By Rudy A Fernandez
The Philippine Star via
Checkbiotech.org
Within three years, a genetically modified organism (GMO)
peanut will be commercialized in groundnut-producing countries.
The transgenic peanut variety has been developed by the
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT).
India-based ICRISAT is headed by Dr. William D. Dar, former
DA Acting Secretary and the first director of the DA-Bureau of
Agricultural Research (BAR). Currently headed by Director
William C. Medrano, Bar is the DA agency mandated to "ensure
that all agricultural research is coordinated and undertaken for
maximum utility to agriculture."
Dr. Dar had earlier told The STAR that the GMO peanut was
being tested in greenhouses and fields in India. Results of the
initial trial showed that the new peanut yielded 30 percent more
than the farmers’ traditional varieties.
As reported by BAR’s Rita dela Cruz, ICRISAT, before coming
out with the new groundnut, had screened more than 10,000 peanut
line to identify traditional resistance to peanut clump virus
(PCV), a type of virus transmitted by a soil-borne fungus. The
symptoms of the disease are stunted growth and discolored
leaves.
Every year, PCV causes a loss of $40 million in
peanut-producing countries across the world. It also affects
various economically important crops such as corn, sugarcane,
sorghum, cowpea, and other legumes.
Wednesday, August 7, 2002
By Robert Derham
Central Asia - International Crops Research Institute for
Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) has developed a genetically modified
(GM) groundnut that can resist the Indian Peanut Clump Virus
(IPCV). (ref.3449)
The researchers used Arobacterium
(a bacterium that naturally transfers DNA to plants) to transfer
IPCV’s coat protein and polymerase to the groundnuts, thus
yielding an IPCV resistant product.
Groundnut is rich in high-quality edible oil (45-50%) and
protein (20-25%). Once oil has been extracted from the nut, the
remaining portion can be turned into what is called Groundnut
oilseed cake, or fodder. This fodder is in turn used as an
important feed for poultry and livestock. Groundnut crops
contract the devastating Indian Peanut Clump virus via the soil
fungus Polymyxa graminis. Polymyxa is a carrier of IPCV, and
readily transmits the virus to crops of groundnuts. In the past,
efforts have unsuccessfully concentrated on eradicating, or
inhibiting the fungus. The lack of success was mainly due to the
highly resistant characteristics and complexity of Polymyxa.
Recently, field trial approval for further testing have been
granted for the GM groundnut. If these trials prove to be
successful, the new groundnut is predicted to save farmers
millions.
All testing will be conducted under protected greenhouse
conditions to ensure that the GM groundnut crops are not exposed
to the environment.
