NTU S’pore produces oil from microalgae to replace palm oil in food production
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA TEAM of scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has developed a method to effectively produce and extract plant-based oils from common microalgae, using a newly discovered method that could serve as a healthier and greener alternative to palm oil. Palm oil is the world’s most popular vegetable oil, used in around half […]
US Supports Further Research of Bt Eggplants in Bangladesh, Philippines
Reading Time: < 1 minuteCORNELL UNIVERSITY announced that it received an award grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue the efforts to bring genetically engineered (GE) eggplant varieties to farmers in Bangladesh and the Philippines. USAID has provided Cornell’s Feed the Future Insect-Resistant Eggplant Partnership a grant amounting to US$10 million as part of the Feed the Future initiative by the […]
Experts: Allow Golden Rice to save lives
Reading Time: < 1 minuteINTERNATIONAL experts expressed their support for vitamin-A enriched rice known as Golden Rice, which can prevent vitamin A deficiency (VAD) that kills millions of children in less-developed countries. Their opinion article is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). Golden Rice offers a potent and cost-effective solution to […]
Political will and scientific community continue to move biotech adoption in Bangladesh
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE USDA FAS Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) released 2021 updates on the status of agricultural biotechnology in Bangladesh. The Government has shown willingness to adopt and implement a modern agriculture policy framework and guidelines, which support the safe and proper use of biotechnology and other technologies to address food security issues. Aside from the strong political will, […]
Lychee’s genome unveils its domestication history
Reading Time: < 1 minuteAN INTERNATIONAL team of scientists from China and the United States assembled 15 pseudochromosomes of the genome of Feizixiao, a popular lychee cultivar, and revealed that the fruit was likely independently domesticated more than once in two different places in China. The study primarily unfolded the origin and domestication history of lychee by using Feizixiao as a reference genome and comparing […]
Scientists Confirm GM Crop Cultivation and Glyphosate Use Reduce Carbon Footprint Caused by Farming
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA STUDY conducted in the Saskatchewan province of Canada confirmed how cultivating genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly herbicide tolerant (HT) crops, and the complementary use of glyphosate increased carbon sequestration. In their publication, the authors stated that countries that ban GM crops and restrict glyphosate use are implementing policies that will not contribute to agricultural sustainability. The study’s objective was to investigate […]
4th Asian Short Course on Agri-biotech, Biosafety Regulation, and Communication 2021
Reading Time: < 1 minuteISAAA SEAsiaCenter opens the registration for the 4th Asian Short Course on Agribiotechnology, Biosafety Regulation, and Communication (ASCA2021) scheduled on November 23-26, 2021, 2-5PM GMT+8 via Zoom. The potential of agribiotech to contribute to sustainable agriculture depends on research and development, as well as the integration of other factors, such as effective communication, science-based national regulatory frameworks, and an […]
OFAB-Kenya Fetes Top Journalists in Science Media Awards
Reading Time: 2 minutesTHE Kenya Chapter of Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB-Kenya) has celebrated exemplary science journalism and feted three top journalists for their contribution in promoting agricultural biotechnology. The celebrations were held during a media awards gala held in Nairobi on October 28, 2021. Speaking during the event, Australian High Commissioner to Kenya His Excellency […]
Filipino Farmers Disagree on Banning of Biotech Crops
Reading Time: < 1 minuteMOST Filipino farmers think that implementing a ban on biotech crops is incorrect due to their long history of safe use. This is according to the results of a survey on the perception of Filipino farmers on the banning of biotech crops implemented by the Philippine Supreme Court in 2015. The study, conducted by Clarisse Gonzalvo from Hiroshima University, […]
Filipino Scientist Identifies Gene to Help Rice Plants Survive Drought
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDR Nonawin Lucob-Agustin of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), together with researchers from Nagoya University in Japan has discovered a mutation gene that may help rice plants survive despite adverse conditions such as drought. The team of researchers discovered the wavy root elongation growth 1 (weg1) gene, which may help rice cope with drought especially in rainfed lowlands […]