From searcabic at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 10:49:38 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:49:38 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] ANNOUNCEMENT: KKP-ST Annual Convention, 4-5 November 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. *38th Annual Convention of the Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas - Southern Tagalog **Emerging Nanotechnology Applications for National Development and Global Competitiveness **04 - 05 November 2009* Umali Auditorium SEARCA, College 4031, Laguna, Philippines For inquiries, please contact: *Dr. Veronica P. Migo* President Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas - Southern Tagalog College 4031, Laguna, Philippines E-mail: vpmigo at hotmail.com Details may be viewed at this link: http://www.bic.searca.org/events/2009/kkpst2009/brochure.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 14:21:40 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:21:40 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 30 October 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 30 October 2009* *PHILIPPINES* 1-NEGRENSES NOW OPEN TO BOTH ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2-HOW PHILIPPINES MOUNTAIN SLOPES WERE CONVERTED INTO RICH BT CORN FIELDS 3-DA OPTIMISTIC GMO CONFAB TO IMPACT ON NEGROS ORDINANCE 4-RICE SCIENCE, A MUST TO COPE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE *INDIA* 5-INDIA?S BIOTECHNOLOGY WIZARD *EUROPE* 6-CHIEF SCIENTIST SAYS IT WOULD BE 'UNWISE' NOT TO DEVELOP GM CROPS IN BRITAIN *GLOBAL* 7-UK RESEARCHER LEADING INTERNATIONAL TEAM IN BEEFING UP PLANT PRODUCTION 8-ROYAL SOCIETY: WORLD MUST USE GM CROPS *1-NEGRENSES NOW OPEN TO BOTH ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY *by Jenny A. Panopio 30-October-2009 SEARCA BIC News Release ?Teamwork for organic agriculture and biotechnology must be tapped in order to achieve the quest for higher agricultural production and sustainable environment?, says Tanjay City Agriculturist Boy Diputado during the ASFARNET Philippines-led Agricultural Forum: Understanding Agri-biotechnology and its Benefits, held last Oct 22 at Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. He added that based on his understanding, both agricultural practices could provide higher yield and safer and healthier food for both the public and the environment. He believes that both interventions can positively impact farmers and consumers, as well as enrich biodiversity in the island. Similarly, Provincial Corn Coordinator of Negros Oriental, Mr. Medardo Villalon, believes that all agricultural opportunities must be provided to the farmers in the island in order for them to meet diverse market potentials. He added that a careful combination of organic agriculture and biotechnology will be perfect for subsistence farmers and market-oriented farmers in Negros? agricultural industry. Meanwhile, Chemin Teves, a farmer from the island saw biotechnology as an opportunity to increase farming income and reduce agricultural inputs. Based on his 3-year experience in planting Bt corn, he was able to increase yield as much as 6 tons compared with the conventional corn. Currently, he is also trying the herbicide tolerant corn and is optimistic of saving his capital and getting more profit from using these biotech seeds. ASFARNET Philippines, a coalition of farmer-leaders in the country, continuously undertake a sustained farmer-driven education campaign in order to enhance biotechnology understanding and sharing and exchange of farmer experiences in biotech adoption. For more information on biotechnology updates in the Philippines, visit www.bic.searca.org or email bic at agri.searca.org. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-HOW PHILIPPINES MOUNTAIN SLOPES WERE CONVERTED INTO RICH BT CORN FIELDS * by Vivek Deshpande 27-October-2009 AgBioView / The Indian Express (India) via Truth About Trade and Technology The gentle mountain slopes in this fascinatingly beautiful place at once catch the attention not merely for their idyllic setting and extremely hospitable people that reside in their lush green shadows but also for a revolutionary trend in the agriculture they now practice along these inclines. As one winds through the serene terrains of Cagayan valley in northern Philippines, none can escape the hypnotising effect of the slopes covered with rows of standing corn crops. The Philippines government has left no stone unturned to ensure that the corn farmers produce more, for their own self and for the country whose economy's mainstay is agriculture. The country, with over nine crore people to feed, has only small-scale local industries and no big manufacturing units worth the name. Like the capital Manila, swanky malls and super shops can be found dotting the roadside market lines in most small towns that house rows of shanties amidst rich mansion, but the products sold here come from outside. And so, Philippines was quick to adopt biotechnology to boost its economy. Besides Bt Corn, the country has cleared Bt Cotton, maize, potato, soyabean, Argentine canola and sugar beet for use. Authorities claim that introduction of Bt Corn in the province, that also produces rice like most other parts of the 7,000-odd islands' archipelago, has led to the production rising by four tonnes per hectare to 12 tonnes per hectare in less than five years, increasing their incomes from a meager 10,000 Pesos (Philippines currency) to 30 to 40,000 Pesos annually. Across Philippines, Bt Corn is now sowed on over 4 lakh hectares. "I am thankful to biotech corn. I yield 5,750 kg in my half hectare and earn about 57,000 Pesos out of it," says Hermoso Juan from Diduyon village. "I was able to start swine production in my backyard and am generating additional income from it too," he adds. Wilson Payahna, too, talks of the rich harvest he has reaped ever since he switched from the conventional white corn variety that succumbs easily to the deadly corn borer pest to Bt Corn. Farmers here use the "herbicide tolerant" Dekalb 9132 Bt hybrid developed by Monsanto. In the past five years, the government has helped hasten the process with whatever it could do. Apart from its National Committee on Bio-safety working overtime to test the product for its safety, the government quickly handed ownership certificates to the local tribal farmers who now legally own the mountain slopes, akin to the process India has undertaken under the Tribal Act. Using weedicides, the grassland slopes were converted into regular crop fields and the way was paved for Bt Corn. "Being something that's eaten, unlike Bt Cotton, Bt Corn required thorough testing. Only after it was found safe, was it released for use," says Saturnina Halosa, Chairperson of Biotechnology Advisory Team of the Department of Agriculture. "Human body doesn't have receptor cells for the Bt toxin and hence, it is safe to consume," she adds. After corn, Philippines is set to introduce a biotech rice variety called golden rice. *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-DA OPTIMISTIC GMO CONFAB TO IMPACT ON NEGROS ORDINANCE* by George M. De La Cruz 27-October-2009 Sun Star Bacolod DR. Alicia Ilaga, director of the Department of Agriculture Biotech Program Implementation Unit, hopes that Melbourne, Australia's conference "will be an input to the current deliberation of the Provincial Board in Negros Occidental on Ordinance 007 series 2007." The ordinance bans the entry and market of genetically modified or engineered agricultural products into Negros Occidental. The conference, set Nov. 10-12, "is of particular relevance to the Philippines as it commits to use all available farming technologies - conventional, biotechnology and organic - as options to improve the agriculture sector," she said. Slated to attend the conference are Board Members Enrique Miguel Lacson, who chairs the committee on food security and natural disasters & calamities; Nehemias Dela Cruz Sr., chair on livelihood & rural development and committee on energy, and lawyer Edgardo Acu?a, chair on tourism and laws, ordinance & good government. The international conference is on the coexistence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crops. The GMCC '09 conference will bring together the scientific community working on coexistence between GM and non-GM agricultural supply chains, the DA said, adding that the event will cover key issues from production level to the market place or "from paddock to plate." Key issues will include strategies for coexistence and organizational measures across the supply chain, socio-economics of coexistence and many others as well as highlighting the progress of the Australian approach in the coexistence of GM canola, DA said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-RICE SCIENCE, A MUST TO COPE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE * by Ramon Efren R. Lazaro / Correspondent 20-October-2009 Business Mirror PHILRICE, Nueva Ecija?As the country reels from the devastation brought about by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, experts blame climate change. Rice experts from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) explain that climate change is now upon us. We need not wonder why our weather is very erratic. PhilRice experts claim that intense heat is a manifestation of climate change. Heat affects humans, animals and crops alike, especially rice. Studies and crop-simulation models show that rice yield is expected to decrease by 10 percent to 15 percent for every 1?C increase in temperature. Heat stress is not good for the rice plant because it reduces tillering, height, number of grains and grain filling, which eventually lead to reduced yields, they added. The Department of Agriculture-PhilRice and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are into breeding drought-, saline-prone and submergence-tolerant rice varieties. Heat-tolerant rice breeders are identifying possible parents from Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia rice varieties. These countries have rice varieties that can thrive under high temperatures. From the best of these varieties, heat-tolerance traits will be transferred into popular local varieties. Submergence breeding efforts have resulted in NSIC Rc194 (Submarino I), which can survive up to 10 days of submergence in water during its vegetative stage. Varieties Rc 182, 184, 186, 188 and 190 are saline-tolerant. Rc192 is drought-tolerant. Seeds of these climate change-adapted varieties are being multiplied for massive use by 2010. The controlled irrigation (CI) technology that saves water in irrigated rice farms is now being promoted. Some 16-percent to 35-percent reduction in water use is possible through CI without significantly reducing grain yield. Research studies on varieties that require less water are also in the pipeline. CI also saves on labor and input costs, and reduces methane emission. State-of-the-art technologies like geographic information system and remote sensing also help identify and map vulnerable areas like drought-prone areas in the country. Studies like these are good inputs in recommending crops that can be planted in specific areas to optimize land use. The use of information and communications technology can be incorporated as a tool to bridge the knowledge gap between farmers and climate-change adaptation and mitigation measures. Rice emits methane, a greenhouse gas. Earlier research by DA-PhilRice, in collaboration with IRRI, identified ways to lessen methane emission in the rice field. These include use of ammonium sulfate as nitrogen fertilizer in place of urea; use of phosphogypsum when applied in combination with urea fertilizer; midseason drainage; and direct seeding instead of transplanting. The use of the leaf color chart also lessens the use of nitrogen fertilizer, one source of nitrous oxide greenhouse gas. Being a diversified integrated rice-based farming system, Palayamanan reduces production risks brought about by climate change. It reduces the use of chemical fertilizers through its biomass resource-recovery component. It increases or enhances sinks of CO2 through cropping intensity, planting of fruit trees and establishment of a miniforest. It is also a location-specific system that depends on the environment, like weather and soil characteristics. Because the effects of climate change are location-specific, this program is one good approach in mitigating climate change. National technology recommendations can now be downscaled to regions, provinces, municipalities, or even barangays and be based on existing soil conditions, weather patterns and climate trends of a certain contiguous area. Likewise, proposals for adaptation and impact mitigation of climate change are works in progress. Present technologies will be reviewed to come up with a holistic approach on how to cushion the effects of climate change. The use of weather and climate information to safeguard and maximize yield will be encouraged. *------------------------------------------------------------* *INDIA 5-INDIA?S BIOTECHNOLOGY WIZARD *by Anna Marie Periquet 21-October-2009 Manila Times Many large and successful companies are born after failing initially. One such example is that of Dr. Kiran Majumdar Shaw. When she founded a pioneering biotech company in 1985, no one would work for her. Bankers turned down her request for loans, and raw materials vendors insisted she bring in a male manager if she wanted their wares. Today she is considered the richest woman of India. She is chairman of Biocon India, a company which has been transformed from a small enzyme maker into a drug company challenging global insulin makers. She started this company from a garage in Bangalore. Today her stake in the company?s net worth is much above $480 million. It was indeed a privilege to have met her in the Meeting of the Council of Women Entrepreneurs in Taipei. Her story inspires us. *An entrepreneurial scientist in biotechnology* Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, chairman and managing director of Biocon Ltd., is currently the richest, self-made woman entrepreneur in India and an icon for women. From a simple middle-class background she pursued her education in brewing. Being the only girl in her class drove her to prove herself?brewing being a ?man thing.? Her biggest asset: She was never insecure or diffident. Started in a garage in 1979 to a Rs. 986 crore (Rs. 9,860,000,000 or US$197.2 million) proprietary, Biocon, a biotech products company employing more than 2,500 people, has not been a cakewalk. Being the only woman around taught her to relate to men on a very professional level. Most first-generation entrepreneurial knowledge-based industries empower people to take decisions, solve problems on their own and encourage interac-tivity among people. Kiran was no different. Her plus was that she is more sensitive to people?s needs at a more personal level. Her first break came when an Irish specialty chemicals company, which had been trying to enter the Indian enzymes market, signed her on as a joint venture partner. In enzymes, the company had built specialty products and that is what she wanted to do in bio-pharmaceuticals as well. She chose generic bio-pharmaceuticals as a stepping stone to proprietary products. Biocon?s transition from a pure enzymes play into generic bio-pharmaceuticals to proprietary biotech products has been an exciting and challenging journey. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw paved the way for Biocon?s discovery-led R&D, which focuses on the entire drug development pathway?from process development to non-clinical and clinical research. The depth and breadth of their technological and scientific expertise enables them to develop new and affordable therapeutics for the world?s most debilitating diseases. R&D?s ability to leverage frontier science, from cloning right through to identifying novel clinical biomarkers, continues to advance Biocon?s reputation as a leading innovator company. The company has its R&D team, outstanding scientists from the best institutes around the world. Their hard-to-find skill sets, continuous interaction with international thought leaders and participation in technical programs to enable knowledge creation, position Biocon?s R&D for challenging biopharmaceutical development. The breadth and scale of Biocon?s manufacturing technologies has dovetailed their transition from a niche player in specialty enzymes to a global provider of biopharmaceuticals panning small molecules, recom-binant proteins, peptides and monoclonal antibodies. By launching a blockbuster drug with the Made-in-India label?oral insulin, which has completed phase 1?the biotech queen is hopeful of creating history once again. *annaperiquet at gmail.com* *------------------------------------------------------------* *EUROPE 6-CHIEF SCIENTIST SAYS IT WOULD BE 'UNWISE' NOT TO DEVELOP GM CROPS IN BRITAIN *by Louise Gray (Environment Correspondent) 20-October-2009 Telegraph.co.uk Genetically modified (GM) food is an essential tool to help tackle the "perfect storm" of climate change and rising population, the Government's chief scientist has warned. Professor John Beddington said the world will have to produce 50 per cent more food by 2030 in order to feed the growing population. He said the only way to do this is to grow more crops on less land by using the latest scientific innovation, including crops genetically modified to be drought or disease resistant. "This is such a problem that you cannot say we will not use GM technology - that would be really unwise," he said. His comments come as a new Royal Society report also recommends GM crops to tackle the impending food crisis. The report entitled 'Reaping the Benefits: Towards a Sustainable Intensification of Global Agriculture' is expected to suggest that GM crops could even be grown in Britain. GM has recently come back onto the political agenda. The first trial in a year was recently re-started in Leeds, with the Government's support, and a recent report on food security from the Deparment for the Enviroment, Food and Rural Affairs backed further research into the technology. But environmentalists insist the science is not proven and foods made from GM crops or "Frankenstein Foods" may be bad for human health. Speaking at a global food summit, organised by the not-for-profit environmental research centre CABI, Professor Beddington said science will be the only way to feed the world in the future. He said that by 2030 the world will have to produce 50 per cent more food and energy, together with 30 per cent more available fresh water, whilst adapting the floods and drought caused by climate change. Prof Beddington said Britain could lead the way in developing the new technology - although he said it would be difficullt to grow GM crops in Britain because of activists ripping up the plants. "Ten years ago, when GM was first started, people were understandably worried about about health and environmental impacts. But I think current regulations mean those risks are now mitigated," he said. Dr Julian Little, Chairman of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council, said 13 million farmers are already growing GM on 125 million hectares around the world. "If we are serious about producing more food off less land, we do not have much choice but to use new biotechnology, including GM," he said. But Clare Oxborrow, Senior Food Campaigner with Friends of the Earth, said the Government was in danger of being blinded by "the white heat of technology" and putting human and environmental health at risk. "We do have a 'perfect storm' with the impending food crisis, climate change and the recent economic crisis," she said. "It might seem like the perfect opportunity for the bio-tech industry to promote its products but the drivers of this crisis are so complex and need to be tackled at a fundamental level - just the thought that GM can solve this or play an important part is pie in the sky." *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 7-UK RESEARCHER LEADING INTERNATIONAL TEAM IN BEEFING UP PLANT PRODUCTION *by Tim Thornberry 27-October-2009 The Lexington School Lexington, KY - Plant biotechnology may not be the easiest topic for most of us to comprehend but it is the life's work of University of Kentucky Plant Pathologist Michael Goodin. The researcher and associate professor with the College of Agriculture is working with a complicated subject to achieve a simple goal; to make people's lives better. Goodin is heading a team of international experts that has developed a proposal to help farmers around the world grow better, safer crops that will in turn create a more sustainable agriculture environment especially for producers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of the research is to prevent potential global plant viral epidemics, something that is a concern for food safety and security. "We've heard all the talk of swine flu, well plants get sick with viral diseases as well," said Goodin. "Plants are the basis of our food supply and even if you eat a lot of meat, we still need the grain to feed the animals. So when plants don't do well, society doesn't do well." The idea is to take 10 agriculturally important viruses and try to find their "host factors." Once that happens, the hope is to develop plants resistant to those viruses according to Goodin. "Basically, what we are trying to find are proteins in a plant a virus requires. If we find those then maybe we can engineer them so they can't be use by the virus anymore or they interfere with a process the virus needs," he said. "If we do that, we would have a virus-resistant plant." Goodin added that the 10 viruses selected for the research are very common and extremely detrimental and were viruses they felt they could tackle with reasonable efficiency and eliminate the "boom and bust cycle" many of these crops go through with the occurrence of diseases. While the project focuses on developing countries, Goodin pointed out that the U.S. agriculture industry could benefit as well. He noted the citrus and grape industries which are often stricken with viral diseases that cause great economic loses. "This could be very important to the United States. The citrus industry in Florida alone is a $10 billion industry, while the grape industry is a multi-billion industry in the U.S. as well," he said. While Goodin conducts his research at UK, he has spent a great deal of time traveling around the country and the world in order to better understand farmers' needs in those developing countries and to spread the word of how beneficial this research will be. He recently returned from a trip to Africa to meet researchers and view facilities there. "This was my first trip to Africa and I was there basically to learn," he said. "Once the research grant proposal went in, I thought it was important to meet these people and to see what their facilities were like so that we can work efficiently. This trip allowed me to better understand the farmers' perspectives for what is really needed." Just how long it will take to make all the discoveries necessary isn't known but Goodin emphasized that their goals are very obtainable. "One is always cautious to make predictions, but within five years we should know what genes we can use and within another five more hopefully we can engineer those genes," he said. As with any project of this magnitude, funding is a key factor. Goodin's team has turned to a program known as BREAD (Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development) sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help continue its work. The grant program is administered by the NSF and was created to "support innovative scientific research designed to address key constraints to smallholder agriculture in the developing world," according to information from the foundation. A grant proposal is currently under review. "We are not currently funded to do this work that has gone into a very exciting proposal. We have asked for $1.8 million to get us started and hopefully by December or January we should know. But I am confident this project will get done," he said. "It is too important of a project not to. If it doesn't get funded by this program, we'll find a way through other agencies. It will slow down our progress but it is too important and there are too many people on board with what we want to do. In that respect, I am absolutely confident that we'll get the work done." Even without funding, the research is progressing. "We have already identified about 30 genes we could use for engineering resistance so we are right there showing that this technology works," said Goodin He expects many proposals to be submitted for this grant money and said that if everyone is as passionate about their projects as he is about this one, it will be very competitive. Depending on its success, this project will have far-reaching effects if all goes according to plan. Goodin expects it will work on multiple levels; everything from meeting the basic needs of life in Africa to protection of high-value crops in the United States and other parts of the world. Another benefit of the project will be for students. Goodin said not only could students come from Africa to study here in technologies they ordinarily wouldn't have, those here could have the opportunity to go to Africa to engage in the project from that side; a win-win situation he said. "It's time for the next generation to step up and tackle these really significant issues in food production, worldwide. At the end of the day, if you don't eat than your cell phones and internet and everything else really doesn't matter," said Goodin. *------------------------------------------------------------* *8-ROYAL SOCIETY: WORLD MUST USE GM CROPS* 22-October-2009 Manila Bulletin LONDON (Reuters) ? The world needs genetically modified GM crops both to increase food yields and minimize the environmental impact of farming, Britain's top science academy said on Wednesday. The Royal Society said in a report the world faced a "grand challenge" to feed another 2.3 billion people by 2050 and at the same time limit the environmental impact of the farm sector. The world will have to increase food output by 70 percent and invest $83 billion annually in developing countries by mid-century, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization said earlier this month. "The problem is such an acute one, doing that sustainably without eroding soil, overusing fertilizers is an enormous challenge," said the chair of the Royal Society report, Cambridge University's David Baulcombe. "There isn't a lot more land to use," he told Reuters. "And from the point of expense and using fossil fuels, we want to use less fertilizer." "The food supply problem is likely to come to a head 10, 20, 30 years from now," he said, adding this didn't leave much time given the research lead time to develop new crops. The answer would be a range of approaches from hi-tech genetically modified crops to low-tech management approaches such as sowing grass around corn to divert pests, as well as preserving the diversity of natural, wild crop varieties. Farming indirectly, including deforestation, accounts for a third of greenhouse gases, say scientists, underlining the problem of increasing production simply by clearing more land or using more fertilizers, the biggest source of a powerful greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide. Britain had to invest an extra 50 ($82.13 million) to 100 million pounds annually in research to boost innovation in a sector which had lost allure following food over-supply in Europe, the report said. A combination of changing diets, growing population, demand for farmland for biofuels and high energy prices have stoked food prices and renewed interest in agriculture. Wednesday's report invoked the successes of the Green Revolution of the 1960s, but aimed for a more sustainable approach. That revolution had more than doubled food output over 30 years but had also degraded soils in some cases. The world must develop over the next 16 years through genetic modification and conventional breeding varieties of crops resistant to disease, drought, salinity, heat and toxic heavy metals, the report said. Progress in DNA-sequencing had made more plant genes available for engineering, improving the predictability of results in a "second generation" GM approach. "We're looking at a different base than 10 years ago," said Baulcombe. A combination of the food crisis and the global economic downturn has pushed more than 1 billion people into hunger in 2009, UN agencies said last week, confirming a grim forecast released earlier this year. The Pressure group Greenpeace said GM crops were a costly distraction from tackling hunger through fighting poverty and helping smallholders in developing countries sell their product. "Poverty and hunger are the same thing," said Marco Contiero, Greenpeace's European GM policy director, who pointed out that the world already produced enough to feed itself, if that were shared fairly and there was less waste. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 . [image: Subscribe A Friend] [image: Subscribe A Friend] [image: ISAAA Celebrates the Life of its Founding Patron, Nobel Peace Laureate] *Brunei hosts annual board meeting of SEAsian center for agriculture * *Scientist achieves breakthrough on mango tissue culture * *---------------------------------------------------------* *Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE. * *---------------------------------------------------------* *38th Annual KKP-ST Convention* *Umali Auditorium, SEARCA, College, Laguna, Philippines 04 - 05 November 2009* *AgriBiotech and Crop Protection Markets* *Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 16 - 17 November 2009* *6th International Rice Genetics Symposium* *Manila, Philippines 16 - 17 November 2009* *Philippines' National Biotechnology Week* *Manila, Philippines 22 - 29 November 2009* ** ** *SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center College 4031, Laguna, Philippines Tel +63 49 536 2290 ext 406/169 Fax +63 49 536 4105 E-mail: bic at searca.org* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Tue Nov 10 18:48:54 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:48:54 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] ANNOUNCEMENT: KAPNAYAN 2009 Seminar Series 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. Dear Friends and Colleagues, We are pleased to invite everyone to the following seminars: *KAPNAYAN 2009 SEMINAR SERIES: **11 NOVEMBER 2009 (WEDNESDAY) 8:00 - 10:00 AM* *APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT * *Speaker: Dr. Lorele Trinidad* University Researcher, UPLB National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna *1:00 - 3:00 PM* *ASSESSMENT OF BIODIESEL INDUSTRY* *Speaker: Prof. Rex Demafelis* Chairman, UPLB Department of Chemical Engineering Drilon Hall, SEARCA, College, Laguna *12 November 2009 (THURSDAY) 8:00 - 10:00 AM* *ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS* *Speaker: Dr. Jessica Simbahan* University Researcher, UPLB National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) Sam-Arng Room, SEARCA, College, Laguna *1:00 - 3:00 PM* *HOW DO WE ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE* *Speaker: Dr. Virginia Cuevas* Associate Professor, UPLB Institute of Biological Sciences Sam-Arng Room, SEARCA, College, Laguna *13 November 2009 (FRIDAY) 1:00 - 3:00 PM* *GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT* *Speaker: Dr. Luisito Tolentino* Consultant, Chemical Industry Sam-Arng Room, SEARCA, College, Laguna *Organized by: UPLB Chemical Society In cooperation with: UPLB Institute of Chemistry SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center Brain Train* Best regards, E-group Moderator SEARCA BIC -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Wed Nov 11 16:39:36 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:39:36 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] ANNOUNCEMENT: Seminar on Risk Assessments for Non-Target Oganisms by Transgenic Plants, 13 November 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. *SEMINAR ON RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR NON-TARGET ORGANISMS BY TRANSGENIC PLANTS** * *13 November 2009 (Friday), 9:00 - 11:00 AM* Drilon Hall SEARCA, College 4031, Laguna, Philippines Organized by: Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II (ABSPII)-Southeast Asia International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center The seminar is open to the public. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Thu Nov 12 09:45:03 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:45:03 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] RE-SEND: Seminar on Risk Assessments for Non-Target Organisms by Transgenic Plants, 13 November 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. Dear Friends and Colleagues, We are pleased to invite everyone to this seminar with *DR. ANTHONY SHELTON*, Professor of College of Entomology, Cornell University, as guest speaker. The seminar is free and open to the public. Best regards, E-group Moderator SEARCA BIC ------------------------------------------------------ *SEMINAR ON RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR NON-TARGET ORGANISMS BY TRANSGENIC PLANTS** * *13 November 2009 (Friday), 9:00 - 11:00 AM* Drilon Hall SEARCA, College 4031, Laguna, Philippines Organized by: Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II (ABSPII)-Southeast Asia International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Sun Nov 15 15:37:05 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:37:05 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 15 November 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 15 November 2009* *PHILIPPINES* 1-15 PILOT AREAS IN EASTERN VISAYAS SOON TO HARVEST FLOOD-RESISTANT RICE 2-UPLB CHANCELLOR BATS FOR BIOTECH CROPS IN MARGINAL LANDS 3-BIOTECH, NON-GM CROPS? COEXISTENCE FOCUS OF MEET 4-P3.5-MILLION TISSUE-CULTURE LAB TO REVITALIZE ABACA INDUSTRY IN ARMM *MALAYSIA* 5-MPOB AND ORION COMPLETE SEQUENCING OF THREE OIL PALM GENOMES *AFRICA* 6-UGANDA: U.S.$21 MILLION SWEET POTATO PROJECT TO AID FOOD SECURITY, NUTRITION *GLOBAL* 7-TECHNOLOGY HOLDS ANSWER FOR ASIA'S FUTURE CHALLENGE 8-GROUND-BREAKING MOMENTS IN GLOBAL AGRICULTURE *1-15 PILOT AREAS IN EASTERN VISAYAS SOON TO HARVEST FLOOD-RESISTANT RICE* 11-November-2009 Philippine Information Agency Tacloban City (November 9) -- Farmers in the 15 flood prone pilot areas in Eastern Visayas will soon reap the first harvest in their first attempt to plant submergence tolerant rice genotypes, Department of Agriculture Region 8 Executive Director Leo Caneda informed. Director Caneda said that the Department of Agriculture has chosen 15 flood-prone rice farms in Region 8 for propagation and cultivation of 16 submergence tolerant rice genotypes. The 16 submergence tolerant rice genotypes can withstand a two-week flood unlike the usual varieties that are damaged after only three days of being submerged in floodwaters, RED Caneda disclosed. Of the 15 pilot areas, about 12 are farmer-managed. These include 6 farm-lands in Palo; 3 in Sta. Fe, 1 in Pastrana; 1 in Tacloban City; and 1 in Babatngon, all in the province of Leyte. Three pilot areas are researcher-managed, RED Caneda added. These are in Sacme, Tanauan, Leyte; 1 in Dolores, Eastern Samar and 1 in Northern Samar. Last week, a Field Day was conducted at Barangay Sacme, Tanauan, Leyte which was attended by representative from DA Region 8. The highlight of the Field Day is the report of the farmer that stated which of the varieties well thriving so far and what methods he used in propagating the varieties. God-willing, the farmers in the pilot areas will have their first harvest of submergence tolerant rice before the end of November or early December. Based on the experiences of the pilot areas, the Department of Agriculture will be able to determine which of the 16 genotypes is best for the Eastern Visayas Region, Director Caneda said. RED Caneda disclosed that 11 % of the Regions total farm lands or about 16,720 hectares of rice land in Eastern Visayas are vulnerable to flooding. These vulnerable rice lands in the Region are being targeted for cultivation of 16 submergence tolerant rice genotypes, the good Director added. "Most of the farmers in these areas depend on rice farming for their livelihood and majority of them do not have access to up-to-date information,' he said. Director Caneda stressed that by planting the new genotypes of rice will reduce production cost and income losses of farmers due to frequent to frequent devastating typhoons and flooding. Director Ca?eda disclosed that in June to November 2008, a study was conducted by DA at Brgy. Cangumbang, Palo, Leyte and Brgy. Buntay, Oras, Eastern Samar to find out which among of the 16 varieties are tallest, matures early and highest yield. Participatory varietal selection-researcher managed was conducted in farmer's fields. Called as "mother trial,' the activity evaluates in detail the adaptability of the different rice genotypes. Three to four genotypes were found to be promising in the region are now being tested by the farmer themselves in their respective fields, Director Caneda said. Eastern Visayas, along with Bicol and Caraga regions, has been identified by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as area most prone to flashfloods. The first submergence-tolerant rice variety in the Philippines was released during the 27th Council Secretariat Meeting on July 7 this year. The "Submarino 1' variety is a non-genetically engineered rice plant that can survive, grow and develop even after 10 days under water, The variety was infused with submergence tolerance gene (Sub1), which was discovered by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the University of California-Davis from an Indian rice variety FR13A. "We are talking here of a potential near zero harvest to a harvest of three to four tons per hectare when farmers use this variety. This is a big bonanza for farmers and for additional rice supply in the market," RED Caneda said. Farmers using this variety would spend less for fertilizer because farmlands would have more nutrients because of the "banlik (silt)' brought by floods, he said. (PIA 8) *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-UPLB CHANCELLOR BATS FOR BIOTECH CROPS IN MARGINAL LANDS* by Marvyn N. Benaning 09-November-2009 Manila Bulletin University of the Philippines-Los Ba?os (UPLB) Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco says the country must use biotechnology to develop crops ready to confront climate change as well as make marginal productive. Velasco added that biotechnology is a boon to an agricultural country like the Philippines and it must utilize its processes to guarantee food security in the long run, reduce dependence on imported inputs and even develop a fungus discovered by agricultural scientists that feeds on plastics. "It has only been recently that the world has been faced with the realization that plastics can become a real ecological hazard. With their long half-life, waste plastics begin to be a problem. They clog up our drainage systems. They pollute our environment with products almost impervious to nature?s normal courses. They have become a bane to us," he says. He noted that Filipino scientists have been able to identify a fungus that can degrade plastic back into its natural elements in far less time than we all thought possible. "Though far from fully developed, the idea is undergoing study ? how to propagate the fungus to be economically viable, how to find out what hazards it may, in turn, produce, how to make it acceptable to the public, and eventually how to make the fungus available to the public for use. In short, we now turn to the process of commercialization," he said. "Biotechnology can assure us of a certain control in quality and costs among natural, living things. This is what biotechnology is really about. It is the new economic revolution at its birth. Born in nature?s hands, but helped by man and his science," he stressed. For the moment, Velasco declared that the country should concentrate on three areas in biotechnology. First, it should develop microbial fertilizers. "With petrol-based fertilizers on their way out, both in availability and costs, BioN and MicroVAM should be further developed for widespread farm use to replace expensive, and usually imported, fertilizers. These technologies are already available. But we have to support them with a focus and a commitment," he added. Second, it should start breeding crops in response to global climate change. "The fact of unpredictable environments is upon us. Some we brought about, some purely natural and irrevocable. There are new plant diseases these changes will bring about, there will be leaching of products we have imposed on our environments. These are truths and these are facts. We have to be ready to contend and address them. The seeds have been discovered. What we need to do is propagate and disperse them. Drought-resistant breeds, saline-resistant breeds, flood-resistant strains, we have them all today. If we do not propagate their use, they will be wasted," he said. Third and last, the country must breeding crops to make use of marginal lands. "Even without climate change, we have not learned to use our marginal lands. These are the lands that are not of the best quality, but can be made productive just the same. Our many years in research show us that there is a way to make them productive. We must find the crops that will make our farmers live and prosper. And we must find the way to make these crops available to our farmers in their most effective form," he noted. *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-BIOTECH, NON-GM CROPS? COEXISTENCE FOCUS OF MEET* by Marvyn Benaning 08-November-2009 Manila Bulletin An international conference on the coexistence of genetically-and non-genetically modified crops will be held in Melbourne, Australia on Nov. 10-12. The Fourth International Conference on Coexistence between Genetically Modified (GM) and non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre with public and private stakeholders from different parts of the world participating. It is the only international forum that will focus on coexistence between GM and non-GM agricultural supply chains, says the Department of Agriculture - Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO). DA-BPO director Alicia Ilaga said the conference will also dwell on the case of the Philippines, which approved the commercial propagation of Bacillus thuriegiensis (Bt) corn in 2005. The Philippines stands to benefit from the valuable lessons that can be learned from the exchanges of valuable information and possibly technology transfer, to better apply GM technology in the Philippines. Bt corn is primarily used for animal feed even as government regulators, as well as the seed's producer, Monsanto, claim it is safe for human consumption. Prof. German Spangenberg, executive director of the Biosciences Research Division, Department of Primary Industries, said the conference will cover key issues on coexistence between GM and non-GM agricultural supply chains ranging from production level to the market place. The topics include gene flow in agricultural systems, strategies for coexistence and organisational measures across the supply chain, socio-economics of coexistence and cost/benefit analysis of coexistence strategies, legal and policy issues of coexistence frameworks, and traceability and control of coexistence. This is the first time that such a GMCC event will be held outside of Europe, Spangenberg, this year's GMCC'09 event chairman, said. The conference will highlight the progress of the Australian approach to coexistence between GM/non-GM canola, and attempt to address the planning of coexistence measures in advance of other GM crop introductions. The GMCC'09 conference will be highly relevant for industry, policy, agricultural biotechnology R&D and agribusiness communities, he said. Coverage of the conference includes farming systems in the developing world, rather than focus on Europe and Americas. Ilaga said the GMCC series is moving away from the primary attention on maize and oilseed rape that has characterized the first three meetings. The conference is expected to come up with a paper dealing with the potential impact of GM technologies in the developing world with emphasis on Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, as well as the strategies that need to be in place to ensure that the benefits are captured by the local producers and industries and that the market access is protected and market returns preserved where local or international consumers discriminate between GM and non-GM produce. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-P3.5-MILLION TISSUE-CULTURE LAB TO REVITALIZE ABACA INDUSTRY IN ARMM* 08-November-2009 Manila Times The government is stepping up the revitalization of the abaca industry in Mindanao, with the establishment of a P3.5 million tissue culture laboratory in Marawi City. The abaca tissue laboratory, which was inaugurated on October 15, is expected to boost the production of disease-free and uniform seedlings for the entire province of Lanao del Sur, said Director Alicia Ilaga, head of the DA Biotechnology Program Office (BPO). A project of Kawiagan sa Ranao Livelihood Training Center (KRLTC), the tissue culture laboratory is the first to be put up in the entire Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This development, Ilaga said, is significant because the establishment of such facility in Marawi City, an Islamic City, more importantly opens the door of ARMM for biotechnology?as an effective fighting tool against hunger and poverty. Classified as a middle level biotechnology, tissue culture has been proven to increase yield in banana, and sugar production particularly in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur. Tissue culture is also responsible for the development of the orchid industry in the Philippines. Through tissue-culture, Ilaga said the government and its private-sector and nongovernment organization partners will enable the rapid mass propagation of ?healthy? abaca planting materials, thus allowing farmers to expand areas planted to the fiber-rich plant. ?More farmers will benefit from the wonders of biotechnology because tissue culture will allow them to have more disease-free and uniform seedlings. This means they wouldn?t have to go through the hassles of buying planting materials that may or may not have the dreaded abaca diseases,? said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *MALAYSIA 5-MPOB AND ORION COMPLETE SEQUENCING OF THREE OIL PALM GENOMES *09-November-2009 Malaysian National News Agency: Bernama.com KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and Orion Genomics on Monday announced that a consortium co-led by the Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Centre has sequenced three oil palm genomes from two palm species, an important food and biofuel crop. This genome sequencing effort provides a comprehensive genetic blueprint of E.oleifera and E.guineensis, including the pisifera and dura palms, they said. MPOB director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Basri Wahid said knowledge of the genomic sequence of these oil palm varieties enabled researchers to understand genetic differences between trees for more resistant to disease than usual. "Our goal in completing the oil palm genome sequence is to dramatically improve oil yields both for the production of food, feed and fuel," he said at the plenary session on "Sequencing the Oil Palm Genome: The Beginning" at the International Palm Oil Congress 2009 here. Oil palm plantations on average produce 3.9 tonnes of oil per hectare per year, nearly 10 times more than other productive oil-bearing crops, Mohd Basri said. Therefore, it has the potential to meet growing demand for food and renewable fuel, he said. Used in cooking oil, margarine, baked goods and other foods, palm oil is the most consumed edible oil in the world. It feeds more than three billion people in 150 countries worldwide and is also a common ingredient in soaps and cosmetics. Last year, Malaysia produced 17.7 million tonnes of crude palm oil and exported RM65.2 billion (US$17.6 billion) worth of palm oil products. New technologies are now enabling palm oil to be transformed into biodiesel, a promising renewable fuel. MPOB and Orion Genomics, along with Mogene LC, also unveiled plans to study the epigenetic make-up of oil palm next year in an effort to improve yields. Epigenetics is the study of the pattern of chemical groups that influence whether specific genes are turned on or off, said Orion Genomics' president and chief executive officer Nathan Lakey. "We theorise that by studying oil palm epigenetics, we may be able to help to speed the development of varieties of oil palm that produce more oil, rapidly increasing the per acre efficiency of this crop, which already is the single largest producer of edible oils worldwide," he said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *AFRICA 6-UGANDA: U.S.$21 MILLION SWEET POTATO PROJECT TO AID FOOD SECURITY, NUTRITION *by Halima Abdallah 09-November-2009 All Africa Nairobi ? The International Sweet Potato Centre has launched a $21.25 million research project in Uganda that will develop nutritionally enhanced sweet potatoes, in a project to reduce health problems related to vitamin A deficiency and improve food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Vitamin A is necessary for good eyesight, healthy skin and for building the immune system. The centre works in developing countries to help reduce poverty and increase food security through scientific research related to sweet potatoes and other root crops. The five-year research project, named Sweet Potato Action for Security and Health in Africa is one of nine such projects benefiting from the $120 million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation investment to support smallscale farmers in Africa and India. This grant brings to $1.4 billion the amount of money the foundation has committed to agricultural efforts in the world to date. In addition to nutritional enhancement, the research will employ both conventional methods and biotechnology to create at least 20 locally adapted sweet potatoes varieties resistance to drought, virus and diseases. Biotechnology will be used to develop weevil resistant varieties. An earlier study proved that the orange-fleshed sweet potato already in the market can drastically bring down impacts of vitamin A-deficiency that threaten an estimated 43 million children under the age of five in sub- Saharan Africa. "We have already proven this in South Africa and in western Kenya but we want to see it in action and that is what this project is set out to do," said Dr Robert Mwanga, an expert on the crop. Sweet potato is the third most important food crop in production in seven East and Central African countries, with Uganda leading at 2.5 million tonnes annual production. It is an easy crop to grow as it requires less labour and can grow in marginal land and can withstand dry conditions. Yet the potential of the crop has remained largely untapped. The project is designed to improve food security and livelihoods of poor families by exploiting the untapped potential of the sweet potato, which includes its use in confectionery and animal feed. *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 7-TECHNOLOGY HOLDS ANSWER FOR ASIA'S FUTURE CHALLENGE *by Reaz Ahmad 11-November-2009 The Daily Star India importing rice for the first time in over two decades this year, Thailand and other rice producing and exporting countries in Asia are rethinking food security, as experts say further output growth has to come from technology rather than lands that have already become sparse. Given the scenario where the world's third largest rice exporting country India has gone to the international market for importing the staple to offset an expected production shortfall owing to the driest monsoon in four decades, Thailand last month announced an ambitious 50 billion US dollars stimulus package 'Strong Thailand', setting aside almost a quarter of the amount for boosting its agriculture by 2012. Top agriculture officials of Thailand, the world's number one rice exporting country, revealed the country's plan for securing food not only for the kingdom but also for other countries of the world, to a gathering of journalists from different countries of the Asia-Pacific region in Bangkok over the weekend. The media workshop was organised by Syngenta, a multinational also a world leader in the business of crop protection. The event was also attended by agricultural experts, industry leaders, host country officials, and representatives from the Philippines based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Apichart Jongsakul, secretary general of the Office of Agricultural Economics under the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, told the workshop that his government will pump in a huge amount of money over the next three years through the 'Strong Thailand' stimulus package to turn the kingdom into the 'Kitchen of the World'. Thailand has been the world's top rice exporting country since 1970 with its export volume hitting 10 million metric tons (MT) last year, accounting for over 33 percent of the year's total 29.6 million MT global rice trade. Referring to the moratorium that Thailand had slapped on large scale field trials of genetically modified rice, Apichart said biotechnology holds the key to the future growth potentials for crops including rice, and his country is now allowing breeders to experiment on biotech-derived crops under controlled greenhouse environment. Identifying diversion of crops for fuel production as one of the key factors behind food prices hitting all time high in 2008, Apichart informed the audience about the Thai government's policy of not expanding the acreage of cassava and sugarcane for fuel generation purposes, while increasing only the acreage of oil palm for it, using only otherwise fallow lands. A presentation made by Thai Rice Department's Deputy Director General Chairit Damrongkiat showed, India was the third largest exporter of rice last year behind Thailand and Vietnam, and exported 11.2 percent of the rice traded globally. Of the total global rice output of 445.6 million MT in 2008, India produced 99.1 million MT, second only to China that produced 134.3 million MT. But within a year, India is now depending on other rice growing Asian countries to offset its shortfall resulted from a delayed monsoon, a problem that Bangladesh also suffered this year. But thanks to the timely policy decision of providing farmers with free power to pump water to the aman fields, which saved Bangladesh from any substantial crop loss. The workshop took note of the Bangladesh situation, as the country is well poised with over a million metric ton of rice in stock. But participants pointed out, with an increasing population and dwindling land resources, maintaining food security in Bangladesh as well as in other parts of Asia-Pacific is very crucial. IRRI Media Relations Manager Sophie Clayton told the workshop, if rice producing countries want to keep pace with the rising number of rice consumers, the global rice output has to grow by 8 to 10 million MT per year. Noting that the world population is increasing by an astounding rate of 2,20,000 a day, Martin Gibson, stewardship director of CropLife Asia, showed data elucidating how per capita share of arable land is shrinking. Gibson said the world population was three billion in 1960 with each person having a share of 4.3 hectares of arable land, but as the population doubled by 2000 the per capita arable land share nosedived to 2.2 hectares, and by the most conservative projection it is likely to drop further to settle at only 1.8 hectares per person in 2020 when 7.5 billion people will inhabit the earth. CropLife Asia is the Asian chapter of CropLife International, the global federation of plant science industries operating in 90 countries. Syngenta's head of seed business for the Asia-Pacific region, Peter Pickering, and its country chief in Thailand, Parveen Kathuria, joined Gibson in the argument that the next big leap in rice output has to come from technology rather than from land resources. They laid emphasis on safe applications of agricultural biotechnology to ensure food security for an ever increasing global population. Andrew Guthrie, who looks after Syngenta's crop protection business in the Asia-Pacific region, talked to The Daily Star sharing some of his thoughts. Guthrie said the technology is available, but farmers' must be able to access it. He gave a recent example of how simple technologies help farmers enormously. "In Bangladesh we supplied farmers with 'pani pipes', a plastic pipe with holes, that they tuck half into paddy fields. This eventually helps them understand water needs of the crop at various stages, for example: plantation, vegetation, and flowering, helping to cut irrigation cost," he said. *------------------------------------------------------------ 8-GROUND-BREAKING MOMENTS IN GLOBAL AGRICULTURE *10-November-2009 Reuters India CHICAGO (Reuters) - Organized cultivation of food crops like wheat and barley began about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, what is now the Middle East. Great strides in agriculture have been made since through innovation, technology and genetics to help feed the world's growing population. Despite this, however, more than 1 billion people went hungry in 2009, 100 million more than last year. The increase is not a result of poor harvests, but due to high food prices, particularly in development nations, and lower incomes and lost jobs due to the economic downturn. Here are some landmark moments in world agriculture: * 1701 - Briton Jethro Tull invented the seed drill, an improved plough that was drawn by a horse. * 1798 - Thomas Malthus predicts impending famine as population growth outstrips food production. * 1831 - American Cyrus McCormick introduced his mechanical reaper, which was mass produced by 1847 in a Chicago factory. * 1863 - The U.S. Agriculture Department, which forecasts crop production for major countries across the globe, publishes its first monthly crop report. * 1866 - Austrian Gregor Mendel laid the foundation of modern genetics by showing traits pass from parents to offspring. * 1873 - American John Deere designed the first cast steel plough. * 1881 - First generation of hybrid corn to increase production created. * 1892 - First successful gasoline engine farm tractor built by American inventor John Froelich. * 1923 - Commercial hybrid seed corn developed by Henry Wallace, who in 1926 founded the Hi-Bred Corn Co (now Pioneer Hi-Bred International). * 1934 - Worst drought in U.S. history swept through the Great Plains and covered more than 75 percent of the country. * 1944 - Normal Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution to increase food production, joins Rockefeller Foundation. * 1945 - Beginning of the Green Revolution to increase food production through new cultivars, irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides and mechanization. * 1956 - Mexico becomes self-sufficient in wheat as a result of the Green Revolution. * 1960 - Philippines government, Ford and Rockefeller foundations establish the International Rice Research Institute in Manila. * 1968 - William Gaud, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development, coins the term Green Revolution. "These and other developments in the field of agriculture contain the makings of a new revolution. It is not a violent Red Revolution like that of the Soviets, nor is it a White Revolution like that of the Shah of Iran. I call it the Green Revolution." * 1970 - Borlaug is awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to world peace through increasing food supply. (Reporting by K.T. Arasu; Editing by Walter Bagley) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 . [image: Subscribe A Friend] [image: Subscribe A Friend] [image: ISAAA Celebrates the Life of its Founding Patron, Nobel Peace Laureate] *Brunei hosts annual board meeting of SEAsian center for agriculture * *Scientist achieves breakthrough on mango tissue culture * *---------------------------------------------------------* *Download available paper and/or presentation handouts of some notable speakers presented at SEARCA Agriculture and Development Series. CLICK HERE. * *---------------------------------------------------------* *AgriBiotech and Crop Protection Markets* *Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 16 - 17 November 2009* *6th International Rice Genetics Symposium* *Manila, Philippines 16 - 17 November 2009* *Philippines' National Biotechnology Week* *Manila, Philippines 24 - 29 November 2009* ** ** *SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center College 4031, Laguna, Philippines Tel +63 49 536 2290 ext 406/169 Fax +63 49 536 4105 E-mail: bic at searca.org* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Sat Nov 21 17:28:47 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:28:47 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] Latest news postings on biotechnology, 21 November 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 21 November 2009* *PHILIPPINES* 1-NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY WEEK 2009 TO SHOW LIFE ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATION 2-INTERNATIONAL OPINION SUPPORTS GMOS, ORGANICS COEXISTENCE 3-BISHOPS BACK ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE RICE RESEARCH *MALAYSIA* 4-PALM OIL BOARD ACHIEVES ANOTHER FIRST IN OIL PALM GENOMES DEVELOPMENT *AUSTRALIA* 5-AUSTRALIA TO HELP DEVELOP GM SUGAR CANE *GLOBAL* 6-GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) RICE AT IRRI 7-CAN GM RICE FILL THE WORLD'S SHORTFALL? *1-NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY WEEK 2009 TO SHOW LIFE ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATION* 17-November-2009 Philippines Department of Science and Technology Activities for this year?s celebration of the National Biotechnology Week would confirm that biotechnology is not only for scientists, policymakers, and farmers. Biotech, organizers assure, has something to offer to everyone. The annual event adopted the theme ?Bioteknolohiya para sa Kalikasan, Kalusugan. Kagandahan, Kabuhayan, at Kaunlaran,? which will be held November 22-29, 2009 at the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center in SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. It will highlight biotechnology breakthroughs in the country that are expected to attract strong interest from environmentalists, health enthusiasts, beauty buffs, entrepreneurs, decision makers, development advocates, and including activities for students and kids. Opening ceremonies is set Nov. 23 followed by a press conference, a forum on business opportunities, and national council meeting of the Biotechnology Information and Organization Network. Other activities during the week include (Nov. 24) BIONet National Congress, 2nd Malunggay Congress, and Scientific Forum, (Nov. 25) Biotech for Kids, Biotek Pangakabuhayan, DNA Forensic Workshop for Officers of PNP?s Women and Children?s Desk, and Techno-mart, (Nov. 26) Seminar on Genetically Modified Drought-Tolerant Crops, and Educational Forum for High School Students, (Nov. 27) National Biotech Conference for Teachers (Heritage Hotel, Pasay City), NIMBUS Scientific Conference and General Assembly 2009 and Techno-mart, (Nov. 28) Public Forum on Health (Newborn Screening and Vaccine) and Techno-mart, (Nov. 29) Public Forum on Biosafety, Public Forum on Avian and Swine Flu, and Techno-mart. All activities will be held at the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center at the SM MOA, except for the National Biotech Conference for Teachers that will be held at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City. NBW build-up activities are also set throughout the country from June to November such as seminars, workshops, trainings, exhibits, investors? forum, techno-demo, and educational fora. Meanwhile, DOST?s Philippine Science High School system will hold educational fora on November 6 in Iloilo and November 23 in Davao to improve the understanding of secondary school students, teachers, and the public on current advances, issues, applications, and career opportunities in biotechnology. Other important activities for November include the awarding of research fellowships in Nueva Ecija, and holding of the International Forum on Insect Resistance Management for GM (genetically modified) Crops. This year?s NBW is led by the Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, and Department of Trade and Industry. Participating non-government organizations include the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines, Biotechnology Information and Organization Network Pilipinas (BIONet), Biotechnology for Life Media and Advocacy Resource Center, and National Initiative for Multi-Disciplinary Bioinformatics Utilization Strategies. For more information on the 2009 NBW, please log on to http://nbw.stii.dost.gov.ph/ or call Dr. Virginia Novenario-Enriquez or Janet Polita of DOST?s Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development at (632) 837-2071 local 2102 or 2109. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-INTERNATIONAL OPINION SUPPORTS GMOS, ORGANICS COEXISTENCE* 19-November-2009 Visayan Daily Star Provincial board member Enrique Lacson yesterday said that the international view on commercial genetically-modified organisms tend to support the contention that GMO's and organic products can coexist, particularly in consumer markets. Lacson attended a recent GMO summit in Melbourne , Australia with Board Members Edgardo Acu?a and Nehemias de la Cruz. Lacson, who supports the proposed changes in the provincial GMO ban, said that speakers at the summit argued that the question on coexistence between GM products and organic produce is just a matter of ?market strategy.? While organic producers can command higher prices, they will have fewer outputs, Lacson said. At the conference, Lacson said one of the main drives concerning GMO's is the production of GM rice, particularly during a talk by a speaker from the International Rice Research Institute, which is based in Los Ba?os Laguna, in the country. Lacson said the IRRI's ?golden rice? breakthrough is a viewed as a possible solution to the country's situation, pointing out that the Philippines has been tagged as among the biggest rice importers for the last five years. In an Asian farmers exchange in August, scientists at the Philippine Rice Institute explained that ?golden rice?, named as such because of its yellow gold appearance resulting from its high beta carotene content, can also help address malnutrition concerns in the country. Debates on possible changes in the provincial GMO ban have toned down for the past months and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan had said that amendments in the law may take some time because legal issues need to be further discussed.*PP *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-BISHOPS BACK ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE RICE RESEARCH* 18-November-2009 Indian Catholic MANILA : The Philippine bishops' bioethics office says it supports efforts to develop new rice strains to solve a rice shortage in Asia as long as these do not harm the environment. Dominican Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi of Caceres told UCA News the Church will back the introduction of new rice strains if these will help feed over 1 billion malnourished Asians and Africans. He said the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines was initially against genetically modified organisms (GMO) when the technology was "not yet so well defined." The prelate noted "a gradual evolution" toward acceptance as it became apparent GMO offers food safety and security as well as environmental sustainability. "Church opposition (to GMO) is no longer as strong" after a seminar on "Transgenic Plants for Food Security in the Context of Development" held by the Pontifical Academy for Sciences in Rome May 15-19, the bishop said in an interview Nov. 17. The bishop's comments come as more than 700 scientists and agriculturalists discuss new rice strains at the 6th International Rice Genetics Symposium in Manila which runs from Nov. 16-19. New strains are being developed to produce 50 million tons of rice by 2015 with no change in land cultivation, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) director general Robert Zeigler said at the symposium's opening. The plight of over 1 billion people stricken with poverty, 70 percent of whom live in Asia and depend on rice as their staple food, is IRRI's "driving force for our research" the institute's head said. "As rice yields increase, the incidence of poverty decreases." The IRRI is the largest non-profit agricultural research center in Asia, with headquarters in the Philippines and offices in 14 countries. Its mission is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure rice production is environmentally sustainable. "The Catholic bishops' conference has never opposed IRRI programs because they are not considered harmful to the environment," Bishop Jose Rojas of Libmanan, another bioethics office member told UCA News. "GMO involves genetic engineering where you introduce one or more DNA directly into the plant," David Mackill, IRRI Program Director of the Genetic and Biotechnology Division, told UCA News at the symposium. He said IRRI does not conduct genetic engineering and works somewhat like farmers "who have been developing new crop varieties since the dawn of agriculture, but this time using new technology." *------------------------------------------------------------* *MALAYSIA 4-PALM OIL BOARD ACHIEVES ANOTHER FIRST IN OIL PALM GENOMES DEVELOPMENT *By Hanim Adnan 16-November-2009 The Star AFTER a long tedious process to secure funds and the right international genome expert partners, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) can now boast of being the first in the world to succeed in sequencing three oil palm genomes from two oil palm species, E.oleifera and E.guineensis. MPOB unit Advanced Biotechnology Breeding Centre (ABBC) and its consortium partners have sequenced, assembled and annotated to a certain extent, the three oil palm genomes with 68 times coverage for combined sequences and almost 94% completeness. The consortium members include US-based Orion Genomics, South Korea-based Macrogen Inc, MOgene LC and the Genome Centre at Washington University, and Australia-based GeneWorks Pty Ltd. (Genome is the scientific term for the blueprint, or set of chromosomes that contains the genetic make-up and associated DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) which form all living things or organisms) A source close to the industry told StarBiz that MPOB ?three? genomes sequencing project was more detailed and indepth compared with Sime Darby Bhd?s ?single? genome sequencing project which has 30 times coverage and 93.8% completeness announced in May. Having said that, the genome sequencing projects undertaken by both private companies and MPOB, the custodian of the oil palm industry, was seen as the right steps towards achieving the Government?s target of higher fresh fruit bunches (FFB) yield at 35 tonnes per hectare (ha) per year and oil extraction rate (OER) of 25% per ha per year by 2020. The Government is highly concerned with the national average oil palm yields that have been stagnant for the past two decades at four tonnes per ha annually. According to MPOB director-general Datuk Mohd Basri Wahid, some RM100mil investment was allocated for the genome sequencing project that provides a comprehensive DNA genetic blueprint of the two palm oil species. ?Having access to the genome information will speed up researchers? quest to boost the existing oil palm yields efficiency and add value to the oil characteristics for the production of food, animal feed and biofuel,? he said. Basri said the MPOB genome sequencing initiative had generated the most comprehensive genetic and transcriptional maps to date of the important crop. MPOB and its partners would also be introducing the second genetic code of the oil palm genomes, which is associated with ?the silencing? of the genes by the middle of 2010, he added. (First genetic code is the existing DNA information on the palm tree. Second genetic is anything that is due to changes in DNA due to environmental factors such as tissue culture process, etc.) The silencing of the genes would enable the production of new ?targets? for oil palm tree. Meanwhile, Dr Mohd Arif Manaf, one of the MPOB ABBC scientists told StarBiz that it was paramount for the genome project to target the improvement in oil palm quality in terms of yields, resistance to diseases and pests, tissue culture amenity traits among others. In fact, he said there was an agreement between MPOB and its consortium partners to ensure that the level of MPOB genome sequencing project should be on par with the genome sequencing technologies of its partners. In addition to the sequencing and assembling the genomes of the three palm varieties, the consortium sequenced the express genes (transcriptome) from multiple tissue types. ?The transcriptome sequence will aid oil palm researchers as they seek to understand the genes responsible for yield, disease resistance and resistance to environmental stress,? Arif said. Oil palm plantations on average produce 3.9 tonnes of oil per ha per year, nearly 10 times more than other productive oil bearing crops like soybean, rapeseed and sunflower. *------------------------------------------------------------* *AUSTRALIA 5-AUSTRALIA TO HELP DEVELOP GM SUGAR CANE *12-November-2009 ABC Rural Australia's sugar industry has just struck a deal to develop the world's first fully commercialised genetically modified sugar cane varieties. A joint venture company between sugar research body BSES and international crop protection giant DuPont aims to have GM cane in the ground in Australia by 2016. The move is a clear indicator the local industry is desperate to maintain its competitiveness in a sugar world dominated by Brazil. The deal will give Australian cane growers and millers access to DuPont's GM technology and experience in approving and commercialising GM crops, while DuPont gets to sell the rights worldwide. The new varieties are expected to cost 55 cents per tonne at the farm, and there are already grumbles as to how that cost will be shared between growers and millers. There are also concerns about consumer resistance to the sugar that comes from GM cane. *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 6-GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) RICE AT IRRI *20-November-2009 IRRI Currently no varieties of genetically modified (GM) rice are grown commercially in the world, although several have been approved for commercialization. Many organizations around the world, including the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), are using genetic modification as a research tool and in developing potential GM rice varieties. *IRRI?s guiding principles in researching GM rice* The International Rice Research Institute believes that genetic modification and genetically modified rice have the potential to safely deliver unique benefits to rice farmers and consumers that cannot be achieved through other breeding methods. Many technologies and rice breeding techniques are needed to develop and deliver solutions to meet the challenges of food security, poverty, climate change, and resource availability that rice producers and consumers face. IRRI believes that responsible and ethical research and development of GM rice present another opportunity that should be explored to help meet these challenges. IRRI conducts GM rice research where it helps us achieve our aims to ? reduce poverty and hunger; ? improve the health of rice farmers and consumers; and ? ensure that rice production is environmentally sustainable. In undertaking our GM rice research, we ? Adhere to the national biosafety regulations pertaining to GM plants of the country within which we are operating, comply with all relevant international biosafety regulations, and uphold our own high internal biosafety standards. ? Commit to researching both the advantages and disadvantages of any GM rice that we are developing, or GM rice research we are engaged in. ? Ensure our GM rice research is scientifically rigorous and independently assessed. ? Are open and transparent about the GM rice research we are doing, communicate our scientific findings accurately, and provide only scientifically sound information and advice on GM rice. ? Recognize the diversity of opinion about GM rice and that concerns exist about its development and use. ? Consult with and seek input from the people, communities, industries, and governments that have an interest in our GM rice research and use their views and ideas to help guide our GM rice research and development. ? Respect intellectual property rights and ensure our research is lawful. *GM rice research at IRRI* Since the dawn of agriculture, farmers have been developing new crop varieties. By selecting the best performing rice plants and using them to breed new rice varieties, rice farmers, and more recently rice breeders, have been changing the genetic composition of rice to generate new and improved rice varieties for thousands of years. Breeding methods have been continually evolving, becoming more sophisticated and accurate at incorporating useful genes and traits into new crop varieties. Genetic modification is a modern breeding method that is used at IRRI to investigate and understand the diversity and function of rice genes and to develop and deliver GM rice varieties. *GENETIC MODIFICATION TO UNDERSTAND GENE FUNCTION* Genetic modification is a valuable research tool that helps rice breeders understand gene function and identify genes of interest. IRRI has discovered regions of DNA that help rice ? tolerate early submergence, drought, heat, and salinity; ? resist tungro, bacterial leaf blight, and blast disease; and ? improve phosphorus-use efficiency. IRRI is using genetic modification to help identify specific genes within these DNA regions that are responsible for these traits. Once specific genes associated with beneficial traits are identified, they can be more efficiently transferred into new rice varieties using other breeding methods. Using genetic modification in this way can improve the accuracy of identifying genes of interest and speed up the breeding process, even though the end-product is not GM rice. This approach has been successfully used to identify submergence tolerance genes. As a result, IRRI has recently released submergence-tolerant rice ? non-GM rice that can tolerate and produce good yields after two weeks under water, conditions that would decimate most other rice. *GENETIC MODIFICATION TO DEVELOP GM RICE* Genetic modification is also used to actually develop GM rice. It greatly increases the accuracy of incorporating only the gene of interest, and its associated trait, into a new rice variety. Unlike conventional breeding, it can entirely prevent the inclusion of unwanted genes and associated traits. Beyond this, the unique power of GM lies in its ability to incorporate novel genes with useful traits for rice, including genes from plants and organisms unrelated to rice, into new rice varieties that cannot be achieved using other breeding methods. This is possible because all genetic information is stored in DNA ? which is the common building block of all plants and animals. IRRI has not developed any GM rice varieties yet. However, we are researching the development and delivery of GM rice with improved ? drought, heat, and salinity tolerance; ? photosynthetic capacity to increase yield and enable it to become more efficient in using water and nitrogen fertilizer (C4 rice); and ? nutritional value of the grain, including higher pro-vitamin A, improved protein quality, and higher iron. *Other breeding techniques* *MARKER-ASSISTED BREEDING* Marker-assisted breeding is a breeding technique that also helps to more accurately breed new rice varieties and to do so in a shorter time frame. In marker-assisted breeding, a gene or group of genes responsible for a favorable trait is identified using a DNA marker to "flag" its location. As in conventional breeding, two parent plants are still crossed, but this time scientists can do a quick DNA test on the progeny to see if the marker is present in the new plant. If it is, then the desired gene and its associated trait have been successfully passed on to the new generation. Plants not carrying the marker do not carry the gene of interest and are dropped, simplifying the job of the plant breeder. Marker-assisted breeding can also be used to minimize the number of unwanted genes in the new variety by ensuring that only the markers associated with the gene of interest are transferred. Marker-assisted breeding is being increasingly and successfully employed at IRRI to develop new rice varieties. IRRI?s recently released submergence-tolerance rice is also an example of a rice variety developed using marker-assisted breeding. *------------------------------------------------------------* *7-CAN GM RICE FILL THE WORLD'S SHORTFALL?* By Matt Cawood 17-November-2009 Stock & Land Genetically modified (GM) crops are not the only answer to Asia?s looming food deficit, but multinational crop technology company Syngenta argues that they must be part of the mix. Syngenta made the case for GM technology to journalists in Bangkok two weeks ago, as part of a broader effort to open Asian government doors that have so far remained closed to genetically modified food crops. Among the Asian nations, only India and China and The Philippines have embraced the technology, with India planting around 7.6 million hectares of cotton in 2009. The Philippines is the only Asian country to date to introduce a GM grain crop, planting about 400,000ha of maize in 2008. Syngenta believes it is time for the barriers against GM to come down, so that biotechnology companies can confidently invest in GM research ahead of the looming food crisis. ?Given the projected increase in population and with less land and water available, we will need all available agricultural technologies, including biotechnology, to meet the current and projected global demand for food, feed, fiber, and biofuels,? said Peter Pickering, Syngenta?s head of seeds for the Asia Pacific. ?GM is not the only solution, but it is an extremely powerful one.? In Asia, the urgency to grow more food from less land and water makes it likely that GM rice will be eventually grown on a broad scale. The influential International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has thrown its weight behind the GM rice push, running its own GM research programs and collaborations with private companies. IRRI expects that the first GM rice, the famous ?Golden Rice? engineered to synthesise Vitamin A, could be grown in Bangladesh and the Philippines by 2012. Vitamin A deficiency is reported to affect about 124 million people in Africa and Asia. It is estimated to cause about one million deaths a year and 500,000 cases of blindness. Golden Rice carries genes from the daffodil and a soil bacteria which allow it to synthesise beta-carotene, an inactive organic form of Vitamin A. Rice can synthesise beta-carotene in its leaves, but the modification carries that ability through to the rice grain. Syngenta donated several of its patented technologies to the Golden Rice project for humanitarian purposes, with other biotech companies also making contributions?gestures that have done little to mollify Greenpeace?s concerns that Golden Rice is a Trojan Horse being used to soften resistance to GM. Outside Golden Rice, production traits like water and nitrogen use efficiency, and tolerance to salinity and flooding, are early targets of GM rice research. Syngenta is not working on specific rice products, Mr Pickering said, but rather on understanding general traits that protect plants from stress. ?Our early stage research into drought resistance may result in traits that could be utilised in rice,? he said. ?Syngenta also has input trait technology such as herbicide and insect resistance which could also be incorporated.? Improving yield, an all-important outcome if the goal of ?more from less? is to be met, is in Mr Pickering?s analysis not simply about increasing grain number or volume but helping the seed to ?deliver its genetic potential?. ?We believe that global rice yields could be increased from the current average of around four tonnes per hectare to around six tonnes/ha, using existing technology,? Mr Pickering said. At Syngenta?s Philippines research facility, yields have sometimes reached four times the global average using existing technology and management. ?This emphasises the point that the key to improving productivity lies in the adoption of existing and new technology, and that biotechnology forms just one part of the complete farmer toolbox.? IRRI Media Relations manager Sophie Clayton told the Bangkok media workshop that transforming rice from a relatively inefficient C3 plant to a more water efficient, nitrogen efficient C4 plants is also on the IRRI research agenda. Meanwhile, there are other low-hanging fruit in the quest to deliver an extra 8-10 million tonnes of rice to Asia each year, Ms Clayton said. Post-harvest losses from inefficient threshing, storage and milling currently accounts for up to 25 per cent physical losses between farm and rice consumer?offering a substantial boost to Asia?s food supply if those losses can be recaptured. ** Matthew Cawood was a guest of Syngenta in Bangkok. * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 . 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CLICK HERE. * *---------------------------------------------------------* *Philippines' National Biotechnology Week* *Manila, Philippines 23 - 29 November 2009* *7th Pacific Rim Conference on the Biotechnology of Bacillus thuringiensis and its Environmental Impact* *NASC Complex, DPS Marg, New Delhi-110 012, India 25 - 28 November 2009* ** ** *SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center College 4031, Laguna, Philippines Tel +63 49 536 2290 ext 406/169 Fax +63 49 536 4105 E-mail: bic at searca.org* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From searcabic at gmail.com Sun Nov 22 17:56:03 2009 From: searcabic at gmail.com (SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:56:03 +0800 Subject: [searcabic] ANNOUNCEMENT: 5th National Biotechnology Week, 23 - 29 November 2009 Message-ID: Right click any image to view this page properly. 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If this e-mail does not appear as a web page, please click here. *Posted 30 November 2009* *PHILIPPINES* 1-COCONUT SEED FARMS EYED FOR SYNTHETIC VARIETY 2-DA URGES CLOSER TIES WITH PRIVATE SECTOR 3-DA EXECS TARGET COTTON COMMERCIALIZATION BY 2012 4-IMPORTATION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED RICE VARIETY OK'D *CHINA* 5-TOP RICE PRODUCER CHINA APPROVES GMO STRAIN *PAKISTAN* 6-2 BT COTTON VARIETIES TO BE AVAILABLE FOR KHARIF SEASON *GLOBAL* 7-GENETIC RESEARCH KEY TO SOLVING RICE SUPPLY PROBLEMS *1-COCONUT SEED FARMS EYED FOR SYNTHETIC VARIETY* 29-November-2009 Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines?The Department of Agriculture through the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is eyeing the establishment of more coconut seed farms in strategic coconut-growing areas for its latest hybrid, the Orgullo Tall SV San Ramon Coconut Variety. Otherwise known as the synthetic coconut variety, this superior coconut breed developed by scientists at the Philippine Coconut Authority -Zamboanga Research Center is a high-yielding coconut variety recognized as the first in the world, said Ramon L. Rivera, head of the PCA-Zamboanga Research Center. Rivera presented the business prospects for technology transfer during an investor?s forum at the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City last week as part of the 5th National Biotechnology Week celebrations. Dubbed as OK ang Kabuhayan Sa Biotech!, the forum aims to commercialize products of agricultural biotechnology through public-private partnership, said Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO) outgoing director Alicia Ilaga. She said through technology transfer, the DA-PCA and her office aims to encourage investors to help put up coconut seed farms all over the country to meet the expected increase in the demand for coconut both here and abroad. ?With the increasing demand for coconut because of the biofuels law, the prospects for putting up coconut seed farms are bright,? she said. According to Rivera, the product, the first in the country and recognized as the first in the world, has a yield potential of 7,730 to 20,540 nuts per hectare or equivalent to 3.2 to 6.7 tons of copra per hectare. He said the synthetic coconut variety produces 60 to 150 nuts per tree, a 50- to 260-percent more than the current average of 43. ?Unlike the hybrid palms, second generation SV San Ramon nuts can be replanted and assured to bear fruits even more. This pioneering genetically enhanced coconut variety combines high yield precocity, vigor, and durable genetic stability from generation to generation. This characteristic of the SV San Ramon fits the farmers? unique tradition of planting seeds from any high-yielding tree for successive cropping,? he said. According to the DFA-BPO, coconut production constitutes one of the four major sectors of Philippine agriculture, the others being rice, corn, and sugar. Coconut is planted in 3.258 million hectares, which accounts for 27 percent of the total agricultural lands. About one-third of the Philippine population depends mainly on coconut production for its livelihood. Sixty-eight (68) of the 79 provinces in the country are in the coconut regions, producing an average of 14 billion nuts annually. In terms of export earnings, coconut is rated as an $800-million industry. These facts could only underscore the coconut industry to obviously be of crucial importance to the country, Rivera stressed. ?A 50-hectare farm requires an estimated initial investment of P12 million. Financial projections showed that this investment could generate an IRR of 38 percent, with payback period of 10 years,? he said. Meanwhile, individual farmer-investors who would like to develop a one-hectare of Syn Var monocrop, needs an estimated amount of P65,000. This amount excludes the cost of lot for development. In a 25-year projected production period, an IRR of 30 percent and a payback period of 11 years could be achieved, he said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *2-DA URGES CLOSER TIES WITH PRIVATE SECTOR* by Marvyn N. Benaning 25-November-2009 Manila Bulletin The Department of Agriculture (DA) has urged local investors to commercialize viable agricultural biotechnology products. DA officials told participants of an investment forum Tuesday that a high-yielding hybrid abaca resistant to the dreaded bunchy-top virus and with good fiber quality is just of many agri-biotech products that are ready for commercial production. The high-yielding, bunchy top virus-resistant hybrid abaca was developed by the Crop Science Cluster-Institute of Plant Breeding at the University of the Philippines at Los Ba?os (UPLB-IPB). Funded by the DA, the technology addresses bunchy-top virus, a major disease which accounts for up to 77 percent yield loss in abaca. The technology assures up to 300 percent increase in fiber yield from the current 600 kilos per hectare. It also needs less pesticide. Another publicly-funded agri-biotech product, the Macapuno Embryo Culture Technology, offers investors a simpler, faster and low-cost embryo culture production technology. Dubbed "Ok ang Kabuhayan sa Biotech!," the forum was one of the highlights of the 2009 National Biotechnology Week celebrations held at the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center of the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Aside from the virus-resistant abaca and macapuno, technology developers also offered investment in the commercial cultivation and production of the the first-of-its-kind synthetic coconut variety, called San Ramon synthetic coconut variety. Developed by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the PCA SYN VAR 001 was recognized as the first in the world. The Orgullo Tall - SV Ramon technology is being eyed as a key strategy in the mass propagation of improved planting materials for the National Coconut Planting and Replanting Program through partnership with the private sector. Another product is the PCA Macapuno Embryo Culture Technology, which ensures low-cost embryo culture production technology to make true-to-type macapuno. Through the technology, the usual production cycle of 13 months is reduced by three months. The streamlined process also cuts down production costs, resulting in more affordable seedlings. PCA has also developed a mechanism for the control of Brontispa. The technology involves the use of disease-causing fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, to control of the coconut leaf beetle, Brontispa longissima, in young coconut palms. The technology will be used for Brontispa control in coconut nurseries, when seedlings can be infested and suffer poor plant growth and even death. Biotech tools such as tissue and embryo culture as well as molecular markers were utilized in the development of these technologies, DA said. "These publicly-generated technologies are now promoted for commercial adoption. As an intervention, the DA Biotech Program intends to support in bridging the gap towards full technology commercialization through the conduct of an investor's forum," DA added. *------------------------------------------------------------* *3-DA EXECS TARGET COTTON COMMERCIALIZATION BY 2012 * by Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter 24-November-2009 Business Mirror THE Philippines has started the actual trial of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton from India and is eyeing the commercial propagation of the produce in 2012, according to Department of Agriculture (DA) officials. Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano disclosed that the Cotton Development Administration (CDA) has started planting transgenic-hybrid cotton in one of its screen houses at the agency?s cotton farm located in Batac City, Ilocos Norte recently. The planting in screen houses is the first step in testing the viability of Bt cotton in the Philippines. The Bt cotton being tested by CDA was supplied by Indian firm Nath Biogene (India) Ltd. ?Testing the Bt cotton seeds from [Nath Biogene] could take us three seasons or around three years. It?s possible that the commercial propagation [would happen] in 2012,? said Edison Ri?en, a director of the CDA. After the greenhouse trial, which would test the resistance of Bt cotton seeds from a pest called cotton bollworm, the CDA would proceed with the field testing. Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera Hubn.) is the most significant pest of cotton. Alicia Ilaga, director of the DA Biotechnology Program Office, noted that bollworm infestation of cotton plantations in the Philippines has severely affected the local cotton industry. ?Our biotech solution to this problem is the introduction of a superior variety that resists pests,? said Ilaga in a statement. Under the strict supervision of the Biosafety Committee of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Bureau of Plant Industry-Quarantine Service, together with CDA Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), six commercial transgenic cotton varieties imported from Nath Biogene were planted side by side with three locally developed commercial non-Bt cotton varieties. Specifically, the contained experiment will evaluate the efficacy of the six Indian transgenic-hybrid cotton varieties that contains the China-developed fused Bt genes in controlling bollworm under local environments. Limited field trials will be conducted in CDA?s experiment stations and select farms in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao within the next one or two cotton seasons. Ilaga noted that the transgenic-hybrid cotton, or Bt cotton, in the trial contains the fused Bt-genes cry 1Ab/cry 1Ac that provides the plant a high degree of protection against cotton bollworm. In Asia, Bt cotton is already planted largely in China and India. CDA noted that there is only one cropping season for cotton in the Philippines. The produce is usually planted in June and July and harvested during the summer months. It took a while before the Philippines was able to start the testing of Bt cotton. In 2005 the DA inked a memorandum of agreement with Chinese firm BioCentury Transgene Co. (China) Ltd. to conduct Bt cotton testing in the Philippines. The CDA noted that the project was stalled by regulatory procedures in China. The Philippines imports an average of 40,000 metric tons (MT) of lint valued at P3 billion. The DA noted that around 97 percent is imported from the United States. Apart from displacing the imports, the Philippines hopes to replicate the success of India, not just in the commercial propagation of Bt cotton, but also in the export of the genetically modified product. *------------------------------------------------------------* *4-IMPORTATION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED RICE VARIETY OK'D* by Edu Punay 23-November-2009 The Philippine STAR MANILA, Philippines ? The Court of Appeals (CA) has given the government clearance to allow the importation of Liberty Link Rice 62 (LLRice62), an allegedly genetically modified rice variety. The fourth division of the appellate court reversed the temporary restraining order issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) prohibiting the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) from allowing Bayer Crop Science Inc. to import the rice variety for food, feeds and processing. In a 21-page decision penned by Associate Justice Vicente Veloso, the CA granted the consolidated petitions filed by BPI and Bayer seeking the nullification of the Sept. 18, 2007 order issued by Judge Evangeline Castillo-Marigomen, of Quezon City RTC Branch 101. The CA ruled that the trial court erred in ruling that LLRice62 is dangerous to health and the environment. The court said such findings would have to be verified by the proper agencies. It said the trial court ?merely parroted? the allegations of the petitioner, environmental group Greenpeace, when it issued the injunction. ?Nowhere in the assailed order did the trial court point out or elaborate on the alluded ?sampling of petitioners? evidence.? ?This Court is therefore is constrained to remind the court below that an injunction, being a limitation upon the freedom of action of the defendant should not be granted lightly or precipitately. It should be granted only when there is enough basis to conclude that the law permits it and the emergency demands it,? the CA said. Associate Justices Andres B. Reyes Jr. and Marlene Gonzales-Sison concurred in the decision. Greenpeance had filed a petition for preliminary injunction before the RTC to prevent the DA and the BPI from granting the application of Bayer to import LLRice62, which is allegedly genetically modified to withstand high doses of glufosinate, an herbicide sprayed on rice fields to kill a wide range of weeds. Greenpeace, led by Von Hernandez, said consumption and use of the rice variety is dangerous to health and the environment. The appellate court said the environment group failed to present evidence of their claim. ?Verily, Von Hernandez, et al have failed to prove any right to entitle them to the issuance of a writ of injunction.? The CA also did not give credence to the group?s claim that their right to information was violated because BPI and DA refused to give them information about Bayer?s application. The appellate court noted that the petitioners admitted being able to submit a letter opposing Bayer?s application, and receiving a response from the DA informing it that Bayer?s application ?is still under process.? ?Since, however, the private respondents were able to register their opposition and elicit some information from BPI and DA, we therefore see no merit in their argument that they are being denied or are threatened to be denied adequate ?participatory? processes or that their right to information has been impaired or is threatened of being impaired,? the CA said. *------------------------------------------------------------* *CHINA 5-TOP RICE PRODUCER CHINA APPROVES GMO STRAIN *by Niu Shuping and Tom Miles 27-November-2009 Reuters BEIJING - China has approved its first strain of genetically modified rice for commercial production, two scientists involved in the approval process told Reuters on Friday, potentially easing the way for other major producers to adopt the controversial technology. The approval of the locally-developed rice, as well as China's first GMO corn, shifts the global balance of power in food trade and could prompt other countries to follow suit, experts said. It will also enable China, the world's top producer and consumer of rice, to grow more of its staple food amid shrinking land and water resources. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture's Biosafety Committee issued biosafety certificates to pest-resistant Bt rice, two committee members told Reuters on Friday, with large-scale production to start in 2-3 years. "We expect that with the Chinese approval of Bt rice it will be much easier for other countries to do this," said Robert Zeigler, director general at the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute, which is developing a number of GMO strains of rice. But Greenpeace called the move a "dangerous genetic experiment" and said it had previously exposed illegal cases of genetically engineered (GE) rice in China. "If the Ministry of Agriculture cannot even control the illegal cultivation of GE rice, how can they manage the risks of large scale cultivation?" Lorena Luo, Greenpeace's food and agriculture campaigner in China, asked in an emailed statement. China, which wants to raise grain production 8 percent to 540 million tons a year by 2020, has splashed out on GMO research, with $3.5 billion going on rice, corn and wheat. The phytase corn was also locally developed by China's Academy of Agricultural Science and Nadaq-listed Origin Agritech Ltd (SEED.O), which has seen its share price double since shareholders were notified of the approval on Saturday. Phytase corn will help pigs digest more phosphorus, enhancing growth and reducing pollution from animal waste and fertilizer runoff. The rice and corn strains are China's first GMO grains approved for commercial production, although it already permits GMO papaya, cotton and tomatoes. The strains still need to undergo registration and production trials before commercial production can begin in restricted areas, which may take 2-3 years, the scientists said. The scientists declined to be identified as the government has not officially published the information. Officials at the Agricultural Ministry's biosafety office declined to comment. "According to our sources, our information is yes, there was a meeting of the Biosafety Committe on GE rice and corn and the meeting has granted certification," said Greenpeace's Luo. China is the world's top producer of rice, growing 60 million tons in the 12 months to October, but it exports only around 50,000 tons a month as most is consumed domestically. "China is trying to ensure food security for its people and it will show a direction to many countries, such as India, that this is one of the ways of increasing productivity and ensuring adequate food supplies," said one Singapore-based rice trader with an international trading company. Exports of GMO rice would be likely to face tough scrutiny abroad. Most of China's rice exports go to South Korea and West Africa, although there are buyers globally, including the United States, South America and Europe. China exports much more rice in prepared food, such as rice pasta or baby food. The European Union's executive body, the European Commission, said in July that China needed to tighten export controls on rice products because shipments might contain traces of the Bt-63 strain, which is not authorized in the European Union. While China is not yet growing GMO rice commercially, there are numerous field trials going on around the country. Bt rice, developed by Huazhong Agricultural University, would help reduce the use of pesticide by 80 percent while raising yields by as much as 8 percent, said Huang Jikun, the chief scientist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "We believe more genetically-modified technology will be used in agriculture production in future to increase production and reduce inputs," said Huang. The IRRI's Zeigler said India and Iran were also developing Bt rice and the Philippines could approve the IRRI-developed Vitamin A-enriched GM Golden Rice by late 2011 or early 2012. The advent of commercial GMO production in China could affect global prices for rice, which rocketed in early 2008, sparking fears that the bedrock of Asian cuisine might be in short supply. "This news signals that there will be no fear of food shortage as we can produce as much as we want and China itself will not have to import any more," said Kiattisak Kanlayasirivat of Thailand's Novel Agritrade Co Ltd. "Prices of white rice would get back to $200-$300 per ton again and supply should rise significantly," he said. Benchmark 100 percent B grade white rice in Thailand, the world's top exporter and supplier of almost all of China's imports, was quoted at $565 per ton this week. But lower prices could also slow the spread of GMO rice. "Suppose rice prices remain low in the next few years, countries will be reluctant to take in technology if they have some concerns about it," said Samarendu Mohanty, a senior economist at IRRI. "If rice prices remain high, then countries will be more willing to consider Bt or any other technology to boost production," he said. "So the market has a role to play." *------------------------------------------------------------* *PAKISTAN 6-2 BT COTTON VARIETIES TO BE AVAILABLE FOR KHARIF SEASON *by Ijaz Kakakhel 26-November-2009 Daily Times ** Pakistan achieves status of GMOs country* ISLAMABAD: For the first time the Ministry of Environment has given Pakistan the official status of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) country after it developed two varieties of indigenous genetically-modified Bt (bacillus thuringiensis) cotton, official sources told Daily Times on Wednesday. The National Bio-Safety Committee, Pakistan Environment Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment in its seventh meeting approved two varieties of Bt cotton. These varieties containing traits of insect resistance had been developed after several years of thorough research by Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), sources maintained. The sources said that the Supreme Technical Body of Ministry of Environment designated National Bio-Safety Committee granted the commercial release of first GMO in Pakistan in a meeting held a few days ago. The two approved varieties were, CEMB-01, which contained single gene, while CEMB-02 contains double Bt genes, which gave excellent protection against lepidopteran insects. These varieties would be available during the next cultivation season, Kharif 2010 after approval from the Punjab Seed Council, whose meeting is scheduled in February 2010, the sources said. The two varieties cleared bioenvironmental safety standards of the Ministry of Environment and were recommended by the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) after two years of adoptability testing. Seeds of these two varieties were under multiplication for distribution in the coming Kharif season. According to sources, a total of 10 Bt cotton varieties including the approved two varieties might be commercialised in the country after getting authorisation from the Punjab Seed Council. The cotton growers appreciated the release of these two varieties after fulfilling all the necessary requirements of bio-safety testing and yields? trials. European and some other countries might respond over this development because they were against pro-GMO varieties. They usually got certificate from exporting countries of non-GMO agricultural products including rice, Pakistan main exportable items. These countries also demanded non-GMO certificate for different yields or crops, the sources maintained. At present about 44 varieties of Bt cotton are already under cultivation without approval by any government departments. According to a report prepared by the Punjab, all these unapproved Bt cotton varieties were sub-standards with respect to Bt toxin produced by the plants, which might result in the development of resistance in the insects and pests attacking the crops. The Bio-Safety Committee of the Ministry of Environment also stressed for strict enforcement of environmental protection laws, Cotton Control Ordinance and Seed Acts and rules for the sack of controlled release and monitoring of these varieties according to the scientific protocol and guideline. *------------------------------------------------------------* *GLOBAL 7-GENETIC RESEARCH KEY TO SOLVING RICE SUPPLY PROBLEMS *by Prime Sarmiento (Xinhua) 25-November-2009 Manila Times MANILA: Unlocking the genetic diversity of rice is one of the key factors that can help increase production and stabilize the supply of one of the world?s most important food crops. About 700 of the world?s foremost rice scientists gathered here recently to participate in the sixth International Rice Genetics Symposium organized by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to share and discuss latest research on sequencing the genomes of various types of rice including wild rice, heirloom and modern varieties. But more than a venue to share new information, participants in the weeklong conference also aimed to provide solutions to some problems affecting rice cultivation. ?The solution to the future problem of rice agriculture partly involves genetics,? David Makill, IRRI?s program leader and plant breeder, said in an interview with Xinhua. Makill said that by having more genetic information, plant breeders can develop more rice varieties that can withstand drought and floods, are more resistant to pests, and have higher yields despite limited water supply and land. ?The research done by scientists can provide the basic information needed to address these problems,? he said. Robert Zeigler, director general of the IRRI, noted that genetic research led to the development of high yielding varieties which helped in stabilizing food prices, lower hunger incidence and kept natural ecosystems from being converted into farmlands. Thailand?s experience Thailand, the world?s biggest rice exporter and a major rice- consuming nation, can attest to the benefits of such research. In her keynote speech delivered during the symposium, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand said genetic research helped scientists and farmers in developing and cultivating high yielding varieties and rice crops which are pest resistant and can survive massive flooding. This improved farmers? incomes and secured Thailand?s place in the global rice market. Rice is a staple in most of Asia. The world?s biggest continent has a per capita rice consumption of 85 kilograms and also accounts for about 90 percent of the over 600 million tons of paddy rice produced worldwide. Other parts of Africa and south Americas are also heavy rice consumers and major rice producers. Such is the importance of rice in most countries that last year ?s global rice shortage fueled food riots and heated inflation levels in several economies. The 2008 crisis also showed that increasing population and urbanization reduced farmlands and slashed rice production problems that will persist in the next few years. Climate-change threat Climate change?which is now causing erratic weather patterns also threatens rice production. This is why scientists say, it?s important to develop new rice varieties by using the information acquired from studying genetic diversity. ?All rice types need to be sequenced to capture the entire genetic diversity of rice. Rapidly progressing technologies have made this a realistic goal?achievable within a few years,? Zeigler said in a speech delivered during the symposium. ?These genes and their associated traits can then be bred into new rice varieties better able to cope with difficult growing conditions and with the capacity for higher yields,? he added. ?Participating in this symposium will help us in developing rice varieties of the future,? said Frisco Malabanan, chief of the Philippine agriculture department?s rice productivity program. For Malabanan, the thrust is for the Philippines, the world?s largest rice importer, to become self sufficient and developing (and planting) high-yielding varieties may be the means to achieve this end. Thai Princess Maha Chakri agrees. In her speech delivered during the symposium, she encouraged the participants to ?take care of rice genetic diversity around the world to secure the existence of rice on earth.? ?Because of the available diverse genetic sources, scientists and breeders continue to develop and improve new varieties leading towards variations and quality excellence,? she said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 . 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