|
Fighting Fungi with Bacteria
(SRC:Deccan Herald -- ATH:Deepa Balakrishnan)
Researchers at the University of Agricultural Sciences in
Bangalore, India are developing genetically modified
(GM) groundnuts with resistance to harmful fungal
diseases. Working with indigenous bacteria, the
researchers isolated two genes that confer immunity to
root rot fungi and other fungal infections that affect
major crop plants, including groundnuts, rice, and
coffee. According to Research Head T.K. Siddarame Gowda:
"Some of these fungi are very difficult to control,
particularly if they are soil-borne .. . Over 30 percent
of all damage in major crops is due to fungi. However,
this can now be effectively controlled." Gowda's lab
has inserted the fungal resistance genes into groundnut
plants. He said: "Resistance to fungi is now in-built
in the seed. We have now got the plant, and are
awaiting the Union Department of Biotechnology
permission to test the results. We have made
considerable [head]way in the research - almost into the
third generation state." "We have to test it now for
allergicity and toxicity, as all genetically engineered
plants are to be tested for these factors," Gowda
added. His lab has already erected a modern
"containment facility" for the tests. Gowda stated that
in addition to reducing crop damage from fungal
diseases, GM crops resistant to fungal infection would
save farmers money because they would not require the
use of expensive fungicides. "Several farmers also fall
victim to spurious fungicides which do not work, but
only cause environmental damage. Besides, if it rains
right after spraying fungicides, the external fungicide
is wiped out and farmers will have to spray it all over
again. This is just an additional burden," Gowda said.
[Note: No GM food crops have yet been approved for
commercial cultivation in India.] The article can be
viewed online at the link below.
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=7101&start=1&control=201&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1
The Application of Biotechnology to Wheat Improvement
(SRC:FAO Plant Production and Protection Series --
ATH:Hoisington et al.)
This paper, written by scientists at the International
Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), describes
the current state of research and development in the use
of genetic markers and genetic engineering to create
improved wheat varieties. "Although not without
controversy," the paper concludes that the options for
the improvement of wheat through biotechnology "seem
limitless and, with the proper oversight and
understanding, should provide extremely powerful options
to develop durable and highly productive plant varieties
for almost any production environment." The paper notes
that CIMMYT is developing GM wheat strains with enhanced
resistance to fungal infections and enhanced quality.
At this time, the first GM wheat plants are being
produced and investigated in a biosafety greenhouse.
The report can be viewed online at the link below.
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/Y4011E/y4011e0d.htm#TopOfPage
Easing Process of Gene-Altering Seeds
(SRC:The Chicago Tribune -- ATH:Jon Van)
The small U.S. biotechnology firm Chromatin Inc. is
developing a more reliable technique for inserting
transgenes into plant DNA. With currnet techniques,
inserted transgenes often fail to integrate successfully
into plant cells. Nathan Danielson, research manager
for the U.S. National Corn Growers Association, explains
that under this technique, "instead of transforming 100
plants, you have to do hundreds or thousands of plants
to find the first parent that gives reasonable
expression." Chromatin's new technique would avoid this
problem by "loading up" an "artificial chromosome" with
one or more transgenes and inserting it into a plant
cell's DNA. Daphne Preuss, a researcher at the
University of Chicago and Chromatin's founder, says the
extra artificial chromosome is accepted easily by the
plant cell and provides a stable platform from which
transgenes can manufacture proteins that affect plant
characteristics. If developed successfully, the
technique is expected to be especially useful for
designing genetically modified (GM) plants with multiple
transgenes. David McElroy, a vice president with Verdia
Inc., a U.S. biotechnology firm, comments: "Today most
seeds feature two or maybe three traits. The need for
this technology will be more urgent when you want more
traits." Preuss says that her company has demonstrated
that the technique works in plant cells. They have
already developed artificial chromosomes for canoloa,
rape, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. "Now," Preuss
says, "it's time to prove it works in plants."
Chromatin plans to partner with the Canadian National
Research Council's Plant Biotechnology Institute to use
their technique to develop GM canola. The article can
be viewed online at the link below.
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=7068&start=11&control=207&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1
SIX COUNTRIES NOW PLANTING 99% OF GM CROPS
Brazil and South Africa now join the United States,
Argentina, Canada and China as the leading growers of
genetically modified (GM) crops. These six countries, up
from four in 2002, are responsible for 99 percent of the
global biotech crop areas. China and South Africa
experienced the greatest annual increase, with both
countries planting one-third more biotech hectares than
in 2002. This was reported by Dr. Clive James, chairman
and founder of the International Service for the
Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) in his
latest preview on the global status of commercialized
transgenic crops for 2003.James also adds that the
remaining top countries planting more than 50,000
hectares are Australia, India, Romania and Uruguay.
Eight countries each plant up to 50,000 hectares of
biotech crops. These are Spain, Mexico, Philippines,
Colombia, Bulgaria, Honduras, Germany, and Indonesia.
The preview published as ISAAA Briefs No. 30 stated that
7 million farmers in 18 countries or more than 85
percent resource-poor farmers in the developing world,
now plant biotech crops. About 167.2 million acres or
67.7 million hectares are now planted worldwide to
biotech crops or about a 15 percent increase over 2002
figures. For more information, read the executive
summary at
http://www.isaaa.org/kc |
