Grainswest - Fall 2023

Fall 2023 Grains West 42 DON’T WAIT TO INTEGRATE “A top priority is integrating these tools into our ongoing breeding programs to produce more field-ready varieties by investing in the training of staff and enhancing technological capacity,” said Nasima Junejo, Alberta Grains research director. “Gene editing may lead to increased food supply in the international market and could also impact prices.” Though prospects for the international marketing of gene edited crops are potentially good, Junejo sees the need for a strategic approach to maximize return on investment. “We can compete by producing crops of higher quality at competitive prices. The focus on developing drought resistance and nitrogen-efficient genotypes is another way to compete in the market. This is a unique niche because mitigation of climate change and greenhouse gases are worldwide goals.” She also noted AAFC has recently developed a strategic science plan to update its research programs by including new areas such as AI technology and gene editing. As with any emergent technology, gene editing offers both obstacles and opportunity. For breeders, it represents a powerful tool that can make precise and predictable genome modifications to plants to obtain desired traits. Breeders also need gene editing to speed up the development process of new varieties with improved traits for domestic and international markets. At the same time, Junejo noted gene editing and its future application in Canada are beyond the expertise of plant breeders today. “Despite the deregulation of gene edited crops in Canada and worldwide, implementing technology at a wide scale in breeding programs is still limited. The approach relies heavily on efficient tissue culture, and only a handful of labs in Canada have the expertise and resources to do wheat and barley transformation and generate gene edited plants.” WORKING AS ONE To ensure success, the integration of gene editing in Canadian breeding programs requires a collaborative approach among scientists. “The future will likely involve breeders providing the starting material for genetics, biochemistry and artificial intelligence experts to take over and produce edited genomes,” said Junejo. “Improved varieties would then be returned to the breeders and agronomists for field evaluation. AI will use data from biochemistry and genetics and comparative genomics from wild species to perform high-tech genomic selection-type experiments, where gene-edited mutations would be incorporated to achieve desired characteristics and improve crop performance.” Fortunately, Canadian breeders appear well prepared to grow breeding material in the field and evaluate its performance. “Also, collectively, they have elite material bred for different regions worldwide,” said Junejo. “They are ready to work with experts in gene editing and artificial intelligence to develop the next generation of crop plants. Breeders can provide starting material and finishing evaluations, but the middle part needs funding and development.” Other considerations for industry include the availability and licensing of gene editing technology such as CRISPR/Cas9. “If there are going to be some royalties associated with this technology, only the larger companies can afford to use it for developing new varieties,” said Bilichak. Fortunately, there are other gene editing tools such as the similar Mad7 that are not protected as intellectual property and advertised as a non- exclusive tool for use by anyone. “Availability is critical, as we want to keep gene editing accessible for non- profit organizations,” said Bilichak. BREAK OUT THE BUBBLY? Though industry awaits guidelines from the CFIA for use of gene editing in the feed sector, no timeline on their release has been given. In the meantime, there is much to celebrate for all concerned. “For the crop sector at large, it’s a really positive news story,” said Sereda. “It still allows the activation of research and development in this area, and getting products to market is now a much clearer pathway for researchers.” Just as transparency is a key element of gene editing on the trade front, it is equally vital at home. “It’s critical to our sector that farmers have market choice,” said Sereda. “They need to know how their seed products were developed and be able to choose from a variety of products developed by different methods. Farmers must be able to choose their seed based on market demand. For instance, to serve those markets, organic farmers can’t use gene-edited seed. That transparency piece is really important.” Despite the hurdles, access to gene editing for Canadian farmers appears to have been well worth the wait. “Canadian agriculture is so dependent on scientific advancements to aid sustainability,” said Zuzak. “Technology like gene editing will help support our focus on providing safe, high-quality cereals to our customers around the world.” “Gene editing may lead to increased food supply in the international market and could also impact prices.” — Nasima Junejo FEATURE