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| Project: |
PAPAYA RINGSPOT VIRUS RESISTANT (PRSVR) PAPAYA |
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| Introduction: |
Papaya is considered one of the most economically important and nutritious fruit in the Philippines. It ranks 6th in production and 5th in volume among fruit crops in the country. In the Philippines, papaya is grown primarily by small-scale farmers, most of whom cultivate only 0.25 to 3 hectares. Up to 98% of papaya is consumed locally and provides significant amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to the local diet. The enzyme “papain” extracted from papaya is used in brewing, meat tenderizers, pharmaceuticals, and increasingly in beauty products and cosmetics.
Unfortunately, papaya production is severely affected by the papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) which reached epidemic proportions during the last decade. This virus is expensive to control and no naturally occurring resistance has been identified.
In the mid 1990’s the PRSV-devastated papaya industry in Hawaii was saved by introducing the virus’ coat protein into local papaya varieties using a bioengineering approach, which essentially vaccinates the trees against PRSV.
Through a partnership between Philippine public institutions, Monsanto and the Malaysian Agricultural Research Development Institute, a local Philippine variety was made resistant to the virus using a similar bioengineering approach. ABSPII will build on the work started by the Philippine government by contributing critical support the project to see it through to the final field trial stage. It is anticipated that this approach will help the Philippines maintain production and consumption of this nutritionally important fruit. |
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| Project Manager: |
Desiree Hautea, Regional Coordinator, Southeast Asia |
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| Participating Countries : |
Philippines |
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| Term: |
2004-2008 |
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| Partners: |
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| Technology: |
Viruses are encapsulated by a coat protein (CP) that acts as a protective cage for the virus. The PRSV coat protein gene from the virus that occurs in the Philippines, was transformed into the plant essentially vaccinating the plant against the virus, as it triggers a defense response within the plant. This coat protein gene was cloned into papaya using a construct from Monsanto which shuttles the new gene into the plant. |
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| Project Status: |
- The PRSV coat protein gene was isolated from a mild form of PRSV from the Philippines and introduced into the Monsanto vector.
- To serve the best interests of local farmers, varieties preferred in the Philippines were used to produce a PRSV resistant variety that is now undergoing further testing.
- Promising resistant bioengineered papaya lines have been identified.
- Contained and multi-location field trials will be performed to assess safety and success of the new variety.
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| Expected Benefits : |
- Support the field testing of the first locally developed public sector biotech crop for small-scale farmers to be developed by a Philippine research and development (R&D) institution. This will serve as a precedent for future projects in the country that apply similar technology to producing new food crops, particularly crops for small-scale and resource-limited farmers.
- Rehabilitate the papaya industry in Luzon in order to increase supply and availability of high quality papaya in the domestic market at a lower cost to the consumer.
- Help to increase supply of papaya to meet demand for papain for the cosmetic industry and elsewhere.
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PHILIPPINES |
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| Economic Importance: |
Papaya is a very important fruit crop in the Philippines. Papaya ranked 6th in the area planted (8,440 has) and 5th in volume produced (121,304 tons), next only to banana, pineapple, mango and citrus. Papaya production is widely dispersed, grown mostly by backyard-scale growers. About 80% of all papaya growers have less than 3 hectares. Most of the production area is located in Southern Tagalog region, in the main island of Luzon, which has been under quarantine because of the PRSV disease that effectively wiped-out the papaya industry in the main island. The papaya is used in many ways in the Philippines, 92% of the total papaya production is consumed locally as food. An additional 6% is either exported for food or used for industrial applications. While the country was able to generate an average of US$ 1.33M/yr from 1996-2000, papaya export has been very erratic. An emerging market for papaya is the cosmetics industry. Papaya extracts are used as special ingredients in soaps, shampoos and other cosmetics. Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) disease remains the biggest constraint on papaya production in the island of Luzon. Recently, the disease has already been spotted in some areas of Visayas and Mindanao, the latter being the main source of the country’s export variety. All commercial papaya varieties are susceptible or at best moderately tolerant to PRSV infection. Thus, a novel way of controlling the virus is vital for the future of the papaya industry in the Philippines. |
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| Partners Within the Country: |
Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD), Philippines
International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA)
University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB) - Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) |
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| Planned Activities and Milestones: |
- Help identify and bring promising bioengineered papaya lines to the field testing stage.
- Develop additional virus resistant varieties by traditional crossing with the selected PRSV resistant variety. These varieties will include those important for consumption as well as those grown for industrial uses.
- Initiate communication and outreach efforts.
- Assure safety of new papaya varieties and seek regulatory approval.
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