Tag Archives: International Rice Research Institute

Scuba rice: biotech crop on a fast track towards release

Posted on May 25, 2014 by argylesock

A new biotech rice variety called Scuba or Swarna-Sub1 is going through field trials in India. It’s a long-grained rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) designed to be ‘climate-ready’ or ‘climate-smart’. That is, it’s designed to grow well as climates … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer, weather and climate | Tagged Africa, Asia, backcrossing, biotechnology, breeding, climate, climate-ready crop, crop diversity, crop variety, Department for International Development, development, farmer, field trial, flood, gene, grain, International Rice Research Institute, marker assisted backcrossing, marker assisted selection, paddy field, plant_monocot, research, rice, rice Swarna, Scuba rice, seed, selective breeding, staple food, trade, weather | 6 Comments

GMO breakthroughs and fakethroughs

Posted on March 19, 2014 by argylesock

It can be difficult to know who to believe about genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The scientific peer review system is no guarantee of truth, nor are the news media, nor are blogs like this one. Jonathan Latham of the US-based … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged academia, bacterial rice leaf blight, bacterium, banana, biofortification, biotechnology, cassava, development, disease resistance, genetic modification, Golden Rice, grain, International Rice Research Institute, knowledge, Monsanto, nutrition, oral vaccination, pathogen, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, politics, research, rice, staple food, sustainable, sweet potato, tuber, vaccine, virus | 1 Comment

Debunking Golden Rice myths: a geneticist’s perspective

Posted on December 13, 2013 by argylesock

Michael Purugganan at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) explains why he believes in the genetically modified (GM, genetically engineered, GE) rice called Golden Rice. He says that Golden Rice is part of the ‘answers to global malnutrition’. After dismissing … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged Asia, Bayer, biofortification, biotechnology, crop, development, DuPont, genetic modification, Golden Rice, grain, Green Revolution, human, International Rice Research Institute, nutrition, plant_monocot, rice, Syngenta, Vitamin A | 6 Comments

Rice after Haiyan

Posted on November 13, 2013 by argylesock

A few days after Typhoon Haiyan flattened most of the Philippines, the horror is very present. Emergency help is too little, too late for many people. Some blame climate change. Some think the disaster is being used as an excuse to … Continue reading →

Posted in food, human health, money and trade, weather and climate | Tagged academia, access to food, aid, Asia, biotechnology, climate, development, food, gene, genetic modification, Golden Rice, grain, human, International Rice Research Institute, nutrition, plant_monocot, research, rice, staple food, trade, weather | 2 Comments

Golden Rice is ‘no solution’ to malnutrition

Posted on September 9, 2013 by argylesock

GRAIN says that Golden Rice is no solution to malnutrition. Golden Rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) which has been genetically modified (GM, also called genetically engineered or GE) to make beta-carotene in its grains. After you eat … Continue reading →

Posted in food, human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged biofortification, biotechnology, carrot, child, crop diversity, crop rotation, crop variety, development, finance, food, genetic modification, Golden Rice, grain, Green Revolution, hemipteran, integrated pest management, International Rice Research Institute, knowledge, land use, local variety, neonicotinoid, nutrition, Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, patent, pest, pesticide, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, politics, poverty, pumpkin, research, rice, selective breeding, smallholder, sweet potato, Syngenta, System of Rice Intensification, vegetable, Vitamin A, woman | 3 Comments

Solutions for micronutrient deficiency

Posted on September 8, 2013 by argylesock

argylesock says… Here are thoughtful words about malnutrition. My fellow blogger Anastasia Bodnar at Genetic Maize talks a lot of sense here but I’ll clarify some of her remarks about biofortification (the last section in her article). Golden Rice is … Continue reading →

Posted in food, human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged African Biofortified Sorghum, biofortification, biotechnology, breeding, cassava, child, corn, crop, crop variety, development, food, garden, genetic modification, Golden Rice, human, International Rice Research Institute, maize, nutrition, Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, Orange Maize, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, poverty, rice, selective breeding, sorghum, staple food, sweet potato, Syngenta, Vitamin A, woman, Yellow Cassava | 3 Comments

Sustainable rice intensification

Posted on September 2, 2013 by argylesock

Here’s a think tank called the Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First). Food First isn’t for profit. It’s worth watching. At Food First, Hellin Brink tells us about Sustainable Rice Intensification (SRI, also known as the System of … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged Asia, biotechnology, breeding, conservation, crop, crop diversity, development, farmer, fertiliser, finance, food, genetic modification, Golden Rice, grain, Green Revolution, history, intensive, International Rice Research Institute, knowledge, local variety, plant_monocot, politics, pollution, poverty, research, rice, selective breeding, smallholder, soil, staple food, sustainable, System of Rice Intensification | 2 Comments

Malnutrition fight not over. Golden Rice research continues

Posted on August 12, 2013 by argylesock

Earlier today I told you that a field trial of Golden Rice had been vandalised. Golden Rice is a genetically modified (GM) crop, also known as a genetically engineered (GE) crop or a biotech crop. It’s not yet licenced for … Continue reading →

Posted in human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged Asia, biofortification, biosafety, biotechnology, child, crop, crop variety, development, disease, genetic modification, Golden Rice, grain, International Rice Research Institute, nutrition, plant_monocot, politics, research, rice, Syngenta, Vitamin A, woman | Leave a comment

Golden Rice trial is vandalised

Posted on August 12, 2013 by argylesock

Golden Rice is being tested in experimental fields in the Philippines but some people there don’t want it. Matt McGrath at the BBC reports that, a few days ago, local farmers vandalised the field trial. I’m grateful to my fellow … Continue reading →

Posted in human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged Asia, aubergine, biofortification, biotechnology, brinjal, Bt crop, Bt toxin, child, development, eggplant, farmer, genetic modification, Golden Rice, grain, International Rice Research Institute, law, Monsanto, nutrition, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, politics, poverty, research, rice, staple food, Syngenta, Vitamin A, woman | 8 Comments

Genetic Monofication

Posted on May 28, 2013 by argylesock

Originally posted on Ecology is not a dirty word:
Genetic modification (GM) has been on the radar for quite a few years – another really important issue that has been misrepresented and misinterpreted for too long to maintain any sort…

Posted in agriculture, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged allergy, biotechnology, crop, DuPont, food, genetic modification, Golden Rice, International Rice Research Institute, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, research, soya, Syngenta | 4 Comments