Plant breeding and plant genetics: Biotechnology past, present and future Alan McHughen, DPhil. Univ. of California Riverside, Ca. 92521 [email protected]

Plant breeding and plant Plant breeding and plant genetics:genetics:

Biotechnology past, Biotechnology past, present and futurepresent and future

Alan McHughen, DPhil.Alan McHughen, DPhil.Univ. of CaliforniaUniv. of California

Riverside, Ca. 92521Riverside, Ca. 92521USAUSA

[email protected]@citrus.ucr.edu

Plant breeding historyPlant breeding history

10,000 years of human agriculture10,000 years of human agriculture SelectionSelection IntroductionIntroduction Crossing, wide crossesCrossing, wide crosses Spontaneous mutationSpontaneous mutation Induced mutationInduced mutation

Now, all plants are genetically modified from their ancestral progenitors.

Environmental damage caused by:

Source Example of problem Prior regulatory scrutiny

Entire GenotypesNaturally occurring invasions Ordinary Successions none

Unintentional introductions Russian thistle in NA none

? Intentional introduction; Purple loosestrife; Eurasion milfoil low/none

Intentional introductions, Prickly Pear cactus in Australia lowUnintended displacements Johnsongrass in NA

Intentional introductions, Intentional displacements Soybean in NA low

Single Genes

Intentional introductions, Rht genes in wheat low/moderate

intentional displacements: Canola from rapeseed moderate

GMOs None recorded high

Significant numbers

Number of field trials of GMOs > 10,000

Number of countries conducting trials 23

Number of GM plant species tested 41

Number of hectares of GM crops, year 2002 > 50 M

Number of significant adverse safety incidents 0

Biotechnology’s fourBiotechnology’s four concepts: concepts: Number 1:Number 1:

All organisms are made of cells All organisms are made of cells and cell productsand cell products

Biotechnology’s fourBiotechnology’s four conceptsconceptsNumber 2:Number 2:

All organisms are made of cells and cell productsAll organisms are made of cells and cell products

Each cell in an organism Each cell in an organism contains the same set of genescontains the same set of genes


All organisms are made of cells and cell productsAll organisms are made of cells and cell products Each cell in an organism contains the same set of Each cell in an organism contains the same set of

genesgenes

The genome contains all the The genome contains all the genetic information necessary to genetic information necessary to make an entire organismmake an entire organism


All organisms are made of cells and cell productsAll organisms are made of cells and cell products Each cell in an organism contains the same set of Each cell in an organism contains the same set of

genesgenes The genome contains all the genetic information The genome contains all the genetic information

necessary to make an entire organismnecessary to make an entire organism

All organisms share the same All organisms share the same

genetic languagegenetic language

Variety release Variety release requirements:requirements:ConventionalConventional

Agronomic performanceAgronomic performance Proximate analysisProximate analysis Antinutritive factorsAntinutritive factors

Variety release Variety release requirements:requirements:

TransgenicTransgenic Agronomic performanceAgronomic performance Proximate analysisProximate analysis Antinutritive factorsAntinutritive factors Plus:Plus:

Plus:Plus: Molecular characterization of inserted

DNA, Southern and restriction analyses PCR for several fragments, Various enzyme assays (ALS, NOS,

NPT-II) Copy number of inserts Size of each fragment, Source of each fragment Utility of each fragment How fragments were recombined How construct was delivered into flax Biological activity of inserted DNA

(genes) Quantitative analyses of novel proteins

(western analyses) Temporal activity of inserted genes spatial activity of inserted genes complete amino acid analysis detailed amino acid analysis for valine,

leucine and isoleucine Toxicity (feeding trials were not

warranted) Allergenicity (feeding trials were not

warranted) Biological analysis:

Pathogenicity to other organisms dormancy, outcrossing potential for horizontal gene transfer seed production flowering time, flower morphology analysis of relatives stability of inserted genes over seed

generations survivability in natural environment survivability in agricultural

environment in presence of herbicide survivability in agricultural

environment in absence of herbicide Interaction with other organisms-

alterations to traditional relationships Interactions with other organisms-

novel species Changes to persistence or

invasiveness Any selective advantage to the GMO Any selective advantage to sexually

compatible species Plan for containment and eradication

in the event of escape

US agencies regulating agricultural US agencies regulating agricultural biotechnologybiotechnology

USDA- APHIS: environmental releaseUSDA- APHIS: environmental release

FDA: food safetyFDA: food safety

EPA: chemical (herbicide, insecticide) EPA: chemical (herbicide, insecticide) uses uses

Professional Scientific and/or Medical bodies Professional Scientific and/or Medical bodies with an opinion on GM foodswith an opinion on GM foods

Generally PositiveGenerally Positive Generally NegativeGenerally Negative


Generally PositiveGenerally Positive The U.S. National Research The U.S. National Research

Council (NRC)Council (NRC) U.S. National Academy of U.S. National Academy of

Sciences (NAS)Sciences (NAS) The American Medical The American Medical

Association, (AMA)Association, (AMA) U.S. Department of U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA)Agriculture (USDA) U.S. Environmental Protection U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA)Agency (EPA) U.S. Food and Drug U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA)Administration (FDA) American Society for Plant American Society for Plant

Biology (ASPB)Biology (ASPB)

Generally NegativeGenerally Negative


Generally PositiveGenerally Positive World Health Organization World Health Organization

(WHO)(WHO) Food and Agriculture Food and Agriculture

Organization (FAO)Organization (FAO) Royal Society (London) Royal Society (London) Brazil National Academy of Brazil National Academy of

Science, Science, Chinese National Academy of Chinese National Academy of

ScienceScience Indian National Academy of Indian National Academy of

ScienceScience Mexican Academy of ScienceMexican Academy of Science Third World Academy of Third World Academy of

SciencesSciences



Generally PositiveGenerally Positive The U.S. National Research Council The U.S. National Research Council

(NRC)(NRC) U.S. National Academy of Sciences U.S. National Academy of Sciences

(NAS)(NAS) The American Medical Association, The American Medical Association,

(AMA)(AMA) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA)(EPA) U.S. Food and Drug Administration U.S. Food and Drug Administration

(FDA)(FDA) American Society for Plant Biology American Society for Plant Biology

(ASPB)(ASPB) World Health Organization (WHO)World Health Organization (WHO) Food and Agriculture Organization Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO)(FAO) Royal Society (London) Royal Society (London) Brazil National Academy of Science, Brazil National Academy of Science, Chinese National Academy of ScienceChinese National Academy of Science Indian National Academy of ScienceIndian National Academy of Science Mexican Academy of ScienceMexican Academy of Science Third World Academy of SciencesThird World Academy of Sciences



Generally PositiveGenerally Positive The U.S. National Research Council The U.S. National Research Council

(NRC)(NRC) U.S. National Academy of Sciences U.S. National Academy of Sciences

(NAS)(NAS) The American Medical Association, The American Medical Association,

(AMA)(AMA) U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA)(USDA) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) (EPA) U.S. Food and Drug Administration U.S. Food and Drug Administration

(FDA)(FDA) American Society for Plant Biology American Society for Plant Biology

(ASPB)(ASPB) World Health Organization (WHO)World Health Organization (WHO) Food and Agriculture Organization Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO)(FAO) Royal Society (London) Royal Society (London) Brazil National Academy of Science, Brazil National Academy of Science, Chinese National Academy of ScienceChinese National Academy of Science Indian National Academy of ScienceIndian National Academy of Science Mexican Academy of ScienceMexican Academy of Science Third World Academy of SciencesThird World Academy of Sciences


Documented benefits of biotech Documented benefits of biotech cropscrops

FarmersFarmers Increased yields Increased yields Decreased chemical costsDecreased chemical costs Cleaner fieldsCleaner fields Less fuel usedLess fuel used Less tillageLess tillage


ConsumersConsumers Safer food (mycotoxins in maize)Safer food (mycotoxins in maize) Safer food (greater regulatory scrutiny)Safer food (greater regulatory scrutiny) Less pesticideLess pesticide Environmental benefitsEnvironmental benefits


EnvironmentEnvironment Less pesticide burdenLess pesticide burden Safer pesticidesSafer pesticides Improved soil from less tillageImproved soil from less tillage Less fuel usageLess fuel usage Increased biodiversity Increased biodiversity

Product quality traits in GM plants under test:

Feed digestibility; Increased solids; Higher amino acid content

Esthetic appeal; Improved shelf life; Reduced caffeine coffee

Protein content; Oil profile; Fruit size; Fruit carbo profile

Toxin degradation; Phytate reduced; Heat stable; B-glucanase increased

Starch content; Increased stanol; Storage protein altered;

Lignin reduced; Glutenin added; Bruise resistance

Increased antioxidents; Amino acid enhanced

Plus:

Pharmaceuticals antibodies vaccines enzymes nutriceuticals

Conclusion: prospectsConclusion: prospects

Beneficiaries will continue to include Beneficiaries will continue to include farmers and consumersfarmers and consumers

Benefits of products will be more Benefits of products will be more obvious and geared to consumersobvious and geared to consumers

Nutritional enhancements (Golden rice)Nutritional enhancements (Golden rice) Safer foods (reduced allergens, toxins Safer foods (reduced allergens, toxins

and other natural antinutritional and other natural antinutritional factors)factors)

Safer foods (better storage and testing)Safer foods (better storage and testing)

Documents

Plant breeding and plant genetics: Biotechnology past, present and future Alan McHughen, DPhil. Univ. of California Riverside, Ca. 92521 [email protected]