By K.S. Jayaraman, Meridian Institute via Checkbiotech

According to an article in the recent addition of Nature Biotechnology, Iranian officials say that Bt rice variety developed by Iran could be approved for full commercial cultivation before the end of the year.

Amir Mousavi, a research scientist at the Iranian National Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB) in Tehran, says the Bt rice "has passed all field tests, and approval has been sought for commercial cultivation."

Mohammad Hossein Sanati, director of NIGEB, says the rice will be followed by Bt cotton, genetically modified (GM) rapeseed with herbicide resistance, and GM sugar beet with virus resistance.

According to Mousavi, 23 out of 55 biotechnology research institutes in Iran are involved in agricultural biotechnology research. He says that Iran's new National Biotechnology Strategy, which was announced in February, aims at "exploiting modern biotechnology to increase and diversify sources of foods and incomes for 70 million people."

The article says Iran expects to use its membership in the Federation of Asian Biotechnology Associations to promote joint ventures with other developing countries.

Copyright © 2003 Meridian Institute