‘In the next 5 to 10 years, deep learning technology will help choose good varieties’

The information was shared by Prof. Dr. Henry Nguyen, Director of the Center for Biotechnology at Texas Tech University and the National Center for Soybes Biotechnology at the University of Missouri, at the “International Conference on Agriculture.” highly effective in Vietnam in 2022″ took place on May 8. “Things that were difficult 20 years ago were impossible to do is now possible,” he said.

Sharing about the application of gene technology used to develop plant varieties, Prof. Henry said that in the past, governments focused on food security, production, and productivity, but now quality is a concern. important thing. In a country with the leading agricultural development in the world like the United States, creating high-yield, high-quality crops is focused. “Breeding technology helps to create fast-growing varieties, even shortening the time in half and giving good products,” he said.

He cited gene-editing technology as an example, “with just one change in the structure of a specific transgenic DNA to increase yield, it can be done very quickly without switching from one strain to another”. In the past, breeding required the transfer of genes from one plant to another, which also caused controversy over safety issues. But new technology makes it possible to quickly edit genes right on the plant.

“With decoding technology, genetic mapping, and cryptographic maps of plant varieties such as coffee, corn, soybeans, and potatoes, people know when to plant what crops, and which genes have the most potential. high yield”, Prof Henry said. In just 5-10 years, he said, we will benefit from future knowledge when the breed changes effectively. The use of new technology will help to do it very quickly, such as using big data, deep learning to choose good parental lines, drones to evaluate seedlings and good breeding lab technology to help select genes.

Speaking at the workshop, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan stated that the agricultural sector needs to harmonize and integrate the 4.0 revolution values ​​with knowledge agriculture and smart agriculture.

He frankly sees agricultural resources as finite when transferred to industry, services, transforming infrastructure. At the same time, the excessive exploitation of resources also affects climate change, loss of biodiversity and products that do not approach the trend of green consumption. Therefore, production-driven agriculture is no longer sustainable. The current strategy is no longer framing productivity and output goals, but rather an open strategy in each period, approaching market standards, taking market trends to decide on agricultural production.

He said that in the digital age, there are many channels of communication to enrich intelligence and create strategies to help farmers and rural areas approach global trends. This includes the knowledgeization, the formation of an agricultural ecosystem and the access to new values ​​such as science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

According to the Minister, besides tangible resources, special attention is paid to intangible resources: science, technology, and innovation. “This is a practical resource in the context of Vietnam, a basis for transforming initiatives and realizing the strategy of agriculture and rural areas,” he said.

Mr. Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, said that the need to improve technology, renew plant varieties, and apply technical solutions is huge. In which, the arrangement of public investment sources, the need to restructure the agricultural sector in a modern direction are given priority, and at the same time, focus on the research center for technology transfer and innovation to lead the development of the agricultural sector. sustainable agriculture.

He highly appreciated the connectivity of the Vietnam – Australia innovation network and the topic of the smart agriculture conference with very practical solutions for improving plant varieties and preserving technology for agricultural products.

Leaders of the Ministry of Planning and Investment also gave the title of the article that needs the participation of domestic and international experts, which is the project of an innovative agricultural development center to directly support businesses. , improving added value and quality of Vietnamese agricultural products.

At the conference, experts discussed new technologies to improve plant varieties such as the current status of avocado growing in Vietnam, or technology to preserve agricultural products to achieve high-yield crops for export. At the same time, support localities to find solutions to improve crop productivity for export, and at the same time promote the exchange and transfer of science and technology in the agricultural field.

The workshop is organized by the Vietnam – Australia Innovation Network (NIC AU), under the auspices of the Committee on Overseas Vietnamese (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the National Innovation Center (Ministry of Planning and Investment). and Investment) and Vietnam Embassy in Australia.

Nhu Quynh