The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Astro bio-technology has vast potential: scientist

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Saturday, Jan 05, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Astro bio-technology has vast potential: scientist

Special Correspondent

‘Research will help farming in extreme conditions’

VISAKHAPATNAM: Astro bio-technology will help to extend agriculture to the parts of earth where it has not been taken up so far, said noted biotechnologist from the US, Krishna Dronamraju.

“Search is going on to find if there is life on other planets, if not on their surface but in their soil as traces of moisture is found which indicated that life might exist there under extreme conditions. The research into finding life under extreme conditions will help in finding ways to take up agriculture in the areas of our planet which are so far not conducive for agriculture”, he explained.

He was chairing a plenary session on “biotechnology for well being of all” at the ongoing 95th Indian Science Congress at Andhra University.

Dr. Krishna Dronamraju, while speaking on different topics like genetically modified (GM) crops, human gene therapy for malaria, primitive molecules, artificial life, bio-diversity and drug research, pointed out the reducing gene pool and bio-diversity in agriculture.

Priority changed

Farmers used to raise different varieties of crops three to four decades ago but were now concentrating on rice, wheat or maize. The crop variety must be increased to improve the bio-diversity as it gives more strength and reduces risk to the crops, he said.

Among the panellists was Ananda Chakrabarty of Chicago who holds the distinction of receiving the patent for a living organism, a GM bacterium called pseudomonas in 1980.

The bacterium was designed to break oil spills in the sea. He had successfully won his case in the Supreme Court in Washington D.C. to secure the patent after the US Patent Office had initially refused the grant to him.

Dr. Chakrabarty spoke about the intellectual property rights in bio-technology and felt that conditions in India need to be updated.

A scientist from the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Ajay Parida, discussed the GM crops, resistance to saline water and raising crops under dry conditions, etc. and the ways to improve crop by using molecular biology.

Using molecular biology for discovering new drugs was discussed by Ajan Reginald of the Roche Pharmaceuticals from Switzerland.

He also talked about how research in Pharma sector could be applied to Indian conditions.

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