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ACHIEVEMENT

1. AGRO-BIOTECHNOLOGY

  • Cocoa Genetic Linkage Map
  • Molecular Fingerprinting of Cocoa Clones
  • Molecular Markers for Selection of Shorter Cocoa Trees
  • Propagation By Somatic Embryogenesis
  • Regulatory Gene Expression in Developing Cocoa Pods
  • Development of Cocoa Trees Resistant to Pod Borer
  • Artificial Diet for Cocoa Pod Borer: A Tool for Insect Pest Management
  • High Flavour Malaysian Cocoa
  • Specialty Cocoa Beans
  • Biological Control of Cocoa Disease using Endophytic Microorganisms


    2. FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY

  • Prebiotic Chocolate


    3. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

  • Antimicrobial Compounds from Cocoa Tissues Against Human Pathogens
  • Hepatoprotective Effect of Polyphenols


    4. OTHERS


    MICROPROPAGATION
    ISOLATION OF POD-SPECIFIC PROMOTER
    POD KAIROMONES


    MICROPROPAGATION

    Project Title
    Pest resistant cocoa via in vitro technology

    Objective of Project

  • To develop an efficient somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration procedure to provide a foundation for genetic engineering
  • To mass propagate trees by axillary bud proliferation
  • To conserve germplasm in vitro

    Research Approach / Methodology
    Flower explants are placed on nutrient media containing phytohormones to induce cell proliferation. Resultant calli are then transferred to similar media lacking phytohormones. After several weeks somatic embryos may appear. These primary somatic embryos can then be processed like the initial flower explants in order to induce secondary somatic embryos or placed on special media to induce plantlet development.

    Expected Results
    We have regenerated dozens of plants from several clones, but the frequencies of primary and secondary somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration are still too low to mass propagate trees and to create transgenic trees.

    Significance of Project and Commercialization Potantial
    Our bean buyers will have no objection to beans from micropropagated trees because no genetic modification technology is involved.


    ISOLATION OF POD-SPECIFIC PROMOTER

    Objective

  • To purify mRNA from pods, embryos, leaves, flowers, stems, and roots
  • To identify genes that are highly expressed in pods and not expressed in other tissues, especially embryos
  • To isolate and characterize the pod-specific promoters (fuse to GUS/GFP protein-coding region)



    POD KAIROMONES

    Objective

  • To purify volatile compounds from cocoa pods that attract CPB females