• BIOTECH
Inside the Seed Biotechnology Center at UC Davis, Dr. Allen Van Deynze points out the progress of the genome sequencing of Moringa oleifera— a colorful stream of data points shows on his computer screen.
The moringa tree is an important source of nutrition in Africa and India. It stocks more vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk and more iron than spinach. The tree is native to northern India, but grows throughout tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, Africa and Latin America. With its high nutritional value and year-round harvestability, the moringa is a critical source of food for impoverished communities in developing countries. In order to capitalize on its nutritional value, multiple varieties of the moringa, specifically suited to the various climates and conditions where they are grown, are needed.
That’ s where the work of Van Deynze, director of research at UC Davis’ Seed Biotechnology Center and associate director of the university’ s Plant Breeding Center, comes in. Once the moringa’ s genome is sequenced, Van Deynze will have a genetic map of its DNA, which tells him exactly which genes are responsible for which traits, explains Dr. Kent Bradford, director of the Seed Biotechnology Center.
Research taking place at UC Davis, a world leader in plant science and agricultural research, is a vital player in a vast ecosystem that makes the Capital Region one of the most influential innovative hubs in the vegetable seed industry. Eight of the world’ s 10 largest vegetable seed companies are strategically located near UC Davis. Additionally, more than 80 seed industry companies are within 100 miles, and 300 are within 300 miles of the university, according to Van Deynze.
The work taking place here is of global significance, given that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that to feed a growing population, food
" Plant breeding is absolutely essential. Today’ s best varieties will fail in the next five years because of disease.”
— Dr. Allen Van Deynze, director of research, UC Davis’ Seed Biotechnology Center
production will need to increase 70 percent by 2050. Precious water resources, lack of arable land and food distribution challenges compound the issue— and as organisms naturally evolve, new strains of pests and diseases arise. All of which begs the question of how we develop and commercialize vegetable crops that can nutritiously feed the world.
“ Plant breeding is absolutely essential,” Van Deynze says.“ Today’ s best varieties will fail in the next five years because of disease.”
A FIGHT AT THE TABLE When the conversation turns to food and biotech, genetically modified organisms typically leap to the forefront of many people’ s minds. Yet the technology Van Deynze and other researchers are focused on has its roots in traditional selective breeding, the field of genetics widely recognized through Gregor Mendel’ s work on the laws of inheritance in pea plants.
Traditional methods take time, and the research can be daunting. When a desired trait is selected from the wild, it is randomly passed along to the plant’ s offspring and can take years to surface. On average, it takes more than a decade to develop a particular trait and bring a new vegetable variety to market.
But with a genetic map, samples from seedlings can be tested for the desired genes— instead of spending years growing thousands of plants to visually determine if a given trait is there. Called marker assisted breeding, this is one of the leading technologies used by researchers and the vegetable seed industry to dramatically reduce the time it takes to develop new varieties.
This process is far more lucrative for the vegetable seed industry than tackling genetically modified organisms. GMOs have been mired in controversy since Davisbased Calgene( which has since sold to Monsanto) released the first GM crop to hit the market, a tomato into which a genetically engineered gene had been inserted. Dubbed the Flavr Savr, the tomato was marketed for keeping its firm skin longer, allowing it to ripen on the vine and develop a fuller flavor.
But the tomato saw a decline in sales after media attention ignited public concern over transgenics— the insertion of a gene, often from an unrelated species, to produce a
54 comstocksmag. com | January 2018