Grainswest - Fall 2024

Fall 2024 grainswest.com 31 Researchers from the AAFC Lethbridge Research and Development Centre used gene editing in a recent wheat breeding initiative. From left to right, Sandhya Gautam, John Laurie, André Laroche and Fengying Jiang. Through this technology, science can create new crop varieties that aid farmers with superior drought tolerance, better shatter resistance or a lesser tendency to lodge. These benefits spawned several projects to harness the power of gene editing. With funding from several groups, including Alberta Grains, one such effort was a recent study on spring wheat breeding by Laurie and his colleague André Laroche. “As anyone who has suffered jetlag can attest, our circadian clock is a powerful force,” said Laurie. “The same is true with wheat, but we could not find anyone doing research on the circadian clock and how to affect it in wheat via gene editing. Once we began to study the issue, we found that in tweaking that clock with gene editing, we could influence plant height, thereby affecting lodging, and impact flower timing. We are also working on drought tolerance.” By controlling that timing, scientists can protect wheat from excessive heat or guard against the risk of frost by making the crop flower earlier or later than usual. In essence, the flowering process can be fine-tuned for various geographic regions. NO RAIN? NO PROBLEM In another move to leverage the power of gene editing, researchers at the University of Calgary are enhancing drought tolerance in new wheat varieties. “Given the lack of moisture on the Prairies in recent years, resistance to drought is critical for wheat,” said Samuel, the project’s lead. “Climate change is the new normal, so we can either adapt or pay the price.” While countries such as Argentina and Brazil and regions such as the southern U. S. have addressed drought with genetic modification, the banning of GMO crops by some of Canada’s key trade partners such as the European Union makes gene editing our only option. “Drought tolerance doesn’t mean crops can grow without water, but where unedited wheat needs 50 per cent moisture to survive, gene edited plants can do so with only 30 per cent moisture,” said Samuel. “That could set a new precedent for farmers as they manage to protect their crops and have them globally accepted as non-GMO.” Given the benefits of gene editing, it has seen widespread support in Canada’s ag sector. “Gene editing holds immense potential to benefit farmers and the grain industry in general,” said Dean Dias, Cereals Canada CEO. “It stands to provide new varieties with improved agronomic traits, lower input costs and stronger resistance to environmental stressors. Our international and domestic markets are demanding safe, high quality wheat, and gene editing will help meet that demand.” On the world stage, reputation is everything, and many see gene editing as a tool to preserve or enhance the image of Canadian agriculture. “Canada has established itself as a global leader in wheat breeding and development,” said Dias. “We have a solid foundation in crop genetics, world class scientists and research facilities and agronomic ecosystems that support quality crops. It is exciting to see where things can go. Our country enjoys strong partnerships between academia, industry and government, so cutting-edge technology will only make us more competitive.” As is often the case with technology, however, farmers need government to keep pace with changes. “The one aspect we are waiting on with gene editing is to have full regulatory guidance in place,” said Dias. “Over the last three years, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have rolled out updated rules around novel foods that provide some clarity for wheat breeders, and that must continue to evolve.” Scientists second the need for clarity. “It’s great to have new varieties with improved traits, but farmers can’t wait 10 years for CFIA approval,” said Samuel. “The wheat sector must get together and put the question to regulators: ‘Since there is nothing wrong with gene edited crops, what is the fastest way to get them approved and in the hands of growers?’” Despite potential hurdles, the power and potential of gene editing in wheat is hard to deny. “What used to take centuries to accomplish, we can now do in a couple of years,” said Laurie. “Any way you look at it, that’s astounding.”