The virus infection to pepper crops has caused a heavy loss in productivity. In Korea, CMV (cucumber mosaic virus) is the most frequent occurrence virus followed by PepMoV (pepper mottle virus) and TSWV (tomato spotted wilt virus). The total occurrence of pepper infection from these viruses is over 80%. Therefore, if we could develop a pepper variety tolerant to these viruses, then we would protect a large portion of pepper cultivation and production from the virus damage. In order to develop tolerant peppers against these viruses, we have set up a transformation system of pepper using Agrobacterium with viral genes such as CP (coat protein) gene and HC-Pro (helper component-protease) gene. Genes used for constructing transgenic peppers are CMVP0-CP, CMVP1-CP, PepMoV-CP, CMV-CP::PepMoV-CP, PepMoV-HC-pro-C/Ri, TSWV-CP and so on.
A large number of transgenic peppers transformed with those genes was tested for resistance to viral pathogens. We have found that CMVP0-CP, CMVP1-CP peppers were tolerant to a new CMVP1 pathogen and finally T3 peppers highly tolerant to CMVP1 pathogen were selected. The selected T3 peppers were tolerant under field test. In addition, transformed peppers highly tolerant to PepMoV were also selected.
Here in Korea, none of the GM crops has ever been approved for safety testing yet. Although researchers in universities and national institutes have developed tens of GM crops during the last 10 years or so, only a few crops have been recently tested for the risk assessment. Unfortunately, it will take several years until any GM crops are on the Korean market. In other words, the present status of GM crop development in Korea is far behind worldwide levels in terms of research and development, which is not readily understood considering the fact that this country has at least 10 years history of GM crop biotechnology and 30 years of experience of tissue culture technology.
What were the problems? Why has the crop biotechnology not been adopted sooner? Generally the tardiness shown by business in adopting GM crop biotechnology is caused by many factors: academical frontline, research funding, professional labor, systems for GM cultivation and risk assessment, understanding and help from the public, industrial success, professional leaders on GM crop development, and so on. Among these, the most critical aspect in Korean science community is the lack of industrial pipeline and interest from seed companies. In most cases, the driving force behind business comes from the private sector and we do not have private companies that are able to conduct the complicated biotechnology. A major question we are holding is what has to be done if we are to catch up in the race for the new green industry promoting people’s health, increasing food availability and protecting natural environment.
Here I discuss about the successful events as to GM peppers and what the roadmap for commercialization would be.

• Chee Hark Harn(Biotechnology Institute, Nongwoo Bio Co.)