Chapter 5 Genetic Analysis of Apomixis - cimmyt

Feediog the World ill the 21st Century: Pl••t Breeding. Biotedl.oIogy, .od tbe Pot••tial Role .1 ~pamixls 5research institutions and exploring new waysof gaining access to proprietary technologies.Some of the key institutions that make up thissystem in the era of biotechnology are notedin Figure 1.2. Their work includes• fundamental research conductedprimarily in advanced researchuniversities and institutes that expandsthe knowledge base on plants, insects, andmicrobes, and their interactions with oneanother and with their environment;• strategic research, conducted primarily atagricultural universities, nationalagricultural research institutes, incorporations, and increasingly at theinternational agricultural research centers(IARCs), which generates new andstrengthens existing technologies for cropgenetic improvement;• applied research (including germplasmcollection and evaluation), conductedprimarily at IARCs and national cropbreeding institutions, oftencollaboratively, which generates newbreeding lines;• adaptive research, conducted primarily atthe national level, which combines elitebreeding lines with traditional varieties toproduce improved finished varieties thatare well-suited to local needs andconditions; and• seed multiplication and delivery ofimproved varieties, usually by nationalagencies, local farmers, non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs), and increasinglythrough market mechanisms.The lARCs with plant research programs (seeTable 1.1) have the mandate and primaryTable 1.2 Institutions facilitating the application of biotechnology to international agricultureISAAA - International Service for Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, Ithaca, New Yark, USA, is a not-for-profitinternational organization committed to the acquisition and transfer of proprietary agricultural biotechnologies fromthe industrial countries for the benefit of the developing world. It assists in identifying biotechnology needs andopportuni~es, evaluates the availability of proprietary lechnologies, serves as an "honest broker" that malches needswith available technology, and when necessary mobilizes the financial resources required to implement brokeredproposals.ILTAB . International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology, SI. Louis, Missouri, USA, is a unit of theDan forth Plant Science (enter. Technology is transferred first from the center, where scientists are engaged inpioneering work on the development of disease resistant plants, to five ILTAB scientists and fellows from developingcountries. These scientists use the technology to produce new sources of disease resistance in tropical crops includingcassava, rice, sweet potato, and yam.CAMBIA - (enter for the Application of Molecular Biology to International Agriculture, (anberra, Australia is aresearch and technology transfer organization committed to the applica~on of biotechnology to internationalagriculture. It specializes in producing inexpensive biotechnology tools that can be effernve~ u~lized in developingcountries.ICGEB - International (enter for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology was established by the United Na~onsIndustrial Development Organization. It has headquarters and information gathering and dissemina~on facili~es inTrieste, Italy, and agricultural biotechnology research and training facilities in New Delhi, India.ABSP . Agricultural Biotechnology for Sustainable Productivity, East Lansing, Michigan, USA, is a projectheadquartered at Michigan Slate University and funded by USAID. It is a unique bilateral program in that it supportsresearch at and technology transfer from public and corporate sector crop research insntu~ons to developing countries.IBS . Intermediary Biotechnology Service, The Hague, Netherlands, is a unit of the International Service for Na~onalAgricultural Research (ISNAR). It provides national agricultural research agencies with informa~on, advice, andassistance to help strengthen their agricultural biotechnology capacities and to enable them to establish collaborativearrangements with international biotechnology programs.BA( . Biotechnology Advisory (enter, Stockholm, Sweden, a unit of the Stockholm Environmentlns~tuIe, is anindependent resource for impartial biosafety advice. It was established to help developing countries assess the possibleenvironmental, health, and socioeconomic impacts of proposed biotechnology introductions.