From searcabic at gmail.com Tue Jan 6 11:31:30 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 11:31:30 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] ANNOUNCEMENT: SEARCA Agriculture & Development Seminar Series (ADSS) for January 2009 Message-ID: Right click any image to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *SEARCA AGRICULTURE & DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR SERIES (ADSS)* *January 2009 Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna 4031, Philippines Tuesdays, 4:00 - 5:00 PM* *Should trade liberalization in agriculture wait for better marketing links between the regions? An application of the Philippine Regional General Equilibrium Model (PRGEM) * by *Dr. Dr. Roehlano M. Briones*, Senior Research Fellow, Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and Visiting Research Fellow, SEARCA *06 January 2009* *Benefiting from the Dreaded Janitor Fish* by *Mr. Jose K. Cari?o III*, Division Chief for Community Development, Laguna Lake Development Authority and Project Leader, World Bank *13 January 2009* *Is Biotech rice for us?* by *Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita*, Senior Program Officer, Global Knowledge Center, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) *20 January 2009* *SPECIAL SEMINAR* *Negotiating for Developmental Space for Philippine Agriculture in the WTO* by *Dr. Segfredo R. Serrano*, Undersecretary, Policy, Planning Research and Development, Department of Agriculture (DA) *8 January 2009, 4:00-5:00 p.m* *The SEARCA Agriculture & Development Seminar Series (ADSS) is held every Tuesday, 4:00-5:00 p.m. at SEARCA. It is open to the public. The ADSS is meant to encourage the presentation and discussion of development and research issues, as well as their implications for agricultural and rural development. Through the ADSS, SEARCA proactively contributes to having a vibrant scientific exchange within, and even beyond, the Los Ba?os Science Community. For more information, visit SEARCA website at http://www.searca.org*. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Mon Jan 12 08:57:49 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:57:49 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 12 January 2009 Message-ID: Right click images to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 12 January 2008* PHILIPPINES 1-THE TOP 10 S&T NEWSMAKERS 2-ORIGINAL SOURCE OF CARBON IN FOSSIL FUEL, ALGAE EYED FOR DEVELOPMENT AS BIOFUEL FEEDSTOCK 3-NUEVA ECIJA PRESS CLUB HONORS BIOTECH JOURNALISTS 4-AN EASY WAY TO GERMINATE SAGO PALM SEEDS FOUND INDIA 5-FIRST DESI BT-COTTON VARIETY READY AFRICA 6-UGANDA: GM CASSAVA READY FOR FIELD TRIALS GLOBAL 7-WORLD'S FIRST 'DROUGHT-TOLERANT' CORN READY BY 2010 *1-THE TOP 10 S&T NEWSMAKERS* 09-January-2008 Manila Bulletin As the first decade of the 21st century approaches its end, hints of a futuristic society with robots working side by side with humans and non-polluting vehicles using alternative fuels are appearing in the Philippines. As the following advances in the fields of science and technology show, the Philippines has the potential to produce a cure for cancer as well as being home to new and undiscovered species. The past year was indeed a good year for science, with the Philippines garnering international recognition for projects and inventions. In no particular order, WikiPilipinas.org presents the Top 10 Philippine developments in science and technology for 2008, plus one more welcome invention, which was introduced from abroad. *THE BIG MAC.* The Philippines' first anti-terrorism robot ? a bomb-disposal robot made by a team of scientists and engineers from the Mapua Institute of Technology, MAC (Mechanical Anti-terrorist Concept) was publicly inducted as the latest "Police Inspector" of the Makati Police Force on October 15 of this year. The Mapua team, headed by engineer Roel John Judilla, assembled the robot out of aluminum, fiberglass, and plastic. The two-foot high robot which runs on motorcycle batteries can travel at speeds up to15 kmh, has cameras with night vision capability, and uses instruments to test the toxicity level of the air following a chemical explosion. It can be controlled by remote control or by connected wires. A humane ? if not human ? invention, it allows the human police to stay out of harm's way when inspecting and disposing of bombs. *HYDROGEN-POWERED CAR CREATED BY DANIEL DINGEL.* With an engine filled with ordinary water, Daniel Dingel's car suggests a solution to the oil crisis. The12-volt car battery under the hood of his Toyota Corolla provides the electricity to convert saltwater into hydrogen and oxygen, like a mini hydrogen reactor. Skeptics claim that this is impossible, but Taiwan investors have recently taken interest in the invention which Dingel conceptualized nearly 40 years ago. *ANTI-POLLUTION DEVICE CREATED BY ROBERT CELIS.* Another Filipino inventor has also found a way to use water as a fuel, in this case a supplement to any engine fuel. This will not only use up less gasoline but reduce the fuel emissions that pollute the air. The 74-year-old inventor from Marikina City invented this device he calls the hydrogasifier in order to reduce pollution from vehicle emissions, but found that it also enhanced the power of the engine and reduced fuel consumption by 30-50 percent. Vehicles that use the device not only release less pollution but add some 6.5 percent to 7.6 percent oxygen to the air. Celis is trying to attract the interest of the Philippine government in his hydrogasifier, pointing out that it could also be adapted for use in factories to reduce industrial pollutants. *NEW CORAL SPECIES DISCOVERED BY DR. EDGARDO GOMEZ.* New species of corals have been discovered in the waters of the Kalayaan Islands a few months ago by Dr. Edgardo Gomez, marine biologist and professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute. Gomez observed that there are 36 coral species per square meter in Talim Bay, Batangas, which might include new species. This is very likely given that the Philippines is known to have the greatest diversity of corals in the world, despite the endangerment of its coral reefs. *RP SCIENCE PROGRAMS FEATURED IN SCIENCE MAGAZINE.* An article entitled "Philippines Plans Research Revival" appeared in the prominent US publication Science Magazine December 2008 issue. Written by Dennis Normile, the article showcased how the Philippines is establishing effective scientific research and development programs through teamwork between government agencies and the science and engineering industries. Especially focused on were the Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), a division of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The DOST's "Balik Scientist" program, which attempts to persuade Filipino scientists and engineers abroad to return to the Philippines by offering them positions in the science and technology sector, was given importance in the article. *FILIPINO STUDENTS ARE GIVEN ACCESS TO FREE SOFTWARE.* Under its DreamSpark program, Microsoft is offering free software to about 4,000 Philippine college students from the Junior Philippine Computer Society (JPCS), which will aid the students in developing their own software. Students will enjoy the use of new Microsoft developer and designer tools, including the Visual Studio 2008 professional edition, the XNA Game Studio 2.0, and the Expression Studio and the database software developer tools SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition and Windows Server Standard Edition. Not only will they be able to download US0-plus programs free of charge, but they will also have access to free online training direct from Microsoft. Tim Vergel de Dios, academic developer of Microsoft Philippines, adds that Microsoft will help these students get jobs after they graduate. *PINOY KIDS WIN ROBOT OLYMPIAD SILVER.* At the World Robot Olympiad held in Yokohama, Japan last November, a team of three elementary pupils was awarded a silver medal for their presentation. The students, Joseph Aldrin Chua, Edrich Hans Chua, and Dominique Hannah Sy, from Grace Christian Elementary School, were the first Filipinos to win a medal in the Open Category in the Elementary Level at the Olympiad. Their entry, which they called "Green Whiz Community and the G-Tech Robot Engineering a Better World," consisted of 12 robots. These robots performed a number of tasks which help in saving the environment, showing how technology can be used to avert the destruction of the earth. *ELECTRIC JEEPNEYS USED IN MAKATI CITY.* In cooperation with GRIPP (Green Renewable Independent Power Producer) and Greenpeace, the Makati City Government began using jeepneys powered by electricity. These jeepneys were created by the Philippine renewable energy source firm Solar Electric Company. It runs on 12 batteries that require eight hours of charging. It can carry 15 passengers aside from the driver and can run for at least 100 kilometers daily at 40 kilometers per hour. They were assembled locally by PhUV Inc., the business arm of the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MVPMAP). The vehicles underwent pilot testing for a year and are now being licensed by the Land Transport Offic (LTO). These vehicles can be charged using a component that utilizes biodegradable wastes from Makati City's food outlets and wet markets in generating electricity. *CANCER TRACKER NAMED BPI-DOST 'BEST PROJECT'.* A study that explores how green fluorescent protein from corals can be used to track the growth of cancer cells in the human body won for Best Project of the Year in the 2008 BPI-DOST Science Awards. This was the project of Carla Gisela Ysabel P. Concepcion, a graduating BS Molecular Biology and Biotechnology student from the University of the Philippines. *UNDERWATER ROBOT WINS TOP AWARD IN DOST CONTEST.* The top award in the annual Aquatic Technology Competition and Marketplace (ATCOM) was given to an underwater robot constructed by Philippine engineers. Operated by remote control, the robot can perform underwater explorations and can send live video footage to its human controller on a boat. This has potential for use in monitoring coral reefs and inspecting underbellies of oil rigs and ships, underwater pipelines, dams, dikes, water tanks, canals, and reservoirs for potential and existing leaks. Compared to a human diver, the robot can perform these tasks more exhaustively and the cost for its operation is a lot less. *E-CHARGE AVAILABLE IN THE PHILIPPINES.* It isn't a new technology, and it wasn't developed in the Philippines. Nevertheless, this public service is welcome in a country with about 50 million cellular phone users. Equipped with LCD screens showing advertisements, these machines which allow recharging of all types of mobile phones can be found at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, at Metropolis Starmall and Alabang Town Center. Market! Market! Mall in Taguig City, SuperFerry terminal and other places with plenty of human traffic will soon feature this convenience as well. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-ORIGINAL SOURCE OF CARBON IN FOSSIL FUEL, ALGAE EYED FOR DEVELOPMENT AS BIOFUEL FEEDSTOCK* by Melody M. Aguiba 03-January-2009 Manila Bulletin The original source of carbon in fossil fuel oil, algae, is now eyed to be extensively developed as a substantially economical biofuel feedstock in the Philippines. A Filipino National Program leader of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said microalgae biofuel can well replace much of the country's fuel requirement as much as algae is studied to displace the US's fuel oil needs. "Considering our limited land area, we can go for microalgae (which has) the highest energy content. Microalgae needs a very small area (but will) satisfy your fuel requirement because its biomass is 50 percent oil. (Its use in the US is) not significant at the moment. But the US will only use 0.2 percent of its land area to meet all liquid fuel needs," said the USDA's Dr. Catalino A. Blanche in an interview. Blanche said he has touched based with some investigators at the Marine Science Institute (MSI) who have started developing marine algae as potential source of fuel. Among marine species being studied for algae biofuel worldwide are the Botryococcus braunii, Chlorella, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Gracilaria, Pleurochrysis carterae, and Sargassum. US biofuel producer MicroAlgae Technologies said that the use of this technology is economically advantageous as algae cells can divide once daily and "create up to 1,000 times more biomass per hectare" than other biofuel crops like corn or sugarcane. Blanche said the country has advantage in using its marine resource as source of fuel. "I think Gisel Concepcion (of MSI and) a group that studies marine algae and freshwater algae (are already working on it). The marine (algae fuel source is) interesting because you can just harvest the sea for this microalgae," he said. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the US has been looking at an extensive use of algal fuel since algae is estimated to have an oil yield of 1,200 to 10,000 gallons per acre which isthe highest yield among 10 crops studied. This study showed a comparative yield per acre of only 18 gallons for corn, 35 gallons for cotton, 48 gallons for soybean, 61 gallons for mustard seed, 102 gallons for sunflower, 127 for rapesee, and 202 for jatropha. The crop that comes closest to algae is oil palm at 635 gallons. Blanche said that a pilot project can be done on algae biofuel by studying spirulina and see how much it can produce per unit area. "You can culture it in a small container, in barrels or whatever. These multiply very quickly, you're talking about weeks, days. I don't know how you can transition, but plain and simple what you produce is biodiesel. You can use it for ethanol because 50 percent is oil, 50 percent is sugar as well as proteins so it can be a good source for food," he said. Previous studies indicated that while algaculture for vegetable oil may cost more per pound, it can yield 30 times more anergy per acre. The US Department of Energy, which funded a research on algae for fuel since 1978, indicated that the US needs 40,000 square kilometers of land for algae to supply all its fuel needs. Another potential biofuel source for the Philippines are many cellulosic materials coming from any organic material like sugarcane bagasse, Blanche said. "It's being used in many countries ? Japan, Europe. In Germany, people started going crazy (in using cellulosic materials for ethanol that) most of the crops being used for making beer are now being used for fuel. But some people claim this is not the best way to do it because 'we're depriving our countrymen of the beer that they drink.'" Instead of debating on whether to use organic materials for food or fuel, he said this should be left for the farmers to choose ? on where they can maximize their income. Blanche, who plans to go back to the Philippines after his longer stint at the USDA, likewise plans to work in the Philippines on controlling infestation of beetle on trees and on nanomaterials. "I discovered how beetles kill trees. (So) you know exactly how you can develop a mechanism to control beetle infestation." He is interested in nanomaterials ? in isolating nanocrystals from woody or forest wood materials ? which can be substitutes for fiberglass (such as those used in automotive or aircrafts). He can work with the Mariano Marcos State University on this. "If you have wood chemists who knows ways in degrading materials and putting materials in nanoscale material, you can develop nanocrystals which are much stronger than steel," he said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-NUEVA ECIJA PRESS CLUB HONORS BIOTECH JOURNALISTS* 03-January-2009 Manila Times CABANATUAN CITY: Two provincial-based newspapermen were given recognition by fellow journalists in Nueva Ecija for the "great honor and inspiration" they shared after winning top places in the recently concluded 2008 Jose Burgos Jr. Awards for Biotech Journalism. Cited by the Nueva Ecija Press Club, the umbrella organization of media practitioners in the province, were Dr. Anselmo Roque who writes for the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) and Jojo De Guzman of Malaya. The recognition coincided with the journalists' year-end get together on December 29, Roque won the first prize for the award's Best Feature Category for his article "Carabao may be key for biofuel, says scientist" while De Guzman landed third in its Best News Story Category for his story on "Rice variety that survives 2-week submergence developed." Nueva Ecija Press Club President and The Manila Times correspondent, Armand Galang, noted that both, as active members of the association, have brought immeasurable pride and inspiration to their fellow provincial journalists. He noted that 745 articles were submitted for the Burgos biotech journalism awards. The awards, he said, also underscore Nueva Ecija's major role in attaining the nation's food sufficiency program. "Along with scientific institutions housed in our province," Galang stressed, "are journalists who tackle not only controversial issues but developmental concerns." *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-AN EASY WAY TO GERMINATE SAGO PALM SEEDS FOUND* by Melpha M. Abello 01-January-2009 Manila Bulletin A researcher from Aklan State University (ASU) in Banga, Aklan, has found an easy way to germinate sago palm seeds for planting. Previously people found it hard to germinate seeds of this palm species which yields valuable flour as well as leaves for roofing. He is Michael Ibisate, research coordinator of the ASU's College of Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Science, who said that he discovered the technique by accident. He said that the strong winds and rain brought by Typhoon Frank in June 2008 had caused the mature sago fruits from the germplasm of the university to fall to the muddy ground where these were soaked for almost a month. The condition, Ibisate said, might have favored the germination of the sago seeds as the shoots emerged from the soaked seeds after one month. To verify his observation, Ibisate collected mature sago fruits from the germplasm and brought these to the Regional Seed Production Center within the campus. He then subjected the seeds under the same environment obtaining in the muddy field and obtained the same results. Ibisate, known for his work on conservation of sago palm using tissue culture technique, said in their previous study that the sago seed was believed to have poor germination due to the presence of pericarp and sarcotesta. Thus, his research team used embryo rescue technique which enabled the successful development of an immature or weak embryo into a viable plant in vitro. Aside from tissue culture, sucker is the widely used planting material for mass propagation of sago palm. Sago, locally known as Ambolong in Aklan, has enormous starch deposit in its trunk. The starch has a high food value and has a big potential for industrial use. A mature sago palm could yield 50 to 70 kilos of starch. The pith, bud and shoot can also be eaten; the sap can be processed into sugar, vinegar and wine. Apart from its use as food, Aklanons find sago as the best source of material for making shingles used as roofing material for light houses or huts. Ibisate said that many shingle makers in the province prefer using sago leaves over nipa leaves because sago leaves are more durable, especially when used in coastal areas. Sago shingles fetch a higher price than nipa shingles. The biggest market for sago shingles is Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan. Ibisate revealed that there is now a growing demand for sago palm as ornamental plant, both for use indoor and outdoor. Sago, he said, can be grown in an ordinary garden soil and does not require much attention. Ibisate's ongoing study on the conservation of sago palm is one of the projects being supported by ASU. At present, he is studying various parameters to further enhance the development of sago by using seeds as planting material. Meanwhile, Ibisate continues to mass propagate sago palm from seeds. And the good news is that several hundreds of seedlings are now available to interested growers at P50 each. *------------------------------------------------------------* *INDIA 5-FIRST DESI BT-COTTON VARIETY READY *by Snehlata Shrivastav 06-January-2009 The Times of India NAGPUR: Finally, after about 12 years of research and field trials, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is ready with the country's first indigenously developed genetically modified cotton. It is a variety called Bikaneri Nerma (BN-Bt). ICAR has already green signalled it for commercial cultivation. The council is also ready to licence or transfer the technology to the seed companies in both public and private sector. The BN-Bt seeds will be available to the farmers by beginning of March. A landmark achievement of ICAR, the research work nevertheless was marked by many setbacks. Although the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) cleared the variety for commercial cultivation on May 2 last year, the field trials were banned for some months for want of commercial trials. Now, however, the variety is ready and farmers, especially in rainfed areas like Vidarbha, can expect a cotton revolution in the foreseeable future. The biggest advantage of the variety is that farmers will be able to produce their own seeds and will not be required to buy them each year. Moreover, its seeds are priced at a fraction of the regular Bt seeds price. It has all the usual advantages of Bt variety like tolerance to drought and pests, resistance to bollworm, and less consumption of insecticides and pesticides. The new GM variety is a result of joint effort of Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, and National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB), New Delhi. Dr Keshav Kranthi, acting CICR Director told TOI that ICAR was ensuring that 'BN-Bt variety' and products derived from the 'BN-Bt event' were available to farmers at a reasonable price through CICR, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATICs), public seed agencies and the private seed companies. Dr Kranthi said that although NRCPB, New Delhi, actually gave the Cry1AC gene for incorporation into Bikaneri Nerma, the evaluation and testing like molecular testing, ELISA testing and biosafety testing was conducted by CICR and UAS, Dharwad. I S Katageri, cotton breeder from UAS Dharwad said that transferring the gene in Indian cultivar (BN) was much more difficult than putting it into cotton Coker 312, the American genotype. *------------------------------------------------------------* *AFRICA 6-UGANDA: GM CASSAVA READY FOR FIELD TRIALS *by Aidah Nanyonjo 06-January-2009 allAfrica.com Laboratory experiments for the genetically modified (GM) cassava have been completed and the National Crops Resource Research Institute (NCRRI) Namulonge has sought permission from the National biosafety committee to transfer the genetically modified cassava from the green house to the field. "We are through with the laboratory work. If our application gets a favorable consideration by committee, we shall have the first genetically modified cassava in the field. We have all the tools that can be used to genetically improve the type of cassava we have today in the country,"Dr. Yona Baguma, a researcher said. One of the roles of the national biosafety committee is to ensure safe conduct and safety of the biotech products to human beings and the environment. The cassava plants shall be subjected to various tests. Recently, the research institute came up with crop materials that combine resistance to both cassava mosaic and cassava brown stem disease. Researchers have used the technology to impart genes of resistance to cassava mosaic, which is caused by a double stranded virus and cassava brown stem that is caused by the single stranded virus. "We developed 12 cassava resistant and high yielding varieties. Unfortunately the ten have been attacked by cassava mosaic and brown stem diseases. The two remaining varieties have stood the test and we want to put them into the field to test their performance," Baguma said. He said to come up with best cassava varieties Ugandans have to use of biotechnology best approaches. According to him, if the field trial succceds, the products that would be generated will be disseminated to the local farmers. Baguma said famine maybe felt in some areas of the country due the extinction of most staple foods caused by the pest and diseases. He said that cassava has been invaded by the mosaic and brown stem while black sigatoka and banana weevils are a threat to East African highland bananas. According to the scientists, cassava mosaic and cassava brown streak disease are the most important constraints affecting cassava production in Uganda and most parts of Africa. The research aims at improving CMD resistance genes while retaining the superior storage root traits. Baguma was speaking during a workshop on biosafety and biotechnology held at Imperial Royale Hotel on Thursday. *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 7-WORLD'S FIRST 'DROUGHT-TOLERANT' CORN READY BY 2010 *08-January-2009 Dawn WASHINGTON, Jan 7: Agribusiness giant Monsanto announced on Wednesday a significant step towards creating the world's first drought-tolerant corn, a development it says will "reset the bar" in farming productivity. The genetically modified corn has moved to the final stage of development and could be available on the commercial market as early as 2010, the company said in a statement. "Drought-tolerant corn is designed to provide farmers yield stability during periods when water supply is scarce by mitigating the effects of drought or water stress within a corn plant," Monsanto said. The corn is the first in a series of crops planned by Monsanto to address the affects of high food prices and climate change on agriculture-based cultures around the world by reducing the need for water. The next generation to be released over the next decade are designed to "enable farmers to produce more on each acre of farmland while minimizing the input of energy and resources such as water," Monsanto said. Trials of the corn conducted last year in drought-prone areas of the American Midwest "met or exceeded the six per cent to 10 per cent target yield enhancement," according to the company. The trial advanced the yield by up to 10 corn bushels per acre (six quintals per hectare) beyond the average maximum of 130 bushels per acre (82 quintals per hectare), it said. "This product and other yield improvements we are developing will reset the bar for on-farm productivity," said Monsanto biotechnology chief Steve Padgette. The product, created in collaboration with the German-based plant biotechnology specialist BASF, has been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for regulatory clearance. Worldwide cereal production set a new record in 2008 at 2.24 billion tons, a 5.4 per cent increase over last year, the United Nations food agency said last month. Food prices in developing countries meanwhile remain high, affecting the "food security of large numbers of vulnerable populations," according to a report from the Rome-based agency.?AFP -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA. To post in e-group, e-mail bic at searcaweb.org. To UNSUBSCRIBE, click here . *Lessons from a DL Umali Awardee* *GM crops' socioeconomic and environmental impacts, to be discussed in international conference* *SEARCA scholars convene for an international conference * *---------------------------------------------------------* *Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE. * *--------------------------------------------------------- JOB VACANCY SEARCA Director Deadline of Application: 14 February 2009 (via e-mail) or 16 February 2009 (via courier/post) * *Download Application Form* *View details* *SEARCA ADSS: Benefiting from the Dreaded Janitor Fish* *by Mr. Jose K. Cari?o III Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna, Philippines 13 January 2009, 4:00 - 5:00 PM* *BIO Asia 2009* *Tokyo, Japan 19 - 20 January 2009* *SEARCA ADSS: Is Biotech Rice for Us?* *by Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita, Senior Program Officer, GLobal Knowledge Center, ISAAA Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna, Philippines 13 January 2009, 4:00 - 5:00 PM* *5th Executive Forum on NRM: Environmental Economics for Decision-making* *SEARCA, Los Ba?os, Laguna, Philippines 23 - 27 March 2009 Course Brochure | Flyer | Registration Form | Expression of Interest | Special Rates* *Measures of Hope and Promises Delivered: An International Conference on Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact Assessment of Genetically Modified (GM) Crops* *Bangkok, Thailand 21 - 22 April 2009* *------------------------------------------------------------* *JOB VACANCY IFPRI: Director for Program for Biosafety Systems Closing Date: 24 December 2008* *------------------------------------------------------------* *CALL FOR APPLICATION BIOTEC, Thailand: Human Resource Development Program in Biotechnology 2009 Deadline for application: 15 March 2009* [image: visit discussion board] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Mon Jan 19 19:07:17 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:07:17 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 19 January 2009 Message-ID: Right click images to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 19 January 2009* *PHILIPPINES* 1-BIOENGINEERED GOATS CHURN OUT MEDICINES 2-NEWS FROM THE BIOFUEL FRONT 3-PLANT DISEASE CAN WIPE OUT LOCAL BANANA INDUSTRY 4-OUTSTANDING FILIPINO INVENTIONS IN 2008 *CHINA* 5-HONG KONG SCIENTISTS PRODUCE CHICKEN FEED WITH BIRD FLU VACCINE *UNITED STATES* 6-ECONOMY PLAYING A FACTOR IN GENETICALLY-MODIFIED WHEAT *GLOBAL* 7-CONSUMERS IN ASIA READY FOR BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY DERIVED FOODS *1-BIOENGINEERED GOATS CHURN OUT MEDICINES* by Karen Kaplan / Los Angeles Times 19-January-2009 BusinessMirror They have four legs, fuzzy faces and udders full of milk. To the uninitiated, they look like dairy goats. To GTC Biotherapeutics Inc., they're cutting-edge drug-making machines. The goats being raised on a farm in central Massachusetts are genetically engineered to make a human protein in their milk that prevents dangerous blood clots from forming. The company extracts the protein and turns it into a medicine that fights strokes, pulmonary embolisms and other life-threatening conditions. GTC has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to OK the drug, called ATryn. An expert panel voted overwhelmingly on Friday that it is safe and effective, putting it on the verge of becoming the first drug from a genetically engineered animal to be approved in the United States. The agency is expected to make a final decision in early February. If approved, the drug would be followed by perhaps hundreds of others made from milk produced by genetically engineered goats, cows, rabbits and other animals. Other products in the pipeline are designed to treat people with hemophilia, severe respiratory disease and debilitating swollen tissues. "As soon as we were able to make genetically engineered animals, this was an obvious thing to do," said James Murray, a geneticist and professor of animal science at the University of California, Davis. "It's totally cut and paste. This is kindergarten stuff with molecular scissors." The biotechnology industry is rooting for ATryn. The FDA's endorsement would signal to Americans that they have nothing to fear from the futuristic technology?and suggest that the millions of dollars they've invested in the technology could soon begin to pay off. If the drug is approved, "it takes a big question mark off the table in terms of products that are developed from this technology," said Samir Singh, president of US operations for Pharming Group, which is developing medicines using milk from genetically engineered cows and rabbits. The public has had misgivings about eating food from genetically modified animals, and some vocal critics of such technology say the wariness could extend to medicines. "I think many people are going to have the same revulsion," said Jaydee Hanson, a policy analyst at the Center for Food Safety, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C., that opposed genetic manipulation of food and animals. For scientists, the appeal is obvious. Many drugs are now synthesized in bioreactors by bacteria or Chinese hamster ovary cells, and they require extensive processing to be suitable for human use. Genetically engineering animals is a more straightforward alternative for producing proteins, which form the basis of all biological drugs. "We're taking advantage of the fact that the mammary gland was designed by nature to make proteins," said Tom Newberry, GTC's vice president for government relations. The process of designing animal milk with human proteins starts by identifying the human gene containing instructions for making a medically useful protein. That human DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid, sequence is combined with pieces of animal DNA that regulate when and where the protein is produced. Those regulatory controls ensure that the human gene is only switched on in the mammary gland during lactation and doesn't interfere with any other part of the animal's body. The DNA package can be injected into a single-cell animal embryo with a microscopic needle, though it's a hit-or-miss proposition. When the embryo divides, it may or may not incorporate the foreign DNA into its own genome. The embryo is then transferred to the womb of a surrogate mother, with a 1 percent to 3 percent chance that it will result in a healthy animal containing the human gene. A more advanced alternative is to start with a normal animal cell and splice the DNA package directly into the cell nucleus. The modified cell can be cloned to create a new animal that expresses a human gene. With three to five founder animals, a company could use traditional breeding methods to create an entire herd of genetically engineered cows, sheep or goats. "Something like five or six cows can produce the world's requirement for some drugs," Murray said. Demand for most drugs could be met with herds no bigger than 50 cows or 100 goats, he said. Companies separate the components of engineered animals' milk based on their size, shape, electrical charge and other chemical characteristics. The process ultimately leads to vials of pure protein that carry out specific functions in the human body. The species of animal used depends in part on the volume of protein needed or how quickly it needs to be produced. The companies say it's cheaper to create the animals than to build and maintain expensive bioreactors. The technique could make it cost-effective for companies to develop drugs to treat diseases that affect relatively few patients. To make ATryn, GTC used the microinjection technique to insert the human gene for antithrombin alfa into goat embryos. The protein is essential for preventing blood clots, but about one in every 3,000 to 5,000 people is born with a genetic defect that prevents them from making enough of it. Most of the time, patients are treated with standard blood thinners like warfarin, which can be dangerous if people are undergoing surgery or childbirth. In those situations, patients are treated with antithrombin protein extracted from human-blood plasma. But the supply is limited. If all the plasma donated in the US each year were used to make antithrombin, the most that could be produced is about 100 kilograms. "We can match that with 150 goats," Newberry said. GTC plans to expand the use of the protein beyond patients with the genetic defect to include people who have a short-term deficiency due to burns or other traumatic injuries, he said. The European Commission approved ATryn for use there in 2006. The company's scientists have made more than 100 proteins in the milk of genetically engineered animals, Newberry said. The company is considering clinical trials for factor VIIa and factor IX proteins to treat hemophilia, along with alpha-1 antitrypsin to treat severe respiratory problems, he said. Pharming, based in the Netherlands, plans to seek US and European approval this year for Rhucin, made from a human protein purified from the milk of genetically engineered rabbits. The protein, C1 esterase inhibitor, helps control inflammation, and patients with hereditary angioedema have a genetic mutation that prevents their bodies from making enough of it. The result can be severe swelling, abdominal pain and airway obstruction. Pharming is focusing on cows to make other proteins in larger quantities. The company is working with the US Army on cow milk containing human fibrinogen, a protein that helps blood to clot, Singh said. Other companies are using genetic engineering to make milk with proteins for vaccines, a class of cancer drugs called monoclonal antibodies, and nutritional supplements. Regulators will have their work cut out for them as they try to anticipate all the potential risks posed by genetically engineered animals and the medicines they produce, said Greg Jaffe, biotechnology director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer-advocacy group in Washington, D.C. Hanson, of the Center for Food Safety, said he fears animals created through genetic engineering and cloning are inherently unhealthy due to the unnatural circumstances of their birth, despite FDA assessments that the animals are fine. "We don't want a herd of sick animals being our source of a new biological drug," he said. At the meeting on Friday, FDA biotechnology adviser Larisa Rudenko said the agency's Center for Veterinary Medicine found that GTC's goats were treated very well and posed no environmental risks. Those assurances won't satisfy everyone, said Todd Winters, professor of animal physiology and biotechnology at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. But he said people should not let fear stand in the way of potential cures. "You've got to weigh whether you're going to save a life or not," he said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-NEWS FROM THE BIOFUEL FRONT * CENTER OF GRAVITY by Rony V. Diaz 18-January-2009 Manila Times THERE are, at the moment, four likely winners in the biofuel race. My information was culled from Science, October 24, 2008 and Nature, January 3, 2008. The foot race metaphor is used advisedly. The market for low-net carbon fuels is so large that any number of players could be winners if they could produce them as cheaply as water, to borrow Jay Keasling's words. Jay Keasling (I wrote about him in a previous column) is the biologist who synthesized a molecule of wormwood that has come to be known commercially as artemisinin, the anti-malaria medicine. Artemisinin is a hydrocarbon. Using essentially the same platform, Keasling and his team are trying to engineer microorganisms to create a mixture of compounds that can be made into a number of things including gasoline, jet fuel and plastics. To make artemisinin, Keasling and his collaborators had to make 50 genetic changes to E. coli and baker's yeast. The output of artemisinin from this effort was miniscule. To increase it a million fold, more genetic changes had to be made. The result was artemisinin at $1 per gram, cost-effective for a drug but not for a fuel. At this price, gasoline would cost $125 per liter. At a meeting of synthetic biologists in Hong Kong in October last year, Keasling reported that he and his group were able to engineer E. coli to "more efficiently transform" starting compounds about 77-fold. He expects his company, Amyris, working with Crystalev, a Brazilian maker of ethanol, to be making renewable fuels from sugar cane by 2010. LS9, a research company, is also engineering E. coli and other organisms to make "renewable petroleum." Most organisms convert excess energy into fats by a mechanism called fatty-acid biosynthesis. Gregory Pal, a senior director of LS9, said that by making dozens of genetic transformations to microorganisms, they have "successfully produced a variety of hydrocarbons and is now focused on scaling up the technology." LS9 expects to begin small-scale production by around the middle of 2010. A third approach is being tried by James Liao and his associates at the University of California, Los Angeles. They engineered E. coli to become photosynthetic to produce isobutanol, a longer-chain alcohol. Unlike ethanol, isobutanol has more energy per liter and water can be separated from it more easily. The synthetic molecule can be blended with gasoline or made into other chemical products. The metabolic pathway that Liao is exploring converts starting materials to amino acids. He says that this pathway is adopted to handle large "flu-xes" of hydrocarbons. Working with a bioenergy startup, Gevo, Liao says that he's making "progress" in getting photosynthetic bacteria to make fuel simply by absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide. The fourth approach uses algae to produce the oils that can be converted into biodiesel. Solarzyme, another bioenergy start-up, works with natural and engineered algal strains to produce renewable biodiesel. But instead of growing the algae in open sunlight, it's cultivated in enclosed steel fer-menters in which the organisms convert sugars to oils. By turning off the photosynthetic mechanism, the algae produces oils more efficiently. Solarzyme already produces biodiesel and jet fuel in commercial quantities. The main obstacle to the more rapid commercialization of these technologies?which are all based on genetic engineering?is the price of petroleum. At less than $40 per barrel today none of these biofuels is competitive. As Harrison Dillon, the president of Solarzyme, said: "If you make it at the right price, you can sell as much as you can produce." The long-term view is more hopeful. By scaling up these technologies they can be made to produce transportation fuels that can be mixed with gasoline. But as the supply of petroleum diminishes, they can replace gasoline and diesel fuel?provided investments in them do not falter. opinion at manilatimes.net *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-PLANT DISEASE CAN WIPE OUT LOCAL BANANA INDUSTRY* by Rudy A. Fernandez 18-January-2009 The Philippine STAR A plant disease that can wipe out the country's banana industry is here. It is named Panama wilt, also known as Fusarium wilt of banana. Caused by a fungal pathogen called Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense (FOC), the disease was responsible for wiping out Gros Michel banana, the commercial variety previously grown in plantations in Central America. Gros Michel is a sweet banana with thick skin that is less prone to bruising during transport. "It was the variety of choice for the production of export banana in the 1920s to 1950s and made the Central American region the top banana-producing areas in the world at that time," recalled Dr. Agustin Molina, senior scientist and regional coordinator for Asia-Pacific of the Biodiversity International, one of the 15 centers of the Consultation Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Disaster struck when Panama disease attacked Gros Michel banana plantations in the mid-1950s. Within a few years, wholesale destruction was seen in plantations in Central America with 50,000 hectares lost in Honduras alone, Dr. Molina reported at a recent science symposium sponsored by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR). Dr. Molina, a former University of the Philippines Los Ba?os (UPLB) vice chancellor for research and extension, added that this destruction drove the banana business to near bankruptcy, prompting the industry to turn to the less resistant Cavendish. The Cavendish-based industry in Central America, including the Philippines, thrived against this disease. However, a virulent strain of Panama wilt that can attack the Cavendish was found in Asia in the 1990s. The virulent form of the disease is known as 'Tropical Race 4' (TRA), which destroyed banana plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia in the early 1990s, making the Philippines the only major banana exporter in Asia. "While there have been reports of Fusarium wilt in the country in the 1970s, the threat was not deemed to be on the same level of virulence as those of the neighboring countries, therefore were treated as isolated cases," recalled Dr. Molina, as reported by DA-BAR's Vic Guiam. However, in 2005, reports of increasing susceptibility to and speed of spread of Panama disease among Cavendish banana plantations in Mindanao, particularly in and around the district of Davao City, escalated and could no longer be ignored. The question thus arose: "Could this more aggressive Foc be the dreaded TR4?" Thus, samples of the pathogen were sent to the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of the University of Pretoria in South Africa for testing using the vegetative compatibility group (VCG) protocol, the most reliable test for Fusarium pathogen. "Results of the test showed that the characteristics of Foc from the infested samples were indeed those of Tropical Race 4," reported Dr. Molina, who is also the coordinator of the Banana Asia Pacific Network (BAPNET). "Tropical Race 4 affecting Cavendish in the Philippines is a recent development," pointed out Dr. Molina, as quoted by Guiam. TR4 can affect banana varieties unaffected by other Foc races. In 1967, TR4 surfaced in Taiwan. By 1990s, it had ravaged Cavendish plantations in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan, and it continues to spread throughout Southeast Asia and in mainland China. Last year, TR4 was reported to have affected more than 60,000 hectares of Cavendish plantations in South China. A February 2007 article in a BAR publication, titled "BAPNET" 2007: On the trail of an elusive killer," discussed this then-unconfirmed threat to the Philippine Cavendish-based banana expert industry. Dr. Molina explained that the Foc fungus is soil-borne and remains in the soil for decades. "It is efficiently spread through water and irrigation systems should well avoid the use of infected water or water that runs through infected areas. Infection of the plant is through injured roots," he said. Symptoms of the disease may include small bunches, thin pseudostems, and poorly-filled fingers with typical Panama disease. They eventually die a few months after getting infected," Dr. Molina stressed. He further stated: "Of immense importance is its ability to infest the Cavendish type banana (AAA) of which the Philippines has a number of important cultivars that include the Bungulan and Lakatan. The AAB type, which also has a number of local cultivars that include Latundan, is said to be also susceptible." In 2006, the Philippines was acknowledged as the second largest Cavendish banana exporter with 2.04 million metric tons produced for the international market. Banana remains as the country's biggest expert-earning among horticultural crops. Dr. Molina averred that the banana industry's loss will greatly affect the national economy. Furthermore, the livelihoods of many small-scale banana producers that supply the local market are also at risk, as many of the country's important banana cultivars are known to be susceptible to Tropical Race 4. In the face of grave threats posed by Panama disease on the country's banana industry, he recommended a "swift and broad survey and characterization of the pathogen's distribution in the country in order to effect a national quarantine and eradication program to prevent further spread of the disease." Options include development of quarantine policies, validation and development of disease management tactics and strategies, and establishment of regional and international Foc collection for basic research such as molecular biology and breeding for resistance. "The country is hard-pressed to contain the spread of the disease," Dr. Molina concluded. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-OUTSTANDING FILIPINO INVENTIONS IN 2008* by Framelia Anonas 05-January-2009 Philippines Department of Science and Technology A skin cancer treatment cream made of cashew nut and kakawate (Gliciridia sepium) scraped first place in the recent National Inventions Contest held at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City last Nov. 17-21. Rolando dela Cruz of the famed DeWart and DeMole skin care products developed the new cream that can treat basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common type of sin cancer, by non-invasive, direct application. The cream called DeBCC, though introduced for the first time in the country, has actually picked up awards in invention tilts abroad. Dela Cruz received P150,000 as part of the prize from the Department of Science and Technology. The second placer with P100,000 cash prize is the Rapid Rice Beer (beer made from rice syrup) which, according to those who tasted it, is more flavorful than sake, the Japanese rice wine. The husband and wife team of Virgilioand Yasmin Malang developed the rice beer. Third place went to the Multi-purpose Handicapped Wheelchair, a highly practical hospital or hospice gadget. It is basically a wheelchair with a portable bedpan underneath the seat equipped with contraptions for shower, towel, medicines, hygiene items, among others. The chair can also transform into a reclining bed while the upper hood can also be used as dining tray. I have seen how difficult it is to care for wheelchair-bound patients," says inventor Antonio Mateo who was inspired by his brother to come up with the design. He received P50,000. *Outstanding utility model* Top prize in the outstanding utility model category went to the Plastic and Metal Separator System for Biodegrable Waste invented by Dominador Rosales Jr., whose invention can separate the biodegradable from non-biodegradable wastes. When sorted, the biodegradable items can go straight to composting while the non-biodegradable can be sold immediately, he explained. Another environmental product capable of recycling the ubiquitous styropore and sando bags scattered all over the metro clinched second prize. The equipment called Modified Plastic Block from Polystyrene and Low Density Polystyrene, was developed by researchers from the Department of Science and Technology's Industry and Technology Development Institute including Manuel Navarro, Nelson Davelos, Elinor Bedia, Araceli Monsada, Perfecto Braganza Jr., Ruben Loberiano, Redondo Magdaleno, and Efren De Chavez. Third placer was Yasmin Espiritu's PovWonderful (Povidone-Iodine Effervescing Foaming Vaginal Insert). *Outstanding industrial design* This year's best industrial design went to the A Gas Burner ? GS3 by Meland Dilodilo. Malang's WeldE-Zmask (welding mask with offset lenses and breathing port) and Pinoy Tagay Mug, a big three-handled communal drinking glass with three partitions (a handle for each) reflective of the Filipinos' penchant for "tagayan" (sharing a drink in one glass) placed second and third, respectively. *Outstanding creative research* Topping the list is the research on "Method of converting landfill plastic waste into fuel (gasoline, diesel, gas)", which is Jayme Navarro's pitch for solving the mounting garbage problem and in making the environment cleaner. "Para na rin hindi na mag-away sina Bayani at mga mayors," he teased, alluding to Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando's running squabble with local government officials over waste management. The research also bagged the Chemrez Green Chemistry Award (professional category) launched this year and carted P60,000 and a trophy. The ITDI research team's "Calamansi dietary fiber powder" developed by Annabelle Briones, Wilhelmina Ambal, Bella Redublo, Cesar cortez, Norvina Deocampo, and Merle Villanueva took the second place. Third place went to Michael Poblete's "Aerial reconnaissance drone" that could monitor land-based activities such as traffic and rescue or military operations. The small remote-operated aircraft can take real-time video and near real-time, very high resolution images. With Poblete are Ivan de Vera, Charles Rico, and Leonard Canoza. *Student inventions and researches* DOST gives equal recognition to works of scientists-in-the-making from both high school and college levels that show promise of making an impact in the country's economy. Touted most promising in the high school level is the research "Novelty items (leather products) from the skin of Abalistes stellaris (pakol) and Pinjalo lewisi (maya-maya)" of Navotas National High School's Mariecar Romero, Chen Ramos, and Joemar Salmorin. "We thought that instead of making maya-maya skin into chicharon, why don't we make it into leather items instead to generate higher profit?" Romero mused. The research also won the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) award. An environment friendly research titled "Utilization of checen feathers as fiberglass creation" by Jeoffrey Celso Mari Rafael of The Quantum Academy, Inc. earned second place. Third place went to "iText Mo Switch: Innovative Text Message Operated Switch" developed by Eddie Francis Cesar Plaza and Gilbert Ocampo of the Philippine Science High School - Western Visayas. Meanwhile, in the college level, the top pick was "The potential of potato starch extract as an alternative serum separator gel and its effects in glucose testing" by Donna Dane Aldana of St. Louis University in Baguio City. Aldana's research also received the WIPO award and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc award with a P10,000 cash prize. Second place went to the research "The feasibility of using tapioca (cassava) starch in making bioplastic packaging methods for seedlings" submitted by a team of Polytechnic University of the Philippines students including Hilda Albis, Germine Christa Amansec, Jennnifer Amoyan, Anna Margarita Bascon, Crezyl Berbedel, Arsenio Boado Jr., Sydney James Bukas, Regie Lynne Camizola, Christine Joy Caranto, Angelyn Concepcion, and John Paul dela Cruz. The third place went to "In vitro and in vivo biosorption of heavy metals using phytomass of selected brown algal species in Ilocos Norte" by Janill Magano of Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte. The research also received the Chemrez Green Chemistry Award (student category) with a P40,000 and trophy. The FFCCCII also awarded the research "Hydroelectric generator" by Talavera National High School's Glenn Delson Gabriel and Malvin Duldulao with a P10,000 and trophy. DOST awarded P100,000 (first prize), P50,000 (second prize), and P25,000 (third prize) for the Most Outstanding Utility Model, and the Most Outstanding Utility Design. Cash prizes for the Likha and Sibol Awards were P50,000 (first prize), P25,000 (second prize), and P15,000 (third prize). *National inventors week* The inventors contest is the highlight of the National Inventors Week held every November. The annual event gives opportunities to inventors to create business arrangements and prepare their inventions or researches for commercialization, DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro said. "Inventors should put their products in the market because that is how benefits are realized," she adds. "Through the NIW, we encourage our inventors not only to invent and innovate but to create wealth to benefit the country and the people." *------------------------------------------------------------* *CHINA 5-HONG KONG SCIENTISTS PRODUCE CHICKEN FEED WITH BIRD FLU VACCINE *16-January-2009 The Earth Times Hong Kong - Hong Kong scientists on Friday claimed to have created a genetically modified rice that provides protection for chickens from the bird flu virus. The rice contains genetic material from the traditional Chinese medicine plant called yuzhu which has been found to inhibit the growth of viruses such as the deadly H5N1. But it has not yet been tested outside the laboratory or on live birds because of safety concerns over the virus which has killed 248 people since 2003 according to figures of the World Health Organisation. Scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said they had produced a small quantity of the modified grain containing the yuzhu material which had been tested in a laboratory dish in a solution with monkey cells and the H5N1 virus. "During the experiment, the grain prevented the monkey cell from being destroyed by the virus," said research team leader Samuel Sun Sai-ming. Professor Sun said they were now looking to take their research to the next stage of testing it on birds, however they were finding it difficult because farms and universities were unwilling to host the experiment. "It's hard to meet the safety requirements for such an experiment," Professor Sun told reporters. He added that they had contacted some universities in mainland China to try to find somewhere to do the experiment and were awaiting responses. The team comprises scientists from Hong Kong and mainland China working at the university State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology. The laboratory was set up with the China Agricultural University to research improvements in agricultural productivity and nutrition. *------------------------------------------------------------* *UNITED STATES 6-ECONOMY PLAYING A FACTOR IN GENETICALLY-MODIFIED WHEAT *by Mike Corn 13-January-2009 The Hays Daily News Economics ultimately will dictate how Kansas farmers adopt genetically modified wheat, a Sharon Springs farmer contends. The National Association of Wheat Growers recently has launched a campaign to determine how well farmers will accept biotechnology in wheat. In the past, there's been little interest shown in genetic modification of wheat because most farmers simply hold over wheat for seed for future crops. Buying commercially produced wheat seed is an expensive proposition, especially when there's been little incentive, such as higher yields. That's the ultimate goal for the national wheat group, hoping to entice biotechnology companies to dedicate money and resources to developing wheat seed that will show increases in yield. For David Schemm, vice president of trade group Kansas Wheat, one of the benefits might be in developing a wheat variety that is more drought tolerant -- making it adaptable to his area of the state where rainfall is significantly less than in other areas. Schemm even went so far as to suggest a reduction in the number of land planted to wheat might be tied to a lack of advances in the crop, at least as far as compared to either corn or soybeans. Generally, he thinks some farmers will adopt genetically modified wheat while others will want nothing to do with it. That's generally the case with GMO corn and soybeans. Schemm said he would be willing to adopt the new technology, especially if it can incorporate drought-tolerance. *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 7-CONSUMERS IN ASIA READY FOR BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY DERIVED FOODS *16-January-2009 The Economic Times (India) NEW DELHI: Consumers in Asia, especially India, China, Philippines are ready to accept the benefits of biotechnology derived foods, according to a consumer survey by the Asian Food Information Centre (AFIC). The Asia region resource centre on nutrition, health and food safey has concluded that biotech foods will likely become an increasing and well accepted feature of the Asian diet in the light of the region's grwoing demand for high volumes of food. Currently, the only genetically modified (GM or biotech) crop grown commercially in India is Bt Cotton but the government's policy leans towards bigger use of biotech food crops in the near future. Field and other levels of trials are already on vis a vis a range of biotech crops including Bt brinjal, okra etc. In 2008, the government simplified, for biotech companies, the currently multi-level and complex trials made mandatory thus far before a biotech crop can come to field trials. Officially, though, the sceintific establishment has plumped for hybrids over biotech in food crops in the last few decades. That notwithstanding, the AFIC survey "Consumer Perception on Acceptance of biotech Food in Asia", conducted by Nielsen across five Asian countries inlcuding Idnia, Japan, China, Philippines and S Korea, has found that in India, a significant 95% of consumers support plant biotechnology related to sustainable food production; 84% of Indians are ready to purchase biotech food such as tastier tomato, cheaper food staples adn foods/cooking oil with a healthier fat profile: more confident with food safety levels in the country, vis a vis other Asian countries surveyed. The survey also contends that 70% of Indians strongly believe that food biotechnology will bring benefits in the next few years whiel 68% are sastified with the information provided on food labels. 70% of consumes surveyed, it said, had a neutral or favourable impression of biotech use in food production. The AFIC survey has also maintained that that Asian consumers, unlike EU and US consumers, ranked expiry date as the "most important" information lookoed for while reading food labelsand that they did not perceive the presence of biotech ingredients as an additional labelling item. "Food biotechnology is not a priority food safety concern among consumers. Teh important concerns are pesticide residues, food poisoning, food from unknown source and improper handling of food," the AFIC contended in a statement. The survey itself maintains " Asian consumers rated reducing the amount of pesticides needed to produce food, foolowed by increasing the production of food staples in the world, thereby reducing world hunger, as the most important crop production factors related to sustainable food production." Accordign to Dr George Fuller, ED of the AFIC " It is encouraign to note that 84% of Indians are ready to purchase biotech food to experience its benefits and are the most confident with the food safety levels in the country, vis a vis Asian counterparts. This is good news for India, as the government considers crop biotechnolgoy as the strategic element to increase productivity of food. " In addition to the findings from India, the survey findings from China contends that while 94% of Chinese consumers support plant biotechnology related to sustainable food production. The level stands at 92% in Philippines, 71% in S Korea and a much lower 67% in Japan. 82% of the Chinese consumers surveyed preferred nutritionally enhanced soy products, while 98% of those surveyed in the Philippines preferred rice and biotech cooking oil with reduced saturated and transfats. Korean consumers surveyed favoured cooking oil and foods with a healthier oil profile while in Japan, freshness and taste were the most preferred qualities looked for in food. The survey said that Philippines and Chinese consumers surveyed were also confident with the safety levels in their country. Ironically, biotech experts worldwide have maintained that safety in biotech foods is the key focus in this, the second decade of its existence worldwide. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA. To post in e-group, e-mail bic at searcaweb.org. To UNSUBSCRIBE, click here . *Lessons from a DL Umali Awardee* *GM crops' socioeconomic and environmental impacts, to be discussed in international conference* *SEARCA scholars convene for an international conference * *---------------------------------------------------------* *Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE. * *--------------------------------------------------------- JOB VACANCY SEARCA Director Deadline of Application: 14 February 2009 (via e-mail) or 16 February 2009 (via courier/post) * *Download Application Form* *View details* *SEARCA ADSS: Is Biotech Rice for Us?* *by Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita, Senior Program Officer, GLobal Knowledge Center, ISAAA Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna, Philippines 13 January 2009, 4:00 - 5:00 PM* *5th Executive Forum on NRM: Environmental Economics for Decision-making* *SEARCA, Los Ba?os, Laguna, Philippines 23 - 27 March 2009 Course Brochure | Flyer | Registration Form | Expression of Interest | Special Rates* *Measures of Hope and Promises Delivered: An International Conference on Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact Assessment of Genetically Modified (GM) Crops* *Bangkok, Thailand 21 - 22 April 2009* *-------------------------------------------------------------* *CALL FOR APPLICATION BIOTEC, Thailand: Human Resource Development Program in Biotechnology 2009 Deadline for application: 15 March 2009* [image: visit discussion board] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Tue Jan 20 07:57:22 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:57:22 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] SEARCA-ADSS: 'Is Biotech Rice for Us?', by Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita, SEARCA, College, Laguna, 20 Jan, 4-5 pm Message-ID: Right click any image to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. The *Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)* is pleased to invite everyone to the seminar titled, *"IS BIOTECH RICE FOR US?*" *Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita* *Senior Program Officer Global Knowledge Center International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications * Drilon Hall, SEARCA College, Laguna, Philippines *20 January 2009 (Tuesday)* 4:00 - 5:00 PM The SEARCA Agriculture & Development Seminar Series (ADSS) is held every Tuesday, 4:00-5:00 p.m. at SEARCA. It is open to the public. The ADSS is meant to encourage the presentation and discussion of development and research issues, as well as their implications for agricultural and rural development. Through the ADSS, SEARCA proactively contributes to having a vibrant scientific exchange within, and even beyond, the Los Ba?os Science Community. To learn more about the SEARCA ADSS, visit SEARCA website at http://www.searca.org. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Mon Jan 26 18:10:18 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:10:18 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 26 January 2009 Message-ID: Right click images to view this page properly. If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 26 January 2009* PHILIPPINES 1-GOV'T TO RELEASE NUTRIENT-RICH CORN VARIETY 2-BIODIVERSITY LOSS: THE FORGOTTEN CRISIS 3-BIOTECH CROPS TO HELP REDUCE MALNUTRITION PUSHED 4-UP DOMINATES DOST-BPI SCIENCE AWARDS JAPAN 5-JAPANESE RESEARCHERS ENVISAGE NICOTINE-FREE TOBACCO PAKISTAN 6-GOVT IN TALKS TO BUY Bt COTTON SEED GLOBAL 7-SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY *1-GOV'T TO RELEASE NUTRIENT-RICH CORN VARIETY* by Melody M. Aguiba 24-January-2009 Manila Bulletin The government is releasing a high-lysine open pollinated variety of white corn (OPV) that can boost nutrient enhancement in the diet of marginalized farmers producing some two million metric tons (MT) of white corn yearly. A seed production tie-up has been entered by the Department of Agriculture and University of the Philippines Los Ba?os (UPLB) in producing the nutrient-rich corn. It will be produced for commercial distribution after going through local suitability tests and improvement, according to UPLB Vice Chancellor-Research and Extension Enrico P. Supangco. Called the "IPB Var 6," the corn has been originally produced by Mexico-based Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo (CIMMYT) or International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. It has been developed and propagated extensively in Ghana and other African countries and has already been adopted by several Asian countries. "It is what we availed of from CIMMYT because we have people eating white corn like they do in Ghana," said Dr. Artemio M. Salazar, UPLB professor and former DA corn director, in an interview. Most of those who take white corn for their staple are farmers themselves who set aside an amount from their harvest for their own food and their families. DA will produce 10,000 bags of the white corn's seeds by perhaps May this year. The nutrient-enhanced corn has high level of both lysine and tryptophan which are essential amino acids important in growth of livestock and poultry and even of human. Lysine content has been enhanced by around 100 percent in the white corn. With this enhancement livestock raisers no longer need to put lysine or tryptophan additives on their feeds even as these additives prices have already become expensive in the market. Aside from enhancing lysine and tryptophan content in corn for feed mills use, Salazar said the high-lysine white corn will benefit Philippine white corn-eating population found not only in Visayas and Mindanao but in Luzon including Cebu migrants in Quezon. DA Undersecretary Dennis Araullo said planting of white corn is being extensively done over 100,000 hectares nationwide by DA and Philippine Coconut Authority over coconut areas for farmer-families own intake. Salazar said one other commercial use of white corn is for starch. White corn has advantage for use in starch because the color is already white, he said. Some producers of starch that use corn are found in Davao and Cagayan de Oro. The IPV Var 6 has already been approved for propagation by the National Cooperative Testing of the Bureau of Plant Industry. DA will be providing a subsidy to farmers in the purchase of their first bag of white corn. DA also funded the seed production. But since this is an OPV rather than a hybrid whose seeds have to be purchased repeatedly since subsequent seeds from original hybrids do not retain the hybrid vigor, farmers do not need to keep on purchasing seeds. They normally store OPV seeds for future planting from their own harvest. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-BIODIVERSITY LOSS: THE FORGOTTEN CRISIS* Nature for Life by Anabelle E. Plantilla 24-January-2009 Manila Times The global recession, the Middle East crisis, the previous Melamine scare and now the salmonella issue have resonated deeply in the consciousness of people. But buried under these infamous issues is a less popular crisis with far greater implications than anyone can imagine?biodiversity loss. The Asean Center for Biodiversity (ACB), an intergovernmental regional center of excellence that facilitates coordination among the members of the Asean and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations, has sounded the alarm bells for biodiversity loss. According to ACB, we are losing plants, animals and other species at unprecedented rates due to deforestation, large-scale mining, massive wildlife hunting and other irresponsible human activities. This poses a significant threat to our food security, health, livelihood, and the world's overall capacity to provide for our needs and those of future generations. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment published in 2005 reported that humans have increased extinction levels dramatically over the past decades at 100 to 1,000 times the normal background rate. In Southeast Asia alone, 1,312 out of 64,800 species are endangered. The Food and Agriculture Organization reported that out of more than 10,000 different plant species used for food by humans over the millennia, barely 150 species remain under cultivation. Of these, only 12 species provide 80 percent of the world's food needs and only four?rice, wheat, maize and potatoes?provide more than half of the energy requirements of humans. Rod Fuentes, ACB executive director, says the remaining 9,850 other species, if they have not been lost already, are vulnerable. The ongoing food crisis, he explained, is testament to decades of misguided energy policies, extensive use of unsustainable agricultural practices, and wanton destruction of nature and damage to ecological services. Health is another arena where the natural benefits of a healthy biodiversity are most obvious. The natural world holds the key to many medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs. If the world continues to lose around 13 million hectares of its forest cover every year, it would be difficult to develop better kinds of medicine to cure both existing and emerging illnesses. About 80 percent of the world's known biodiversity, many of which have medicinal value, could be found in forests. According to the Center, apart from providing people with food and medicine, nature also offers a wide range of ecosystem services such as contribution to climate stability, maintenance of ecosystems, soil formation and protection, and pollution breakdown and absorption. Biodiversity is also a source of livelihood to millions of people as the economy of many communities is driven by the use of species in industries such as biotechnology, forestry, agriculture and fisheries. Moreover, biodiversity provides social benefits including recreation and tourism, as well as cultural and aesthetic values. Fuentes says forgetting the biodiversity crisis is akin to cutting our lifeline to the world's natural treasures and reminds everyone that extinction is forever. With every species lost, the natural ecosystems we call home become biologically poorer. With funding support from the European Union, the project facilitated collaboration among Asean member states for biodiversity-related initiatives. It is the first regional initiative to save the Asean's rich but highly threatened biodiversity. All Asean members are signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the first global agreement to cover the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. By signing the convention, they committed to reducing biodiversity loss by 2010?the International Year of Biodiversity. With its slogan "Conserving Biodiversity, Saving Humanity," ACB performs its mandate through five components: program development and policy coordination, human and institutional capacity development, biodiversity information management, public and leadership awareness of biodiversity values; and sustainable financing mechanism. To further bolster its efforts, ACB also forms alliances with key stakeholders in the regional and global levels. There is an urgent need to involve all sectors to save the region's endangered biodiversity. The issue may not be as hot as politics or the global financial crisis, but massive biodiversity loss will have a huge impact on the lives of hundreds of millions if left unsolved. ACB is optimistic that biodiversity faces a bright future if all sectors would work together to conserve it. *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-BIOTECH CROPS TO HELP REDUCE MALNUTRITION PUSHED* 23-January-2009 Malaya Agricultural biotechnology can help reduce hunger and malnutrition worldwide, particularly now that the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that the number of hungry people around the world has increased by 40 million. Dr. Rhodora Aldemita, senior program officer of the International Service for the Acquisition of AgriBiotech Applications (ISAAA), stressed that biotechnology is a most viable alternative system to boost yields of crops that have been genetically enhanced to provide consumers with adequate nutrients. Aldemita said agricultural biotechnology has succeeded in increasing yields while reducing dependence on chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides, nematicides, and herbicides. She revealed that Filipino biotechnologists have already succeeded in arming crops with resistance to pests, like the development of papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) resistant papaya, the first of its kind in the world. Many plant scientists have considered papaya as the most nutritious fruit on the planet and have encouraged more people to consume the fruit and thus reduce the incidence of malnutrition. Among the most successful genetically modified crops in the country is Bacillus thuringiensis (B)t corn, which was introduced in Philippine farms in 2002. Through advances in plant biotechnology, Aldemita said, it is now more than possible to improve the nutritional quality of food. Numerous biotechnological studies to improve the nutritional quality of crops have been conducted and Vitamin A rice, or Golden Rice, is one example. Work is also being done to develop maize with low phytic acid and increased iron absorption, canola and soybean seeds with increased lysine, an essential amino acid usually absent in grains, iron-rich rice with soybean ferritin gene, and potato with increased inulin, a low-calorie fiber for increased mineral absorption and colon-cancer prevention. Not only does biotechnology increase the nutritional value of a crop, but it also helps in ensuring that the crops reach more people in their best state through the introduction of delayed ripening characteristics. While food prices have dropped since early 2008, this development has not provided relief to the hungry in many impoverished nations, FAO assistant director-general Hafez Ghanem said. To overcome this situation, FAO is promoting the wider cultivation of better-yielding, nutritious crops in developing nations. Through access to better farming techniques and increased yield, many impoverished people, millions of whom are actually landless peasants, may be able to produce their own food and thus be spared from the pangs of hunger. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-UP DOMINATES DOST-BPI SCIENCE AWARDS* by Anna Valmero 19-January-2009 INQUIRER.net MAKATI CITY, Philippines?The University of the Philippines Diliman continued its dominance at the annual Bank of the Philippine Islands-Department of Science and Technology (BPI-DOST) Science Awards with two studenst making it to the finals. Physics student Mickhail Solon and biology student Marvin Masalunga, both from UP Diliman, were awarded first and second runner-up, respectively. Meanwhile, Stephen Michael Co, a biology student at Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), won first runner-up. In an interview, Solon said his research project titled, "Analysis of Selected Nonlinear and Non-local Systems," offers a platform for further studies on how sub-atomic particles behave in USB flash drives. Solon said he is happy that the value of curiosity-driven research like his was recognized in this year's awards. A fan of Albert Einstein and Richard Feynman, Solon said his study is "mainly a piece of fundamental research in theoretical physics," which he stressed is important in understanding how nature works." When asked why he chose to do a research on physics, Solon replied: "Doing Physics is just as addicting, interesting, challenging and fun as playing with Lego when I was a young boy. Hard questions excite me." Solon has already published his paper in science journal "Physics Letter" in 2008. In the future, he plans to research on quantum mechanics and work in a biotech company before going to Cambridge University. Meanwhile, Co is passionate about solving a 75-year-old problem in the local coconut industry, which led him to his work on "Design and Construction of a Synthetic Coconut Cadang Cadang Viroid cDNA." A follower of programs in Discovery Channel, Co said 30 million palm trees are lost annually in the industry due to the "cadang cadang" disease, which causes the yellow-bronzing and broom-like appearance of coconut leaves, as well as stunted plant growth. "The cadang cadang disease is unique to the Philippines. The challenge of finding a solution to the long-standing and under-studied problem has inspired me," Co said. Co hopes further research on what he started would allay fears and concerns of countries that have barred Philippine coconuts. Masalunga, for his part, said his molecular diagnostics study, dubbed "Genetic Diversity of Philippine Trichomonas vaginalis Isolates using the 5.8s Ribosomal RNA gene" marked the start of his search to find a solution to the cause of trichomoniasis, a commonly overlooked sexually transmitted disease. "The rate of infection is alarming but we do not have enough information on the disease," Masalunga said. His study involved collecting swab samples from sex workers in Angeles City, Pampanga with permission from the Department of Health, a local hospital and patients. Other finalists this year include Physics student Stein Alec Baluyot of ADMU, Computer Engineering student Ryan Joseph Bitanga from De La Salle University and Biology student Bernard Demot of Saint Louis University. "Together, we should look at the same value of science for the society and having the heart for social responsibility," said Ester Ogena, director of DOST-Science Education Institute, in an interview. "This year, the support of BPI to three student researches in the 10 partner universities is P25,000 each, amounting to a total of P75,000 per school," added Ma. Celitas Jacob, associate director of BPI Foundation Inc. On March 11, winners will receive their cash prizes of P50,000 for best project of the year, P30,000 for first runner up and P10,000 for second runner up. The best project of the year will also receive P200,000 from DOST. *------------------------------------------------------------* *JAPAN 5-JAPANESE RESEARCHERS ENVISAGE NICOTINE-FREE TOBACCO *22-January-2009 Physorg.com Japanese researchers said Thursday they had identified a gene that transports nicotine through tobacco plants, a discovery that could pave the way to cigarettes free of the carcinogen. It was already known that tobacco plants produce nicotine in their roots and carry it to their leaves, but it is the first time in the world that a transporter gene was identified, according to one of the researchers. Experts at Kyoto University's Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere found the gene Nt-JAT1 transports nicotine to vacuoles, or bags accumulating water and other substances in the cells of tobacco leaves. They confirmed yeasts with Nt-JAT1 carry nicotine in experiments performed jointly with Ghent University of Belgium, the research team said in a statement. The finding "raised the possibility of developing a variety of tobacco that does not store nicotine in its leaves," said the team led by professor Kazufumi Yazaki. "This would enable smokers to stem nicotine addiction without using anti-smoking goods," it said, adding it would also be good for nonsmokers if tobacco smoke did not contain nicotine. The transport gene could be used not only for the tobacco industry but also for medical and agricultural purposes, said Nobukazu Shitan, assistant professor at the Japanese institute who is in the team. "I wonder if cigarettes containing little nicotine would sell well. But the gene could also transport compounds that could be used as medicine," he told AFP. Nicotine is part of a group of commonly found compounds called alkaloids. Some alkaloids derived from plants are used to treat cancer and the gene discovery could be used to encourage plants to build up higher levels of useful alkaloids, he said. Several other genes are also believed to be involved in carrying nicotine through tobacco plants although research on those has yet to be completed, Shitan said. The finding of the study will be published in the online version of the Proceedings of National Academy of Science this week. *AFP* *------------------------------------------------------------* *PAKISTAN 6-GOVT IN TALKS TO BUY Bt COTTON SEED *by Shahid Shah 20-January-2009 2009 The International News KARACHI: Pakistan is in the process of signing a $1bn agreement for the purchase of Bt cotton seed from Monsanto, a seed developing company of the United States, to increase its production by 40 per cent. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a live microorganism that kills unwanted insects from forests and agriculture crops. Provided in the cotton seed, it boosts the yield and protects the crop from most of the pest attacks. Currently, farmers are using Bt cotton seed on around 2.7 million acres of land against total cotton cultivation over 8 million acres in the country. Bt cotton seed being sold in the country was smuggled and therefore illegal, said Federal Textile Adviser Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig. Bt cotton seed being produced and consumed in Pakistan is from its first generation and plant insects can develop resistance power against it. Experts say once Bb cotton lost its resistance, the insect could damage the crop and the seed itself. Bt cotton seed requires continuous improvement in order to cope with growing immune power of insects. Dr Baig met a French expert Pierre Louis Dupont last week, who has around 20 years of experience in cotton seed development. He offered the French expert to become Pakistan's consultant in its negotiations with Monsanto. Dupont, in an interview with The News, said there was a need to supply second generation Bt cotton seed with weed control capability. With the use of Bt cotton seed, he said, yield could be increased by 40 per cent. India has boosted its cotton production to 30 million bales from 18 million. Pakistan can increase it to around 18 million bales from the current 12 million. The textile adviser said they were going to improve the supply chain. In the last couple of years, cotton production was low and industrialists suffered due to imports. "Our requirement is 16 million bales but production was nearly 12 million bales. Thus, import reaches around 4 million bales. We can save $5 billion annually by increasing the yield," Baig said. "We can negotiate a package with Monsanto to get more effective results." The package would include latest Bt cotton seed with weed control technology called 'Bollguard II with round-up ready flex', which would save up to $250 million spent on pest control. According to preliminary talks with the company, it would charge $21 or Rs1,680 for sowing BT seeds over one acre. Of that amount, the company would return $4.2 or Rs336 to the farmer for research purpose. "I wish this experience should have been done in 1996 like India did and we would have saved billions of rupees," said Dr Baig opposing usage of smuggled Bt cotton seed. "It can change the destiny of the nation either way." He said it was his prime duty to examine all grey areas and close all gaps and loopholes. "I want to make it as transparent as possible as it is not my decision, but it is going to be the nation's decision." He called the expected deal 'a milestone' in agriculture in general and cotton cultivation in particular. Growers have also welcomed the decision but have some reservations about seed distribution. Farmers Association of Pakistan's Director Brigadier (retired) Rasheed Baig said it was good to import hybrid seeds. However, he asked what guarantees the government would give to the farmers if pests attacked the crop and how the government would ensure the seed's availability at controlled rates. Corruption in the supply of fertiliser supports this argument. Government-sponsored fertiliser-producing companies are selling urea at around Rs900 per bag against the set price of Rs660. A grower of Bt cotton in Mianwali (Punjab), Khan Ameer Azam, supported the import of Bollguard II, saying if weeds, which swallowed around 25 per cent of fertiliser, were removed it would boost cotton production. In Punjab and Sindh, he said, around 75 per cent of land was already cultivated with Bt cotton, but imports at the government level would be fine. He also expressed reservations about possible black-marketing of the seed. Pakistan Kisan Ittehad President Jan Nisar Khalil suggested soil testing whether suitable for Bt cotton or would further damage the land. Bt cotton had not given good results in countries that tested it, he added. *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 7-SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY *by Stacy Kish (CSREES Staff) 21-January-2009 United States Department of Agriculture Media Contact: Jennifer Martin, (202) 720-8188 Biotechnology has the potential to substantially increase agricultural productivity, influence markets, and in some cases invent new uses for traditional crops. However, concerns accompany these potential benefits. A group of scientists from Virginia examined the benefits, costs, and risks associated with agricultural products arising from biotechnology research. With funding from USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), George Norton and colleagues at Virginia Polytechnic Institute focused their study on two crops: tobacco and rice. They chose tobacco because research is underway to discover pharmaceutical uses for the crop. Rice was chosen because it is the subject of a large biotechnology program, with significant implications for U.S. producers, as well as for producers and low-income consumers in the developing world. Norton's team assessed the costs and benefits of biotechnologies using economic models. Analyses for tobacco focused on three pharmaceutical products: glucerebrosidase (an enzyme for treating Gaucher Disease), human serum albumin (used as a substitute for blood plasma during surgery), and secretory IgA antibody (important in preventing tooth decay). The project team determined that pharmaceutical companies and patent holders would benefit from biotechnology research in tobacco crops, but the outcome for farmers and the public would be limited. A world trade model was used to project the economic consequences of Asia and the United States implementing biotechnology to adopt cost-reducing genetically modified rice. The model considered the potential impacts of insect-, drought-, and herbicide-resistant genetically modified rice technologies. Projected total benefits from these three technologies was around $2 billion per year, but varied regionally; Asian countries benefited from genetically modified rice, while the United States experienced a small net loss. Using a telephone survey, the project team assessed the perceived social impact from genetically modified crops, specifically insect-resistant rice and pharmaceutical-producing tobacco. Results suggest most people had strong feelings, positive or negative, toward biotechnologies. Willingness to support genetically modified crops varied with the levels of benefits?consumer support was greater for plant-based pharmaceuticals than for genetically modified food products. Focus groups in the United States, the Philippines, and Bangladesh elicited stakeholder views or concerns about the potential benefits and costs of obtaining pharmaceutical products from genetically modified crops. The focus group also interviewed tobacco manufacturers, tobacco and rice producers, private biotech firms, environmentalists, government regulators, clergy, students, World Bank representatives, university and government researchers, and consumers. The project team found most citizens of Asian countries were unaware of biotechnology risk or benefit. U.S. farmers are open to the idea of genetically modified crops, but fear a backlash that could negatively affect crop prices. Educational materials and fact sheets with more details about project findings are available at http://www.agecon.vt.edu/biotechimpact/. This project provides beneficial information about the public's view of genetically modified agricultural crops in the United States and abroad. It also explored impacts on these crops of U.S policies and regulations, and provides greater clarity on the appropriate roles of the public versus the private sector in biotechnology research and development. CSREES funded this research through the Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Systems program. Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues affecting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *DISCLAIMER*: Articles that are posted in this news service do not necessarily reflect the views of SEARCA. To post in e-group, e-mail bic at searcaweb.org. 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