BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 13
By Fakhri Vakilov-Trend:
Patent Office of China approved a patent application for an innovative technology for knocking out (turning off) cotton genes developed by scientists of the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics of Uzbekistan’s Academy of Sciences, Trend reports citing the press service of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Innovative Development.
The patents for Uzbekistan’s technology of knocking out cotton genes as well as the Patent Cooperation Treaty were already obtained in Uzbekistan, the USA, Egypt, and Russia. Another patent expands the possibilities of its licensing on a global scale.
China is one of the world leaders in cotton production and consumption. The country widely uses modern biotechnological methods to create new high-quality cotton varieties which are resistant to insects and pathogens. Therefore, obtaining a patent in China for the technology of scientists from Uzbekistan has great potential for its commercialization in this country, the ministry reported.
Uzbekistan’s government pays great attention to the development of scientific research and the commercialization of their results. A number of decrees have been published that open up new opportunities for scientists and contribute to the effective implementation of the fruits of their labor for the good of the country. These factors will further strengthen the work on patenting new innovative developments of domestic scientists abroad.
Cotton genes knocking out technology is the sixth generation innovative technology. It was developed by Uzbek scientists in 2008. Further research has led to the creation of high-yielding, precocious, long-fiber, drought-and salt-tolerant biotechnological varieties of cotton of the Porlock series based on the technology.
Technology, for the first time, has simultaneously improved several agronomically valuable traits of cotton, which is the main problem in the selection of cotton. Currently, Porlock fiber is sold at 12 percent more expensive than conventional fiber and has a very high demand on the world market.
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