Monsanto Transfers PRSV Papaya Technology to India’s TNAU

In response to a request from Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU), Monsanto Company, USA, announces a royalty-free transfer of its Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) Papaya Technology to TNAU, facilitated by International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA). This agreement was sealed in the presence of Shri Sharad Pawar - Hon'ble Union Minister for Agriculture (MOA) and Dr. Clive James - Chairman and Founder, ISAAA, between Dr. C. Ramasamy, Vice Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), and Sekhar Natarajan, Chairman Monsanto India. This technology tranfer could result in the development of improved papaya varieties of better quality and good flavour with increased virus resistance that offers a potential 75 lakh quintals or 25% potential yield increase to India's papaya industry. Monsanto has granted TNAU a royalty-free license for Research and Development (R&D) and commercial purposes in India.

In India, papaya is cultivated mainly in the states of Maharashtra (largest producer in India), Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, West Bengal, Orissa, Manipur and Meghalaya. Small and resource poor farmer mostly grows papaya. According to the National Horticulture Board (NHB), India produces 250 lakh quintals of papaya annually. Since the mid-90s, pests have become a major threat to the production of commercial papaya in India. The most damaging widespread attacks are caused by the Papaya ring spot virus (PRSV) that signficantly reduces papaya production. In addition, PRSV also attacks certain species of cucurbits.