New variety of jute to boost up export and genome sequence of desi jute discored by Dr Maqsudul Alam

After developing the new variety of jute, Bangladesh will be able to export huge quantity of jute fulfilling domestic demand, report agencies.

This was disclosed Monday by Internationally acclaimed Bangladeshi geneticist Dr Maqsudul Alam at a press conference at the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI).

"If we are successful in developing the new variety, Bangladesh would be recognized as the first among the least developed countries in this regard," he added.

Scientists working behind the spectacular achievement for the country also addressed the press conferenceScientists working behind the spectacular achievement for the country also addressed the press conference.

They observed the successful decoding of local jute varieties along with that of Tosha jute three years back will usher in a new horizon for jute quality improvement and diversification of jute goods.

The scientists working under the Basic and Applied Research on Jute Project (BARJ) also noted that it will take at least five years to complete the lab researches before undertaking the task of jute variety development.

Maqsudul Alam in his speech expressed the hope of releasing disease resistant and adverse weather tolerant improved jute variety by the next five years following genome sequencing of 'deshi' (local) jute plant.

"With decoding of genome of 'deshi" (white) jute, scopes have been created to develop more productive jute varieties in future and releasing those to the farmers by the next four or five years," he said.Alam said the government has made mandatory use of jute in packaging industry that would create additional demand of 1.5 million bales of jute in the country in future.

Responding to a query, he said Bangladesh has already applied for patent registration of jute to the authorities concerned. "If we get patent rights, Bangladesh would be the sole owner of jute and get money from concerned individual, institutions, international agencies or countries if they want to conduct research on jute anywhere in the globe".

. The famed scientist said with the decoding of genome of two varieties-tossa and deshi jute-Bangladesh, the second largest producer of jute after India, and the world's largest exporter of the fibre, has gone one step forward in terms of development.

It has come as another success in knowing better the world's second most important natural fibre after cotton, he added.

Among others, Director General of BJRI Dr Md. Kamal Uddin, Chief Scientific Officer and geneticist Dr Monjurul Alam and scientist Dr Shamsul Islam joined the press conference.

Earlier, Dr Maqsudul Alam unveiled genome sequence of desi jute Sunday after three years of successful genome sequencing of tossa jute in 2010 enabling scientists to identify and understand how genes work together for the plant's different features like growth, development and maintenance as an entire organism.

Maqsudul Alam who had also decoded the genome of papaya in the US and rubber plant in Malaysia, led the sequencing of both tossa and deshi jute genome.

"In Bangladesh, we've been conducting cross-hybridisatin over the last 40-50 years. We can't move forward anymore without improving the scientific knowledge in this regard," he said.

The BARJ team also cracked the genome sequence of the most harmful fungal pathogen (Macrophomina phaseolina) for jute last year, he said.