DOST taps genomics for better sugar varieties

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through their Philippine Genome Center (PGC), is tapping genomics to come up with better sugarcane varieties that will allow the 62,000 Filipino sugar farmers all over the country to increase their yield and boost their productivity.

Set up in 2009 at the University of the Philippines with  an initial funding from DOST, the PGC is stepping up efforts to increase the country’s capability in genomic research with its new facilities for researchers:  the DNA Sequencing Core Facility and the Bioinformatics Core Facility, a dedicated computing facility for analyzing large data from the  DNA sequencing facility.

The PGC will spearhead genomics research wherein scientists  seek to produce sugarcane varieties  with high sucrose or sugar content, has fungal resistance, and has high tillering and ratooning capabilities.

Scientists also aim to bring down the breeding cycle of sugarcane from seven years, using traditional breeding techniques, to just two years. This is made possible via a method called marker-assisted selection which involves the identification of desirable traits in plants at the early stage of the breeding cycle. 

Traditionally, plant breeders select plants based on their visible characteristics. They have to wait for the seedlings to mature to know if these  carry the desired characteristics from the parent plants.  With marker assisted selection, doing tissue analysis of the seedlings will show whether they contain the desired genes. If not, the breeder can move on to producing other seedlings, thus reducing time and costs in producing a new variety of sugarcane and other plants.

Marker assisted breeding is one application of genomics, or the study of all the genes in an organism and how these genes interact among themselves and the environment.

Genomics is one of various emerging technologies promising enormous rewards for different industries, farmers and other workers, and investors.  As one of DOST’s main priority initiatives, genomics and its applications in agriculture, health, energy, biodiversity and forensics will be showcased during the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) on July 23-27 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia.

Aside from sugarcane, PGC also aims to identify markers for bunchy top virus-resistant abaca, drought-resistant eggplant, bananas and others important crops in the country.