September 18, 2006	Monday	Sha'aban 24, 1427

THE Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) established its research laboratory, the Atomic Energy Centre (AEC) at Lahore in 1961. The biologists continued working at the AEC till a Radiation Genetic Institute was established in Faisalabad which was renamed the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture & Biology (NIAB). It is one of the three agricultural research institutes of the PAEC. The other two are at Tandojam in Sindh and Tarnab in the NWFP.

NIAB originally had six research divisions namely mutation breeding, entomology, soil science, soil biology, food science, biochemistry and natural products. Its research activities now include biotechnology as one of the integrated approach for crop improvement, animal health, plant health, soil and environments, and industrial biotechnology.

Genetic mutation is one of the normal breeding methods for developing genetically variable high yielding and disease-resistant plant varieties. Under normal mutation breeding system, it takes a long time to develop a new variety. However, NIAB through radiation-induced mutation and other advanced technologies has successfully overcome this limitation by creating genetic variability for crop improvement in cotton, rice, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables.

NIAB, by following the aforementioned technology developed a cotton variety NIAB-78 by irradiating the F1 hybrid of a local variety AC-134 and an exotic variety Deltapine. This irradiation created a wide variability from which NIAB-78 was selected due to its plant structure, shorter nodes, hairy leaf, early maturation, heat tolerance, high yield, and long staple length. It matures in 150-160 days and can be sown late in May or as late as July. But due to the non-cooperative attitude of the Punjab Agricultural Department at that time, the Department neither approved nor recommended this variety to farmers.

The scientists of NIAB started direct distribution of its seeds to farmers and also by growing it directly at farmers’ field. Due to its greater disease resistant, higher yield and early maturity, timely sowing of the following wheat crop also resulted in high yield as compared to its late planting in the then competing late maturing cotton varieties.

It became popular among farmers with planting spreading fast in the Punjab and Sindh cotton belts. The Department of Agriculture Punjab approved it in 1983. Every crop variety has a period of high yield after which the yield either stagnates or declines. Consequently, a new variety is needed. Had the Department of Agriculture, Punjab recommended NIAB-78 earlier, it would have increased the cotton production much earlier.

The area under NIAB-78 increased to 70 per cent of the total area under cotton by 1987 which by 1993 declined to 40 per cent due to the release of more new varieties. It had a yield advantage of 29 per cent over the next high yielding cotton variety.

However, 40 per cent of the area covered even after 10 years of its late release and competition with 16 new varieties speaks volumes about the quality and popularity of this variety. The increased production of this variety paid back to the nation every year since 1983, five to six times of the total investment made on its development in the research budget.

Credit goes to NIAB which subsequently released new cotton varieties NIAB-525, NIAB-92, NIAB-Krishma, NIAB-999 and NIAB-111 till 2004 despite limited research budget.

NIAB through mutation breeding in Basmati 370 released commercial rice varieties Kashmir Basmati suitable for Northern Areas, NIAB Rice-1 salt tolerant non-aromatic rice suitable in salt affected areas. The Institute also released NIAB-Irri-9 in 1999. Besides, NIAB also had released four chickpeas, 10 mungbeans, and two lentils varieties till 2006. The release of different varieties and its effect on the national economy is estimated at around Rs64 billion as against an expenditure of nearly Rs4 billions.

Pakistani kinno is in great demand in international markets due to its delicious taste but the high number of seeds per fruit is a constraint as consumers prefer seedless varieties. NIAB has developed low-seeded kinno using immature ovule culture coupled with the radiation treatments.

Likewise, marker-assisted gene transfer is progressing for water deficiency and salinity tolerance in wheat and rice using wild varieties. Besides, NIAB is also doing commendable job on salinity and environmental management programme. These are some achievements of NIAB despite research and budget constraints.

It is a tragedy that against the international standard 40 per cent share for research, NIAB receives a nominal figure. Out of the total 2006 budget, over 99 per cent is earmarked for salaries and maintenance and less than one per cent for research. This is causing serious problems for NIAB to conduct research.

NIAB realizing budgetary constraints has prepared 63 research projects during the current financial year under the guidance of Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Chief Scientist and Director NIAB. Out of these, 49 are meant for competitive grants programmes, 13 for funding by the government, and one by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Thus, the future of research at NIAB now depends on the number of research projects approved by concerned national and international organizations. The government of Pakistan should take serious note of the problems faced by NIAB.

Consultants of the World Bank-funded Agricultural Research Project-11 submitted detailed reports on research problems, both at federal and provincial levels and made recommendations on how to overcome these. According to reports of these international consultants there is no deficiency of research scientists in Pakistan.

Unfortunately the agricultural research system is dominated by the bureaucracy and politicians. As a result awards, rewards and promotions are based on personal likes and dislikes rather than merit which discourage them to move to greener pastures abroad.

International consultants have reported that the number of research institutes, stations, substations has increased to nearly 250 on political and provincial bases which has put unnecessary burden on research budgets. Most of it is spent on salaries and maintenance.

The separation of agricultural research, extension and education system in 1960 resulted in poor linkages among them due to political rivalries and a consequent poor linkage with farmers.

Lack of coordination and monitoring duplicated many programmes. It was recommended to reduce unnecessarily expanded research institutes, stations, substations etc. The institute should be assigned site specific research programme with strict monitoring to avoid duplication and removal of constraints.

It was further recommended to completely free such institutes from the clutches of bureaucracy and politicians as is prevalent in many countries. Directors of each institute should be given full powers to conduct research without any external interference and it should be his responsibility to achieve the targets. The ratio of salaries/maintenance and research should be 70:30. Services of scientists achieving targets should be encouraged.

Keeping in view the recommendations of international consultants of ARP-11, NIAB should be given nuclear-technology-based research programmes. The Director NIAB should be fully independent. The share of research budget of NIAB should be raised to 30-40 per cent of the total budget. The scientists doing excellent research work should be rewarded.

Similarly, the federal and provincial governments and the Atomic Energy Commission should seriously consider removing budgetary constraints of NIAB, Tandojam and Tarnab, also.