GMOs DEVELOPED FOR AFRICA: THE WEMA AND IMAS PROJECTS

Transcription

1 GMOs DEVELOPED FOR AFRICA: THE WEMA AND IMAS PROJECTS Dr Kingstone Mashingaidze ARC-Grain Crops Institute Applications of omics to Biosafety, Plant Sciences Complex, University of Pretoria, 19 October 2015, Innovation and protection for a better harvest

2 ARC Vision To achieve excellence in research and development ARC Mission The ARC is a science institution that: conducts research with partners, develops human capital and fosters innovation in support of the agricultural sector

3 ARC: 11 Institutes ARC-Grain Crops Institute (Field Crops Division) - Potchefstroom summer grain crops ARC-Small Grain Institute (Field Crops Division) - Bethlehem wheat, barley, oats ARC-Institute for Industrial Crops (Field Crops Division) Rustenburg tobacco, cotton, fibre crops ARC-Animal Production Institute ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij (Institute for Deciduous Fruit, Vines and Wine) ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate and Water (ISCW) ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI) ARC-Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute (VOPI) ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute

4 ARC-GCI MANDATE To conduct research, technology development and technology transfer in order to: improve competitiveness, increase productivity, ensure environmental and economic sustainability, ensure the production of safe and healthy food, and ensure sustainable and functional cropping systems

5 Mandated Grain Crops Grain sorghum Maize Sweet stem sorghum Pearl millet

6 Mandated Grain Crops.. Sunflower Soybean Groundnut

7 Mandated Grain Crops.. Cowpea Dry bean Bambara groundnut

8 AFRICA IS DROUGHT-PRONE Maize is staple food crop for about 650 million in SSA Recurring droughts pose a continuous challenge to maize production and food security in SSA Risk of drought prevents investment in best management practices Climate change Shorter seasons with more variable rainfall + high temperatures in Southern Africa Yield stability is key to unlock the value of basic inputs for increasing productivity Recorded droughts between 1971 and 2000, and the number of people affected l

9 Limpopo province: 2006 Limpopo province: 2011 Mpumalanga province: 2012 lost investment

10 Stalk borer is a permanent challenge in maize production Stunted Dead hearts Yield loss

11 5 Ha ZM 1523 Seed Crop with >90% stalk borer infestation Limpopo 2014

12 WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? A public-private partnership to develop and deploy drought tolerant and insect protected maize hybrids royalty-free to smallholder farmers Target: 25% yield advantage under moderate drought Tolerant Susceptible For farmers: plant height, lodging, prolificacy, husk cover, disease resistance (ear rots, GLS, MSV, Ht, etc.), maturity, etc For Consumers: grain hardness, milling quality, protein levels, grain colour, etc.

13 WEMA Partnership World leader in breeding maize for African agro-ecological zones Germplasm + sites + breeding + training Monsanto World leader in seed, biotechnology, gene discovery, trait development and trait licensing Transgenes (DT & 2 Bt) + genotyping + germplasm + advanced breeding tools (e.g. doubled haploids) CIMMYT WEMA AATF NARS of Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa (ARC), Tanzania and Uganda Expertise in field trials Breed + Test DT maize Capacity building opportunities NARS Funded by BMGF, HGBF & USAID African institution mandated to access and deliver proprietary technologies to smallholder African farmers royalty-free

14 Cereal Yields (t/ha) 4.0 LOW SOIL FERTILITY LIMITS MAIZE PRODUCTIVITY IN AFRICA Fertilizer use (kg/ha) East and Southeast Asia Latin America South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa Period Fig 1. Fertilizer use and maize yields by region Source: Crawford, Jayne and Kelly (2005)

15 Public-private partnership Develop and deploy maize hybrids that tolerate low soil N Fertilizer use encouraged Developing varieties that take up and/or utilise N fertiliser more efficiently Target: 50% yield advantage under low N

16 IMAS PARTNERSHIP CIMMYT: Germplasm + Breeding + Low N testing sites + Trials + Expertise + Training DuPont Pioneer DuPont Pioneer: Genotyping + Transgenes (LNT) + Low N sites + Advanced breeding tools + Trials CIMMYT IMAS ARC and KALRO ARC and KALRO: Germplasm + Breeding + Low N testing sites + Trials Funded by BMGF & USAID

17 HOW ARE THE VARIETIES BEING DEVELOPED? Utilise conventional breeding and transgenic (GM) biotechnology Advanced breeding tools, e.g. Doubled haploids and genetic markers (sign posts) Conventi onal Biotechnology Elite germplasm from ARC, CIMMYT, and Monsanto MAB GM traits donated: DT (MON 87460) Bt (MON 810) Bt (MON 89034): Monsanto Dt/Lnt lines QTLs DT / LNT transgene LNT: Pioneer, a DuPont company Dt /Lnt No technology fees Conventional hybrids Enhanced DT /LNT GM hybrids + Bt

18 EVALUATION OF TRANSGENIC MAIZE HYBRIDS ARC s Confined Field Trial (CFT) Site at Lutzville (Western Cape province)

19 EVALUATION AND COMMERCIAL RELEASE OF MON A gene (cspb) from Bacillus subtilis The gene was first identified in bacteria subjected to cold stress conditions Research has demonstrated that cspb transgene helps plants cope with drought stress Deregulated and commercialised in USA as DroughtGARD TM Hectarage increased by 5.5 in USA from ha in 2013 to ha in 2014 Regulated trials conducted in RSA, Kenya and Uganda since 2010 Regulated trials delayed in Mozambique (lacked Biosafety legislation) and Tanzania (strict liability clause)

20 WEMA Testing Locations in RSA Delareyville Regulated Trials in: 1. South Africa 2. Kenya 3. Uganda Lutzville Orania Hopetown Lutzville: ARC research farm No rain in summer Managed drought stress possible (controlled drip irrigation) Adequate isolation

21 Yield (t/ha) RESEARCH METHODS: Managed stress at critical stages Stress target 40-60% yield reduction compared to well-watered Chronic stress block Yield reduction at Lutzville: 2009/10 Well-watered block % 0 Late CS WW Chronic stress block Well-watered block Traited (GM) and non-traited (non-gm) isogenic hybrids planted side-by-side Efficacy? Yield penalty?

22 Flowering stress block Well-watered block MON is effective in African germplasm (8 14% yield advantage under moderate drought stress) Efficacy of MON depends on genetic background MON does not reduce yield under well-watered conditions (no yield drag) MON approved for General (Commercial) release in RSA in May 2015 Regulated trials to start 2016 in Mz and Tz Enough data for Kenya and Uganda?

23 MON 810 AND MON Event Name: MON (approved 2010 in RSA) Gene Introduced Gene Source Product Function cry2ab2 cry1a.105 Bacillus thuringiensis Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2Ab deltaendotoxin Cry1A.105 protein which comprises the Cry1Ab, Cry1F and Cry1Ac proteins Event Name: MON 810 (Ke, Mz, Tz and Ug) confers resistance to lepidopteran insects by selectively damaging their midgut lining confers resistance to lepidopteran insects by selectively damaging their midgut lining cry1ab Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab proteins NB: Resistance to MON 810 in RSA Regulated trials conducted in Kenya & Uganda confers resistance to lepidopteran insects by selectively damaging their midgut lining

24 S7607Z+S6561Z S7607Z+S1978Z S7607Z+S7852Z S7607Z+S3012Z S0158Z+S3012Z S3588Z+S8535Z S0158Z+S1978Z Yield [t/ha] Bt-Maize: Yield (t/ha) in Infested Plots in CFT Namulonge, Uganda, % 131% 57% 56% * * * * * * * 64% 58% 49% Pos Mean Neg mean All hybrids showed significantly more yield of % due to Bt gene (yield protection)

25 Impact of Bt-maize in Stem-borer Control NON-BT Maize BT Maize Application for environmental (commercial) release of Bt maize pending decision by NBA in Kenya

26 EVALUATION OF STACKED DT AND Bt TRANSGENES Bt MON donated to SHF in RSA Already in commercial use in RSA DT MON approved for Commercial (General) release Desired product: Hybrids with stacked DT and Bt Regulated trials required before commercial release Data required from at least two sites for at least two seasons Permit to conducted regulated trials of stacked MON MON granted in 2014 Permit extension granted for 2015/16 regulated trials Dossier preparations in progress for Ke, Ug & Mz

27 WHEN WILL GM VARIETIES BE AVAILABLE? HOW WILL THE GM VARIETIES BE AVAILABLE? GM maize only approved for wide-scale production after regulatory authorities are satisfied that it is safe for food, feed as well as to the environment GM Hybrids to be marketed by licensed local seed companies Types of GM Hybrids expected: (i) Bt 2016 (RSA); Kenya??? (ii) DT + Bt MON MON ? (iii) DT + Bt + RR = the most ideal combination NB: DT and Bt donated royalty-free for SHF low-cost RR negotiations yet to start (complements DT) Trait introgression ongoing into elite lines from CIMMYT and NARS DT and Bt

28 EVALUATION OF TRANSGENIC LOW NITROGEN TOLERANT MAIZE HYBRIDS DuPont Pioneer has identified four transgenes for low nitrogen tolerance (LNT) Introgression into ARC, CIMMYT and KALRO germplasm underway Confined field trial sites developed in RSA and Kenya Regulated (confined) field trials to start 2016/17

29 Testing for low N tolerance: Conduct field trials and selection in nitrogen depleted soils Deplete soil of N to t/ha yield levels simulate SHF conditions

30 IMAS CONVENTIONAL HYBRID TRIALS Low N High N

31 Nitrogen deficiency: Leaf yellowing (chlorosis) from bottom leaves, stunted growth and low yields Low N trials Leaf senescence SAHTB2-139

32 Innovation and protection for a better harvest WEMA + IMAS Royaltyfree technologies for: Seed security Food security Poverty alleviation Job creation Improved livelihoods Thank You