Pakistan
October 21, 2013
Transgenic wheat seeds develop by FCC College scientists has been hand over to Mr Makhdoom Hussain, Director Wheat Research Institute of Ayub Agriculture Institute (AARI) Faisalabad to check field performance and further multiplication of seeds.
The wheat germplasm seeds are the result of a project initiated in March 2010 by FCC’s Biological Sciences Department entitled “Development of transgenic wheat for increased Fe and Zn bioavailability”.
The transgenic seeds will now be further screened in the field under controlled conditions observing all the requirements of Biosafety Guidelines.
The project’s purpose is to introduce a phytase gene that can break down phytates resulting in increase bioavailability of iron and zinc. The project supported by PARB with cooperation of NIBGE and AARI. Dr Ijaz Munir, Secret
ary Agriculture Punjab, preside over the event. Dr Mubarak Ali, CE Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB); Dr Muhammad Zaffar Iqbal, Director Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute (ABRI), Faisalabad; Dr Aftab Bashir, Head of Agri Biotechnology Division National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad; Dr Qaiser M Khan, Head Environmental Biotechnology Division, NIBGE; and Dr Hafeez Sadaqat, member PARB also present on the occasion.
According to the latest National Nutrition Survey (NNS, 2011), gross malnutrition of Iodine, Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc has been reported particularly among women and children. Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world (WHO, 2009). Phytate is one of the major factors responsible for this deficiency. Almost two billion people are anemic worldwide.
October 7, 2013
FCC scientists develop transgenic wheat with increased iron and zinc bioavailability
A ceremony was held on 2 October 2013 in the FCC Boardroom to hand over transgenic wheat seeds developed by FCC scientists to Mr Makhdoom Hussain, Director Wheat Research Institute of Ayub Agriculture Institute (AARI) Faisalabad to check field performance and further multiplication of seeds. Dr Ijaz Munir, Secretary Agriculture Punjab, presided over the event. Also present on the occasion were Dr Mubarak Ali, CE Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB); Dr Muhammad Zaffar Iqbal, Director Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute (ABRI), Faisalabad; Dr Aftab Bashir, Head of Agri Biotechnology Division National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad; Dr Qaiser M Khan, Head Environmental Biotechnology Division, NIBGE; and Dr Hafeez Sadaqat, member PARB. The transgenic seeds will now be further screened in the field under controlled conditions observing all the requirements of Biosafety Guidelines.
The seeds were the result of a project initiated in March 2010 by FCC’s Biological Sciences Department entitled “Development of transgenic wheat for increased Fe and Zn bioavailability”. The project was funded by PARB and had the collaboration of NIBGE and AARI.
The project’s purpose was to introduce a phytase gene that can break down phytates resulting in increased bioavailability of iron and zinc. According to the latest National Nutrition Survey (NNS, 2011), gross malnutrition of Iodine, Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc has been reported especially among women and children. Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world (WHO, 2009). Almost two billion people are anemic worldwide. Phytate is one of the major factors responsible for this deficiency.
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