant genetic engineering
for: the use of unbiased information in law-making and politics, the support
of research and development to foster innovation in plant genetic engineering,
and the elimination of unnecessary hurdles in laws and regulations concerning
these technologies.
Those who are
interested to sign the manifesto can do so by visiting http://www.abic2004.org/manifesto.
For more information about the conference, go to http://www.abic2004.org.
IN PROFILE: EFB
The European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB) was established
by European scientists to “promote safe and ethically acceptable biotechnology for
the better use of nature's resources.” EFB also collaborates with academic
and industrial researchers throughout Europe to increase competencies, strengthen
education, promote innovation and increase the benefits of biotechnological
research to society. Every second year, EFB holds a European Congress on Biotechnology.
EFB is currently initiating activities to assess and develop opportunities
for cooperation and strategic relations in the field of biotechnology between
the European Union and major countries and regions such as China, Southeast
Asia and South America.
The federation is open to universities, scientific institutes, companies,
national bioindustry associations, and personal members. For more information,
visit http://www.efbweb.org.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
BIOTECH
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
The Tennessee Biotechnology Association,
the Nashville Health Care Council, the Biotechnology Industry Organization
(BIO), and the Owen Graduate School
of Management at Vanderbilt University are offering a biotechnology management
program designed to help organizational leaders working in the fields of
biotechnology, life sciences and related health care to better manage the
business. For more information, email hermano.rocha@owen.vanderbilt.edu.
NEW BOOK ON PLANT BIOTECH
Introgression
from Genetically Modified Plants into Wild Relatives has just been released.
The book reviews issues related
to the unintentional spread
of new genes from cultivated plants to their wild relatives and the subsequent
impacts on the ecology of wild plants. Focus is on the ecological and evolutionary
effects of introducing GM cultivars. It presents current knowledge of crop-wild
relatives hybridization and introgression, and the measurement and prediction
of their consequences. The book is edited by a team headed by H.C.H. den
Nijs of the University of Amsterdam. Inquiries about the book can be forwarded
to
http://www.iospress.nl/html/boek1087383333.html. |
