INAASAHANG magbubukas na ang P120-million Philippine Genome Center Mindanao Satellite Facility (PGC-MSF) built sa Davao City bago magtapos ang taon.

Sa isang pulong-balitaan, sinabi ni Dr. Anthony Sales, regional director ng Department of Science and Technology sa Region 11 (DOST 11), na ang bagong pasilidad ay nakatayo sa UP Mindanao compound sa Bago Oshiro’s Research, Extension and Development building.

“The fund allocation covers the cost of the building and state-of-the-art equipment,” aniya.

Ayon kay Sales, sasakop ang pasilidad sa research and development at magbibigay rin ng serbisyo sa mga inaasahang kliyente, na nakatuon sa apikasyon para sa agrikultura at biodiversity conservation.

“With Mindanao as the food basket of the country, we want to assess problems affecting agriculture and other related areas particularly on diseases,” pagbabahagi pa ni Sales.

Aniya, sa paggamit ng DNA technology o molecular methods, “we can conduct diagnoses on diseases from the soil, plants, and even in water”.

“There will be minimal charges for accessing the laboratory to cover the cost of reagents and maintenance of the facility,” dagdag pa niya.

Partikular naman, aniyang makatutulong ang genome center para sa banana plantation sa Mindanao na nakararanas ng dreaded Panama disease o Fusarium wilt.

“It is an advantage because you can focus your preventive measures in a particular location rather than spraying the whole plantation. Other diseases affecting banana farms are Sigatoka and Bunchy Top,” aniya.

“Identifying the location where the organism is prevalent then you can focus your disinfection on that particular location,” paliwanag pa ni Sales.