By
James Odong 16/2/2013
Scientists in Soroti are set to start a research in
the genetically modified cotton in a bid to rescue farmers from the
conventional cotton which had suffered a setback in production due to the ball
warm pest thereby resulting into poor yields.
The
Director of the National Semi Arid Resources Research Institute, Serere
(NaSARRI), Dr Tom Areke with his team have already ploughed approximately one
acre of land on the institute land for the field trials.
The government recently gave a go ahead for scientists to carry out research on the genetically modified cotton just as they have been doing on other crops such as the East African High land banana and cassava.
NaSARRI is one of the science research centres chosen to carry out the trial with the other centre being Mubuku in Western Uganda.
The National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) in conjunction with the programme for Biosafety Systems is already training the farm managers from the two centres who will manage the research work.
The programme director for Biosafety Systems, Dr Thereza Sengoba last week conducted a one day training for managers in both centres at NaSARRI in Soroti where a group of scientists from participated in the training to share their experience with the scientists in .
Dr Areke is optimistic that in case the research proves successful, it will be of advantage to the farmers in Teso who basically depend on cotton growing for their income since the Karamojong invaded them and took away all their cattle.
Dr Areke while presenting a paper "The Biology of Cotton" said, the genetically modified cotton if introduced in will be cost effective because it will reduce the cost of spraying. It is at the same time environmental friendly.
He said Teso and other parts of northern where the land is semi arid, the genetically modified cotton farming will prove successful because it is resistant to several factors in weather changes.
He said the field trial will serve as a multi- purpose research tool where science students pursuing agricultural science courses in various universities will access the research work in the trial when they come for their internship at the institute.
NaSARRI is one of the five research institutes of Naro with others being, the National Crop Resource Research Institute Namulonge, National Agricultural Laboratory Resource Research Institute Kawanda, National Livestock Resource Research Institute Tororo and National Fisheries Resource Research Institute Jinja.
The Institute's mandate is to undertake research in crop production for semi arid production systems in areas of seed research production and product management together with animal traction, pasture and range management.
Its mandate covers ecological zones of Eastern savannah, Karamoja dry lands, Northern Uganda and West Nile regions.
NaSARRI carries out research in areas of oil crop such as groundnuts and simsim which has Sesim I and Sesim II varieties containing white seeds that mature in 110 days and yields from 500 to 900 kg per hectare. They have oil content of 42 - 45 per cent.
Another variety is the open pollinated variety and hybrid which mature in 110 days and yield up, to 1,800 kg per hectare.
The Institute is also involved in carrying out research in grain legumes like pigeon pea which matures in 140 days and cow peas which matures in 90 days.
Other crops include cereal crops which include among others finger millet, Serere millet with Serere I and Serere II varieties, Sorghum which is grown in both high and low land.
Low land varieties grown are serena, serodo sekedo and epuripuri variety now being used for brewing Eagle Lager beer by Nile Breweries. Other crops are the fibre species under which the cotton variety falls. In NaSSARI the scientists have two types of cotton and they include BPA 2000 and BPA 2002 which according to Dr Areke is highly desired by ginners because it produces high quality fibre for spinning and lint export.
NaSARRI is on the pipeline to breed organic cotton where black ants will be used to control the ball warm. The researchers on the other hand have embarked on growing beans in the current conventional cotton fields as a measure of diverting the pests to feed on the bean leaves instead of destroying the cotton plant.
NaSARRI further develops improved livestock pasture which they usually distribute to farmers for planting to feed the few remaining cattle.
However whereas the conventional cotton variety seeds are directly planted in the field, the genetically modified cotton has to under go field trials for scientists to establish whether they can stand the environmental conditions here.
Mr Arthur Makara, a senior scientist and Director of Science Foundation for Livelihoods and Development (Scifode) said the government policy on the genetically modified products during filed is so stringent.
According to him, no person is allowed in the field unless he or she gives sufficient reasons to go there because of the fear that people may come out with the product that is being tried and take for planting in their fields without a regulatory measure in place, the reason genetically modified products are regulated the world over.
According to Ms Korene Hokanson of the University of Minnesota in , genetically modified products are regulated for safe use by the farmers to ensure that they are environmentally friendly.
Ms Korene who presented a paper on the topic "Why regulate Biotechnology" said the Cartagena Protocol, the globally legal binding agreement on Biotechnology requires all countries involved in adopting genetically modified products to have a regulator in place to monitor their movement as well as to ensure that they are environmentally friendly.
The government recently gave a go ahead for scientists to carry out research on the genetically modified cotton just as they have been doing on other crops such as the East African High land banana and cassava.
NaSARRI is one of the science research centres chosen to carry out the trial with the other centre being Mubuku in Western Uganda.
The National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) in conjunction with the programme for Biosafety Systems is already training the farm managers from the two centres who will manage the research work.
The programme director for Biosafety Systems, Dr Thereza Sengoba last week conducted a one day training for managers in both centres at NaSARRI in Soroti where a group of scientists from participated in the training to share their experience with the scientists in .
Dr Areke is optimistic that in case the research proves successful, it will be of advantage to the farmers in Teso who basically depend on cotton growing for their income since the Karamojong invaded them and took away all their cattle.
Dr Areke while presenting a paper "The Biology of Cotton" said, the genetically modified cotton if introduced in will be cost effective because it will reduce the cost of spraying. It is at the same time environmental friendly.
He said Teso and other parts of northern where the land is semi arid, the genetically modified cotton farming will prove successful because it is resistant to several factors in weather changes.
He said the field trial will serve as a multi- purpose research tool where science students pursuing agricultural science courses in various universities will access the research work in the trial when they come for their internship at the institute.
NaSARRI is one of the five research institutes of Naro with others being, the National Crop Resource Research Institute Namulonge, National Agricultural Laboratory Resource Research Institute Kawanda, National Livestock Resource Research Institute Tororo and National Fisheries Resource Research Institute Jinja.
The Institute's mandate is to undertake research in crop production for semi arid production systems in areas of seed research production and product management together with animal traction, pasture and range management.
Its mandate covers ecological zones of Eastern savannah, Karamoja dry lands, Northern Uganda and West Nile regions.
NaSARRI carries out research in areas of oil crop such as groundnuts and simsim which has Sesim I and Sesim II varieties containing white seeds that mature in 110 days and yields from 500 to 900 kg per hectare. They have oil content of 42 - 45 per cent.
Another variety is the open pollinated variety and hybrid which mature in 110 days and yield up, to 1,800 kg per hectare.
The Institute is also involved in carrying out research in grain legumes like pigeon pea which matures in 140 days and cow peas which matures in 90 days.
Other crops include cereal crops which include among others finger millet, Serere millet with Serere I and Serere II varieties, Sorghum which is grown in both high and low land.
Low land varieties grown are serena, serodo sekedo and epuripuri variety now being used for brewing Eagle Lager beer by Nile Breweries. Other crops are the fibre species under which the cotton variety falls. In NaSSARI the scientists have two types of cotton and they include BPA 2000 and BPA 2002 which according to Dr Areke is highly desired by ginners because it produces high quality fibre for spinning and lint export.
NaSARRI is on the pipeline to breed organic cotton where black ants will be used to control the ball warm. The researchers on the other hand have embarked on growing beans in the current conventional cotton fields as a measure of diverting the pests to feed on the bean leaves instead of destroying the cotton plant.
NaSARRI further develops improved livestock pasture which they usually distribute to farmers for planting to feed the few remaining cattle.
However whereas the conventional cotton variety seeds are directly planted in the field, the genetically modified cotton has to under go field trials for scientists to establish whether they can stand the environmental conditions here.
Mr Arthur Makara, a senior scientist and Director of Science Foundation for Livelihoods and Development (Scifode) said the government policy on the genetically modified products during filed is so stringent.
According to him, no person is allowed in the field unless he or she gives sufficient reasons to go there because of the fear that people may come out with the product that is being tried and take for planting in their fields without a regulatory measure in place, the reason genetically modified products are regulated the world over.
According to Ms Korene Hokanson of the University of Minnesota in , genetically modified products are regulated for safe use by the farmers to ensure that they are environmentally friendly.
Ms Korene who presented a paper on the topic "Why regulate Biotechnology" said the Cartagena Protocol, the globally legal binding agreement on Biotechnology requires all countries involved in adopting genetically modified products to have a regulator in place to monitor their movement as well as to ensure that they are environmentally friendly.
