PROCROP — Harnessing Plant Reproduction for Crop Improvement

Results in brief

Harnessing Plant Reproduction for Crop Improvement

The present project focused on exploring Plant Reproductive Biology in grasses using biological systems including sexual plant models (rice and maize) and sub-tropical and tropical apomictic species (Poa pratensis, Paspalum notatum, and Eragrostis curvula). The overarching objective of this proposal, “Plant Reproduction for Crop Improvement (PROCROP)” aimed therefore at strengthening research partnership through short period staff exchange and networking activities between European Research organizations and organizations from countries with which the Community shares an S&T agreement. This proposal aimed at strengthening, and/or initiating, partnerships between European and Latin-American research groups focusing on either model plants or crops, therefore facilitating interactions between fundamental and applied aspects of plant reproduction research. The research topic of this exchange program addressed plant reproduction and how its manipulation could contribute to increase crop productivity and quality. Increased productivity through genetic improvement has significantly impacted world agriculture and the world’s population food security. Crop plants have followed the general pattern of introduction, selection, and hybridization. Therefore, the main goal of this proposal was to investigate the mechanisms reshaping transcriptomic landscapes for installing apomixis in sexual grasses. PROCROP was very successful and in accordance with the original research plan. The action has succeeded meeting the objectives posed for the second term of the project. Completed secondments allowed the follow up of established researches and the achievement of common goals of participants. Several articles derived from the joint work were published or submitted to scientific journals.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Increased crop productivity through genetic improvement of plants has significantly impacted world agriculture and the world’s population. Crop plants have followed the general pattern of introduction, selection, and hybridization. Once introgressed, selection and breeding strategies have led to new cultivars with improved yield and adaptation. Unfortunately, many of these important traits are typically polygenic. The consequence is that only certain unique allele combinations comply to generate elite performing genotypes. The fixation of a given genotype occurs naturally in species that display an asexual type of seed production named apomixis (i.e. clonal seed production). Unfortunately, apomixis does not naturally occur in major crop species with few exceptions (Citrus, mango and mangosteen). In crop species, apomixis would enable the instantaneous fixation of the complete genome of the best plants. When coupled with male-sterility systems, apomictic reproduction (with no need for male contribution) could help in addressing issues related to transgene escape from GM crops to organic or conventional crops, and thereby allow for better coexistence systems. This trait by itself is highly valuable for agriculture, but despite many efforts it has never been possible to introduce it into the domesticated crop species of today. The financial and economic impacts of the development of apomixis technology and its application to major crops are amazing (€1800-2300 million per annum per crop). The overall goal of the proposal is to allow for a synergy of inter-related European and international expertise to better understand the mechanisms of sexual/apomictic plant reproduction and to facilitate the application of this increased knowledge in the development of new approaches for agriculture and food industry to increase productivity.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PERUGIA · PerugiaCoordinatorItaly
CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION Y DE ESTUDIOS AVANZADOS DEL INSTITUTO POLITECNICO NACIONAL · MexicoMexico
CONSEJO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Y TECNICAS (CONICET) · Buenos AiresArgentina
INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT · MarseilleFrance
POLO D'INNOVAZIONE DI GENOMICA, GENETICA E BIOLOGIA SRL · SienaItaly
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO · MilanoItaly

PROCROP · Harnessing Plant Reproduction for Crop Improvement

Results in brief

Harnessing Plant Reproduction for Crop Improvement

Project objective

Participants

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