plant science and crop breeding: their role in global food ...ewds.strath.ac.uk/portals/50/global...
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Plant Science and Crop Breeding: Their role in global food security
Dr Jonathan Snape, Commercial Director
Population of 8.3 billion by 2030 (UN)
Food
50% increase in
demand (FAO)
Energy
50% increase in
demand (EIA)
Freshwater
30% increase in
demand (FAO)
Land
120m ha needed in
developing countries
crop production (FAO)
Soil erosion &
biodiversity loss
The Global Challenge
• 37% EU land is used for agriculture
• 2/3 of agricultural land is used for crop production
• % agricultural land varies considerably between countries
Agricultural land use in Europe
Country % agric. land
Sweden 7%
UK 65%
• Farm sizes vary considerably between countries
Agricultural land use in Europe
Italy is 8% EU agric. land with av. farm size 9ha UK is 9% EU agric. land with av. farm size 60ha
Av. size of agric. land (ha) per
farm(2007)
Intensity of farming in Europe
• High, medium and low intensity farming in EU (2007)
• High intensity: high inputs of labour, fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to obtain the maximum output
• Europe wants to reduce high intensity farming while maintaining / increasing crop production
*
*
Cereal production in Europe
• 68% crops grown in Europe are cereals
• 47% of cereal production is wheat
World grain supplies and UK wheat prices
Share of main crop in Europe
• Four countries, France, Germany, Poland and UK are responsible for bulk of production
Pest Impacts: Crops that never reach the table
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Wheat Sugar Cane
Millet Potato Maize Rice Global Crop
Pests Weeds Disease
Pre-Harvest Losses
Estimated EU losses
15-20%
2500 BC 2000 BC 1500s 1700s 1900s 1950s 1975s 1980s 1940s
Synthetic pesticides ‘Pesticide Era’
>1,000 active ingredients >20,000 products
Crop protection (chemical) products
2007
• EU is world's largest producer, user, exporter of pesticides. – $10.42 billion = a third of the global market
• Development costs up 117%
• Research costs are up 18%
• Research investment in Europe has fallen from 33% to 7.7%
Crop protection (chemical) products in Europe
• Active ingredients in development have fallen
Crop protection products globally
EU Directives
• The Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000/60/EEC)
• Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC)
• Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable use of pesticides
– To achieve sustainable use of pesticides by reducing the risks and impacts on human health and environment and promoting the use of Integrated Pest Management and of alternative approaches or techniques such as non-chemical alternatives to pesticides”.
– Each EU member state must implement an IPM National Action Plan by 2014
Pesticide use in the EU
• Pesticides being taken off the market due to new rules
• Leading to fewer products in EU (ca. >60%)
• Could lead to a 35% reduction in farm profits
• Stricter licensing prevents ‘innovation’
• A fall in the number of patented active ingredients has led to a sharp rise in off-patent generics, particularly in China and India
Crop protection products globally
Research and Development spending
• Global R&D expenditure on seed traits (including GM) has now overtaken that on agrochemicals
Introduction of GM traits
• Introduction of new GM traits since 1995
GM Production worldwide
Since 1995 GM have resulted in a 9% reduction in pesticide use globally
GM successes elsewhere
GM Production in Europe
• Very rigorous licencing to introduce GM crops into Europe
• No ‘opt outs’ for member states on planting GM, so hotly contested area
• Strong anti-GM lobby
• Major companies have moved out of GM production in EU
• Acceptance of new GM technologies has increase steadily since 1999
• BASF has since moved all its plant science research to USA.
GM rule changes in Europe
Scottish farmers welcome genetically
modified crops move Wednesday 14 January 2015
EU changes rules on GM crop cultivation 13 January 2015 EU gives governments more power to restrict or prohibit planting of GM crops.
As ‘opt out’ deadline approaches
Scotland to issue formal ban on genetically modified crops
GM crops ban not based on scientific
considerations, admits Sturgeon
Scottish food was "internationally valued" for being
produced "under clean, green and natural
conditions"
9 August 2015
11 September 2015
International Reaction: Europe turns against science • The faces of the hungry children come to mind every time I
hear European politicians boast about their country's GMO
ban and demand that the rest of the world follow suit -- as
Scotland's minister did in August.
• Meanwhile, hypocrisy rules: Europe imports over 30 million
tons per year of corn and soy-based animal feeds, the vast
majority of which are genetically modified, for its livestock
industry. Imports are preferred to European crops partly
because biotech traits make them cheaper
• Europe becoming a “museum of world farming”
The New York Times October 25, 2015 Sunday MARK LYNAS
Other approaches to pest control
Crop (molecular) breeding
Populations
Disease forecasting Biocontrol
Cultivar selection
Crop rotation
Intercropping Mixtures
Precision agriculture Attractants/repellents Endophytes
Other approaches to pest control
Biofumigation (e.g. mustard)
Suppressive soils
Land use management Field margins
Other approaches to pest control
Resistance elicitors
Pesticides
GM
Other non-chemical alternatives
Now Future
How will Europe protect its crops from pests and diseases in the future?
Other non-chemical alternatives
Biotechnology (GM)
Pesticides
Imports = 1/3 of EU’s utilized agricultural area
Impact from barley research
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Yie
ld t
/ha
Year
Spring
Winter
Data derived from analysis of UK NL & RL data (BSPB & HGCA)
Sustainability of Modern Agriculture
There are many challenges inherent in sustainable production •Interaction between human population size and production •Fuelled by unsustainable use of N and P fertiliser •Change in management required to make effective use of nutrient
Critical Functions of Roots
roots acquire water and mineral nutrients
essential for crop yield and quality
roots deliver carbon belowground
and contribute to soil health
roots cope with chemically, physically and
biologically hostile conditions
effective roots reduce environmental
pollution, eutrophication and emissions of
GHG
roots anchor plants and soil
Roots Imaged using transparent soil
roots prevent uptake of toxic elements and
molecules
Food Security = sufficient, safe, nutritious,
environmentally benign
Roots for improved resource capture
Optimisation Algorithm
e0, g0, b0
e1, g1, b1
e2, g2, b2
…
Simulations of Meristematic Envelopeand Resource Capture
Compare
Target RSA
Models of root system ideotype for
resource capture
Crop Improvement Research Club BB/J019631/1
High-throughput (HTP)
root phenotyping screens
Improved Crop Cultivars
Roots that physically manipulate soil
BBSRC - BB/L026058/1
High resolution images of
rhizospheres
Understanding of root hair soil interactions
Develop models of rhizosphere
physical environment
Designed Rhizospheres for Enhanced Function
Rhizosphere Complementarity for
Enhanced Use of Phosphorus
BBSRC (BB/K017047; 2014-2017)
Selection of complementary
rhizospheres
Citrate
Phytase
Pi
Po
Optimised
intercropping
systems Geochemical
models of Organic
P dynamics
Alternative Agronomy
KBBE.2011.1.2-05
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
OSU
05
2O
SU1
44
OSU
03
3O
SU1
07
OSU
12
4O
SU0
35
OSU
06
5O
SU0
53
OSU
09
0O
SU0
51
OSU
01
8O
SU1
37
OSU
07
4O
SU0
40
OSU
02
4O
SU0
15
OSU
08
6O
SU0
61
OSU
06
0H
arri
ngt
on
OSU
10
2O
SU0
38
OSU
12
7O
SU0
12
OSU
04
7O
SU0
44
OSU
01
9O
SU1
05
OSU
01
6O
SU0
48
DTI
20 partners from Europe, USA, Japan and Australia
Roots for Drought Tolerance
Candidate Genes from Wild Barley
Phenotypes for drought
tolerance
Drought Tolerant Cereals
Roots for Physically Hostile Soils
Phenotyping of Root
Response to Soil
Compaction
Development of root
imaging in “soil” Field scale analysis of root
growth and soil physical
conditions
Improved Agronomy/Cultivar Packages
Transparent soil: A model system for studying root
interactions
Translation
Root Ideotypes
Designer Rhizospheres
Improved Crop Cultivars
Improved Agronomy
Packages for Sustainability
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION
Translation
Environmental Change Field to Region Barriers to Uptake Acceptability
Acknowledgements
• Prof Ian Toth
• Dr Tim Daniell
• Dr Tim George
• Prof Colin Campbell
• Scottish Government