Various techniques can be used to improve the genetic diversity of the breeding materials, for instance, by applying plant tissue culture, in vitro mutation, and genome editing.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) attempts to develop a superior shallot variety that can withstand extreme weather triggered by climate change.

Head of the Agricultural and Food Research Organization of BRIN Puji Lestari stated that her side strives to create the superior variety through the application of conventional methods as well as modern biotechnology of plant breeding, as quoted from a statement on Friday.

“Various techniques can be used to improve the genetic diversity of the breeding materials, for instance, by applying plant tissue culture, in vitro mutation, and genome editing," she remarked.

Head of the Horticulture and Plantation Research Center at BRIN Dwinita Wikan Utami noted that shallot was among the main contributors to inflation in Indonesia.

Earlier, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) noted that shallot was the chief contributor to inflation in May 2023, contributing to 0.03 percent of the national inflation rate.

Senior researcher of the Horticulture and Plantation Research Center at BRIN Ragapadmi Purnamaningsih stated that shallots do not grow well in areas that experience high rainfall and long spells of drought.

Hence, climate change, which caused high rainfall and widespread drought, had resulted in a decline in shallot productivity, she noted.

Thus, Purnamaningsih said that BRIN attempts to develop superior varieties that can adapt to both abiotic and biotic stress to anticipate unfavorable conditions.

However, she drew attention to several obstacles in the development attempts since gene resources for certain desirable characteristics are limited, and it takes a long time to create new varieties.

Hence, alternative technology is required to expedite the development of genetic diversity of shallot.

Associate researcher at the Horticulture and Plantation Research Center of BRIN Tri Joko Santoso suggested to use the genome editing method that is simpler, more precise, and faster for improving genetic diversity.

He emphasized that improving the desirable characteristics of shallots is important on account of the enormous potential and benefits of the commodity.

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Translator: Sugiharto Purnama, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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