Capacity building on sequencing approaches to improve food and

agriculture using nuclear and related technologies

Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria

Joint FAO/IAEA Program on Food and Agriculture

Nuclear and Genomic Technologies in Food

and Agriculture

Genomics

Livestock Biodiversity

Conservation

Animal selection for improved productivity

Animal and Crop Health

Molecular Diagnostics

Food and Animal

TraceabilityMutation

Breeding for Crop

Improvement

Authentic and Safe

Food

Plant Genetic

Resources Animal Health Vaccine

Development

Genomic Selection for Dairy Cattle Improvement

Sequencing

Livestock Genomes

Discovery of Genome-wide DNA Markers

Advantages Helps to estimate breeding value of

bull on day of birth (unlike 6-8 years in traditional progeny testing)

Doubles the rate of genetic gain per year

Relatively cheaper and economical

Genomic Selection in

Cattle

Development of DNA Chip

Genome Sequencing for Mutation Breeding and Crop Improvement

Mutagenesis PhenotypingMolecular

markers for rapid breeding

Varietal release

Gamma induced CNV in banana discovered by whole genome sequencing (WGS) in

Seibersdorf

• Optimization of mutation induction in crops

• Mutant marker development & breeding for rapid improvement of farmer-preferred varieties and landraces

Sequencing Technologies for Food Traceability, Authenticity and Safety

DNA Barcoding helps to trace the origin of food

WGS can greatly improve the efficiency in detecting food fraud (Authentic food)

WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING

WGS offers the advantage of non-targeted screening of food samples for microbial contamination

WGS has the potential to be integrated into foodborne disease surveillance (Safe food)

Genome Sequencing : Gaps and Challenges in Developing Countries

Developing countries are yet to capitalize on the advantages of genomic technologies

High cost of establishing and maintaining sequencing/ genotyping facility; Low quality of outsourcing services

Lack of low cost genomic tools (e.g. low cost universal genome-wide array for livestock) appropriate for local production systems

Lack of skilled personnel and limited access to tools for bioinformatics analysis of genomic data

Lack of database tools for storage and management of high throughput genomic data

Limited access to internet

Capacity Building on Genomic Technologies: Role of FAO/IAEA

Laboratories Assist Member States (MSs) in setting up

genetic/ genomic laboratories (under IAEA-TC , PUI initiatives, FAO-AGA programs)

Support MS laboratories with equipment for implementation of DNA based technologies

Human Resource DevelopmentIndividual Fellowship TrainingsGroup Training CoursesField Support Missions, onsite

demonstration and training

Capacity building: Animal Genetic Improvement and Livestock

BiodiversityA trainee working on whole genome typing of

Bangladeshi local cattle (2016)

Hands on laboratory practice during a training

course (2014)

Onsite training on Genome Characterization

in Burkina Faso (2016)

Trainees from West Asia working on

bioinformatics data analysis (2014)

Hands on laboratory practice for genome analysis in livestock to characterize biodiversity and genetic disease resistance (24 countries are currently supported)

Training on high throughput analysis of DNA samples for large-scale sequencing and genotyping for breed improvement

Hands on training on bioinformatics analysis of genomic data using open source software

Capacity building: Mutation plant breeding, Food Traceability,

AuthenticityFirst workshop on application of WGS

technology in gamma and x-ray irradiated rice

(2015)

A trainee from Malaysia working on DNA

Barcoding of EBN samples

An intern working on

Ugandan fish speciation and

traceability (2016)

Genomic Technologies in Developing Countries

The Way Forward Need to fill the widening gap in implementation of

genomic technologies between industrialized and developing countries

Development and implementation of local production system specific genomic tools for improvement of crop and livestock productivity

Building capacity to generate good quality genome sequence data

Developing human resources with improved skills on management and bioinformatics analysis of high throughput sequence data

Support from national governments through increased investments in genomic and agriculture biotechnologies

Thank You