Opportunities for biotechnology to address major plant and

human disease

Kevin M. FoltaProfessor and Chairman

Horticultural Sciences Department

kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta

kevinfolta@gmail.com

A Lot of Genetic Improvement for Plant and Animal Disease Resistance was Done Inadvertently

Plants have been genetically improved

to fight or survive disease through

selection and breeding.

Humans have been genetically improved to fight or survive disease through selection and

breeding.

There is a wonderful mutual relationship between plants and humans. Better plants make better humans, and better humans make better plants!

What Plant Genetic Improvement Is

More varieties

Grow better under given conditions

Improved yields

Safer products

Improved nutrtion

What Did Agrarian Humans Get in Return?

Work outside of farming

Leisure time

Income from farmingImproved nutrition

10,000 – 4,000 MYA

Kates 1994

What is Plant Genetic Improvement?

Traditional breeding – Plant sex. Human mediated or due to wind or insects.Humans play a key role in selection, as do pathogens, etc.

Wide Introgressions – Genetic combinations not achievable in nature, due to geographical or reproductive barriers that require human intervention.

Mutation Breeding – Use of radiation (or chemicals) to damage genetic material and produce new traits.

Transgenic Plants – Moving a gene that is understood into a new background, to install a new trait. Also can silence genes.

Gene Editing -- Future technology that will allow installation or removal of a specific gene, with few collateral effects.

Molecular Cut and Paste

32,690 genes in corn 5 Million bases

35,968 words in Old Yeller , (80 pages) 2200+ pages

Two main traits– insect and herbicide resistance

Traits Related to Human Health

Improved nutrient composition

Removal of toxic compounds

Suppression of allergens

Golden Rice

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Opposition to golden rice cost $2 billion to farmers in developing countries and 1.4 million human years – Wesseler et al., 2014

Cassava

Virus Resistant Cassava (VIRCA)

Biocassava Plus (BC Plus)

250 million depend on cassava

50 million tons lost to virus.

X

X Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Low Acrylamide, non Browning Potatoes

X

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Allergy-Free Peanuts

Peanut – RNAi suppression Ara h2

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Transgenic Wheat

• Never commercialized• Not amenable to export • Use of non-GM lines

Allergy Free Wheat Allergy Free Wheat Using RNAi to repress gliadin and glutenin levelsUsing RNAi to repress gliadin and glutenin levels

Non Browning ApplesSilencing a gene that leads to discoloration

X

X

Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Small Business!X

Indirect effects on human health

Traits Related to Human Health

Moving genes with genetic engineering allows for rapid incorporation of new traits.

“Metabolic engineering” allows production of enhanced vitamins, minerals, other nutrients; decreased allergens, toxins and anti-nutrients

Traits Related to Plant Health

Resistance to viruses

Resistance to bacteria

Resistance to fungi

Papaya Ringspot VirusGood example of RNAi suppression

GMO NON-GMO

BS2 TomatoA pepper gene in tomato eases black spot and wilt.

X

X Farmers

Consumers

Environment

Needy

Stopping Citrus Greening

A single gene from spinach helps citrus survive disease.

Other genes help too.

Earliest deregulation is 2019

Conclusions

The ability to move a single gene is an extension of the plant-human relationship

Improved plants = improved people!

Current solutions are mostly agronomic traits

The future will bring improved traits for humans to improve nutrients, product quality and improved plant health.

Thank you

kfolta.blogspot.com@kevinfolta

kevinfolta@gmail.com

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