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
Biotechnology’s fourBiotechnology’s four conceptsconceptsNumber 3:Number 3:
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
Biotechnology’s fourBiotechnology’s four conceptsconceptsNumber 4:Number 4:
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
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 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
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 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 NegativeGenerally Negative
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 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 NegativeGenerally Negative
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 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
Generally NegativeGenerally Negative
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
Documented benefits of biotech Documented benefits of biotech cropscrops
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
Documented benefits of biotech Documented benefits of biotech cropscrops
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)