Genetically altered rice tested in Asia

Genetically altered rice tested in Asia

MANILA (Reuters): Asia can look forward to a new generation of genetically altered rice, resistant to pests, floods and bacteria, following the success of field tests, a scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) said.

Swapan Datta, plant biotechnologist at the world's premier rice research institute, told Reuters late on Wednesday field experiments on the IR-72 and MH-63 rice plant types were the first in the region.

The IR-72 variety was found resistant to the bacterial blight test in China while the MH-63 variety was resistant to both stemborer -- a kind of insect pest -- and leaf folder tests.

In both cases, the tests yielded "extremely good" results, Datta said.

India also recently approved limited field testing of another transgenic rice plant variety developed by IRRI which can thrive under water or in flood-prone areas, he said.

Scientists in the Philippines are also seeking government approval to test genetically modified rice from IRRI. Other countries in the region had also expressed interest in experiments on transgenic rice, Datta said.

"We have plenty of transgenic plants (available for field testing)," he said.

IRRI has developed hundreds of high-yield plant types through conventional cross-breeding in its nearly four decades of research. The bulk of the world's rice paddies are believed to be planted with varieties developed by IRRI.

The introduction of genetically modified organisms in new varieties could boost production in Asia in the coming years, Datta said.

"Through genetic engineering you can enhance the yield," he said, adding 10 percent of annual global rice production was lost to pest infestation.

Seventeen of the world's 25 major rice-growing nations are in Asia, in a crescent running from Pakistan to Japan. IRRI says 90 percent of the world's annual rice production of 375 million tons comes from Asia.