The Hindu Business Line : Field trials for GM chickpea by 2004

THE International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat), here is hopeful of conducting field trials of genetically modified seed of chickpea by 2004. The institute is currently testing the transgenics in greenhouses.

According to Icrisat scientists, Dr P.M. Gaur, Dr C.L.L. Gowda and others, the institute is using biotechnology to address several pests of chickpea including helicoverpa pod borer, botrytis gray mold, ascochyta blight, dry root rot, drought and cold. Protocols for efficient transformation and regeneration of chickpea have been developed.

They said the transgenics had been successfully produced for resistance to pod borer by using genes derived from the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis and soyabean trypsin inhibitor. The molecular characterisation and bioassays are currently going on.

The first field trial of this product was anticipated by 2004.

Besides, Icrisat has taken up a project, funded under the Indo-Swiss collaboration in biotechnology, for developing transgenic chickpea that would be tolerant to drought and low temperature stresses by using genes with regulatory functions such as drought responsive elements and osmo- regulation.

The global demand for chickpea, as per Icrisat's estimates, will be around 11.1 million tonnes (mt) by 2010 as against 8.2 mt in 2001-02, an increase of 35 per cent.

Approximately 85 per cent of the additional demand will come from India. A combination of yield and area expansion is the possible option in meeting the projected additional demand.

At present, global productivity of chickpea at 0.8 tonne per hectare is far below the potential of 5 tonnes per hectare.

Apart from chickpea, Icrisat is the first institute to develop transgenic groundnut in the world. Its transgenic peanuts have reached the field trial stage and it was expected to conduct open field trials by this year-end. These groundnuts are engineered with the genes for resistance to Indian peanut clump virus (IPCV), which is widespread in the country.

Last year, the Department of Biotechnology had given permission to carry out field trials under controlled conditions.

Icrisat is also in the process of developing genetically modified pigeon pea, sorghum and pearl millet. The institute has found that some of its pearl millet genotypes with yellow endosperm were having beta-carotene levels comparable to those of "golden rice".

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