How can developing countries meet their gene needs?

Human life continues with agricultural production. Agriculture has to continue its duty regardless of the disease-war periods and the changing climate. At this stage, humankind must continue to feed the increasing population by directing itself, as in the GREEN REVOLUTION. Of course, by evaluating production possibilities and opportunities.

It is a fact that developments in plant and animal production are achieved through discoveries, inventions, and innovations. A great project for the next fifty years has been prepared with the World Bank, FAO, UNEP, WHO, UNDP, IFAD, and UNESCO for the joint planning and execution of all these breakthroughs. In this project[1] (https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/8590), which determines what agricultural research strategies should be, strategies that will guide world agricultural production have been put forward.

Developing countries need to hurry on these issues. However, the EU has already determined its targets in this regard. So much so that within the framework of the nutritional habits that plant foods are expected to come to the fore in the 2030s, “variety development” researches on legumes in the EU were included in the first Framework Projects in order to feed northern European countries like the Mediterranean.

The EU’s strategies in this context focused on research that would increase the nutritional value of food and feed, as well as sustainable production, and productivity improvement, by utilizing genomics and biotechnology of the main products. In short, the EU’s approach to research for the 2025s focuses on “investing in the gene”.

A gene is the part of the chromosome that governs the length-shortness of any character in living things, for example, plant height. It can be transferred from the individual it is found to other varieties by classical breeding or biotechnological methods.

The attractive side of the investment draws attention to the data of the International Agricultural Research Organization (CGIAR). Despite the expenditure of 70, 28, and 15 million dollars in wheat, paddy, and corn breeding, a gain of 2,500, 10,800, and 660 million dollars was achieved, respectively. In fact, how the investment returns made in plant breeding are reflected in the GREEN REVOLUTION can be easily understood from the Chart.

Agriculture Needs New Genes

The life span of a new variety is generally 5-10 years. New genotypes are required to keep pace with changing ecological developments. New varieties resistant to emerging diseases, pests, and climatic conditions must be constantly bred. We must develop different varieties for new consumption conditions such as organic agriculture, frozen food, dried food, pastry, and canned food, which have recently entered our lives. The production of vitamins such as A[2], C, and E, amino acids such as arginine, methionine, and lysine, antioxidants such as carotene, lycopene, and micro-nutrients such as calcium, zinc, and iron, which are needed by using the plant as a factory, have begun to be supplied from plants industrially. Again, a number of new genes are needed to achieve these goals.

Gene Trading

Each country’s seed industry cannot develop the genes it needs within its own body. In this case, it can be resorted to provide the necessary gene on a state basis, if necessary. Pakistan’s purchase of a gene and making it available to all national seed organizations free of charge (Cry3 gene); The first example that comes to mind is that Brazil ordered a variety from an international company to be used only by seed companies in its country.

Let’s take a look at what genes an Israeli genomics firm has developed for its commercial partner international seed companies[3]:

• Wheat midway material to Bayer, which increases wheat yield, is tolerant to heat-cold and can benefit more from nitrogen;
• Limagrain yield increasing, heat-cold tolerant corn midway material;
• Corn, soybean, cotton, rapeseed half-way material to Monsanto to increase yield and tolerant to heat-cold;
• DuPont heat-cold tolerant corn, soybean; Whey resistant soybean halfway material.

One of the plant breeders who have difficulties in gene supply in Turkey is the author of these lines. In the 1970s, a suitable paddy variety breeding project was initiated in the Aegean Region to be planted as a second crop after barley-wheat. Unfortunately, he was able to reach the needed early gene source in five years[4].

An Opportunity for Developing Countries

Right at this stage, developing countries have two opportunities to reach gene supply. First, many Molecular Biology and Genetics programs have been recently established in universities. Second, rapid advances in “gene-editing-CRISPR” methods, give the opportunity to develop new varieties within four years.

Let’s find a solution for universities and public and private sectors to work under one roof in providing thousands of gene materials needed by plant breeders.

Nazimi Açıkgöz

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[1] The author of these lines was also among the preparers of Chapter 6 of the aforementioned report.

[2] Transgenic GOLDEN RICE enriched with Vitamin A has finally been registered and commercialized.

[3] http://www.evogene.com/Products/List

[4] The developed variety took its place in the National Variety List as TOAG92.