National Institute Agricultural Botany Better Seeds Better Crops

National Institute Agricultural Botany ‘Better Seeds: Better Crops’

Gateway to ‘new market ready’ Products Plant breeders Purification Official registration & testing DUS & VCU NL/RL trials Sales & marketing “Core NIAB” Statutory testing & contract research to DEFRA, BSPB, Levy Boards & CEL together with services to farmers & growers

Extensive trialling Network with wide geographic spread. Retained competencies and skills in field pathology, trialling, agronomy, statistics and phenotyping to provide independent evaluation of new varieties.

Varieties for Sustainable UK Farming Tests for sustainabilty & changes in variety profiles -------------------------------- NL & RL trials Defra NIAB Breeders Levy boards Independent validation

Variation amongst National List/Recommended List varieties in N-utilization efficiency N USE EFF. kg grain DM/kg N available (soil + fert. ) 45 Moderate N < 270 kg N/ha High N > 270 kg N/ha 40 35 y = 0. 83 x + 5. 88 2 R = 0. 31 30 25 y = 0. 52 x + 9. 55 2 R = 0. 23 20 30 32 34 36 38 40 N UTILIZATION EFF. kg grain DM/kg Crop N uptake 42

Yield in organic production t/ha Wheat Varieties for Organic Production Genghis Consort Yield in conventional production t/ha

UK farming in the 21 st century • Compete in the global market place. • Responsive to: – Climate change – impact, mitigation, adaptation and air quality. – Water – quality and use – Sustainable farming systems and biodiversity – Food chain – safety, quality and waste reduction

UK farming needs differentiated, added value products that are globally competitive • Recalibrate our thinking

This will require: • Innovation in Agriculture across the supply chain. • Product conferring capability. – Cannot rely exclusively on Private sector – Recognise and protect(? ) the scientific content of agricultural products • Smart plant breeding is required to identify and deliver new & novel traits. • Different partnerships at a scientific, delivery, funding and business level.

Public Good Plant Breeding at NIAB Trait discovery Pre-breeding “New NIAB” Commercial breeding NL/RL trials New & differentiated products “Core NIAB” Unique opportunity for integrative projects Cereals, oilseeds, pulses and non-food crops

Trait projects Generalised schema Projects A B C D E F Discovery Model species, classical and association genetics, mutagenesis Characterisation Model to crop, phenotype evaluation, gene cloning (assumes candidate from model), map location Optimisation Allele/haplotype survey, mutagenesis, molecular marker Delivery Trait introgression in adapted genotypes, marker validation, field evaluation, transfer to industry

Trait projects Generalised schema – NIAB role Projects A B C D E F Discovery Model species, classical and association genetics, mutagenesis Characterisation 4 -5 years Model to crop, phenotype evaluation, gene cloning (assumes candidate from model), map location Optimisation Allele/haplotype survey, mutagenesis, molecular marker NIAB Delivery Trait introgression in adapted genotypes, marker validation, field evaluation, transfer to industry NIAB

The Traitgate concept Trait Projects A B C Trait. Gate Commercial Breeding D E Traitgate activities are Donor germplasm + marker Direct engagement with end-users Regular project meetings Field visits Materials for evaluation Backcross to UK adapted germplasm Field evaluation Trait and marker validation BC 3 -BC 4 Industry evaluation Commercial breeding

Examples – strategically defined targets in wheat • With Vrn 1 & 2, the photoperiod response genes Ppd-B 1 and Ppd-D 1 are major determinants of flowering time in wheat. Optimisation of yield under varying climatic conditions. • Low Phytate wheat- reduce diffuse pollution from pig and poultry production units. • Novel variation from synthetic wheats.

Pharmaceutical and industrial materials from Crops Artemisia annua For the extraction of Artemisinin to treat multi-drug resistant malaria Genetics to deliver novelty

Summary • NIAB has a long history of service to farmers and growers. – This will continue • Building new capability, competencies and skills in product development and delivery. • Fills the delivery gap between publicly funded research and commercial exploitation • Focus on smart targets: move from crop specific to customer specific targets • New & neglected Crops • We will not work in isolation seek partnerships that are enabling.

Low-phytate wheat germplasm for reducing diffuse phosphate pollution from pig and poultry production units: example of public good wheat breeding @NIAB

A common tool box but different Value capture approaches. Pharma Agriculture Genomics Bioinformatics HT screening Combinatorial chemistry Proteomics Metabolomics Pathway engineering New Opportunities Products Plant & Animal breeding

Smart breeding will create new value in Agriculture Genomics Bioinformatics Combinatorial chemistry. Marker Directed Breeding Functionality testing Enhanced Products Health & nutrition Novel traits Food processing economics Integrated crop solutions Consumer appeal Agronomic benefits Understanding & Engaging the value chain

How do we find new trait genes? Studies in model species – Arabidopsis, rice, barley Model to crop translation Find the best gene Delivery

Past 12 years…. UK Biotech Activity UK Seed Business Rhone Poulenc ICI seeds/Advanta Unilever PBI Zeneca New Farm Crops/Ciba Semundo Nickerson Twyfords Elsoms Ciba Geigy CPB Nickerson BIOCEM Small companies AGC, ATC …. . Climate • Promise of GM products giving high returns • Regulatory demands being formulated • “Green” opposition exists, but not very influential • Technologies emerging • Patent culture outgrows market

Now. . changing fast UK Seed Cos UK Plant Biotech Nickerson Advanta Biogemma RAGT CPB Twyfords New Farm Crops/Syngenta SW seeds Elsoms ATC • GM demonised, overregulated, & companies shy away • Science base focussed on models • Patenting activity declining as Office clarifies position • Green opposition highly influential • Application of technology crops other than maize difficult to justify • Consolidation in Ag. Chem industry. Off-shore focus. Plant breeding is UK specific

10 years on? UK Seed Cos UK Biotech LG Entry of food chain players RAGT CPB Twyfords New Farm Crops/Syngenta Public Sector Smaller companies re-emerge Climate • Crop applications of new technologies bring alternatives to GM • ‘Positive’ GM stories (environment) from US etc. • Greens embrace some aspects of technology • Lifting of regulatory burden • Patent value becomes clearer and more in line with (seed) business returns (i. e. less activity) Opportunity for science base to become more influential Need for Public/Private partnerships

Product Opportunities From Wheat Grains Bran Flour Heat, EMF Shear, Enzymes, Extract Pentosans Extract Fibre Dry Select / Modify Gluten Protein Endosperm Extract Protein Extract Lipids (Ceramides) Select / Modify Branched Starch (Waxy) Germ New breeding targets Select / Modify Linear Starch