News Briefs

2008-01-03

FFTC, Nifts and Ntu Collaborative Project Holds Workshop on Lamp Method for HLB Pathogen Detection

Taipei, Taiwan ROC - A one-day workshop on "Application of LAMP method for detection of HLB (citrus greening disease) pathogen" was held in September 2007 at the National Taiwan University (NTU) as part of a collaborative research among FFTC, NTU and the National Institute of Fruit Tree Science (NIFTS), Japan. Two Japanese scientists, Dr. M. Okuda of the National Agricultural Research Center for Kyushu Okinawa Region (KONARC) and Dr. S. Miyata of NIFTS were invited to give a lecture and laboratory demonstration on Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for HLB pathogen detection. Under the coordination of Prof.

Hong-Ji Su, FFTC Consultant and NTU Professor Emeritus, more than 10 scientists engaged in HLB research all over Taiwan participated in the workshop.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most common method used for the detection of HLB pathogen. However, this method requires a thermal cycler and other basic apparatus for molecular biological experiments, as well as trained personnel, which are not always present in many laboratories especially in developing countries in the Asian region.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), on the other hand, is a newly developed method for DNA amplification in Japan. This method is considered to have several advantages over the PCR, such as: 1) DNA amplification is catalyzed by only one enzyme; 2) Highly efficient amplification (within 30 min using a simple, affordable water bath); 3) Highly specific detection of HLB pathogen by four different kinds of primer; and 4) Large quantity of products can be amplified even in under-equipped laboratories of extension centers and local quarantine offices.

Outstanding Philippine Agricultural Journalist Visits FFTC

Taipei, Taiwan ROC - Mr. Zacarias "Zac" B. Sarian, an outstanding agricultural journalist in the Philippines, met with FFTC Director Sing-Hwa Hu and staff on December 14, 2007 to discuss how to better disseminate the Center's huge body of knowledge and valuable information in agriculture accumulated through the years. These knowledge and information, once properly disseminated, have the potential to give countless resource-poor farmers and extension specialists in the Asian region new opportunities and new solutions to their problems. According to Mr. Sarian, agricultural journalism is an effective way to share and exchange agricultural information among countries in order to bring the benefits of scientific advancement to the small-scale farmers.

Mr. Sarian, a writer for the last 42 years and editor for a great part of that time, believes that agricultural journalism plays a critical role in helping farmers acquire new know-how and gain from the successful experiences of other farmers in a country, and from other countries as well.