Country Status Reports on Agricultural Biotechnology by M. Kamal Sheikh, Pakistan

1. Current Status of Agricultural
Biotechnology In Pakistan
Pakistan Agricultural Research
Council, Islamabad
www.parc.gov.pk

2. Millennium Development Goals-2000-2015
2015-30

3. Economy of Pakistan
 Population: about 207.8 million
 Rural population: 132.2 million (more than 64 %)
 Geographical area: 79.6 million ha.
 Contribution of Services Sector to GDP: 60%
 Contribution of Industrial Sector to GDP: 21%
 Contribution of Agric. to GDP: 19%
 Important crops: 3.5%; Other crops: 3.4%
 Livestock: 11.2%; Fishery: 0.4%; Forestry: 0.4%

4. Overview of Pakistan Agriculture
4
Source: Govt. of Pakistan - Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18
Labour force
Employed
42.3%
Contribution
to GDP
18.9%
Livelihood
to rural
Population
59.5%
Average
growth rate
in 2010s
2.4%
Share of
Agriculture
in total exports
57.5%

5. Basic Information
Item Status
Value of GDP in local currency Rs. 35.2 trillion * (Nominal)
Value of GDP in USD US$.304.4 billion (Nominal)
(One US$ = 115.673 PKR
Value of Agriculture GDP in local
currency
Rs. 6.65 trillion *(Nominal)
Value of Agriculture GDP in USD US$.57.5 billion
Agriculture GDP as per cent of GDP 18.9 %
Total Investment in Agriculture
Research in local currency
0.18 % of Agri. GDP **
Rs.119.736 billion
Total Investment in Agriculture
Research in USD
US $.1.03 billion
Total Investment in Agricultural
Biotechnology Research in local currency
PK RS.59.87 billion
(@ 50% of total Ag. Res. Investment)
Total Investment in Agricultural
Biotechnology Research in USD
US$.51.8 million
*: Economic Survey of Pakistan (2017-18)
**: Source: ASTI, IFPRI, 2012

6. Crop Improvement strategiesCrop Improvement strategies
ConventionalConventional
Green revolutionGreen revolution
BiotechnologicalBiotechnological
Gene revolutionGene revolution
Conventional breeding
Mutation breeding
High yielding varieties
responsive to fertilizers
and pesticides
Tissue Culture
Genetic Engineering
Marker-assisted selection
Crops with high yield
and efficiency
Genetic Engineering
Gene Pool, Unlimited
Plant Breeding
Gene Pool, Limited

8. • Pakistan Signatory of Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB)

10. Chapters :13
Appendix:
1-12
Three Tier System
IBC
TAC
NBC

11. Biotechnology Institutes-Pakistan
1990 2012 2016
Academics
(M.Sc., M. Phil, Ph.D.)
Biotechnology
01 >30 >45
Plant Biotechnology
(Conventional)
04 >16 >20
Plant Biotechnology
(Modern)
02 >8 >10
Animal Biotechnology
(Modern)
- 06 06

12. CropsCrops Genetically EngineeredGenetically Engineered
TraitsTraits
StatusStatus
Groundnut Herbicide resistance, Tikka
disease resistance
Experimental
Maize Salt and drought tolerance,
insect and herbicide resistance
Experimental/
Field Trials
Cotton Insect resistance with Bt, Virus
(CLCuV) resistance using RNAi
technology, herbicide resistance,
sucking insect pests resistance
Commercial/
Experimental/
Field Trials
Brassica Herbicide Resistance Experimental
Potato Chitinase gene for fungal disease
resistance, salt tolerance
Experimental

13. Transgenic
Crops
Genetically Engineered
Traits
Status
Wheat Rusts, Drought and salt
tolerance, Bio-fortification
Experimental
Sugarcane Insect resistance with Cry
gene, drought tolerance
Field/
Experimental
Chickpea Herbicide Resistance Experimental
Tomato Cold tolerance, Bio-Pharming Experimental
Transgenic Traits: PakistanTransgenic Traits: Pakistan
Contd...Contd...

14. Crop Institute
Wheat NIBGE, Faisalabad; F.C. College, Lahore ; CABB/UAF;
NIGAB, Islamabad, IBGE,Peshawar
Cotton CEMB, Lahore; NIBGE, Faisalabad; IAGS, Lahore
Tomato NIBGE, Faisalabad; NIGAB, & QAU, Islamabad
Groundnut NIGAB; Islamabad
Brassica IBGE, Peshawar; KIBGE, Karachi; ABR/AARI,
Faisalabad
Sugarcane NIBGE, Faisalabad
Potato NIBGE, Faisalabad; QAU, NIGAB, Islamabad
Chickpea NIGAB, Islamabad

15. APPROVAL OF GM CASES WITH NBC/ PAK-EPA
• IBC 42 (notified) Public Sector + Private
(National – MNCs)
• TAC 20 Meetings Held
• NBC 14 Meetings
• Status
• Total Cases Submitted 155
• Cases notified 118
• Labs + GH + Field Studies 109
• Commercial Approval
• (De-regulated/ Exempt Status) 31 (Bt – Cotton)
• (Pak Biosafety Rules – 2005)

16. Status of GM Crops Release in Islamic WorldStatus of GM Crops Release in Islamic World
*: 8th largest GM area in the world
Other GM crops with different traits are at evaluation and
approval stage
S.No. Country Crop Area
(mHa)
1 Pakistan Cotton 2.80*
2 Sudan Cotton >0.1
3 Bangladesh Egg plant >0.1
Total ~3.0
ISAAA, 2016

17. HRD in Biotechnology
•Ministry of S&T Scholarship schemes
•HEC (2002-2005,2005-2010 , 2010-16)
•> 3000 overseas scholarships
•1500 overseas scholarships by Univ
•1200 returned (5-7% in Biotech)
•4000 indigenous Ph.D fellows
•1300 MS/BS fellows

18. R&D intensity ratios compared
Source: IFPRI-ASTI Country Brief 2012 and 2015
Ag R&D Spending as a % of
AgGDP, 2015
Bangladesh 0.37
India 0.40
Nepal 0.28
Pakistan 0.18
Sri Lanka 0.34

19. Role of Private Sector-GM crops
• GM crop development – MNCs & national
seed companies
• LOI with Monsanto
• Approval of import to Bayer , Biocantury,
Monsanto, Nath, Poineer, Silverland &
Syngenta (cotton & corn)
• Entry of national seed companies ( Ali Akbar,
Auriga, GM, Guard, Sitara,4B etc) and PSC

20. DNA Marker assisted selection (MAS) for rust
resistance in wheat through gene pyramiding
Rust resistant lines of wheat selected through MAS and gene pyramiding are
ready to be submitted in national coordinated wheat yield trials
Rust resistant tolerant susceptible
Field Testing

21. Developed wheat lines for high salinity (250 mM)
tolerance through DNA markers
These lines
selected through
DNA marker
assisted selection
tolerant to high
salt are ready to
go in national
coordinated yield
trials
Hydroponics testing in control and high salinity
Field testing at high salinity
Marker assisted selection
gwm 11
wmc 44
barc 436
Control
High salinity

22. Detection of Quality Related Genes in Pakistani
wheat
• Protein content
• Starch content
• Grain hardness
• Poly Phenol Oxidase
(Darker flour colour)
M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
488bp
- - - + - - - - - - - - + - - + - -
Presence/absence of GluA3d gene
Varietal screening for better quality traits with DNA markers should
be done before releasing new varieties.

23. Identification of Olive varieties based on Mitochondrial
sequence
Genome sequence analysis of 965 unknown olive plants resulted in successful identification of 515
plants differentiated into 27 varieties. Of them 140 plants were identified from Ternab and 375 from
Sangbhatti olive orchards, respectively.

24. Way ForwardWay Forward
• Development of Infrastructure
• informational resources should be systematically developed
through data banks, inventories, and germ plasm
repositories
• Exploring the possibilities to deploy nano-biotechnology
• Human resource development through exchange programs
with International Biotech. Institutes.
• Development of public-private partnerships
• Increase capacity in livestock biotechnology

25. THANKS FOR LISTENING
WITH ATTENTION

26.  Trade and Quality of GM products
•WTO (TBT/SPS/TRIPS)
•Codex Alimentarius ( CAC)
•International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
 Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
•Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD)
•Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB)
•International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources
(ITPGR)
International Conventions Related to GMOsInternational Conventions Related to GMOs

27. Agricultural Biotechnology and Muslim World

28. Distribution of Islamic Umma in the worldDistribution of Islamic Umma in the world
Covered large area with different geographical distribution having
great environmental variation

29. Muslims and Modern Biotech
•Majority of the Islamic countries economies based on agriculture,
biotechnology has thus immense potential to enhance productivity
•The demand of food over the next 25 years to increase by 40%
•This increase will need to come from improvements in agricultural
productivity in fertile, marginal, salt affected and rainfed areas.
•Less labour, water and arable land available in agriculture.
•Innovative technologies such as Biotechnology has to be used to
overcome many of these problems.

30. Current Status in Islamic CountriesCurrent Status in Islamic Countries
•The level of Biotechnology research in majority of Islamic
countries at a fairly low level.
•Lack of infrastructure, skilled manpower and lack of
commitment by the national governments.
• Egypt, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan have embarked
on meaningful programs related to Biotechnology.
•OIC countries with an average spending amount of US
$5.16/capita on Biotechnology research.
•Malaysia spends the highest amount of money (US $97.6)
per agricultural person among the OIC members.
•37 countries signed Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

31. Genomics: Structural and Functional
• Creation of DNA polymorphism maps and databases of
germplasm resources.
• Creation of microarray facilities for defining the expression
and functions of genes.
• Development of new algorithms, softwares and tools for
data mining and data warehousing applications/
• Exploitation of microbial genome information using strong
bioinformatics machinery.
• Identifying genomic factors responsible for genetic
disorders, development of molecular diagnostics

32. Genomic-based Approaches
Genetic Engineering
- DNA fingerprinting
-Re-sequencning of genomes—SNPs
- Primary/Secondary gene pool
- Linkage drags hinders the progress
- DNA markers breeding by
design
•Genetic improvement cultivars
•Enhancing the genetic diversity
• Genome organization
• Function of genes etc.
Gene Editing
Precise breeding
Mutation breedingConv. breeding

33. MIT-Tech.Review-2014
•10 Breakthrough Technologies
Precise Gene Editing in Plants
CRISPR offers an easy, exact way to alter genes to
create traits such as disease resistance and drought
tolerance
Availability: 5-10 years

34. Emergence of New Revolutionary Gene
Editing Technology
Nature Special Issue: CRISPR, 09 March,2016

35. CRISPR, the disruptor
A powerful gene-editing technology is the biggest game changer to hit biology since PCR

36. Crispr-Cas9 :Action Mechanism

37. Genomic-based Approaches
GM technology
- DNA fingerprinting
-Re-sequencning of genomes—SNPs
- Primary/Secondary gene pool
- Linkage drags hinders the progress
- DNA markers breeding by
design
•Genetic improvementcultivars
•Enhancing the genetic diversity
• Genome organization
• Function of genes etc.
• Genome editing
(CRISPR-CAS9)
Precise breeding
Mutation breedingConv. breeding

38. Li et al 2014
Editing TN (R gene families) and TNL (R gene) gene families in cotton
may lead to improved resistance against V. dahliae infection
Verticillium wilt resistance (R genes) and CRISPR/Cas9 system- a destructive
cotton disease

39. CRISPR/Cas9
Editing in primary and secondary
cell wall synthesis genes may lead
to fiber improvement
Fiber quality improvement
Li et al 2015

40. Herbicide resistance—can be improved
Editing of EPSPS genes
Soybean, Rapeseed and Rice
CRISPR/Cas9
Herbicide resistance
Genome editing by CRISPR/Cas9
Huang et al 2016

41. Significant reduction of tomato
yellow leaf curl virus in tomato using
CRISPR/CAS9.
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated interference
is virus strain-specific, and can
therefore be used to target multiple
viruses
Targeting Begomoviruses by CRISPR/CAS9 and disease resistance improvement
Ali et al 2015, BMC Genomics
Ali et.al 2016 Plos One

42. UPDATE: USDA decides first CRISPR-edited crop
is not regulated
• UK case of GE Brassica
• EFSA deferred the decision on GE technology

43. Field Release without Biosafety Review by
Regulatory Body
White House launched review of Federal Regulations of Agri. Biotech, July,2015

44. Conflicts continues…
• GURTs issues
• Golden rice-73 patents were involved in its development program.
• CRISPR-Cas9 Gene editing technology
• Patent dispute in US PTO, UC, Berkeley US Board Institute of MIT &
Harvard, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Pursuit of Profits poisons collaboration Jacob S. Sherkow Nature,
14 April, 2016,532: 172-173
• Who owns CRISPR-Cas9 in Europe? A.Kupecz, Nat.Biotechnol
32(2014) 1194-1196
• Who-owns-the-biggest-biotech-discovery-of-the-century
Technology reivew.com/featuredstory/532796/

45. Gene Drive: Spread and Persistence
6 June,2016

46. Genomic-based Approaches

47. Responsible Science of Gene Drive:
Integration of 6 Areas
Values
Governance
Public
Engagement
Risk
Assessment
Phased testing
Gene Drive
ResearchResponsible
Science
NRC, 6 June,2016,Washington, D.C, USA
“It is impossible to be
completely ‘science based’ in
a regulatory system”
Jennifer Kuzma, Nature
6 March,2016
Need to establish a
governance system
informed by science
and guided by concerns
& value of citizens

48. Current challenges and future perspectives of plant and agricultural biotechnology.
Menachem Moshelion &, Arie Altman,
TIBTECH 33, ( 6), 2015 : 337–342
Processing & Screening Funnel

49. Today’s problems are tomorrow’sToday’s problems are tomorrow’s
Future!Future!

51. Food Security Challenges in Pakistan
• Population = 180 million
• Per capita water availability
1947 = 7400 m3
2015 => 1000 m3
• Water availability deficit
2004 = 11% 2025 = 31%
• Per capita Land availability
1947 = 0.7 ha 2015 => 0.4 ha

52. Food Security Challenges in Pakistan……….
•Increased population (355 million by 2050)
•New WTO laws and regulations hurdle in the transfer of new
technologies
•Urbanization (New urban settlements, reducing agricultural land)
•Cash Crops replacing Food Crops (opportunist investors have
replaced food crops with cash crops)
•Degradation of Ecology (Use of chemicals, deforestation, industrial pollution
and global warming, the ecosystems of the country have been affected negatively)
•Poor law and order situation (During insurgency Maize cultivation was
prohibited in Swat)
•Other biotic and abiotic factors (CLCuV, Floods, climatic changes)

53. InputInput OutputOutput
GET MORE OUT OF SMART AND EFFICIENT GM CROPS: theGET MORE OUT OF SMART AND EFFICIENT GM CROPS: the
most adopted technology of 21most adopted technology of 21stst
centurycentury
Sustainable Agriculture: Economy, Ecology & Society