Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In December 2019, the Patent Office of the People’s Republic of China approved a patent application for an innovative technology for knocking out (turning off) cotton genes, developed by scientists from the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Previously, patents in Uzbekistan, the USA, Egypt, and Russia, as well as the PCT international patent, were obtained for the technology of knocking out cotton genes. Another patent expands the possibilities of its licensing on a global scale.

It should be noted that China is one of the world leaders in the production and consumption of cotton. In addition, China widely uses modern biotechnological methods to create new high-quality and resistant to insects and pathogens of cotton varieties. Therefore, obtaining a patent in China for the technology of scientists from Uzbekistan has great potential for its commercialization in this country.

Currently, the government of Uzbekistan pays great attention to the development of scientific research and the commercialization of their results. A large number of decrees and decrees have been published that open up new opportunities for scientists and contribute to the effective implementation of the fruits of their labor for the good of the country. These factors will further strengthen the work on patenting new innovative developments of domestic scientists abroad.

Cotton knockout (off) technology is the sixth generation innovative technology. It was developed by Uzbek scientists in 2008, and further research with the support of the Government of Uzbekistan led to the creation of high-yielding, precocious, long-fiber, drought-and salt-tolerant biotechnological varieties of cotton of the Porloq series based on the technology. Technology for the first time in the world has simultaneously improved several agronomically valuable traits of cotton, which is the main problem in the selection of cotton. As a result, the average yield of new varieties reached 40 centners per hectare, which made it possible to obtain high-quality fiber with micronaire 4.2, strength -37.9 (Str) and fiber length 38-40 mm.

Currently, Porloq fiber is sold at 12% more expensive than conventional fiber and there is a very high demand on the world market.