By Mony K. Mathew , The Hindu Business Line via Checkbiotech

The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) here is developing disease-resistant, genetic varieties of pepper and ginger.

The centre has identified the candidate genes suitable for genetically engineering quick wilt disease in pepper, said the Director of the centre, Dr M. Radhakrishna Pillai.

He told Business Line that diseases caused by bacteria and fungi are the major causes of production loss in pepper and ginger. This requires biotechnological intervention for introducing suitable, resistant genes.

The Centre has identified the methodologies for introducing genes in these crops and the protocols developed are being tested for their efficacy. Besides improving crop resistance, initiatives to genetically raise the gingerol content of ginger had also shown promising results, Dr Pillai said.

The centre has taken up joint research projects with the industry for bioprospecting (scientific research that looks for a useful application, process, or product in nature) of active ingredients in the plants and herbs used in traditional Indian medicine. This is aimed at developing drugs and vaccines to fight a host of diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, hepatitis and inflammation.

Dr Pillai said that the centre is planning to sign memoranda of understanding with some of the leading drug companies in the country for providing incubation facilities for these drugs.

Another area where RGCB is actively engaged is DNA analysis of wildlife to help forest authorities tackle poaching. The centre will soon set up a laboratory testing facility to facilitate DNA fingerprinting of threatened wildlife species.

Dr Pillai said that research institutions such as RGCB are facing hurdles in raising their own resources out of linkages with the industry. For instance, research institutions enjoy a concessional duty of five per cent on import of equipment and other devices. However, they would be treated as commercial institutions, if they start raising funds out of technology and production tie-ups with the industry and would have to forgo the concessions.

He said that in developed countries such as the US and Germany, the campuses of the research institutions and universities house production bases of companies, which facilitate uninterrupted transfer of new technologies to the industry. The universities and the institutions are paid for the technology transfer.

Dr Pillai said that the development of technology parks should be centred around research institutions in the country. He said he had given a proposal to the State Government for developing a biotechnology park in the vicinity of RGBC.

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