The Hindu Business Line : ICAR funding sought for GM banana

THE National Research Centre on Banana (NRCB) at Podhavur near Tiruchi has sought financial assistance from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research's (ICAR) to evolve a transgenic banana variety resistant to Black Sigatoka and Panama virus.

According to the NRCB Director, Dr S. Sathiamoorthy, though conventional breeding techniques would help in evolving a variety resistant to the Black Sigatoka and Panama Virus, the scientific community could not afford to waste much time on the conventional breeding methods.

``The use of biotechnology is inevitable at this point in time to safeguard the banana plantations (though not in India) from extinction. We have submitted a proposal to ICAR seeking assistance to the tune of Rs 3 crore for evolving a transgenic variety,'' he said.

Dr Sathiamoorthy is confident of evolving a gene resistant to these two disease/virus within the next five years, if the ICAR offered the necessary support.

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