Grainswest - Fall 2021

Fall 2021 Grains West 10 THE FARMGATE WITH THE USE OF NEW biotechnology processes known as gene editing, a revolution in plant breeding technology is now underway. Methods such as CRISPR/Cas9, the best-known gene editing process, can carry out tar- geted changes within crop and livestock genes. Naturally, there is fear within the farm and agri-food sectors that foods pro- duced via this technology will face public resistance as GMO crops once did. Such worries may be overblown. Anti-GMO rhetoric is certainly alive and emblazoned upon food packaging at your local grocery mart, but has lost much of its zeal. It was way back in the middle of the previous decade Bill Nye, scientist and former host of the beloved kids’ TV series Bill Nye the Science Guy , notably endorsed GMO food and technology. Public debate aside, the rollout of new GMO crops has continued for nearly three decades. The pendulum has swung back towards acceptance of biotechnology in crop production. Potentially game changing, gene editing is a biotechnology tool broadly touted as a potential solution to pressing ag sustainability issues. Biotechnology has also been used to create vaccines that have very effectively fought COVID-19 across the globe. Further supportive, as part of its proposed guidelines for plant breeding released March 25, Health Canada con- cluded gene-editing technologies present no unique plant breeding safety concerns. Nonetheless, the anti-GMO era is a stark object lesson that has prompted crop indus- try lobby groups such as CropLife Canada to leverage these positives in support of public acceptance. The value of doing so is reflected in Sateesh Kagale’s estimation of its use as a low-cost precision breeding tool. “I believe the possibilities with gene editing are endless,” said Kagale, a Na- tional Research Council Canada research scientist in crop genetics and genomics and a University of Saskatchewan depart- ment of Plant Sciences adjunct professor. “Gene editing is not a magic bullet but a game-changing complement to conven- tional breeding. Farmers will have the opportunity to obtain crop varieties with desired traits quickly and affordably,” said Kagale. This will include the creation of new varieties adapted to local conditions. “Plant breeders aim to improve mul- tiple traits simultaneously, a task made more difficult by strong genetic linkag- es between traits,” said Kagale. “Gene editing can help deliver varieties with trait combinations most desired by wheat breeders and farmers. Potential gene-edit- ing targets range from agronomic traits to disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, herbicide tolerance, yield improvement and grain quality enhancement.” Ever- more in demand by consumers, such on-farm benefits promise to reduce the environmental impact of crop production. Kagale works on the 4DWheat: Diversi- ty, Discovery, Design and Delivery project. One of its mandates is to implement gene editing methods in crop breeding. It is funded by various private and public sector partners in concert with Genome Canada, a not-for-profit organization that promotes the broad use of genomics for social and economic benefit. The project will identify previously hidden crop traits in wild wheat relatives. These untamed cousins will be made usable to crop breed- ers as a rich new source of germplasm. Gene editing can also be used in the plant breeding process to salvage promising newly developed varieties that prove to be near misses. Where a breeding program might produce hundreds of potential new breeding lines, some of these may fall just shy of extraordinary. Gene editing can turn these losers into magnificent winners that can then be used to assist varietal development in the quest for greater agro- nomics and stronger disease resistance. With the National Research Council, Kagale participated in the 2017 develop- ment of a breeder-friendly gene editing platform intended to carry out such agro- nomic improvements. Methods to employ CRISPR were not well developed prior to this, and the project team created what Kagale calls a “comprehensive molecular toolkit” to get the job done. The platform will be used to develop improved agro- nomic and end-use quality traits in wheat, including through the 4DWheat project. It can also be applied to additional crops such as canola, peas and lentils. PUBLIC PERFORMANCE CropLife Canada, in partnership with Seeds Canada, and supported by 30 ag-value chain organizations has launched the Nature Nurtured campaign, a gene editing awareness and advocacy program. “Gene editing is a tool for plant breeders,” said Ian Affleck, CropLife vice-president of plant biotechnology. “And just like we don’t celebrate the hammer when some- one builds a beautiful home, we shouldn’t focus on gene editing when someone builds a great variety. Plant breeders have dedicated their careers to moving varieties forward, and this will help them do that even better.” This may not be the headline-grabbing story that fires the public’s imagination, admits Affleck. The first such high-pro- file project was the commercialization of Calyxt soybeans, a variety high in oleic oil. The U.S. agri-food company released its Calyno oil in early 2019. Marketed as a premium, non-GMO ingredient, the zero trans fat product is low in saturated fatty acids. It also has three times the shelf life of typical commodity soybean oils. Biotechbreakthrough Powerful new plant breeding tools have immense potential