Mutation breeding, which uses radiation to mimic natural plant mutation events, is a well-established method that enables plant breeders to work with farmers to develop variations of rice, barley, sesame and other crops that are higher-yielding and more resistant to diseases.

The awards were initiated by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture to celebrate successes achieved so far, promote the development of further sustainable crop varieties, and ensure national food security. 

"Through the use of plant mutation breeding, nuclear techniques help to create new strains of plants with characteristics that allow them to resist disease and thrive under harsh conditions, such as high altitudes and saline soils," IAEA Director General Amano said at the awards ceremony on September 24.

The Agriculture Genetics Institute under the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) won three out of 23 awards, including an Achievement Award.

Since the IAEA provided support since the 1980s, Vietnamese agricultural research institutes have obtained many outstanding achievements in breeding better crop varieties which are higher-yielding and more resistant to diseases.

The awards presentation was held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisa­tion (FAO)/Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agri­culture (IAEA).

Source: intellasia.net