What is a species?

DNA and Proteins

How do you genetically modify a plant?

Available landWorldpopulationbillionsArable land ha/person

Key issues in ag, health and environmental sustainability-Conservation of soil & water quality and quantity-Energy use, esp fossil fuels-Reduced use bad actor pesticides-Reduction of toxins/pollutants-Economic & social systems

Current Transgenic Crops: Designed for Pest Management to Reduce Environmental Impacts Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) inspired cotton, corn

Herbicide Tolerance (soy, corn, cotton, canola)

Virus resistance, e.g., papaya on Hawaii

Benefits of Transgenic CropsReduction in pesticide use (5-70%/crop)Increased yield, billions of kg$5 billion cost savings Reduction in tillage9 Billion kg less CO2, 8 billion from better carbon storage in soil, 1 billion from reduced fuel consumptionSources: J Fernandez-Cornejo, USDA; Brookes & Barfoot in UK; www.ncfap.org

General Methods for Making GM CropsKey gene to make protein plus a gene promoter, typically from a plant virus

Transfer the gene construct into the plant via Agrobacterium, gene gun or pollen manipulation (China)

Are our foods natural?

Evolution meant that natural foods were not necessarily safe or easily produced for us!

Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia

Slide courtesy of Wayne Parrott, University of Georgia

Institute of Radiation BreedingIbaraki-ken, JAPAN http://www.irb.affrc.go.jp/100m radius

89 TBqCo-60 source at the centerShielding dike 8m high Gamma Field for radiation breeding

Current Transgenic CropsBacillus thuringiensis (Bt) inspired cotton, corn

Herbicide Tolerance (soy, corn, cotton, canola)

Virus resistance, e.g., papaya on Hawaii; small fragment of coat protein DNA, invoking gene silencing

Virus SymptomsPapaya ringspot virus

Ring spots on fruitShoe-stringing of leaves Ring spots chlorotic or necrotic rings on the leaves, fruit or stem

Field Trial on HawaiiPuna 1995-97traditionaltransgenic

Maize streak virus is endemic in Africa causing huge economic losses to commercialand small scale farmers

Control and transgenic MSV resistant plants

Human effects: suppression of immune system, spina bifida, reproductive dysfunction, cancer.

Effects on animals: feed poorly, reproductive dysfunction, Cancer. Biotech Bt Corn reduces toxic fungiMunkvold, et al, Plant Diseases, 1999

Bt Cotton: 70-90% reduction in insecticide use in USA and Aus75%-80% reduction in sprays and poisonings in China

Field Trial on HawaiiPuna 1995-97

Endosulfan Concentrations in the Namoi River

Chart3

0.0720.0880.067

0.0310.020.01

0.0410.0290.021

0.010.030.01

0.0610.0280.04

0.0190.0240.019

0.020.0310.02

0.010.010.01

0.0010.0010.001

0.0010.0010.001

Endosulfan Concentration (mg/L)

Year

Endosulfan Concentration (ug/L)

Sheet1

YearBales/Ml

86-870.95

87-881.04

88-891.26

89-901.28

90-911.15

91-921.81

92-931.98

93-941.84

94-950.65

95-961.65

96-971.48

97-981.35

98-992.12

99-001.73

00-011.88

Sheet1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Bales/Ml

Year

Bales/Ml

Water Use Efficiency (Auscott Moree)

Sheet2

Sheet3

Threats and Risks to environment: Bt cropsResistance to plants or Bt sprays?Predictions of 3-5 years to Bt in 1995Management strategies

Non-target species: consensus of >40 studies; no direct impacts

Allow use of biocontrols for minor pests

Future Transgenic Crops(already in trials)Healthier oils/ nutrition (e.g., Golden Rice for vitamin A)

Drought, salt, frost tolerance

Nitrogen Use efficiency (reduces use of natural gas to produce fertilizer, soil acidity)Water efficiency

New Scientist 5 Jan 2008farming contributes more to global warmingthan all the world's cars, trains, ships andplanes put together. And the single biggestproblem with farming is not carbon butnitrogen..Although only a tiny proportion escapes into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide, it is an extremely potent greenhouse gas.

NUE Canola Yields

(www.isaaa.org)

Drought Tolerant Corn in Field

Reduced Leaf Temperature With GeneWithout GeneWith GeneReduced Leaf Rolling Without Gene

In Field: Water Use Efficiency Genes

Future of Weed Management?

Combine water and nitrogen use efficiency with hybrid technology to build more weed competitive crops?

Hybrids Improve Weed Control in Canada In Vigor HybridOpen pollinatedPhotos John ODonovan

GM in ag sustainability and food? Reducing Environmental impacts-Broader range of pest and disease resistance-Reduced fossil fuel use-Drought, frost and salt tolerance-Reduction in fertilizer application

Safety of Foods from GM -EU Health Commissioner David Byrne: GM corn "is safe for human health and the environment -Endorsed by WHO, BMA, and all major science groups-EU: GMOs are not per se more risky than conventional plant breeding technologies2010 report from 130 studies on environment and food involving 500 research groups over 25 years, at a cost of 300 million EurosA Decade of EU-funded GMO Research

*There are only four base letters in DNA and 20 Amino acids that they code to. Without being told that a sequence was isolated from a specific plant you would have no way of knowing which species it came from. A gene is a gene, it isnt a human gene or a carrot gene*Genetic modification is very exact and controlled. You are only making changes to one gene. With newer methods you can even choose where exactly that gene goes into which part of which chromosome so you dont accidently disturb other genes.**More people means less land per person even without taking into account land degredation.****A promoter helps turn genes on, it is a sequence of DNA that is recognized by the cells transcription proteins that help it bind to the region of the gene you want transcribed. Certain promoters will be reconigzed by transcription factors that only turn on in certain parts of the plant, or only under certain conditions such as low pH, high salinity, low water, insect attack; this allows you to choose when and where the gene will be expressed****This is NOT GMO, this is considered traditional plant breeding. These sorts of sites allow a higher mutation rate, meaning you will need fewer plants I a field to get new mutations for traditional crops.********Non-GMO use of dangerous chemicals without proper personal protection*Spraying without masks on a non GM field*The non-GMO on the right didnt just have a reduced yield, it had no yield.**We know that insects will develop resistance, we are actually doing better than we thought about managing it.***In Canada, hybrids are also used for weed control. They grow very vigorously early and create canopy closure that makes it difficult for weeds to germinate. These photos show an InVigor hybrid and an open pollinated canola crop after the same herbicide treatment.*Tomato plants that are under trial that can withstand periods of extreme drought and heat and then bounce back, based on a plant that could do the same**if you grew up in the heartland (ie, Illinois) and watched what happened in years of little rain, you also cant help be excited about the progress our R&D team is making in drought tolerance.

Drought tolerance is one of several approaches in our pipeline to enhancing yield other approaches look at cold tolerance, salt tolerance and nitrogen uptake.

The value in this trait can come in one of three ways yield insurance, yield enhancement and cost savings in irrigated land. The demand will be there not only is the need for water inherently understood, but the value of water is soaring, and the resource is one well need to protect. Today, agriculture is, without question, the largest consumer of water.

Did you ever think it would be exciting to watch corn grow? I sure do.the video youre seeing is a time lapsed video of drought tolerance in the field only last year I would have been showing you pictures from the lab. As you watch, look for how the leaves on the corn on the left curl from lack of water.

---------------------------------------------------------Little picture of movie, click movie, then click to next slide

As excited as I am about Omega-3, if you grew up in the heartland and watched what happened in years of little rain, you also cant help be excited about this trait for drought tolerance.

Drought tolerance is one of several approaches in our pipeline to enhancing yield other approaches look at cold tolerance, salt tolerance and nitrogen uptake.

The value in this trait can come in one of three ways yield insurance, yield enhancement and cost savings in irrigated land. The demand will be there not only is the need for water inherently understood, but the value of water is soaring, and the resource is one well need to protect. Today, agriculture is, without question, the largest consumer of water.

The video youre seeing is a time lapsed video of drought tolerance in the field only last year I would have been showing you pictures from the lab. As you watch, look for how the leaves on the corn on the left curl from lack of water.

From a research perspective, there are a few key milestones:One, youre looking at the first in a multi-generational pipeline of drought tolerant products. Commercially, this will be a major and protracted business opportunity with continued introduction of next generation traits.Two, this year, weve advanced two lead products, and we have 30 additional hits in Phase 1 in our gene screening program.Three, next year, we will be stacking the drought tolerant gene with our weed and insect control products again, the farmer will demand a stacked product from the outset, so you have to prepare for that early in your research.And four, were extending this initial research in corn into our other core crops, particularly canola, which is being enhanced by our recently announced canola seed acquisition. **These plants received the same amount of water. A good yield from GM on the right, and no-yield from the non-GM on the left***In Canada, hybrids are also used for weed control. They grow very vigorously early and create canopy closure that makes it difficult for weeds to germinate. These photos show an InVigor hybrid and an open pollinated canola crop after the same herbicide treatment.**