Improved varieties: GMO, local breed chicken and 16 others registered in Nigeria

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The controversy over the use of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) in Nigeria was laid to rest as two Bt cotton were among the newly released and registered improved varieties by the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release varieties of crops, livestock/Fisheries  at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB),Moorplantion, Ibadan, Nigeria. This is the first ever officially approved GMO crop in the country and it can now be transferred to farmers through commercial multiplication. 

The national chairman of the committee, Chief Awoyemi said that two Bt cotton varieties  having being subjected to scientific scrutiny were hereby released and registered as approved improved seeds for the use of farmers in Nigeria saying  it  has been tested as not injurious to both human and animals. 

 The two transgenic hybrid cotton varieties are MRC 7377 BG11 and MRC 7361 BG11. They both have outstanding qualities of 4.4 and 4.1 high yield respectively per hectare with its resistance ability to insects and diseases. Already the on the farm trials of these varieties have shown that farmers have preferred them to old SAMCOT.

Also released and registered after a very long time in the livestock sub-sector is the FUNAAB Alpha chicken with principal breeders including Prof.(Mrs) O. A Adebanbo of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Its approval was based on its ability to adaptability to the production environment of local rural farmers with performance characteristics of body weight, live weight at the end of lay, high egg lay and weight which surpass those of the existing Nigerian local chicken.

Others that are released and registered are listed as follows - Soybean variety (SC-SL01) 5 maize hybrids (P4226, P3966, P4063,WE3205 and DKB350), 3 groundnut varieties (SAMNUT 27, SAMNUT 28 and SAMNUT 29), 2 maize varieties (AMANA-1 and AMANA-2: 1 sweet potato variety ( Solo gold): 3 Sorghum varieties and (SAMSORG 47, 48, 49) 2 Cowpea varieties ( SAMPEA 18, 19).

All these improved released and registered varieties are advised to be well publicized to farmers so as to harness their commercial advantages for farming business.

On behalf of Biosafety and OFAB Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs) Rose Gidado expressed happiness for the two Bt cotton varieties being officially released and registered saying this was a sign of better things in agricultural sector pointed it would fast track development of  commercial farming in Nigeria.