Transgenic Papaya for Developing

Countries

Topics

� Hawaii’s Papaya Story� Technology Transfer to

Developing Countries� Thailand Case� Personal Assessment

•No resistance

•Transmitted by insects

•Worldwide problem

Papaya Ringspot Virus

Papaya & PRSVin Hawaii

• Much of Hawaii’s papaya exported to mainland USA & Japan

• Papaya ringspot virus

•Potential problem in Puna

•Puna= 95%

Hilo

Puna

Pathogen-Derived Resistance

PRSV Coat Protein Gene

1984-89: clone, sequence, engineer, develop transformation methodology

1991

1989

Technology meets Papaya Ringspot Virus

April 1992: Field trial shows resistance

May 1992: Virus invades Puna, 95% of papaya

R0 cloned plants, very small area on station, use test plants to develop transgenic cultivars

The Devastation in Puna

Puna in 1992

Puna in 1994

Article in tourist magazine

Public well aware of problem

1995

1995: Hawaii’s Transgenic Papaya•Transformed ‘Sunset’: Red-flesh

•‘Kapoho’: Yellow-flesh, most popular

•‘SunUp’: Homozygous for CP gene

•‘Rainbow’: F1 of ‘SunUp’x ‘Kapoho’

SunUp Rainbow

Puna Trial: 1995-97

Race to Commercialize Papaya

Nov 1996: Deregulated by APHISAug 1997: Exempted by EPASept 1997: Consultation with FDA

completedApril 1998: Papaya Administrative

Committee- obtain licensesMay 1998: Start free seed distribution

Seeds planted starting in May 1998

Transgenics perform well

Abandoned Infected Field

Transgenic Papaya

By 1999 common sight to see healthy fields

Hawaii Papaya(fresh): 1992-01Year Total Puna1992 55,800 53,0101993 58,200 55,2901994 56,200 55,5251995 41,900 39,2151996 37,800 34,1951997 35,700 27,8101998 35,600 26,7501999 39,400 25,6102000 50,250 33,9502001 53,000 41,000

virus

seeds

50% drop

Good Papaya Available Again in Farmer Markets

2004

2004

Some Challenges in Hawaii

� Japan market only accepts nontransgenic papaya

� Coexistence necessary in Puna

� Ideal case is to deregulate transgenic papaya in Japan

Co-existence of transgenic & nontransgenicpapaya in Hawaii

Nontransgenic Transgenic

2005: There still are risks with non transgenic papaya

NonTransgenic

Transgenic

$4,000/Acre to prepare, plant

Everything is relative

Don’t forget the past

1994

2001

Strategy for Transgenic Technology Transfer to Developing Countries

Countries requested help

Brazil- 1992 (broad applications)

Jamaica- 1992 (Commercial interests)

Venezuela- 1992 (University academic model)

Thailand- 1994 (Rural farmers and villagers of northeast Thailand)

Bangladesh- 2002 (Rural households for source of vitamins, fresh produce)

Example: Technology Transfer

in Thailand•Start in 1986, people of NE Thailand

•Cross protection

•Tolerant breeding

•Transgenic papaya

NE Thailand ProjectPapaya important as daily salad

Traditionally grown in backyard

PRSV invades in 1970s

NE villagers poorest in TH

1994: Start transgenic work

1994: Visit to Cornell for assistance & collaboration between MOAC (by

DOA) and Cornell

1994: Visit to Cornell for assistance & collaboration between MOAC (by

DOA) and Cornell

1995: Scientist works 18 monthsin my lab, learn and perform all aspects of transformation and

greenhouse testing

1997: Transgenic-papayabrought to Thailand

A hope is born

1997: Transgenic-papayabrought to Thailand

A hope is born

Field trials started in 1999.

Transgenics show excellent resistant

1999-present: Conduct studies to satisfy regulatory requirements

� Gene flow� Feed pollen to larvae of honeybees� Effect on microflora� Nutritional analysis� Rat feeding studies� Effect on predatory mite� Molecular analysis

1999-present: Conduct studies to satisfy regulatory requirements

‘On Farm’ field trials are also required� 2001: Government places moratorium on

‘on farm’ trials� 2004: Moratorium briefly lifted and then

reinstated� Cannot get transgenic papaya deregulated

until do ‘on farm’ field trials

August 2004: Greenpeace make massive effort against transgenic papaya in Thailand

Papaya project stalled

Controversy still continues

2005: Thailand Farmers & TV, Newspaper Journalists visit Hawaii

Papaya Varieties Served to Thai Visitors

SunUpKapoho Rainbow Sunrise

Thailand Visitors with Hawaiian Farmer

Hawaii Thailand

Transform 1989 1995

Greenhouse 1991 1996

Confined Field Tests 1992 1999

Deregulation 1996-97

Commercialization 1998?

Virus Continue to Damage Crops, Even Though Technology is Available. When Will

It Become Available to People?