3 September 1982, Volume 217, Number 4563 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR Apli THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE pp Science serves its readers as a forum for the presenta- In the tion and discussion of important issues related to the advancement of science, including the presentation of Countrles minority or conflicting points of view, rather than by countriespublishing only material on which a consensus has been reached. Accordingly, all articles published in Sci- need thai ence-including editorials, news and comment, and diseases book reviews-are signed and reflect the individual views of the authors and not official points of view comed e adopted by the AAAS or the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. even moi Editorial Board most of t 1982: WILLIAM ESTES, CLEMENT L. MARKERT, JOHN increasin R. PIERCE, BRYANT W. RossITER, VERA C. RUBIN, advances MAXINE F. SINGER, PAUL E. WAGGONER, ALEXANDER ZUCKER accompa 1983: FREDERICK R. BLATTNER, BERNARD F. BURKE, CHARLES L. DRAKE, ARTHUR F. 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BURKLUND Agenc fSales: NEW YORK, N.Y. 10036: Steve Hamburger, 1515 g Y Broadway (212-730-1050); SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. 07076: Green Re C. Richard Callis, 12 Unami Lane (201-889-4873); CHI- CAGO, ILL. 60611: Jack Ryan, Room 2107, 919 N. yields an Michigan Ave. (312-337-4973); BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. as center 90211: Winn Nance, 111 N. La Cienega Blvd. (213-657- 2772); DoRSET, VT. 05251: Fred W. Dieffenbach, Kent *MS Swai Hill Rd. (802-867-5581). for It atADVERTISING CORRESPONDENCE: Tenth floor, for Internat 1515 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036. Phone: 212- 1982. t 730-1050. SCIENCE ed Biology in Developing Countries near future, advances in biology will be important to the developed s. However, the impact of advances on some of the less developed s will be even greater. In the developed countries the big unmet ,t will be supplied is for pharmaceuticals effective in combating viral in humans and animals. Improvements in medicine will be wel- verywhere, but the people of the less developed countries have Ire urgent needs-food, cooking fuel, and other forms of energy. In the world, outside of Africa, per capita production offood has been g, but to maintain this trend will require continued efforts and new s. In many countries supplies of firewood are being depleted, nied by soil erosion. Costs of oil and fertilizer have become nearly ive and long-term prospects are even worse. Thus, around the ews of advances in applied biology has been noted with great Research has been discussed, planned, or initiated in many s. Priorities differ according to local needs. For example, in the ies,* the National Institute of Biotechnology and Applied Microbi- Ls accorded priority to research in biofuels; nitrogen fixation; food ition; plant hydrocarbons; antibiotics, vaccines, and microbial des; and biomass production. India has chosen genetic engineering, ithesis, tissue culture, enzyme engineering, alcohol fermentation, unotechnology as priority areas. Philippines, Imelda Romualdez Marcos, who is First Lady of the Minister of Human Settlements, Member of Parliament, and or of Metropolitan Manila, has been active in pushing for reforesta- a book which she edited,t she has written of the potentials of on forestry. She points out that managed forests can outproduce ;rowth by factors of 5 to 10. She also notes the potentials of biomass rce of glucose for fermentation or as a fuel for small rural electric [ants. ,en fixation by plants is universally regarded as a high-priority goal. Jnited States there has been much talk of incorporating nitrogen nes in corn. But at least 17 genes are involved in the nitrogen fixing and success in reaching the goal may be elusive. Practical success to come sooner in the rice paddies of Southeast Asia. Indeed, for s the Chinese and Vietnamese have maintained agronomic practices :o natural fixation of nitrogen. A number of mechanisms exist. In paddy, conditions are favorable to fixation of nitrogen. Blue-green one type of nitrogen fixer. Another is bacterial flora associated roots. Improvements in the capabilities of such organisms through lection or genetic engineering may be feasible. s the principal cereal grain consumed by most of the world's :n. Development of new strains at the International Rice Research (IRRI) in the Philippines during the past two decades has been an It factor in meeting increased needs for food. Recently, new strains bn developed that grow well under such adverse soil conditions as and alkalinity. Their adoption will increase production. M. S. ithan, the director of IRRI, suggests that additional improvements can be obtained at his institute by applying both conventional and mbinant DNA methods. when advances in biotechnology are achieved that are applicable to eds, mechanisms will exist for their transfer around the world. A ble international framework is in place, financed in part by the for International Development. As a result of the stimulus of the evolution, governments are aware of potentials for improving crop id are maintaining indigenous agricultural stations capable of acting rs for technology transfer.-PHILIP H. ABELSON minathan, paper presented at the Workshop on Priorities in Biotechnology Research tional Development, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., 26 to 30 July The Energy Crisis and the Philippine Experience, Office of Media Affairs, Manila, o n A p ril 5 , 2 0 2 1 h ttp ://scie n ce .scie n ce m a g .o rg / D o w n lo a d e d fro m http://science.sciencemag.org/ Applied biology in developing countries PH Abelson DOI: 10.1126/science.7112102 (4563), 889.217Science ARTICLE TOOLS http://science.sciencemag.org/content/217/4563/889 PERMISSIONS http://www.sciencemag.org/help/reprints-and-permissions Terms of ServiceUse of this article is subject to the trademark of AAAS. is a registeredScienceAdvancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005. The title (print ISSN 0036-8075; online ISSN 1095-9203) is published by the American Association for theScience Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. 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