TC Group Company launches test kit for viruses on crops

Recently, TC Group Global Joint Stock Company held a customer conference in 2024 and launched new products.

Although TC Group Global Joint Stock Company is a newly established company, it currently owns a centralized, closed passion fruit seedling research and production center, which is the modernest in Vietnam.

The business currently has a high-tech plant seed research and production center in Buon Yao, Ea Tul commune, Cu Mgar district (Dak Lak). This is a modern, closed, centralized passion fruit seed production facility with the largest area in Vietnam today. The company has a highly qualified management and technical team with the longest-standing experience in the passion fruit seedling industry.

In addition, TC Group is one of two passion fruit seedling production units equipped with a molecular biotechnology department and a technical team specializing in virus testing on passion fruit trees. With this equipment, the business ensures a source of disease-free propagating materials for growers. Besides, TC Group is the first and only unit in Vietnam to successfully research a test kit product that can quickly identify viruses on passion fruit trees.

Currently, TC Group is producing the purple passion fruit variety Dai Nong 1 (Dai Nong TC83), the passion fruit line Tai Non One TC19, the sweet yellow passion fruit variety Kham Mat TC21, and many other promising passion fruit varieties.

In addition to having modern facilities and equipment, a management and technical team with many years of experience, and many other advantages in the field of research and production of plant varieties, TC Group is currently cooperating closely with experts and scientists from Taiwan and domestic institutes and universities to test and research many types of plant varieties with high economic value suitable for climatic and soil conditions in Vietnam.

Mr. Hoang Manh Hung, Technical Director of TC Group Joint Stock Company, said that the business now has three commercialized passion fruit varieties, namely Dai Nong 1 TC83, Tai Non One TC19, and Kham Mat TC 21. Currently, TC Group aims to automate and apply high technology in the production of plant varieties.

According to Mr. Hung, in the coming time, TC Group will continue to research varieties of MD2 coffee and pineapple, Dai Nong 2 papaya, pepper, and DJF sweet potato. These varieties are researched according to plant tissue culture technology and will be released in the coming time.

In addition to researching plant varieties, TC Group also launched a test kit product for viruses on plants. This is a new product in the Vietnamese market as well as the agricultural sector.

"The test kit product will detect quickly, with high accuracy and wide identification, not only on passion fruit but also on a number of other crops, and is simple to perform. In just 10 minutes, people can identify whether a tree has a virus or not. From there, farmers take measures to handle the virus so that crops can grow," Mr. Hung informed.

Mr. Pham Duy Thai, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TC Group Global Joint Stock Company, said that the business was established with the expectation of becoming the leading industrial and fruit tree seed production business in Vietnam.

According to Mr. Thai, TC Group's mission is to research effective solutions, bringing the highest economic benefits to people and businesses participating in the value chain.

"TC Group is one of the few Vietnamese businesses that has invested methodically and is operating a molecular biology laboratory. This room will help research and breed faster. In the coming time, the business will continue to restore Dai Nong 1 passion fruit.

This is a variety imported from Taiwan for more than 40 years. Through the development process, the variety has currently shown signs of degradation in quality and poor disease resistance. Our goal is to restore Dai Nong 1 back to its original state. From there, establish a first-line tree garden," said Mr. Thai.

Besides, according to Mr. Thai, TC Group will promote research and breeding of new passion fruit varieties to suit market tastes.

"The business is also researching new plant varieties and plans to launch them in the coming time that are resistant to six types of viruses on passion fruit. This is TC Group's goal set for the next 5 years. In addition to staple crops, the company will coordinate with institutes and scientists to research and provide varieties of coffee, MD2 pineapple, papaya, sweet potatoes, etc. TC Group will research smart solutions to help the agricultural sector be more favorable and more effective," Mr. Thai emphasized.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, Deputy Director of the Dak Lak Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that TC Group's launch of new products is a good signal for the agricultural sector of Dak Lak in particular and the Central Highlands in general.

According to Mr. Ha, agriculture is entering global integration; products are made not only for home use but also for supply to the market. "Currently, agricultural exports have a large turnover. The export market has many leading products in the world, of which passion fruit is ranked 3^rd in the export market.

TC Group has now done well, produced methodically, and has a strategy to continue and develop seed products that will help the passion fruit industry develop sustainably," said Mr. Ha.

Deputy Director of the Dak Lak Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Ha said that the test kit product will help people know that trees are infected with the virus.

"The company needs to coordinate with scientists to popularize and bring products to consumers. In addition to testing for passion fruit, research is needed for other crops to help people detect diseases early, thereby helping the agricultural sector develop," Mr. Ha shared.