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Archives
April 1-30, 2003
The world's first GM peanut
by Rita T. dela
Cruz
 The
world's first genetically-modified peanut has been developed
by the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid
Tropics (ICRISAT), one of the 16 members of the Consultative
Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
Before the GM peanut was developed, the
peanut industry was beset with various problems. Although
average production is increasing, it is still considerably
lower than the world's average, thus the demand for
peanuts is not met. Factors like drought, low soil fertility,
and diseases continue to affect production.
One leading problem of the industry is
the peanut clump virus (PCV), a type of virus that is
transmitted by a soil-borne fungus. PCV is prevalent
in India and West Africa and is hard to control because
of its high survival in soil. It could live inactive
inside the soil for years. Infected seeds can also transmit
the virus to other plant. Aside from peanut, it infects
various economically important crops like corn, sorghum,
sugarcane, cowpea, and other legumes. The symptoms of
the disease are manifested by stunted growth and discolored
leaves.
The lack of effective biocides and the
unavailability of resistant varieties have continued
to hamper peanut production throughout the world. The
havoc of PCV alone resulted to annual losses of US$40
million globally.
ICRISAT screened more than 10,000 peanut
lines to identify traditional sources of resistance
to PCV. A research team led by Dr. Kiran Sharma developed
a technology to genetically transform peanuts by introducing
resistant genes into the plant PCV. The researchers
transferred the coat protein and the polymerase gene
of the IPCV through genetic transformation. The genes
were initially obtained from the Scottish Crops Research
Institute (SCRI) and the sequencing and cloning of genes
were done under the collaborative effort of ICRISAT
and SCRI.
After many laboratory tests, the GM peanut
is now undergoing greenhouse tests and field trials
in India. Dr. Farid Waliyar is leading the field trials
while Dr. Philippe Delfosse is testing them in West
Africa. The team in West Africa has recently completed
its peanut germplasm project. Researchers have collected
and identified the 40 varieties that are for possible
use in increasing the yields of peanut in the region.
Results of the initial trials in India
showed that the newly developed GM peanut yielded 30%
more than farmer's traditional variety.
According to Dr. William Dar, Director
General of ICRISAT and a Filipino who was one time BAR
director, said it would take about three years before
the GM peanut is commercialized. He further stated that,
aside from peanut, ICRISAT is also developing GM pigeon
pea and sorghum, which he anticipates to bring enormous
benefits to Asian farmers.
Source: "ICRISAT
Developing GM Peanut" ; "Groundnut
in West Africa" 
April 1-30 2003 Articles:
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EU
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::
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::
BAR
joins Asia IT and C workshop
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Philippine
agri’l engineering standards launched
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El
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::
The
world’s first GM peanut
::: More April 2003 articles :::
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