[searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 14 December 2008

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*Posted 14 December 2008*

*PHILIPPINES*
1-BAYER RELEASES NEW VARIETY OF EARLY-MATURING HYBRID RICE
2-RP NEEDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ROADMAP
3-DNA PROFILING SOLVES CRIMES: BIOTECH'S CONTRIBUTION TO JUSTICE
4-BIOTECHNOLOGY

*INDIA*
5-MONSANTO SEES INDIA ADOPTING BIOTECH CORN IN 5 YRS

*EUROPE*
6-ITALY APPROVES GM FIELD TRIALS FOR SOME FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

*GLOBAL*
7-WATERPROOF RICE PASSES INTERNATIONAL FIELD TESTS


*1-BAYER RELEASES NEW VARIETY OF EARLY-MATURING HYBRID RICE
*By Melody M. Aguiba
14-December-2008 Manila Bulletin

Hybrid rice seed producer Bayer CropScience (Philippines) has released a new
early-maturing rice variety that can speed up farmers' harvest down to as
early as 100 days without sacrificing yield which can hit a high of 11
metric tons (MT) per hectare.

Bayer CropScience (BCS) has released Arize-TEJ which was developed to raise
farmers' productivity by sparing them from late-harvest typhoons or
calamities because of its shorter gestation compared to the normal 120-day
rice planting duration.

"Rice farmers benefit a great deal from high yielding and early maturing
Arize-TEJ because its usage translates into a higher income at a shorter
period of time. When farmers use an early maturing crop, they can have the
option to plant their third crop," said BCS BioScience Manager Annalen dela
Rosa in a statement.

Aside from its early maturing trait at 100 to 105 days, the hybrid rice
variety also has tolerance to bacterial leaf blight (BLB) similar to its
predecessor hybrid "Bigante."

Based on tests, the hybrid rice variety has hit an 11 MT per hectare yield
which is relatively higher compared to hybrid rice's average yield placed at
seven MT per hectare.

"Arize-TEJ brings potential yield of about 11.32 metric tons with an average
yield of about 155-175 cavans per hectare. In addition, Arize-TEJ produces
long slender grains, high milling and head rice recovery with excellent
taste qualities which consumers prefer," said Dela Rosa.

The government is continuing to support hybrid rice planting in an aim to
achieve up to a 98 percent rice sufficiency by 2013. The Department of
Agriculture (DA) gives a P1,000 per hectare support to farmers adopting
hybrid rice. This is aside from the support that it gives to farmers
planting certified inbred seeds.

"Arize-TEJ can help augment the country's rice supply because of its
quick-turn-around time or QTA, which is being encouraged by the Department
of Agriculture," she said.

Given adequate irrigation or water sources, hybrid rice has been seen to
substantially raise yield of farmers who have been harvesting just around
four to five MT per hectare using the best certified seed varieties. The
Philippines has even achieved a record of more than 17 MT per hectare yield
with the use of hybrid rice varieties.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*2-RP NEEDS BIOTECHNOLOGY ROADMAP*
By Madel R. Sabater
11-December-2008 Manila Bulletin

The country needs to create a National Biotechnology Roadmap that will
ensure a clear and definite strategy towards successful biotechnology
programs.

According to Dr. Benigno Peczon, former president and chief executive
officer (CEO) of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), the
country has mixed signals on biotechnology.

"Not only is the Philippine ship rudderless, it has oarsmen pulling in
different directions. Moreover, it clearly has but little steam," he said.

Peczon said the country needs to get its act together to ensure that it will
not continue to trail behind other Asian countries now gaining economic
advantage due to biotechnology advancements.

He said there is a need to lay the groundwork through continuous information
dissemination of the benefits of biotechnology and identification of
biotechnology niches.

Moreover, he added, there is a need to acquire technologies beneficial for
biotech research and development (R & D) and create an attractive biotech
business environment through a good investment climate, coherent regulatory
process, intellectual property rights, sufficient manpower, and necessary
infrastructures.

"The country can craft a coherent biotechnology roadmap to make possible the
objectives embodied in the Philippine National Policy Statement on Modern
Biotechnology. With cooperation and careful tracking of benchmarks, we just
might be able to implement biotech projects well enough to do ourselves
proud," Peczon said.

The country used to lead in the biotechnology sector, having been the first
to establish the National Institutes of Biotechnology and Applied
Microbiology in 1979 (renamed National Institute of Molecular Biology and
Biotechnology or UP Biotech in 1995).

However, the country still has not developed its own modern and health
biotechnology products until now, said Peczon.

Despite this, the nation leads in the development and approval of biotech
crops in Southeast Asia. Filipino agro-biotechnologists are currently
developing Bt eggplant, papaya ringspot virus resistant (PRSVR) papaya, and
delayed ripening papaya. Bt corn is now commercialized while other biotech
projects are already in the pipeline.

In China, a National Biotechnology Center for Development was established in
1983 but it was in 1997 or after 14 years where it exhibited rapid growth.
India established their Biotechnology Department in 1986 and has since then
gradually progressed with a target of having 50 biotech centers of
excellence by 2012.

Vietnam is also catching up as it has recently approved a Biotechnology Plan
by setting up R & D centers by 2010 and a manpower target of 8,000 graduates
by 2010 and 12,000 between 2011 and 2015.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*3-DNA PROFILING SOLVES CRIMES: BIOTECH'S CONTRIBUTION TO JUSTICE SYSTEM*
by Miguel R. Camus / Researcher
07-December-2008 BusinessMirror

Most commonly associated with renewable energy and genetically modified
produce, biotechnology is also having a profound effect on society and, in
particular, the justice system with the advent of DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) profiling, which helps local forensic investigators solve criminal
cases.

DNA profiling is a molecular testing method used to identify people or
organisms by the particular structure of their DNA, which is determined to
be unique to each person—like a fingerprint—and can be extracted from
saliva, blood, hair and even finger- or toenails.

And while DNA testing for this purpose is "relatively" new in the country,
according to Major Lito Cabamongan, one of the leading crime-scene
specialists with the Philippine National Police (PNP), local enforcement
agencies have already begun reaping the benefits.

"Almost 30 percent or more of [criminal] cases are being solved [now with
the help of DNA profiling techniques]," the forensic investigator said
partly in Filipino. He added that it was more difficult in previous times
without DNA testing, as other forms of evidence were inconclusive.

He spoke to the BusinessMirror in last week's DNA forensic training workshop
for police officers that was part of the National Biotechnology Week
activities.

But working behind the scenes is the DNA Analysis Laboratory in the Natural
Sciences Research Institute at the University of the Philippines (UP).

Dr. Maria de Ungria, who heads the UP DNA Laboratory, said DNA is one of the
most powerful tools available to Philippine investigators today.

"You'll know who was and wasn't there," she said, referring to a crime. "It
brings us closer to the truth, and serves as a crucial factor to reconstruct
the sequence of events leading to the crime."

She noted, however, that the UP DNA lab does not directly handle criminal
cases, unless passed on to them by the PNP or by the courts, and instead
focuses on the research aspect of forensic investigation.

"They [PNP and National Bureau of Investigation] have their own labs, but
because of the scale of criminal cases that they have, they can't do
research," said the former Philippine Science High School scholar.

She said their research activities take a "lot of time," such as testing
different types of evidence using several parameters, like variations in
temperature, among others. Such research endeavors, she said, fall under
their responsibility, being attached to an academic institution.

"We don't go into crime scenes and we don't handle the [actual] evidence,
but if one of the [law enforcement] agencies feel they have not handled that
type of evidence, they might call our lab for assistance," she said.

Dr. de Ungria added that the UP DNA lab may step in during special cases,
such as those requested by families seeking an independent forensic
investigation.

In October 2007, the Supreme Court issued the Rule on DNA Evidence, which
provided the guidelines on assessing the value of DNA evidence in court. It
was also viewed as a precedent for reversing convictions through post-DNA
testing.

Dr. de Ungria said activities intensified after the Supreme Court decision.
She said the cases passed to the UP DNA lab have doubled, and they have even
noted some acquittals after doing DNA testing.

She said that among rape cases in the past nine years, there have been five
acquittals because it was discovered that the suspects did not share the DNA
profile of the victims' children born as a result of the crime. She said the
suspected rapists spent an average of seven years in jail.

She noted that the lab is helping the government, as well, declogging jails
and also preventing future abuses to human rights.

"The real perpetrators are still outside doing what they were doing before,"
she said.

*Budget constraints*
Still, as a DNA analysis lab, carrying out research studies and bringing
criminals to justice carries a hefty price tag. Dr. de Ungria said that in
the past two years, they have received some P5 million a year, but it was
not enough. She said equipment alone could cost several millions of pesos.

"We should be looking at P10 million, P20 million to P30 million a year,"
she admitted, adding that the funds will be used to buy better equipment,
making it a one-time arrangement.

She said the lab, for instance, would be an updated version of their DNA
sequencer, which can only run one sample at a time, versus other newer
machines which can do eight or even 15 samples.

She added that running a sample takes at least 30 minutes, which is why the
lab is planning to purchase a DNA sequencer that costs P10 million that can
handle eight samples.

A DNA sequencer automates the arduous task of DNA sequencing, a process
where the order of nucleotides—the structural unit of DNA—is determined. DNA
sequencing is credited with large advances in biological research and is an
integral aspect of forensic investigation.

"We would like to have results as soon as possible. The longer we wait [for
DNA results], the longer the time that person [if innocent] is
incarcerated," she said.

She added that the small number of staff is also another issue with them,
because while they have at least 10 scientists manning the labs, only three
are considered as permanent while the rest are classified as "contractual."

"We look for budgets for scientists, which actually adds to the work that we
are doing," she said.

*The DNA business*
One way is to tap the private sector. The UP DNA lab, for instance, charges
fees for paternity tests which, according to Dr. de Ungria, composes up to
50 percent of the lab's activities today.

The lab charges P60,000 for a paternity test—which is used as evidence in
court, such as in proving the legitimacy of an heir. If the test is for
"private reasons," where it will not be used in any legal forum, the fee is
P40,000. The reason for this, she said, is that court cases require more
scrutiny, hence, a more laborious task for the laboratory.

She also noted cases where "high-profile clients" or wealthy individuals ask
the lab to have their DNA profiled and then stored. This is for possible use
in the future, when, for instance, the subject is cremated or when facing
other legal hurdles.

For this, the UP DNA lab charges P3,000 for five years of storage, after
which the contract expires and the clients will be charged again.

For all the extra work, Dr. de Ungria, who finished her doctoral degree at
the University of New South Wales in Australia, does no regret coming back
to the Philippines—after 10 years abroad.

"Science should serve society. I needed to go back to the Philippines
[because] I knew that I only had the opportunity to study because of
taxpayers' money," she said.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*4-BIOTECHNOLOGY*
Nature for Life by Anabelle E. Plantilla
22-November-2008 Manila
Times<http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/nov/22/yehey/opinion/20081122opi6.html>

Spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and
Natural Resources, Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry,
Department of Education, and Department of Interior and Local Government,
the Philippines celebrates the 4th National Biotech¬nology Week next week
with the theme "Making Biotechnology Work for You." Biotechnology is
technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food
science, and medicine.

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotech¬nology
as "any technological application that uses biological systems, living
organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes
for specific use." Biotechnology is often used to refer to genetic
engineering technology of the 21st century, however the term encompasses a
wider range and history of procedures for modifying biological organisms
according to the needs of humanity, going back to the initial modifications
of native plants into improved food crops through artificial selection and
hybridization. (Wikipedia)

The emergence of modern biotech¬¬nologies in the areas of agriculture,
medicine, and chemistry has been a widely followed topic over the recent
years. Breakthroughs have been achieved by Filipino scientists in harnessing
biotechnology for food, biofuels, and the environment. Studies and research
on biofertilizers, ethanol production-inducing bacteria, micronutrient
enhancement, and improved crops like corn, sugarcane, coconut and various
vegetables are also on going.

Being a member of the Asean, the Philippines, along with the other 9 Asean
Member States are all signatories to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. An
international agreement adopted in 2000, the Protocol highlights the need to
ensure that maximum benefits are reaped from biotechnologies, while
minimizing possible risks to humans and the environment. The Protocol also
seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and living modified organisms (LMOs).
It was set in place to ensure an adequate level of protection in the field
of the safe transfer, handling, and use of LMOs. Safety in biotechnology or
biosafety is a key concern among Asean Member States. Cambodia, Laos,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are all in the process of
developing their respective biosafety frameworks, policies, and laws.

Led by Rodrigo Fuentes, a Filipino, the Asean Center for Biodiversity (ACB)
is an intergovernmental organization that promotes biodiversity conservation
in the Asean region. It assists Asean Member States in carrying out
scientific risk assessments on GMOs, and enforcing biosafety regulations by
enhancing institutional capacity. A series of workshops, the latest of which
was conducted in Vietnam on 20-22 November 2008, have been conducted to
promote a better understanding of the Cartagena Protocol's biosafety
provisions among those who are involved in regulatory assessment and
biosafety compliance activities in the Asean region. Through these
workshops, ACB helps countries deliver their commitment under the Protocol.

The ACB calls on the Asean govern¬ments to continue establishing clear
mechanisms that will ensure the balance between achieving biotechnology's
economic benefits and ensuring the safety of humans and the environment from
its potential adverse effects. Further it calls on scientists, businessmen,
members of the academe, farmers, investors, and the general public to
contribute their share in establishing adequate safety measures that will
give consumers an increased confidence in biotechnology products, thereby
making biotechnology work safely.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*INDIA
5-MONSANTO SEES INDIA ADOPTING BIOTECH CORN IN 5 YRS
*By Euan Rocha
11-December-2008
Guardian.co.uk<http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8144911>

* Sees India adopting biotech corn in about five years
* Expects to double its revenues in India by 2012

MUMBAI, Dec 11 (Reuters) - U.S. biotech company Monsanto Co hopes to gain
regulatory approvals to commercialize some varieties of its biotech corn in
India in about five years, a company official said on Thursday.

"There is a fundamental (amount of) time that is required for crops to be
evaluated ... We can be in the four-year time frame, but my guess is we will
be in the five-year time frame on this one," Sekhar Natarajan, head of
Monsanto's Indian operations, said in an interview with Reuters.

Monsanto, which has been operating in India for almost six decades, recently
got approvals to start initial trials for some varieties of its YieldGard
and Roundup Ready corn seeds.

India has taken a conservative approach to the adoption of biotech crops due
to efficacy- and safety-related concerns. The country only approved
Monsanto's Bollgard BT cotton trait in 2002. Since then it has also approved
Bollgard II technology -- the traits protect the cotton crop against
bollworms and other pests.

The Bollgard traits -- which are marketed by MMB, an equally owned joint
venture with Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co -- have been a success for the
company, and in 2008 Bollgard seeds were grown on 17.2 million acres, or 76
percent of India's total cotton acreage, according to Monsanto.

Monsanto contends that the wide acceptance of Bollgard has moved India from
being a net importer of cotton to being the world's second-largest exporter.

"We are seeing how small farmers, given the right tools, innovations and
technologies, can really turn around and make India a powerhouse in
agricultural crops," said Natarajan.

Monsanto is now conducting trials on its third generation of Bollgard
cotton, which it hopes to launch in about three years. The new seeds will be
stacked with a Roundup Ready trait, which will make the crop tolerant of
glyphosate -- a common herbicide used for weed control that was originally
developed by Monsanto.

*DOUBLING REVENUE*
In fiscal 2007, Monsanto India Ltd, which is 72 percent owned by Monsanto
Co, posted revenues of 3.4 billion rupees, or about $70.4 million.

While Monsanto India's revenue was still a fraction of the parent company's
fiscal 2007 revenue of $8.35 billion, Monsanto plans to double its revenue
in India by 2012, said Natarajan.

In India, Monsanto is currently focused on expanding its corn, cotton and
vegetable seeds businesses, while also growing its glyphosate herbicide
business.

Monsanto is pushing to convert more Indian corn farmers to using hybrid
seeds. Only 45 percent of the corn grown in India currently comes from
hybrid seeds, so the company sees strong growth potential in this market,
even before the commercialization of biotech corn seeds.

Natarajan sees the drought-tolerance traits which Monsanto is currently
developing as proving to be a great prospect for Indian farmers in the years
ahead, as crop yields in many parts of India are primarily limited by a lack
of adequate irrigation.

The company would consider making acquisitions in India to grow its
businesses, said Natarajan.

"We continually evaluate opportunities in India and around the world for
appropriate acquisitions that can strengthen our pipeline, R&D, breeding
efforts, or market access," he said.

"I look at Monsanto in India as in a growth mode. But, yes we are going to
be careful about how we invest, because we don't want to throw caution to
the wind." ($1 = 48.30 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Euan Rocha, editing by
Gerald E. McCormick)

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*EUROPE
6-ITALY APPROVES GM FIELD TRIALS FOR SOME FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
*11-December-2008
FlexNews<http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/20956/Biotech/Italy/italy-approves-gm-field-trials-fruit-vegetables.html>

11 Dec, 2008 - Italy's has approved the resumption of biotech field trials
after a hiatus of 10 years. Protocols for nine crops were approved but leave
implementing regulations up to the regions—many of which have declared
themselves to be GMO free.

While the approval of these protocols may be a positive step, most Italian
scientists remain skeptical about their actual significance. In their view,
too many constraints exist to make field tests practical. In fact, many
research centers have abandoned agricultural biotechnology research because
there is little likelihood that any farm in Italy will be able to benefit
from such research any time soon.

"A glimmer opens, after ten years of darkness, for field trials of biotech
crops." This is how a leading farm weekly magazine, "Agrisole" starts its
press release, announcing the approval of the biotech field test protocols
by the State-Regions Conference—a special body of representatives from the
federal government and each of the 20 Italian regions that addresses issues
of mutual interest.

The path to this approval has not been easy. For a number of years, both
public and private institutions have not been allowed to conduct research on
biotech crops in Italy. By law, approval must first come from a special
committee of ten members, comprised of two representatives from the Ministry
of Agriculture, two from the Ministry of Environment, and six from the
regions, followed by approval of the State-regions Conference.

In 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture passed a Ministerial decree, endorsed
by the special committee, approving protocols to re-start biotech field
trials, which had been stopped for a number of years. But the decree was
opposed by the Minister of Environment, Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, who also
was the leader of Italy's Green party.

Last August, the new Minister of Environment, Stefania Prestigiacomo,
endorsed the above protocols, which were then approved by the State-Regions
Conference. The Ministerial decree is now waiting for the final signature
from Minister of Agriculture Zaia, after which it will be published in the
Official Gazette. Although Zaia has publicly maintained a strong opposition
to agricultural biotechnology, most observers expect him to sign the decree.


Nine protocols were approved; one each for kiwis, citrus, sweet cherries,
strawberries, corn, egg plants, olives, tomatoes, and grapes. The decree
leaves it up to each region to develop implementing regulations, including
the authority to adopt even more restrictive measures than the original
protocols in order "to reduce the risk of contamination." Although most
Italian regions have declared themselves to be "GM-free," some regions
appear open to the biotech trials, including Lombardy, Veneto, and
Emilia-Romagna—all located in northern Italy.

The nine protocols all include stringent measures to prevent any
"contamination" to conventional agriculture. Examples of these measures
include the required use of anti-birds nets over GM kiwi-trees, a minimum
distance of 1,000 meters between biotech and conventional corn fields, hand
harvesting of biotech corn, and, in some cases, sterilization of the soil
and incineration of the residues. Furthermore the trial fields must remain
idle for up to three years following the trials.

While the approval of these protocols may be seen by many pro-biotech
observers as a positive step, most Italian scientists remain skeptical about
the actual significance of this decree. In their view, too many constraints
exist to make field tests practical. In fact, many research centers have
abandoned agricultural biotechnology research because there is little
likelihood that any farm in Italy will be able to benefit from such research
any time soon.

On the other side, environmental groups have protested against the approval
of the protocols, reiterating their concerns about the possible
contamination.

*------------------------------------------------------------
Global
7-WATERPROOF RICE PASSES INTERNATIONAL FIELD TESTS
*By Imelda V. Abano
05-December-2008
SciDev.Net<http://www.scidev.net/en/agriculture-and-environment/waterproof-rice-passes-international-field-tests.html?utm_source=link&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=en_agricultureandenvironment>

A new type of rice that can survive total submersion for more than two weeks
has passed its field tests with "flying colours," say researchers, and is
now close to official release.

Scientists hope that the rice can make a major difference in Bangladesh and
India where up to four million tons of rice per year — enough to feed 30
million people — are lost because of flooding.

'Sub1' rice is identical to the high-yielding varieties popular with both
farmers and consumers across Asia, except that it contains a single gene
that gives it 'waterproof' qualities.

The enabling gene, 'sub1A', was discovered 13 years ago in a traditional
Indian rice variety by David Mackill — now head of the plant breeding,
genetics and biotechnology division of the International Rice Research
Institute in the Philippines — and Xu Kenong, his then graduate student.

Scientists inserted the gene into other rice varieties and found that it
became switched on when a plant was submerged. It acts to make the plant
dormant, allowing it to conserve energy until the floodwaters recede.

It also countermands the rice plant's normal strategy when submerged — to
extend its stem and leaves in an attempt to escape the water.

"The potential for impact is huge," said Mackill, who collaborated on the
project with the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, India's Central Rice
Research Institute and Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and
Technology, also in India.

"Submergence-tolerant varieties could make major inroads into Bangladesh's
annual rice shortfall and substantially reduce its import needs."

Crop scientists estimate that annual flooding leads to losses worth US$1
billion across South and South-East Asia.

Mackill said flooding is even beneficial to the rice, which produces five
tons for each hectare submerged for up to two weeks. He added that an
ordinary rice variety without the 'sub1A' gene produces less than one ton
per hectare.

"Climate change will most likely result in more extreme weather events,
including storms or heavy rainfall that causes flooding. We are continuing
our research to increase the level of tolerance to flooding to a higher
level," he said.

"Within the next two years, the varieties will be disseminated to small
farmers in flood-prone areas."

The field trials mark the completion of a project funded for the past five
years by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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*Announcing availability of grants for the Young Cultural Ambassador Program
2009* <http://aaacu.searca.org/news/2008/dec/a.html>

*GM crops' socioeconomic and environmental impacts, to be discussed in
international conference*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/dec/web/08.html>

*SEARCA scholars convene for an international conference
*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/dec/web/02.html>

*SEARCA turns 42, bestows first Umali Award
*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/nov/web/28.html>

*1st SEA award for aggie development to be conferred
*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/nov/web/14.html>

*---------------------------------------------------------*
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*Young Cultural Ambassador Program
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26 January - 04 February 2009
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Closing Date: 24 December
2008*<http://www.bic.searca.org/jobs/2008/IFPRI_PBSDirector.doc>

*-------------------------------------------------------------*
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