CICY exhibits innovations on habanero and agave at Hannover Messe

The Scientific Research Center of Yucatan (CICY), as a member of the Coordination 3, Food, Health and Environment, of the Conacyt Public Research Centers System, participated at Hannover Messe Technological Fair 2018, The world’s leading trade show for industrial technology.

The Yucatecan delegation exhibited its innovations in the area of biotechnology: genetic improvement of the habanero pepper and micropropagation applied to the improvement of productivity in agave plantations.

It should be noted that this is the first time that a Latin American country participates in this international technological fair, and in 2018 the CICY, in addition to other centers Conacyt: Center for Research in Geospatial Information Sciences (Geo Center), the Center for Applied Innovation in Competitive Technologies (Ciatec), the Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco (CIATEJ), the Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada Baja California (CICESE), as well as the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, were invited through ProMéxico (governmental body in charge of strengthening the country’s participation in the international economy).

The CICY higlighted during the week its contributions to universal scientific knowledge of the Habanero pepper, scientific work based on a strategic project towards a common goal: the transformation of the productive system of the habanero pepper through technology and innovation, which have derived in the obtaining of the denomination of origin, collection of hybrid criollo varieties, establishment of a germplasm bank and the development of nine improved varieties of habanero peppers:

1. Maya Ba’alché
2. Maya Kauil
3. Maya Ek
4. Maya Ixchel
5. Maya Kisin
6. Maya Chac
7. Maya Chan
8. Maya K’iin
9. Maya Boox Iik’

In addition, the micropropagation methods developed by CICY for several agave species that allow the production of thousands of plants from elite individuals that have been selected in the field and evaluated in demonstration plots and that have had positive results, will also be shown to the world: the production of more than 520,000 micropropagated plants, four endangered species were rescued and 12 greenhouses have been established in 6 different places in the mezcal region of Oaxaca.

Source: lajornadamaya.mx