Dean, Faculty of Science, Edo State University, Uzairue, Prof. Charles Adetunji, says genome editing technology is capable of meeting society’s demand for sustainable food production.
Adetunji, who spoke on Friday, August 16, 2024, in Abuja, said the technology also ensured increased crop yields, while protecting the environment and adapting to climate change.
Adetunji, who is also the President, Nigerian Bioinformatics and Genomic Network, said there were benefits derivable from agricultural genome editing.
According to him, genome editing is a technique in which specialised enzymes that have been modified, can insert, replace or remove Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from a genome with a high degree of specificity.
The academic explained that the technology was low cost; thereby opening up to researchers in non-profits, smaller companies and public institutions.
He said genome editing was resistant to pests and disease stress, allowing plants to thrive without pesticides.
“Cassava can resist brown streak disease and mosaic virus; apples can be protected from fire blight; potatoes from late blight and oranges from citrus greening disease.’’
Adetunji disclosed that the technology was also herbicide tolerant, allowing farmers to benefit from more effective weed control for canola, flax and rice among others.
He listed other benefits of the technology as increasing plant tolerance to heat, floods, salinity, droughts and extreme cold for a wide variety of crops.
According to him, it produces higher yields with lower fertiliser, water and nitrogen inputs and also reduces food waste as consumers enjoy the non-browning features in mushroom, apples and potatoes.
“Increased nutritional traits benefit consumers with advances like potatoes with lower acrylamide levels, higher fibre levels in wheat and oleic oil content in soybeans and better starch quality in corn.
“Geographically, specific research allows for regional issues and challenges to be addressed by local scientists and research institutes, rather than large multinationals with global applications of single trait,” Adetunji said.
He said that genome editing allowed for more efficient livestock muscle development and body growth which translated to better economic benefits for farmers.
By Sylvester Thompson
