Plant Breeding and Genetics Project to Receive $15.46 Million

$15.46 million has been allocated to the Plant Breeding and Genetics Technologies project, which is being implemented by the Government of Jamaica. This has been provided for in the 2007/08 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. The funds will be used to establish laboratory facilities for mutation assisted plant breeding and disease diagnosis by March 2008; procure and install equipment by December 2007; improve infrastructure by June 2007; and commission equipment by March 2008.
Other objectives for the financial year include the collection and preparation of target starting materials (seed and or in vitro) including materials used in fellowship training from February/ March 2007 to June 2008; shipment of target starting materials for eradication as of October 2007; and training of local counterpart in induced mutation breeding and plant diagnostic techniques by March 2008.
The Plant Breeding and Genetics Technologies project falls under the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy, and Commerce, and aims to establish plant diagnostics and plant breeding facilities in Jamaica. It also seeks to set out protocols for induced mutations, selection of, and advancing mutant lines/ clones with farmer specific traits. Funding is being provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the project is scheduled to run from February 2007 to December 2010.