the dna and science of saffron: a research impact overview for industry stakeholders

The Science and DNA of Saffron CrocusPresentation from Pat Heslop-Harrison

phh4@le.ac.uk - www.molcyt.com International day on saffron research & innovation

& brokerage event Enterprise Europe Network EEN

Following from FOOD and AGRICULTURE COST Action FA 1101

“Saffronomics: Omics Technologies for Crop Improvement, Traceability, Determination of Authenticity, Adulteration and Origin in Saffron”

FINAL CONFERENCE ON SAFFRONOMICS (Almagro, Spain, September 16-18, 2015)

Twitter: #saffronomics - links to this talkPat HH – phh@molcyt.com

Saffronomics Working Group 1:Advances in Genetics, Genomics and Transcriptomics

The Story of Saffron• About 100 different wild Crocus species known• Crocusbank has the international collection– We collected the Biodiversity

• Saffron is domesticated (domos, δόμος = house)• Only known in cultivation: all is• genetically similar• Arose as a 3-parent sterile• hybrid 1000s not millions of years ago• Unique properties•

The Science of Saffron: it’s DNA and Genes• We know about all the DNA• We know about all the genes• We know how all the colour, smell• and taste products are formed• We know how the plant grows

• (long words sequencing, transcriptomics, metabolomics, chromosomes)

• The same science that underpins • modern human medicine and• crop science/breeding

The Science of Saffron underpins:• Farming: agronomy and sustainable production• Quality measurement• Claims about quality• Claims about origin• Fraud and adulteration detection• Food safety• Understanding organoleptic (sensory)• perception• Understanding processing and storage changes• Claims about health and function