DA praised for research on biotech crops

MANILA, Philippines - The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) lauds the Department of Agriculture (DA) for intensifying research on biotech crops.

ISAAA noted that the DA, through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), has intensified research and testing on a number of food crops deemed crucial for the country’s food security.

ISAAA operates the Global Knowledge Center on  Crop Biotechnology at the ISAAA Southeast Asia Center in the Philippines (SEAsiaCenter) at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna, which is mainly concerned in propagating information on issues related to crop biotechnology.

The organization also supports the development of fruit and shoot borer-resistant (FSBR) eggplant in the Philippines.

Tests are being undertaken by the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB.)

Genetic materials for the Bacillus thuringiensis were secured by the UPLB-IPB from the Indian Maharashthra Hybrid Seeds Co., Ltd. (Mahyco) for free.

ISAAA said it backs the research on FSBR eggplant, which is also being assisted by Cornell University and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II.

Another project that would benefit farmers greatly is the development of virus resistant sweet potato (VRSP.)

ISAAA said it was material to the research on sweet potato, which is being pursued by UPLB and the Leyte State University (LSU.)

“Research is underway in the Philippines to develop transgenic sweet potato varieties.

ISAAA brokered the donation of virus resistance technology from Monsanto to develop local varieties with sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SFMV) resistance,” it added.

ISAAA also supported fellowships for Filipino scientists involved in the project.

The organization has been advocating intensified efforts in battling diseases that affect papaya, considered as one of the world’s most nutritious fruits. – Biolife News Service

“The Papaya Biotechnology Network of Asia is a regional initiative among Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam organized to address two major constraints to papaya production: The papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) and significant post-harvest losses,” ISAAA said.

As in the FSBR eggplant, ISAAA also worked to secure an agreement with Zeneca (now Syngenta Seeds) and the University of Nottingham to share their delayed ripening technology.

“ISAAA provided internships and fellowships for various technology aspects,” it revealed.

ISAAA also facilitated the transfer of PRSV papaya technology from Monsanto to the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore, India,” it said.