August 15, 2007
The first all-African genetically
modified crop plant with resistance to the severe maize streak
virus (MSV), which seriously reduces the continent’s maize
yield, has been developed by scientists from the
University of Cape Town and
Pannar Pty. Ltd., a South
African seed company. The research, published in Plant
Biotechnology Journal represents a significant advance in
African agricultural biotechnology, and will play an important
role in alleviating Africa’s food shortages and famine.
Dr Dionne Shepherd, lead researcher explains, “MSV is
transmitted to maize by small insects called leafhoppers. The
disease is therefore a result of a complex interplay between the
plant, the virus and insect. Factors that can influence the
severity of the disease include the age at which the plant is
infected (the younger the plant, the more severe the infection),
the maize variety (some are more susceptible than others), and
environmental conditions.
“We have created an MSV-resistant maize variety by genetic
engineering, using an approach known as pathogen-derived
resistance. This means that a gene from the viral pathogen is
used to protect the plant from that pathogen. We mutated a viral
gene that under normal circumstances produces a protein that is
essential for the virus to replicate itself and inserted it into
the maize plant’s genome, creating genetically modified maize.
When the virus infects one of these transgenic maize plants, it
displays a significant delay in symptom development, a decrease
in symptom severity and higher survival rates than
non-transgenic plants.”
The next stage of the research involves field trials to ensure
that the transformed crop is digestible, that the protein is not
an allergen and that it will be ecologically friendly to other
organisms within the environment. Following the results of these
trials, the crop will be monitored over a number of growing
seasons before it is made accessible to local farmers.
Plant Biotechnology
Journal is an international journal published in association
with the Society for Experimental Biology and the Association of
Applied Biologists.
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