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KU discovers DNA mango sequences

KARACHI: A group of scientists of the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, led by Dr Kamran Azim, has discovered more than 20,000 base pairs of mango DNA sequences.

Pakistan has acquired the foremost position in the field all over the globe after this discovery related to the molecular biology of the mango tree, an ICCBS release said on Monday. This research will help enhance the production of mangoes in the country, however the obtained genetic data, the blueprint of living organisms, has been submitted to the international GenBank in Washington, US.

The breakthrough came after the team spent two years researching the molecular genetics of mangoes.

The mango is native to eastern India and was gradually spread to other parts of the world. In Pakistan, the cultivation of the fruit dates back to the Indus Valley civilization and according to United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), Pakistan stands fifth amongst mango growing countries.

According to Dr Azim, the mango tree suffers several kinds of diseases like powdery mildew, midge, etc. “These mango crop diseases are of great economic importance as they cause heavy losses in mango production. This is partly due to the lack of information regarding the molecular biology of the mango tree. This advancement has opened new avenues for enhancement of mango production and the development of novel herbicides and pesticides for mango crops,” he said.

Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof. Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, Karachi University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui and ICCBS Acting Director Prof. Dr M Iqbal Choudhary congratulated Dr Azim and his team on their remarkable achievement and expressed hope for further discoveries in the field. ppi

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