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03. Enhancing Functionality and Value Addition in Crops
Consumer interest in the nutritional effects of food and crops on health is growing rapidly with the latest trend of LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability). Functional crops are defined as crops and their components that claim to provide health benefits aside from basic nutrition. These crops contain biologically-active substances such as antioxidants that may lower the risks from certain diseases associated with aging. Diet and health are closely related to each other. Thus, crops are now being enhanced through breeding technology to increase levels of important biologically-active substances for improved nutrition and to help boost body's resistance to illnesses.
The Functional Crop Resource Development Division of the National Institute of Crop Science is dedicated to the isolation, identification, and development of functional materials and nutraceuticals with a focus on the functional rice varieties. Researches are divided into two major categories. The first is development of functional rice varieties by conventional breeding method mixed with latest genetic techniques. The second is development of new functional materials, which involves candidates for functional food ingredients by examining the efficacy of novel bioactive materials such as secondary metabolites and natural components found in crops, which can act as health promoting agents for the general public.
The Bioenergy Crop Research Center of the National Institute of Crop Science is developing new cultivars of bioenergy for maximum production of allium crops and bio-diesel and bio-ethanol in all available lands such as reclaimed and idle lands. It will also carry out researches on the collection, conservation, and evaluation of germplasms of those crops.