Manila, The Philippines
February 7, 2005
Source:
Philippines TODAY
via SEARCA BIC
Bt corn may be the most popular biotech product in the country
today, but biotechnology has so much more to offer than this
genetically modified (GM) crop. Indeed, the list of biotech
innovations keeps growing.
In the Philippines, biotechnology now provides better
alternatives to some traditional products being used today.
In April 2002, the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in Muñoz,
Nueva Ecija, produced "Glory", the first test-tube carabao in
the country. PCC also produced ""Irfan", the first test-tube
carabao born in the village. The birth of "Irfan" opened up
opportunities for farmers in the village to own buffaloes that
are genetically superior in terms of size and weight.
The Dairy Training and Research Institute of the University of
the Philippines (UPLB) has also produced "supercows" to upgrade
the Philippine dairy industry. Produced through techniques known
as superovulation/embryo transfer and cryopreservation through
rapid deep-freezing, these cows have the potential to produce
increased milk quantities - as much as 63 percent to 100 percent
more than those produced by cows reared in the research
institute.
However, biotech in the country is not only concerned with the
development of superior animals or crops. It also ensures the
safety and quality of animal and crop products through
diagnostic immunoassay kits. These diagnostic kits provide
quality-control laboratories, as well as research and teaching
institutions with an effective tool for detecting plant, food,
and feed pathogens and toxins.
Among the kits are:
- A diagnostic kit, which is
a highly accurate tool specifically used for detecting
bacterial pathogens in meat, milk, poultry, and their
products, is now available for commercialization.
- For plant testing,
diagnostic kits have been developed to detect the following:
papaya ringspot virus, tobacco mosaic virus-orchid strain,
anthurium blight organism, banana bunchy top virus, banana
mosaic virus, mango anthracnose organism and others.
In plant growth and development, a
wide array of growth enhancers is now being sold in the market.
Among these products are: Mycogroe for better growth of forest
trees; Nitroplus, an effective nitrogen supplement for legumes;
Bio-Green for increased yield and vigorous crop growth; Bio-N,
an effective nitrogen supplement for rice and corn; and Mykovam
for better absorption of nutrients and water.
The biotech products for plant growth and development and the
diagnostic kits are just a few of those developed by the
National Institute for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of
the
University of the Philippines Los Baños
(UPLB).
Helping make all these happen is the Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD), a council under the Department of Science
and Technology.
PCARRD, Besides providing funding support, is also advocating
policies that would further promote the development of
biotechnology in the country. With the growth of biotechnology,
more is in store for both producers, as well as consumers of
agricultural products. |
