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ANNEX I
BIOTECHNOLOGICAL METHODOLOGIES FOR CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION
1.
Plant biotechnological methodologies generally encompass micro- propagation, embryo rescue, anther culture, microspore culture, callus culture, in vitro selection, cell suspension, protoplast culture, protoplast regeneration, protoplast fusion, transgenic plants, and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP). An analysis of the state of the art of the methodologies in cereal crops and root, tuber crops, revealed that all the methodologies are working with Japonica rice and potato. However, some of the methodologies, such as protoplast fusion and transgenic plants in Japonica rice and several of them in potato are at an early stage. In other crops, methodologies like protoplast fusion, protoplast regeneration, microspore culture and production of transgenic plants are yet to be developed or perfected. Generally, protoplast handling has been easy in solanaceous species as compared with other families. More research is needed to fill the gaps.
2.
The above methodologies and other front-line techniques are being widely used in developed countries (Australia, Japan and New Zealand) of the Region. The status of biotechnology, including government policy and the use of particular techniques, was studied in eight developing countries, namely, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, and Thailand, and the situation is summarized in the Attachment. Each country in turn has been scored for each component, based upon the given information and awarded a "+", "-" or a comment as appropriate. The presence of a "+" does not denote a value judgment for that component activity. The presence of "(+)" denotes that the activity is in process of being developed. The absence of a mark does not necessarily imply that a particular activity is absent, it denotes the absence of information. When it has been specifically stated in the information source that a particular component is missing, a has been given.
3.
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It may be seen from the the Attachment that the Region shows a wide range in current applications of plant biotechnology, from minimal to the relatively sophisticated. Some developing countries, such as China, India and Republic of Korea are using most of the methodologies, while others are using primarily tissue culture techniques. The problems that the various countries in the region face in implementing biotechnology are essentially similar; lack of adequately trained personnel, poor access to up-to-date information on new concepts and techniques, inadequate funding for laboratories and consumables. Most of the countries (excepting China and Korea) are vague as to their immediate aims.
4.
The main biotechnological techniques used for animal health and animal production include (i) use of monoclonal antibodies for diagnosis, vaccine production and therapeutics, (ii) embryo transfer, (iii) transgenics, and (iv) biodegradation of wastes and by-products for producing animal feeds. All these techniques, are actually in use or are likely to be used in the near future in several developing Asian countries.
2 Based on CTA/FAO Symposium "Plant Biotechnologies for Developing
Countries", Luxembourg, 26-30 June 1989.
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