SciDev.Net: Drought-Resistant Tea Highlighted in Natural Products Research

Researchers in Malawi have developed tea clones able to withstand the worst droughts in the country in recent years, a meeting on natural product development has heard.

Chris Kamlongera, principal of Chancellor College, University of Malawi, said the Tea Research Foundation of Central Africa, whose members are Malawi and Zimbabwe, used genetic biomarkers to develop the drought-resistant cultivars.

He told a meeting organised by Southern African Biochemistry and Informatics for Natural Products (SABINA) on 24 July at the university that the research is part of a project that is building capacity in natural product development through training MSc and PhD students. Biological resources — plants and fungi — have applications in medicine, health promotion and agriculture, he said.

"The objective of implementing a postgraduate programme in biochemistry of natural products is consistent with the institutional agenda of building the capacity of young men and women," said Kamlongera. Full article here.