Los Baños, Philippines – The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) today announced that it has received a donation of materials worth US$500,000 from 5 PRIME, a Germany-based company that produces technologies and reagents for molecular biology applications.
The donation pack includes technologies and reagents for DNA isolation, amplification, and molecular analysis and will strengthen IRRI's research capabilities for enabling more efficient and cheaper rice production. For example, the 5 PRIME materials will help the Institute's work on developing drought-tolerant rice varieties. Rainfed lowlands in many parts of Asia are vulnerable to drought, making rice farming a risky enterprise for resource-poor farmers. Scientists at IRRI use molecular biological methods—which require high-quality reagents—to develop drought-tolerant rice varieties.
"In 2008, rice prices have risen dramatically, hurting poor consumers who are dependent on affordable rice for their food security," said Achim Dobermann, IRRI's deputy director general for research. "This situation underscores the need to intensify research efforts to develop improved, more efficient rice production. We are very grateful that 5 PRIME has supported us by providing high-quality tools and reagents."
In the past, IRRI research has led to significant improvements in rice supply. The development of high-yielding, short-stemmed varieties in the 1960s ignited what became known as the Green Revolution in rice, saving millions of Asians from famine. Between 1961 and 2000, such innovation boosted rice production by an impressive 170%, from 199 million tons in 1961 to 540 million tons in 2000. The increase in production drove a spectacular drop in the real price of rice over the past 30 years, providing the poor with vital additional income. The recent price rises have threatened these improvements.
"We are very proud to support this extremely important research mission with our technologies," said Dr. Bernd Haase, CEO of 5 PRIME. "Molecular biology is one of the keys to generating more scientific advances that may not only reduce hunger in developing countries but also spark their subsequent economic growth and ultimately lift more people out of poverty."
About IRRI
Based in the Philippines, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the oldest and largest international agricultural research institute in Asia. It is an autonomous, nonprofit rice research and education organization with staff based in 14 countries in Asia and Africa. IRRI was established in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations in cooperation with the Philippine government. Our headquarters—which feature modern laboratories, training and accommodation facilities, and a 252-hectare experimental farm—lie next to the main campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, about 60 kilometers south of the Philippine capital, Manila.
About 5 PRIME:
5 PRIME is a provider of molecular biological reagents and technologies based in Hamburg, Germany. 5 PRIME offers a comprehensive range of products for all common molecular biology applications such as Nucleic Acid Purification: plasmid DNA, genomic DNA, and RNA, PCR: End point and Real-Time PCR and RT-PCR, Molecular Biology Reagents: Buffers and Enzymes, Cloning and Transfection, Recombinant Protein Expression. More information can be found at www.5PRIME.com.
Contacts:
IRRI:
Adam Barclay, IRRI, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines;
tel +63-2-580-5600; fax +63-2-580-5699; email a.barclay@cgiar.org.
Websites:
IRRI Home www.irri.org
IRRI Library http://ricelib.irri.org
Rice Knowledge Bank www.knowledgebank.irri.org
Rice Today magazine www.irri.org/ricetoday
5 PRIME
Ilja Seidel
Manager Internal Services
5 PRIME GmbH
+49-40-3197-927-444
email: info@5prime.com