20000128

Biotechnology, genetic

engg being used for

farm development

NISAR AHMAD SHEIKH

ISLAMABAD: Biotecchnology and genetic engineering are being increasingly applied to achieve a sustainable agricultural development in Pakistan. Besides, these new exciting fields of sciences are also being used in other fields such as medicine, industry and environment, while some of the bio products have been commercialised.

At the moment research institutions are in operation at Faisalabad, Lahore, Islamabad, Tando Jam and Karachi where a sizeable number of scientists supported by a large number of trained staff with laboratories equipped with latest scientific equipment are functioning to meet the growing requirements of food and health and industrial products as well as providing consultatiens to the industrial sector.

One of the most exciting products is the biofertilizer (biopower) developed at the premier research institute of Pakistan, the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE). Field tests have shown that this biopower is very economical and improves soil fertility.

Besides the NIBGE, the other centres of biotechnology include the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology, Botany Department of the Punjab University, the International Center for Sciences and HEJ Institute of Chemistry, Karachi University, the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry, Agriculure University Faisalabad, the National Agricultural Council, Islamabad, and Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tando Jam.

Making his presentation at the international seminar on "biotechnology for development", here on Wednesday, NIBGE, Director Dr Sikandar Ali said that the institute is functioning under the auspices of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and is aimed to develop/adopt/apply innovative and modern biotechnological research into agriculture, industry, health and environment.

He said the project was prepared in 1983 but it took four years to get approval of the Ecnec while the actual construction for the institute started in 1990 at an initial cost of Rs 190 million which escalated to Rs 340 million due to inflation.

The NIBGE director said the first phase of the institute comprising two laboratory blocks, administration block, workshop and fermentation shed and two hostels was completed in 1991 and made operational. The nucleus manpower was developed at Niab. Faisalabad and at INMCL, Lahore, was shifted to the institute in 1992.

It is fortunate that the institute, he said, received attention of the President of Pakistan, who after visiting the laboratories announced a taken grant of Rs 5 million. Appreciating the work of the institute on cotton biotechnology, the former Punjab chief minister announced a grant of Rs 50 million for enhancing research in cotton biotechnology.

Dr Sikandar Ali said that in the field of agriculture, major emphasis is on the development of cotton leaf curl virus resistant cotton through genetic engineering. He said the molecular characterisation of the virus has been completed resulted in the development of PCR-based sensitive and specific diagonistic tools. In additions, information about genetic diversity of the virus in the cotton growing areas of Punjab has been documented. He said two elite commercial cotton varieties namely Niab-78 and S-12 in addition to Siokara and Coker varities are being used for transformation technology for cotton.

He said that work on rice biotechnology is being done with the objective of introducing salt tolerance genes.

The R&D work on biofertilizers reached a stage where it was possible to commercialise it. The low cost environmentally biofertilizer has been marketed under the trade name of Biopower so far it has been used in more than 50,000 acres and farmers have reported very encouraging results for the last three years.

The Nibge director said that efforts are also being made to popularize use of Azolla as biofertilizer for rice. Research is also being carried out on finding potent phosphate solubilising micro-organisms to meet the phosphorus deficiency which is the main limiting factor in crop productivity.

Dr Sikandar said research work on industrial biotechology is aimed at optimisation of various fermentation processes and developing potent micro-organisms for production of different enzymes and biochemicals such as citric acid. Food grade citric acid and Xylitol are being produced through fermentation. Consultancy service to several industries has also been provided.

In cases of health biotechnology, the Nibge director said that PCR/DBA based diagenostic methods for infectius diseases namely tuberculosis, Hepatitis C and typhoid have been optiaized and are being routinely provided as a service to medical community and public. Studies have been started on the multiple drug resistance in mycobacterium tuberculosis while a project has been initiated to develop biocontrol of insects such as mosquito to control malaria.

Turning to the research in the field of environment, Dr Sikandar said that environmental biotechnology has made significant progress in the development of industrial effluent treatment processes based on microbial detoxification. The institute is attracting contracts from industry to develop affluent treatment processes and develop bioremediation technology for contaminated environments.

He said biotechnological processes for non-renewable resources like minerals and fossil fuels are also being developed. Bioleaching studies on uranium and copper from Saindak were carried out successfully. Another project is aimed at reducing the ash contents of the indigenous coal rendering it environmentally clean for out thermal power stations production of value-added materials through bioconversions are also being undertaken.

The institute besides commercialising its products, is carrying out its mandate of imparting training and share the expertise with the scientific community.

All these activities, Dr Sikandar asserted have enable Nigbe to establish itself as a centre of excellence among the international scientific community.

The institute has been designated as an affiliated Centre of International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Italy and is the focal point for all matters related to biotechnology, Dr Sikandar concluded.