Genetic code of harmful fungus cracked

Team leader Maqsudul Alam says they can now design strategies for disease control and develop fungus-resistant crops. Updates

Dhaka, Sep 19 (bdnews24.com)—A group of Bangladeshi scientists has sequenced the DNA make-up of a fungus which reduces yield of more than 500 species of crops including jute.

"Our scientists, led by Dr Maqsudul Alam, have discovered the genome sequence of a fungus which is harmful to plants," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told Parliament on Wednesday.

The fungus, Macrophomina Phaseolina, cuts down the production of many crops like jute, soybean, cotton, tobacco, maize and sunflower.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the research team's head Dr Alam spoke about their breakthrough.

He said the fungus alone reduces 30 percent production of tossa jute and globally costs billions of dollars in lost production.

"With this invention, we can design rational strategies for disease control and develop fungus-resistant crops," he said.

However, he did not say when the fungus-resistant jute would be available. Dr Alam said the price would be "cost effective" and farmers would be immensely benefited.

"When we do our research we keep in mind that the invention does not prove expensive to poor farmers," he said.

The Prime Minister told Parliament that the discovery was indeed a great achievement and set an example that Bangladesh could also contribute to the global quest for knowledge.

"An article on decoding has been published in BMC Genomics today," Alam said and added that Bangladesh applied for three provisional patents for it.

Dr Alam also headed the research project that unveiled the genome sequence of jute in 2010.

"This time, the scientists have unveiled the genome sequence of the fungus," Hasina said and added that the feat will certainly enrich world knowledge.

Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, who was presiding over the session at the time, also congratulated the scientists on behalf of Parliament.

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