Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology of Iran

The Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology of Iran was established in 2000 with the aim of developing and using new technologies designed to solve problems in the agricultural sector, contribute to ensuring food security of the country, improve the culture of food behavior of the society and protect basic ecological resources and ecological channels within the framework of sustainable development of knowledge production and welfare, as well as the formation of productive and self-employment in agriculture ^[1] . In 2014, the Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology received the status of an independent research institute by a resolution of the Council for the Promotion of Higher Education ^[2] . The Institute has the latest equipment and infrastructure, as well as qualified human resources (it has 22 permanent employees, of which 2 are professors, 5 associate professors, 12 assistant professors, 3 teachers and 5 researchers) and is one of the affiliated institutes of the National Research Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology ^[3] . Currently, the Institute is considered one of the most advanced and respected research centers in the field of biotechnology in the country and in the region. The Institute includes 6 research units in the head office and 4 regional branches in the remains of East Azerbaijan, Isfahan, Gilan and Khorasan-e Rezavi.

- genetic engineering and biosafety

- tissue and cell cultures

- systems biology

- microbial biotechnology

- molecular physiology

- nanotechnology in agriculture

- Institute of Biotechnology of the Food Industry (Tabriz)

- Institute of Biotechnology of Secondary Metabolites (Isfahan)

- Institute of Animal Biotechnology (Rasht)

- Office of Agricultural Technology in the east and north-east of the country

Conducting systematic research using new technologies, especially biotechnologies and genetic engineering, with the aim of solving the problems of the agricultural sector, as well as improving the quality and profitability of agriculture in the framework of sustainable development and ensuring food security and the production of knowledge and technologies designed to enhance the scientific status of the country ^{[ 4]} .

Transformation into a leading scientific center of the Middle East region, strengthening the country's food security, improving the culture of food behavior of the society, protecting basic environmental resources and ecological channels, generating knowledge and welfare of the country and, as a result, agricultural workers, promoting self-sufficiency in agricultural products ^[4] .

Among the achievements of the Institute, which have found application in the economy, the following can be pointed out.

1. Production of the world's first and only genetically modified sustainable rice. In order to reduce the environmental risks and costs of rice production in the country, the Institute researchers for the first time in the world separated the cry1Ab gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and transferred it to the sowing rice varieties “Tarem-e Maulai” and “Khazar” using the gene bombardment method. It should be noted that this gene encodes a protein that is toxic only for a certain group of pests, but does not pose any danger to humans and other mammals and even insects. In addition, for the production of this poison in plants, a system was used to ensure the production of poison only in their green parts, and to prevent its formation in the seed part used by humans for food.

2. Production of the country's first genetically modified cotton ^[5] . At present, damage by verticillium fungus (Verticillium dahlia) is one of the main problems of cotton plantations in areas with a humid climate. Disinfection of soil with bromomethane destroys this lesion, however, the cost of this method is very high, it harms creatures living underground and pollutes the environment. One of the mechanisms to combat this disease is the creation of resistant varieties using genetic engineering. To this end, a plasmid containing the chitinase gene was developed at the Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and transferred to cotton plantations.

• Official site of the Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology of Iran