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Introduction Eggplant is one of the most nutritious and culturally important vegetables commonly consumed in South and South East Asia. Unfortunately, the production of marketable eggplant is compromised due to extreme infestation of the insect commonly known as the eggplant fruit and shoot borer. To control this insect pest, farmers often spray hazardous pesticides every other day. The introduction of the Cry1Ac gene from the naturally occurring bacteriium (Bacillus thuringiensis) has the potential to render eggplants resistant to these insects and reduce pesticide load for the farmer. The Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) has developed an eggplant bioengineered for Cry1Ac. These eggplants demonstrate resistance to the fruit and shoot borer. Mahyco has conducted field trials in India to assess the commercial potential of this technology in hybrid eggplant varieties. ABSPII is supporting Mahyco in gaining regulatory approval for the technology and the efforts of public institutions in India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines to develop and commercialize the same Bt technology. This public-private partnership with Mahyco will make affordable seed available to resource-poor farmers, help reduce the need for excessive pesticide use and dramatically increase eggplant yield. When commercialized, the Bt eggplant has potential to benefit 700,000 farmers in India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines, a majority of whom will be resource-constrained small farmers.
Partners INDIA Government of India - Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India BANGLADESH Bangladesh Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Bangladesh PHILIPPINES University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB) - Chancellor’s Office and Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), Philippines
Technology Cry 1Ac, a gene from the naturally occurring bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis, produces a protein that protects plants from some caterpillars, including the eggplant fruit and shoot borer.
Project Status
INDIA In India, public and private partners involved in the Bt. Brinjal project -- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), University of Agriculture Sciences, Dharwad (UAS), and Mahyco -- have successfully secured approval from the Genetic Engineering Approval Ccommittee for commercial seed production and distribution to farmers. Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) will soon begin confined field trials for agronomic evaluation for their varieties in Northern and Eastern parts of India. ABSPII partners are fully prepared to deliver transgenic brinjal seeds to resource constrained farmers in India.
BANGLADESH In Bangladesh, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has completed field evaluation for their varieties. The results have been submitted to the regulators for review followed by approval. An application for commercial seed multiplication has been filed with the regulatory authority. A training program was conducted for BARI and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) scientists for transgenic crop development and regulatory testing. BARI has geared up for seed multiplication and distribution to resource constrained farmers in Bangladesh.
Expected Benefits: Resource-limited farmers stand to benefit economically from
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