Discovery of the genetic map of artemisia annua, a Chinese medicinal plant used for malaria treatment, may help in curing the disease, claims a new genetic study.

The research team headed by Professor Dianna Bowles and Professor Ian Graham from the University of York has raised hopes of a higher crop yield of the medicinal plant whose supply is low and demand is high.

Researchers aver that the genetic map could thus help in economizing the cost of artemisinin, a drug cultivated from artemisia annua to cure malaria. Professor Ian Graham says, “The map is already proving to be an essential tool for us. With our new understanding of Artemisia genetics, we can produce improved, non-GM varieties of Artemisia much faster than would otherwise be possible.”

“This speed is essential. We intend to get high-yielding seed to farmers in the next two to three years in order to supply soaring demand for malaria treatments. This is a really tight deadline and we can only do it with the benefit of the new knowledge provided by the map,” he adds.

Details of the Study
The researchers deciphered the genetic map of the herbal plant with the help of York University's Center for Novel Agricultural products, and the seeds which they claim will be ready within the next two years.

Using the genetic blueprint, they found several genes that influence the production of artemisinin from leaves of the herbal plant. DNA markers determining the genes inherited by individual plants were also identified.

Three year long glasshouse experiments of artemisia annua helped the researchers in finding the top-performing plants that had higher frequencies of genetic indicators for a high yield.

The discovery will facilitate the plant breeders in recognizing the best parent plants to cross with one another to produce better varieties. Development of artemisia varieties that grow well in India, Africa and China is also intended by the researchers.
The new plants that the researchers will breed would be provided to poor farmers who can use them to grow high quality cash crops to support the economies of the developing countries.

A breakthrough Invention
Will Milhaus, who teaches at the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida says, “The possibility of increasing the global supply of artemisinin is very exciting. I think it will go a long way towards, as they described, making it into a crop, and making it economically feasible to maintain world supplies.”

The research funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation appears in the medical journal ‘Science.’