[searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 28 Oct 2008

Tue Oct 28 21:30:54 CST 2008

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*Posted 28 October 2008*

*PHILIPPINES*
1-PHILIPPINES TO HOST ASIAN FOOD AND NUTRITION SAFETY CONFAB
2-WHO WILL WIN IN 4TH JOSE G. BURGOS BIOTECH JOURNALISM AWARDS?
3-FUNGUS CAN CONTROL DISEASE

*INDIA*
4-MANDATORY TESTING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PACKED FOOD

*AFRICA*
5-SCIENTISTS PREPARE TO FIGHT COTTON DISEASE AND PESTS

*EUROPE*
6-PURPLE GM TOMATOES MAY WARD OFF CANCER

*1-PHILIPPINES TO HOST ASIAN FOOD AND NUTRITION SAFETY CONFAB*
28-October-2008 SEARCA BIC News Release

Scientists from international agencies, governments, health and research
institutions, and industry organizations will convene at the 5th Asian
Conference on Food and Nutrition Safety (ACFNS), slated on 3-7 November 2008
at Shangri-La's Mactan, Cebu, Philippines.

The International Life Science Institute (ILSI) Southeast Asia Region and
the Philippines Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition
Research Institute jointly organize the 5th ACFNS, with the theme
"Science-based Solutions - Sustainable Actions." The conference will focus
on emerging global challenges, food and nutrition issues, and ways of
harnessing new technologies for sustainable actions to secure safer and
better food supply.

At about the same time and venue, a Pre-Conference Satellite Symposium on
Biotechnology and Nutritionally Enhanced Food and Crops will be held on 3-4
November 2008 to complement the main conference. The symposium will present
updates on recent scientific developments and applications as well as
regulatory issues on safety and nutritional assessments of nutritionally
enhanced biotech-derived crops and products.

To learn more about the conference, download its brochure at
http://www.bic.searca.org/events/2008/5thACFNS_nov2008.pdf or poster at
http://www.bic.searca.org/events/2008/5thACFNSPoster.jpg.

Further details may be also viewed at the following websites:

5th ACFNS Conference Website:
http://www.ilsiacfns2008.com/

Pre-Conference Satellite Symposium on Biotechnology and Nutritionally
Enhanced Food and Crops:
http://www.ilsiacfns2008.com/s_index.php *(Rochella B. Lapitan, SEARCA BIC)*

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*2-WHO WILL WIN IN 4TH JOSE G. BURGOS BIOTECH JOURNALISM AWARDS?*
26-October-2008 BusinessMirror

Who will be the winners in this year's Jose G. Burgos Jr. Awards for Biotech
Journalism? Who will join the ranks of perennial winners Melody Aguiba of
the Manila Bulletin and Rocel Felix formerly of the Philippine Star?

Now on its fourth year, the biotech awards recognize Filipino reporters who
wrote exemplary news and feature stories on biotechnology in national
dailies from August 2007 to July 2008.

This year's awarding ceremonies will be held on November 27. Prizes of
P30,000, P20,000 and P10,000 await the winners of the first, second and
third prizes in the best news and best feature categories, respectively.
They will also receive plaques.

Three newspapers which printed the most number of biotech stories will
receive recognition as well.

This year's panel of judges is composed of individuals who are experts in
their respective fields in biotechnology and communication. They are Dr.
Patricio Faylon, executive director of the Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Forestry and National Resources , the panel chairman; Dr.
Gaudencio Petalcorin Jr., national president of Biotechnology Information
and Organization Network; Dr. Saturnina Halos, chairperson of the Department
of Agriculture-Biotechnology Advisory Team; Rolly Estabillo, vice president
for corporate communications of Philippine Airlines; and Angelo Palmones,
president of Philippine Science Journalists Association of the Philippines
Inc.).

The articles which qualified in the awards were collected from among those
monitored by the Biotech Media and Advocacy Resource Center (BMARC), a
consortium that promotes the government's biotech program. BMARC has been
conducting the awards to help motivate and sustain the interest of media
practitioners in disseminating biotech information.

BMARC is composed of the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Program
Office, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in
Agriculture, Biotech Coalition of the Philippines, Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources and Development and the J.
Burgos Media Services Inc.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*3-FUNGUS CAN CONTROL DISEASE*
by Rudy A. Fernandez
26-October-2008 The Philippine STAR

Pestered by the clubroot disease attacking your crucifer plants?

Use a fungus called Trichoderma koninggi in controlling this disease that
usually damages crucifer (a family of plants that include cabbage, Chinese
cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard, and others).

Attesting to this is a study titled "Trichoderma-based Management of
Clubroot Disease of Crucifer" conducted by researchers Teresita Mangili,
Trenesie Lorezco, and Rhonda Oloan of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau
of Plant Industry-Baguio National Crop Research and Development Center
(DA-BPI-BNCRDC) in Baguio City.

A scientific report showing the results of the study won the Best R&D Paper
Award (Applied Research-Agriculture category) given during the 2008 National
Research Symposium (NRS) sponsored by the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research
(BAR).

NRS is an annual competition sponsored by DA-BAR headed by Director
Nicomedes P. Eleazar that gives due recognition to outstanding researchers
and their scientific works. Participants are mainly researchers of DA
bureaus and attached agencies and state colleges and universities.

The study was conducted at the BPI in Baguio City and in the Benguet towns
of Buguias and Bakun.

It evaluated the best substrate (the base on which an organism lives) for
the growth of Trichoderma koningii strain and identified the best
application method of T. koningii for the control of clubroot disease of
crucifers.

"The application of Trichoderma koningii strain as biological control
cultured in rice hull substrate significantly suppressed clubroot disease
severity of cabbage by 72.20 percent," the DA-BPI-BNCRDC researchers
reported.

This was applied as basal three weeks before planting with rate of one
tablespoon per planting hole.

In terms of yield, the application of T. koningii applied as basal produced
heavier weights of cabbage of 25.33 tons per hectare but was significantly
comparable when applied as drenched with weights of 19.03 t/ha.

On-farm trials conducted in severely clubroot-infested farms in barangays
Loo (cabbage) and Bad-ayan (Chinese cabbage) applied with T. koningii strain
cultured in rice hull substrate significantly suppressed the clubroot
disease severity by 54 to 56 percent, the researchers noted.

The same treatment raised the soil ph (expression of acidity and alkalinity)
from acidic to moderately acidic and produced heavier weights of cabbage and
Chinese cabbage heads, they concluded.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*INDIA
4-MANDATORY TESTING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PACKED FOOD
*22-October-2008 Press Information Bureau
(India)<http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=44085>

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) under the administrative
control of Ministry of Environment and Forests has not ordered for mandatory
testing of Genetically Modified Packed Food being sold in the country.
However, Approval of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), the
statutory body constituted under the 'Rules for the Manufacture, Use /Import
/Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms / Genetically Engineering
Organisms or Cells, 1989' notified under the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986, is mandatory prior to commercial use of genetically modified organisms
and products derived therefrom. The GEAC is following a case by case system
of approvals for which extensive rules and guidelines have been framed for
evaluating their environmental and health safety. As of date, the GEAC has
approved the environmental release of only Bt cotton in India. The GEAC had
received request only for import and commercial use of GM Soybean oil in
India which was granted during July 2007. No other request has been received
so far.

The results of the biosafety studies including toxicity and allergenicity
data of all commercially released genetically modified crops are available
in the public domain at www.envfor.nic.in and www.igmoris.nic.in.
Stakeholder comments are taken into consideration prior to their commercial
release.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Shri
Namo Narain Meena in a reply to a question by Shri M. Raja Mohan Reddy in
Lok Sabha.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*AFRICA
5-SCIENTISTS PREPARE TO FIGHT COTTON DISEASE AND PESTS
*by Lominda Afedraru
22-October-2008 Daily
Monitor<http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/features/Scientists_prepare_to_fight_cotton_disease_and_pests_73483.shtml?amp;cid=0&ei=dln-SInKEoG2wgGy3L2OCQ&usg=AFQjCNGo4-kCk8tVk2m0qFnqP2LJ95cntw>

Scientists in Uganda will soon begin testing the genetically modified cotton
in their laboratories to prove whether they are resistant to cotton wilt and
other related cotton diseases, which has been destroying the conventional
cotton plant.

The government recently gave a go ahead for scientists to carry out the
above research just as they have been doing to other crops such as the East
African Highland banana and cassava.

However, according the Regional coordinator for the Bio-safety System
programme, Dr Thereza Sengoba, scientists will carry out this test in their
laboratories and later confined filed trials will be conducted at two sites,
in Western Uganda at Mubuku and Eastern Uganda at Serere.

This is because the two regions are considered to be representing major
cotton growing areas with different agro- ecologies. Dr Senbgoba said this
while presenting a paper at the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in
Africa (OFAB) on the topic, Evolution of agro- biotechnology and the
challenges of seed system in Africa.

The British introduced traditional Cotton to Uganda in 1903. It quickly
established itself as Uganda's export crop and became the main foreign
exchange earner.

According to scientists, cotton production in Uganda is mainly by peasant
farmers and it is affected by a number of factors ranging from poor
management of insects, pests, weeds, diseases and soil. This is the reason
why scientists are trying a research on the genetically modified cotton
hoping it may give yields compared to the traditional cotton.

According to data information by the scientists, in 1994 the government
under the Economic recovery programme decided to revive and support cotton
production so as to diversify sources for foreign exchange earnings and
avoidance on coffee.

Structural changes were put in place and the Cotton Development Organisation
was charged with overseeing production and marketing. The Cotton industry
was also liberalised and services were privatised. This created conducive
atmosphere, which enabled growth of the private sector such as Uganda
Ginners and Cotton Export Association, Oil Millers and Textile millers.

Despite this heavy investment in the cotton industry, research has shown
that cotton production has stagnated at about 200,000 metric tones in the
past several years. There are a number of constraints still affecting cotton
production and these include among others, pests such as bollworms, weeds
and soil fertility.

The traditional cotton requires farmers to carry under the cotton plantation
five to six times which farmers find tedious.
In view of the above constraints, scientists have been looking for options
to solve them in a bid to achieve the targeted amount of cotton production.

This is the reason why they are venturing into research in the genetically
modified cotton and one of the biotechnologies they have identified is the
Ball guard11, which will be used to evaluate the modified cotton varieties
by crossing the genes extracted from a soil bacterium called B. Thrugiensis
to control the bollworms.

According to the scientists, this genetically modified cotton will reduce
the frequency of spraying cotton from six times to two to three times
depending on the availability of secondary pests thus reducing on
environmental pollution and health issues.

Genetically modified Cotton is now grown in nine countries worldwide with
the three leading countries as China, India and US. Studies from the World
Bank indicate that if countries adopt the genetically modified cotton, they
stand to benefit more than they would with the conventional cotton under the
Initiative of the World Trade Organisation. Genitically modified cotton is
one of the upcoming seeds with others being maize, banana, sorghum and
cassava.

*------------------------------------------------------------*
*EUROPE
6-PURPLE GM TOMATOES MAY WARD OFF CANCER
*by Ian Sample (Science Correspondent)
27-October-2008 The
Guardian<http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/oct/27/cancer-gm-food>

Tomatoes that have been genetically modified to be rich in antioxidants can
give protection against cancer, a team of British scientists has found.

Researchers at the John Innes Centre in Norwich created the crop of purple
tomatoes by altering them with genes from snapdragon flowers. In tests, mice
that were prone to cancer lived almost a third longer if their diet was
supplemented by the modified tomatoes.

The findings, which appear in the journal Nature Biotechnology, pave the way
for a new generation of "functional foods" that could potentially offer
protection against serious diseases.

The team, led by Cathie Martin, a professor of plant biology, plans to
investigate whether the anti-cancer properties of the tomatoes also protect
humans.

The scientists started by plucking genes from snapdragons that are
responsible for the deep red pigment in the flower's petals. The colouring
is due to an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which is also found in
blueberries and blackberries. By inserting the genes into tomato plants, the
scientists created a crop so rich in anthocyanin it turned purple as it
ripened.

Martin said she was "bowled over" by the results. "It's really clear that
the mice eating the modified tomato start to die significantly later than
mice on the normal tomatoes," she said. "At the very least, it suggests that
what you eat can really make a contribution towards preventing disease and
helping to keep you healthy."

Derek Burke, former chair of the UK's regulatory committee on GM, said:
"This is a truly positive outcome from genetic modification of plants, and a
real help to people wanting to improve their diets."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not
necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA.

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*Filipinos getting poorer and
hungrier*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/22.html>

*Let's look for
solutions…*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/10.html>

*Ecotourism: enjoying nature at its
best*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/oct/web/06.html>

*OFW lady turns biotech corn
farmer*<http://www.searca.org/web/news/2008/sep/web/29.html>

*---------------------------------------------------------*
<http://www.searca.org/web/announcements/photocontest2008/index.html>
*---------------------------------------------------------*
*Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable
speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE.
* <http://www.searca.org/web/adss/2008/index.html>

*UNU-IAS Book Launching: Recent Progress in Medical Biotechnology and
Nanomedicine: Achievements, Prospects and
Perceptions*<http://www.bic.searca.org/e-news/www.ias.unu.edu/events>
*Yokohama, Japan
29 October 2008*

*6th Scientific Convention of the Philippine Association for Plant Tissue
Culture & Biotechnology (PAPTCB)*
*Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
26 - 30 October 2008*

*5th Asian Conference on Food and Nutrition
Safety*<http://www.ilsiacfns2008.com/>
*Shangri-La's Mactan, Cebu, Philippines
03 - 07 November 2008*

*Philippines National Biotechnology Wee*
*Manila, Philippines
24 - 28 November 2008*
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