Biotech Updates

Patent to be Granted for Salinity Tolerance Technology

February 11, 2011

The Australian Center for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG)' application for patent has been accepted for a grant in Eurasia. It covers salinity tolerance technology in plants developed by Mark Tester and colleagues, wherein a protein located in a plant cell's outer membrane pumps sodium ions from the cell to increase its tolerance to salinity. The patent now applies to Turkmenistan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and the Moldova regions.

"Salinity is a problem in many parts of the world and a major cause of crop loss in much of the developing world. Eurasia is a major crop growing region and also suffers from salinity problems," ACPFG CEO Prof. Peter Langridge said.

Read the media release at http://www.acpfg.com.au/uploads/documents/news/Salinity%20Patent%20Release%20final.pdf.