PTI

Hyderabad: ICRISAT, a non-profit body that works in the area of ecological farming, today said it has joined hands with Science and Technology Ministry to set up a platform for carrying out research on transgenic crops near Hyderabad.

The DBT-ICRISAT Platform for Translations Research on Transgenic Crops (PTTC) recently got approval from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and has received a funding commitment of Rs 248.79 million (USD 6.25 million) for five years starting 2008 till 2013.

The joint effort would focus on transgenic technology (or genetic modification on engineering) to improve crop output, which involves importing genes from another organism to improve crop resistance to pests or diseases.

“The PTTC will strengthen transgenic research for crop improvement by providing a platform, building synergies among institutions, ICRISAT Director General William Dar said.

“ICRISAT will continue to harness transgenic research to solve problems that cannot be solved through conventional breeding,” he added.

ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) and the Centre will set up a Department of Biotechnology at Patancheru, near Hyderabad for the project.

The mission of PTTC will be to “translate transgenic technology and harness its products to meet the needs of agriculture growth,” an ICRISAT release said here today.

ICRISAT is a non-profit and non-political research organisation serving the poor in the semi-arid areas of the developing world.