Taiwan is establishing a database to compile a comprehensive pool of predicted molecular markers for moth orchids to prevent future variety rights disputes, a local researcher said yesterday.
“Now, with mature technology and a standard operating procedure, we are sure we can establish a 200-variety database by the end of the year,” said Chang Hui-ju (張惠如), an assistant researcher at the Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station.
There are about 400 moth orchid varieties grown in Taiwan, Chang said.
The Council of Agriculture’s Taichung-based station has been working on the technology for the past three years and it has been in close contact with a counterpart in the Netherlands, Chang said.
All living organisms have genetic molecular markers and such analysis allows plant breeding programs to be more efficient, she said, adding that the station is also planning to apply the technology to other plants.
Orchids are one of Taiwan’s most important agricultural exports. The nations’ flower exports totaled US$194.56 million last year, up 10 percent year-on-year, according to government statistics.
Sales of Oncidium orchids showed the biggest annual increase of 25 percent, reaching US$18.44 million, while sales of moth orchids increased 16 percent to a record high of US$114.12 million last year, the statistics show.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
SOVEREIGNTY: The rigs show that Beijing ‘rejects Taiwan’s jurisdiction’ by building in areas where Taipei demands permission to build or alter installations Chinese oil rigs have been sighted just 26 nautical miles (42km), from Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙島), posing a threat to Taiwan’s sovereignty if left unchallenged, a brief published by the Jamestown Foundation on Tuesday said. Pratas Island, 444km from Kaohsiung, is northeast of the South China Sea and houses a Taiwanese garrison. The brief, titled “Rigging the Game: PRC Oil Structures Encroach on Taiwan’s Pratas Island” — referring to the People’s Republic of China — analyzed photographs and said that Beijing’s tools to pressure Taiwan now include oil rigs. “Oil rigs now constitute part of Beijing’s
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
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