Introduction of Plant Biotechnology

Plant Biotechnology Plant biotechnology is about: Manipulating plants for the benefit of mankind A precise process to improve plants. Plant biotechnology is about: More Food Better Food Better environment

Why plant breeding needs plant biotechnology? Application of genetics principles for improvement Combining desirable traits from different varieties of plants to produce plants of superior quality. Systematic procedures used to improve trait phenotypes by crossing and selection, directed manipulation of the genotype at the DNA sequence level, and introduction of new genes.

Importance of plant breeding? Agriculture is the biggest industrial sector in the world Increases in yield are derived both from improved varieties and from improved management. It suggests about a 50-50 of crop yield split between genetic gain and gain attributed to management. Planting material is the most important input in agriculture An improved cultivar is the most economic and least laborious input for crop cultivation

Primary steps in plant breeding Develop a Vision Find or Create Variability (Techniques) Apply Selection Pressure Evaluate and Select (Screen) Commercialize Vision- developed from your knowledge and experiences w/ horticultural crops, plt pathology, entomology, etc… Sometimes its based on your intuition or expectations Variability- obtaining the genetic variation for the traits your interested in. Sources include modern cultivars, heirloom cultivars, wild taxa, related species, and now, with biotechnology any living organism Techniques- include traditional or classical plant reproduction such as self and cross pollination. Also includes identification of incompatibility systems or other problems w/ normal reproduction. And now can also be based in biotechnology such as with protoplast fusion or embryo rescue from wide crosses Selection pressure- the development of an evaluation environment that allows for the expression of variation in the trait of interest. You can’t breed for Pythium resistance without Pythium being present in your selection environment Evaluation/selection- involves the statistical analysis of progenies, Also includes an experimental design that allows for the detection of differences between families or individuals Commercialization- can include establishment of clean stock, bulking up, production, and intellectual property protection

Challenges of plant breeding early in 21th century Human population growth Human population is growing faster than increases in food production. Grain production increases around 0.5% a year, while human population growth is about 1.5% a year Sustainability Environment problems due to natural resource over exploitation Globalization World wide competition among the largest multinational as global business entity and national companies of agriculture input production such as seed materials Global warming Changing climate may change in quality and quantity of biotic and a-biotic factors.

Meeting the challenges Use all knowledge and tools that can contribute to : overcome the challenges Maintain long term productivity and sustainability Molecular genetics, Molecular biology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics Molecular physiology

Domestication traditional/conventional breeding Maize germplasm Ancient maize---Teosinte ear (Zea mays ssp mexicana) on left

Classical/conventional plant breeding modern crop improvement

Plant Breeding Technologies & Crop Improvement (A Continuum) Time Plant Breeding Technologies & Crop Improvement (A Continuum) Genomics Analytical Technologies Transgenic Traits Biotech/Genetic Engineering Winter Nurseries Computer Technologies Plot Mechanization Quantitative Genetics Statistics Pedigree Breeding Hybridization Open Pollinated Selection Germplasm Improvement ( = higher yields) Proteomics Bioinformatics

In vitro breeding methods Selection breeding methods In vitro breeding methods Plant Breeding in the 21th Century Molecular breeding methods Transgenic breeding methods

Conventional breeding methods Selection Hybridization Mutagenesis Polyploidy Heterosis

Selection breeding methods The oldest method for plant improvement Mass selection Bulk breeding method Single-seed descent Pedigree breeding

In vitro breeding Somaclonal variation Haploid and double breeding In vitro selection Somatic Hybridization Micro-propagation

Transgenic breeding Gene construct methods Transformation methods Screening methods Evaluation methods

Molecular breeding Marker development methods Quantitative trait loci Marker assisted breeding methods

Comparing Genetic Modification Techniques Selective Breeding Mutation breeding Transgenic breeding Level Precision Certainty Limits Whole organism Molecule Thousands of genes Unknown Single gene Genetic change poorly characterized Gene function well understood Between species and genera Not applicable No limitations Will walk them through this slide, stressing that GE is more precise and predictable and that GE, because it allows us access to all of nature’s diversity, can provide products we’ve only dreamed of before now.

Traditional plant breeding Traditional donor Commercial variety New variety DNA is a strand of genes, much like a strand of pearls. Traditional plant breeding combines many genes at once. (many genes are transferred) X = Desired Gene (crosses) Desired gene Transgenic breeding Using plant biotechnology, a single gene may be added to the strand. Desired gene Commercial variety New variety (transfers) = (only desired gene is followed)

New tools in plant breeding No. Breeding steps New tools 1. Creating variability Somaclonal technique Protoplast fusion technique Transformation technique 2. Selection In vitro selection technique Marker development technique Double haploid technique 3. Evaluation Marker development technique 4. Releasing 1. Marker development technique 5. Seed production Micropropagation technique

Outline In vitro breeding Transgenic breeding Molecular breeding Micropropagation methods Protoplast isolation and fusion methods Somaclonal variation In vitro Screening methods Transgenic breeding A. Gene construct methods B. Transformation methods C. Transgenic Plant Molecular breeding Marker development methods Marker Assisted Selection methods Marker Assisted Backcrossing methods

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate "Never think for a minute that we are going to build permanent peace in this world on empty stomachs and human misery." Norman Borlaug Nobel Peace Prize Laureate “Never think for a minute that we are going to build permanent peace in this world on empty stomachs and human misery.” Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Norman Borlaug