Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
Genetics, Plant Breeding and
Agriculture
Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
NIAB, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, UK
Agriculture: the most important
event in human history
Matthew 7:18-7:20 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good
fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye
shall know them.
Agriculture is at the Center of Many of Society’s
Most Important Debates
Exciting time for Agriculture & Plant Breeding
• Global food security •Enhanced productivity
•Increased yield
•Sustainable production
• Water availability •Drought-tolerant crops
• Biofuels •Yield technologies to help meet
demand for both food and fuel
• Global warming •CO2 footprint
•Fertilizer use
Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
Food security: From “How to Feed the World in 2050” (FAO World Food
Summit document, Nov 2009)
• By 2050 the world’s population will reach 9.1 billion, 34 % higher than
today
• In order to feed this larger, more urban and richer population, food
production (net of food used for biofuels) must increase by 70 %
Environmental Challenges: (Climate Change 2007: Synthesis report,
IPCC)
• Climate change/agriculture’s global warming contribution
- Agriculture and forestry account for 31% of global anthropogenic
greenhouse gas emissions
• Declining resources: Water, nutrients, natural habitats, biodiversity
- Agriculture is responsible for 70% of freshwater withdrawal
(United Nations Environment Programme)
Meeting the challenges
Meeting the Demands of a Growing Global Market
• World population continues to increase
• Per capita food consumption continues to rise
• Consumers continue to demand improved taste, convenience, and nutrition
GROWING WORLD POPULATION (B)
Source: FAO, WHO
RISING CEREAL DEMAND (MMT)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1981 1999 2015 2030
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
1981 1999 2015 2030
TRANSITION NATIONS DEVELOPED NATIONS DEVELOPING NATIONS
“To feed the eight billion people expected by 2025, the world will have to double food production…”
CSIS - Seven Revolutions
9
Scarcity The green revolution
Set aside, CAP changes Subsidy and Surplus
Security
Set Aside
Biofuels
Food Prices
Food Security
sunlight
plants
plant biodiversity
science Agriculture, Land
Use & Society
Plants provide sustainable solutions
‘ultimate green & clean technology’
fossil reserves biorenewables
oil...refineries bio...refineries
CHEMICALS MATERIALS FUELS
yesterday today and tomorrow
sunlight
plant biomass
a solar energy source for manufacturing
Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
‘Better seeds…better crops’
• Food crisis after WW1
• NIAB established by charitable
donations for ‘the improvement of
crops with higher genetic quality’
• Barriers to plant breeding, and to
access for growers to improved
varieties, were recognised barriers to
enhanced food production
Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
The First Farmers Leaflets
1932 Farmers leaflet 1931 Farmers leaflet
Genetic Software & Hardware
Feeding future populations means doubling the productivity of neglected but
nutritious crops such as yams and green bananas
• How’s my country doing? Is there an Agriculture strategy?
– Availability
– Affordability
– Safety
– Choice
– Quality …
Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
•DuPont Food security index (there
are others)
•http://foodsecurity.eiu.com
Availability
Affordability
Safety and Quality
Norman E. Borlaug
Growth rates due to early years of the
Green Revolution (1961-1980)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
Latin America Asia Middle East Africa
Other inputs
Cultivars
Growth rates due to late years of the
Green Revolution (1981-2000)
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
Latin America Asia Middle East Africa
Other inputs
Cultivars
Wheat
Genetic history: plant breeding.
Dwarfing genes
allow increased:
•Nitrogen fertiliser
levels.
Which increased
susceptibility to
disease. But plants
were protected by
newly developed:
•Fungicide
Dwarfing genes
reduced the
weight of straw,
changing the
distribution of
resources and
resulting in:
•Higher grain
yields.
In addition,
pleiotropic effects
of the dwarfing
gene include
more grains per
ear.
• What do plant breeders do?
• How do they ‘introduce dwarfing genes’?
• Where do these new genes come from?
• Other questions?
Pedigree method
Performance under
farmers’ conditions
and farmers’
acceptance
Participatory maize breeding in Africa
• Prioritize most important stresses
under farmers’ conditions
• Manage trials on experiment
station and evaluate large numbers
of cultivars,
• Select the best, and …
• Involve farmers
– Mother trials in center of farming
community grown under best-bet
input conditions
– Farmer-representative input
conditions
– Farmer-managed baby trials
• Partnership with extension, NGOs,
rural schools, and farmer
associations
The Mother / Baby trial design
Collaborative, on-farm evaluation of maize cultivars
Holistic Research
“No matter how excellent the research done in one scientific discipline is, its application in isolation will have little positive effect on crop production. What is needed are venturesome scientists who can work across disciplines to produce appropriate technologies and who have the courage to make their case with political leaders to bring these advances to fruition. ”
Norman E. Borlaug
•Father of the Green revolution:
Norman Borlaug.
•Where did he find the dwarf gene-
Diversity! Japanese
accession..Gene Banks
•How did he make possible to grow
dwarf wheat in a variety of
environments?
Fundamental role of Diversity &
Selection
Reference: Michael Balter (2007) Seeking Agriculture’s Ancient Roots, Science 316, 1830-1835
Crop Biodiversity
The Seed Vault at Svalbard
Global Crop Diversity Trust
Sources of novel variation
• International germplasm
• Landrace, or traditional varieties
• Wild relatives
• Progenitor species
Maize has more molecular diversity than
humans and apes combined
Silent Diversity (Zhao PNAS 2000; Tenallion et al, PNAS 2001)
1.34%
0.09%
1.42%
• Organisation and importance of Diversity
• Selection is a powerful tool but need to
understand & know what to select for.
Courtesy Tobert Rocheford and
Catherine Bermudez Kandianis
Keith Weller
Doug Wilson
Scott Bauer
Keith Weller
biology is the science of the
natural world & critical to the
future of agriculture.
‘all life depends on sunlight
and a green leaf’
Plant Breeding: Mining Diversity
• Genotypic and phenotypic assessment of 440 CIMMYT primary SHW
• Identified reduced group of 94 for back-crossing to Xi19 & Paragon by diversity analysis
• Develop UK adapted synthetic backcross derived lines (SHW-D) approx. 6,000 lines
• Assess agronomic characteristics of SHW-D including pest & disease resistance, yield components, drought tolerance and nitrogen use efficiency
SHW back-crossing by NIAB
SHW back-crossing by CIMMYT
Delayed senescence Increased grain sites
Paragon x SHW BC1F2 selections
Drought in Africa between now and 2090
Red, Orange =
More prone to
drought
Blue =
Wetter and less
prone to
drought
Hadley Centre, Met Office, UK
Evaluation of drought tolerance High spike photosynthesis
Stem reserves
Large seed
Early ground cover
Leaf traits: wax, rolling, thickness, etc.
Long coleoptile
Water relations: stomatal conductance, etc.
Cellular traits: osmotic adjustment, heat tolerance, etc. High pre-anthesis biomass
Drought assessment at CIMMYT Mexico
Tractor-mounted Giddings soil corer
Drought trials at Obregon, N. Mexico
Conventional pedigree selection
Reproduced from Koebner & Summers 2003
Marker- Aided Selection
• Locating and tagging the genes
• Genes??
Genes (Every organism carries inside itself what are known as genes)
• DNA is divided into sections called genes.
• Each gene codes for a protein
• Each protein has a function
DNA - the code for life
• The DNA code consists of just 4 building blocks: – A, C, T and G.
• Whether we are bacteria, fungi earthworms, mushrooms or humans our DNA has the same building blocks, just in a different order.
A C T G ...GCCTTACG…
....ACTGCCTGGAAC….….TGACGGACCTTG….
Source: Microsoft Encarta
Source: Microsoft Encarta
Chromosome changes: mutations
• A new characteristic is the result of a gene mutation
• Genes can be amplified and ‘seen’ as molecular markers.
• Breeders are choosing genes or combinations of genes which give the characters the farmer needs
Vavilov 1887-1943
•Soviet botanist & geneticist
•Discovered and identified
centres of origin of cultivated
plants
•Criticised the non-
Mendelian concepts of
Lysenko
•Arrested in 1940, died of
malnutrition in prison in
1943.
Many plant species have been domesticated around the world
All of the principal crops we rely on today come from domesticated species
The practice of artificial selection has been practiced by farmers for thousands of years and has transformed wild plants into the crops we depend on today through this process of domestication
Domestication: the first plant breeders
Crop origins and diversification: multiple births
Science 316, 1830-1835
ESEB Congress, Uppsala,
Sweden, August 2007
Domestication
traits: traits that
distinguish seed &
fruit crops from
their progenitors
Little overlap between centres of origin & today’s productive agriculture.
ESEB Congress, Uppsala,
Sweden, August 2007
Nature Vol 418, 700-707
• Genetics: the science underlying plant breeding.
Heredity
•Heredity is the
passing of traits
to offspring
(from its parent
or ancestors).
Offspring resemble their parents more than they
resemble unrelated individuals (why is this so?)
Charles Darwin
Evolution is driven by natural selection
Darwin’s mentor
Great Teachers often feature in the development of Great People!
Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
•Agriculture depends on plant
breeding, choosing the best, crossing
the best with the best and hoping for
the best…
•With a little guidance from genetics!
•And the blessing of good soil and
rainfall.
Sexual reproduction in plants
F1 Hybrids
ESEB Congress, Uppsala,
Sweden, August 2007
To put your footer here go to View > Header and Footer 65
USA: Historic Maize Yields
Yield
(tonnes/ha)
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1875 1925 1975
Hybrid vrs Open pollinated maize
On the right a
new, hybrid
maize variety
developed by
CIMMYT
with PASS
funding.
On the left, a
local landrace
variety
Hybrid Vigour is the superiority of progeny (offspring) (F1)
over the mean of its two parents (P)
heterozygous
heterosis inbreeding depression
homozygous
selfing
Concepts of Hybrid Production - Hybrid Vigour (Heterosis)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
19
29
19
33
19
37
19
41
19
45
19
49
19
53
19
57
19
61
19
65
19
69
19
73
19
77
19
81
19
85
19
89
19
93
19
97
Year
Yie
ld (
kg
/ha
)
United States
Inbred Varieties Hybrid Cultivars
History of Hybrids in Sorghum
Hybrid Seed Production – Getting the cross
• Hybrids are produced by hand emasculation in corn.
• In wheat, chemicals are used to sterilize the pollen.
• Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is used for hybrid seed production in sorghum and pearl millet.
Training of Seed Growers in Hybrid Production
Crossing A and B lines Heat sterilization of pollen using polythene bag
Identifying the different parts of the sorghum plant
Gregor Johann Mendel,
(b. 22 July 1822; d. 6 January 1884)
Moravia, Austro-Hungarian Empire
Originator of the concept of the gene (autosomal inheritance)
Birthplace of Modern Genetic Analysis Augustinian monastry garden, St. Thomas,
Brünn, Austria
Brno (Czech Rep.) Experimemts, 1856-1870
Mendel’s Laws
• Law of equal segregation (First Law) - The two members of a gene pair
segregate from each other into the gametes; so that half the gametes carry one member of the pair and the other half of the gametes carry the other member of the pair.
• Law of Independent Assortment (Second Law) - different gene pairs assort
independently during gamete formation
Reasons for choosing to study garden pea
• Can be grown in a small area
• Produce lots of offspring
• Easily identifiable traits
• Can be artificially cross-pollinated
A pea flower with the keel cut and opened to expose the reproductive parts
Artificial cross pollination
Genes (The genes are codes or messages. They carry information. The information they carry is used to tell the organism what chemicals it needs to make in order
to survive, grow or reproduce )
• Genes make us who we are
• We receive our genes from our parents
• The same is true for all animals, plants and microbes
The seven character differences studied by Mendel
purple-flowered (f) x white flowered (m)
Summary and conclusions of Mendel’s experiments
•After crossing pure parental strains, the F1 produced 100% of one character.
•After self-pollinating the F1, both characters showed up in a 3:1 ratio.
•Because the same types of ratio kept coming up, Mendel believed that there must be some mathematical formula or explanation for the observed data
•The first assumption made by Mendel was that there must be a ”pair of factors” that controls the trait in pea plant. This “pair of factors” idea helped him formulate his principles
Dominant and recessive traits
Mendel’s Laws
• Law of equal segregation (First Law) - The two members of a gene pair
segregate from each other into the gametes; so that half the gametes carry one member of the pair and the other half of the gametes carry the other member of the pair.
• Law of Independent Assortment (Second Law) - different gene pairs assort independently during gamete formation
Information from genes.
Serendipity: Natural Hybridisation Many modern crop species are the result of ancient (or
recent) hybridisation events.
Cotton
Wheat
Oilseed Rape
Maize
Wheat a classic allo-hexaploid
ESEB Congress, Uppsala,
Sweden, August 2007
Science Vol 316, 1862-1866
The New Rice for Africa
Monty Jones 2004
Selective breeding is a powerful tool
ESEB Congress, Uppsala,
Sweden, August 2007
‘Doubly Green Revolution’ Sir Gordon Conway
• The aim
•repeat the success of the Green Revolution
•on a global scale to include Africa
•in many diverse localities
• and be
•equitable
•sustainable
•and environmentally friendly
Daily calorie intake in developing world
Rice 45%
Wheat 29%
Maize 11%
Cassava 3%
Sorghum 2%
Potato 2%
Sweet potato 2%
Millet 2%
Soybean 2%
Bean 1%
US maize yields still rising –
why?
-1.0
-0.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
Source: Defra & USDA
t/ha
ALL THREE ARE CRITICAL IN DELIVERING YIELD TODAY – AND TOMORROW
BREEDING
Strategically breed plants
to create new, more robust
seeds that perform better –
and longer – in the field.
AGRONOMICS
Use precision ag, planting density,
plant health protection, and
conservation tillage to make acres
more productive.
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Supplement breeding
advancements by adding
special beneficial genes
to the plant.
“The Three Pillars of Yield”
The Importance of Genetics
Market Identification
by Trait, Crop,
species
Transgenic Plant Development
Cell Culture
Molecular Biology
Genetics
Variety Development
Yield Trials
Product Testing
Products
Genetic diversity
Analytical Screens
Biochemistry
Germplasm Development
Traditional &
Molecular Breeding
Genetics
Molecular Genetics
• 24 ABI 377 Automated sequencers
• 20,000 Lane per week capacity
Gene Discovery
Plant Biology
Genomics
Bioinformatics
SNP Genotyping
DNA Sequencing and ‘Omics
© ISTOCKPHOTO
DAVID MARCHAL
The Life sciences revolution
Molecular biology
Computer science
Mathematics
Exciting time
Unlocking the genetic potential of the biosphere
Sustainable food
production
Plant
Breeding
ATGGATCTATCCCTGGCTCCGACAACAACAACAAGTTCCGACCAAGAACAAGACAGAGACCAAGAATTAACCTCCAACATGGAGCAAGCAGCAGCTCCGGTCCCAGCGGAAACAACAACAACCTTCCGATGATG
ATGATTCCACCTCCGGAGAAAGAACACATGTTCGACAAAGTGGTAACACCAAGCGACGTCGGAAAACTCAACAGACTCGTGATCCCTAAACAACACGCTGAGAGTATTTCCCTCTAGACTCCTCAAACAACCAAA
ACGGCACGCTTTTGAACTTCCAAGACAGAAACGGCAAGATGTGGAGATTCCGTTACTCGTATTGGAACTCTAGCCAGAGCTACGTTATGACCAAAGGATGGAGCCGTTTCGTCAAAGAGAAAAAGCTCGATGCA
GGAGACATTGTCTCTTTCCAACGAGGCATCGGAGATGAGTCAGAAAGATCCAAACTTTACATAGATTGGAGGCATAGACCCGACATGAGCCTCGTTCAAGCACATCAGTTTGGTAATTTTGGTTTCAATTTCAATT
TCCCGACCACTTCTCAATATTCCAACAGATTTCATCCATTGCCAGAATATAACTCCGTCCCGATTCACCGGGGCTTAAACATCGGAAATCACCAACGTTCCTATTATAACACCCAGCGTCAAGAGTTCGTAGGGTAT
GGTTATGGGAATTTAGCTGGAAGGTGTTACTACACGGGATCACCGTTGGATCATAGGAACATTGTTGGATCAGAGCCGTTGGTTATAGACTCAGTCCCTGTGGTTCCCGGGAGATTAACTCCGGTGATGTTACC
GCCGCTTCCTCCGCCTCCTTCTACGGCGGGAAAGAGACTAAGGCTCTTTGGGGTGAATATGGAATGTGGCAATGACTATAATCAACAAGAAGAGTCATGGTTGGTGCCACGTGGCGAAATTGGTGCATCTTCTT
CTTCTTCTTCAGCTCTACGACTAAATTTATCGACTGATCATGATGATGATAATGATGATGGTGATGATGGCGATGATGATCAATTTGCTAAGAAAGGGAAGTCTTCACTTTCTCTCAATTTCAATCCATGA
DNA – a common language across living organisms in the biosphere
genome programmes link understanding of biology to agriculture
implications for:
- forestry
- aquaculture
- livestock
- arable
Contemporary Science
Democratisation of genomics
Roche 454: Metagenomics,
amplicon sequencing, BAC
sequencing
Illumina: HiScanSQ for genomes, transcriptomes or GBS / MiSeq for
amplicons, small genomes, focused GBS and pilot experiments
Ion Torrent: PGM for metagenomics, small genomes, BACS / Proton (due Sep ‘12!) for genomes, transcriptomes
Genes provide the foundation of new products for
farmers
biomass utility?
improved agronomy?
tolerance to cold?
yield?
tolerance to drought?
flowering time?
Genes Protein Trait Product
In Era of Gene-Based Breeding, Amount of Data Explodes, Accelerating
Ability to Realize Step-Change Improvements
Reference
genomes for
each crop
Genomes
targeted for
specific traits
(disease)
Genome for
every yield plot
GENOMES/YEAR Traits
•Heterosis
•Phenotypic & metabolic plasticity
•Perenniality
•Evolution breeding systems
•Ecological competitive ability
•Intra & inter-genotypic Competition •Nutrient mobilisation
Crop & Root ideotypes Water utilisation
PREDICTION POWER ACCELERATING
• Gene prediction knowledge will grow exponentially • Unlocks the opportunity for gene-based breeding
May 2000
Life Science Companies
Seed Companies
Joint Ventures
Cooperatives
Other Companies
GarstGarstSeed Co.Seed Co.December 1997
20% Equity
ExSeedExSeedGenetics LLCGenetics LLC
AstraZenecaPLC
United Kingdom
Mogen International NVMogen International NVThe Netherlands
Cooperatie CosunCooperatie CosunUA UAThe Netherlands
InterstateInterstatePayco Payco
August 199650% Equity
August 199650% Equity
June 1997
$78 M 100% Equity
100% Equity
August 1996100% Equity
August 1996100% Equity
Advanta BVAdvanta BVThe Netherlands
RoyalVanderHaveRoyalVanderHaveThe Netherlands
Koipesol Koipesol //AgrosemAgrosem//AgraAgraSpain ItalyFrance
ZimmermanZimmermanHybrids, Inc.Hybrids, Inc.
1998100% Equity
France
April 1998100% Equity
November 199850% Equity
Land O’ LakesNovember 1998
50% Equity
December 199840% Equity
August 1998100% Equity
July 1999100% Equity
July 199980% Equity
U.S. CooperativeU.S. CooperativeSystem:System:
CroplanCroplanGenetics, FFR, Genetics, FFR, GrowMarkGrowMark, etc., etc.
Wilson Seeds, Inc.Wilson Seeds, Inc.
Sturdy Grow Hybrids, Inc.Sturdy Grow Hybrids, Inc.
MaisadourMaisadourSemencesSemencesSASA
Novartis AGNovartis AG(Syngenta AG)
Switzerland
AgritradingAgritradingItaly
EridaniaEridaniaBeghinBeghin-Say -Say France
July 199920% Equity
Syngenta Syngenta AGAGDiversa Corp. Diversa Corp.
CalgeneCalgene, Inc., Inc.
July 1996100% Equity
May 1998$100 M 50% Equity
Joint Venture
1982100% Equity
AgriProAgriPro SeedSeedWheat Wheat DivisionDivision
Cargill Hybrid SeedsCargill Hybrid SeedsNorth AmericaNorth America
May 1998$100 M 50% Equity
Joint Venture
HybriTechHybriTechEurope SAEurope SAFrance
February 199690% Equity
February 199610% Equity
PauPau EuralisEuralisFrance
CargillCargill, Inc., Inc.
RenessenRenessen
Cargill’s Cargill’s InternationalInternationalSeed DivisionSeed Division
Corn States Hybrid Service, Inc.Corn States Hybrid Service, Inc.Corn States International Corn States International SarlSarl..
Asgrow SeedAsgrow SeedCompany LLCCompany LLC
July 1998$525 M 100% Equity
July 1998$1.4 B (est)
March 1996$1.2 B 40% Equity
May 1998$2.5 B 100% EquityTotal cost $3.7 Billion
November 1996$240 M 100% Equity
January 1997$1.02 B 100% Equity
November 1997$150 M 100% Equity
April 1996$30 M 50% EquityNovember 1996
$50 M 5% EquityMay 1997
$242 M 45% EquityTotal cost $322 Million
April 1996$150 M 100% Equity
November 1997JV with FTSementes
June 1998
DeKalb GeneticsDeKalb GeneticsCorporationCorporation
AgracetusAgracetus, Inc., Inc.
Plant BreedingPlant BreedingInternationalInternational
Cambridge, Cambridge, LtdLtd..United Kingdom
First Line Seeds, First Line Seeds, LtdLtd..Canada
MonsoyMonsoyBrazil
Jacob Jacob HartzHartzSeed Co., Inc.Seed Co., Inc.
1983100% Equity
Holden’sHolden’sFoundationFoundation
SeedsSeeds
Monsanto/Pharmacia
Monsanto/Pharmacia
Sementes AgroceresSementes AgroceresSASABrazil
HybriTechHybriTechSeedSeedInt’l., Inc. Int’l., Inc.
Custom Farm SeedCustom Farm Seed
July 1997
CereonCereon
Mendel BiotechMendel Biotech
Paradigm GeneticsParadigm Genetics
March 199916.4% Equity
UnitedUnitedAgriseedsAgriseeds, Inc., Inc.
Morgan SeedsMorgan SeedsArgentina
AdvancedAdvancedAgriTraitsAgriTraits
December 1996$9.4 M 18.75%
Equity
March 199983.6% Equity
March 1999$15 M
25% Equity
April 1998$32 M
100% Equity
September 1996$34.6 M
100% Equity
February 1996$72 M
100% Equity
September 1998100% Equity
October 1998$322 M 100% Equity
MycogenMycogenCorporationCorporation
Illinois Foundation Seed, Inc.Illinois Foundation Seed, Inc.
Dow Agrosciences
Dow Agrosciences
VerneuilVerneuilHolding SAHolding SA
France
HibridosHibridosColoradoColorado LtdaLtdaFT FT Biogenetics Biogenetics dedeMilho LtdaMilho Ltda
Brazil
DinamilhoDinamilhoCarolCarolProductos Agricolas LtdaProductos Agricolas Ltda
Brazil
Large Scale Biology (BioSource)Large Scale Biology (BioSource)
DiversaDiversa)
BayerBayerParadigm
Incyte
LION
Exelixis
BASFBASFLynx
Lexicon
Incyte
Exelixis
Ag Chem & Seed Industry
December 199924% Equity
1993 80% Equity
December 199976% Equity
March 199850% Equity
March 199850% Equity
12% Equity
BiotechnicaBiotechnicaInternational, Inc./International, Inc./
LG SeedsLG Seeds
Akin Seed Co.Akin Seed Co.
Callahan Callahan SeedsSeeds
October 199380% Equity
March 1994100% Equity
July 199485% Equity
June 1994100% Equity
October 1990100% Equity
99%Equity
1997 55% Equity
Aventis CropScienceAventis CropScienceAgrEvoAgrEvo
Aventis SAAventis SA
France
Schering Schering AGAGGermany
199725% Equity
KWS KWS SaatSaat
Mais AngevinMais AngevinFrance
BiogemmaBiogemmaFrance
RhoBioRhoBioFrance
France
PauPau EuralisEuralisFrance
NickersonNickersonSeedsSeeds
United Kingdom
Great LakesGreat LakesHybrids, Inc.Hybrids, Inc.
Canada
King King Agro Agro Inc.Inc.Canada
Groupe Groupe LimagrainLimagrain
France
ProagroGroupProagroGroupIndia
Plant Genetic Systems Plant Genetic Systems International (PGS)International (PGS)
February 1999100% Equity
August 199675% Equity- $550M
Germany
Sementes Ribeiral LtdaSementes Ribeiral Ltda..Sementes Fartura LtdaSementes Fartura Ltda
Mitla Pesquisa Agricola LtdaMitla Pesquisa Agricola LtdaBrazil
July 1999100% Equity
Plantec BiotechnologiePlantec BiotechnologieGermany
199695% Equity
15% Equity
Nidera SemillasNidera SemillasArgentina
PendingUp to 25% Equity
Agritope/Agrinomics
Diversa
Brazil
DoisDois MarcosMarcos
March 1999100% Equity
Protein Technologies Protein Technologies
InternationalInternational
December 1997$1.5 B 100% Equity
Optimum QualityOptimum QualityGrains, LLCGrains, LLC
HybrinovaHybrinovaSASA
April 1998100% Equity
August 199750% Equity
E.I. DuPont deE.I. DuPont deNemours & Co.Nemours & Co.
Pioneer Hi-BredInternational, Inc.Pioneer Hi-BredPioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc.International, Inc.
October 1999100% Equity
August 199750% Equity
Lynx
OGS
AffymetrixCuraGen
Maxygen
Distribution of Miscanthus Species
after Hodkinson & Renvoize et al. 2001
N 55°
N 24°
S 9°
China
Japan
Taiwan
IGER’s hunt for Asian elephant grass
http://www.iger.bbsrc.ac.uk/News/9march2007miscanthus.htm
Crossing
• Hybridisation Strategy • 2n M. sinensis x 2n M.
sinensis from wide geographical origins
• 4n M. sacchariflorus x 2n M. sinensis to produce 3n M. x giganteus types
Selection
ADPglucose
Amylose
GBSSI
Amylopectin
BEI
BEIIa
BEIIb
Isa1
STARCH BIOSYNTHESIS ENZYMES
SSI
SSIIa
SSIII
200 bp
300 bp
400 bp
100 bp
Tip
ple x
YM
K F
1
Tip
ple x
YM
K F
1
Tip
ple x
YM
K F
1
Tip
ple x
YM
K F
1
Tip
ple x
YM
K F
1
Tip
ple x
YM
K F
1
Tip
ple
Tip
ple
Tip
ple
YM
K
YM
K +
Tip
ple
Ris
o 16
Nega
tive
Con
trol
external fragment (PCR positive control)
wild type amplicon
mutant specific amplicon
•Tetra-ARMs PCR applied to both these genes. •Example below is a gel of the waxy amplicons
Waxy & Starch Synthase – Tetra-ARMs
Ghana’s Success
Story
• MDG 1 achieved • Malnourished - 5.8m in
1993 to 2.7 m in 2003. • Declines in %
underweight children and mortality
• Strong agricultural growth since 80s
• 25% increase due to area expansion
• Maize yield up by 36%, cassava by 50%
• New maize, yam, rice and cassava varieties
• A pest resistant cassava. • Strong growth in
smallholder cocoa & pineapples
• Market liberalisation • New rural infrastructure
Sources: Development Outreach,
October, 08;Coulombe & Wodon,
World Bank; Irish Hunger Report
All this is threatened by Climate Change
• Higher temperatures
• Greater & more intense rainfall
• Greater droughts
• River bank erosion
• Rising sea levels
• More intense cyclones
• Salt water incursions
The biosphere – nature’s solutions
Breeding: major technology platform for food, water & energy security
Next steps ?
Proteomics
Genomics
Analytical Technology
Transgenic Traits
Molecular Engineering
Winter Nurseries
Computer Technology
Plot Mechanisation
Quantitative Genetics
Statistics
Pedigree Breeding
Hybridisation
Open Pollinated Selection
Germ
pla
sm
Im
pro
vem
ent
(H
igher
Susta
inable
Yie
lds)
Time
Plant Breeders use any
combination of these technologies
to develop enhanced products for
customers, and continue to
explore technologies to enhance
this process
New Opportunities for Agriculture
Plant Science into Practice
Dr Tina Barsby
•Developing an industry-wide resource, showcasing new
technology and innovation in plant genetic development
for the agriculture and horticulture sectors, on themes of: