Information from the British Society of Plant Breeders Spring 2018

Plant Breeding Matters

With growth in UK agriculturalproductivity lagging behind othercountries, and Britain’s farmers facing notonly a reduction in direct supportpayments but also the prospect ofcompeting on increasingly open globalmarkets post-Brexit, the need for access toon-farm innovation has never beengreater.

In its command paper Health andHarmony: the future for food, farmingand the environment in a Green Brexit,DEFRA underlined the importance ofagricultural innovation and research insupporting future productivity gains onUK farms, alongside a renewed emphasison rewarding farmers for public goodssuch as protecting and enhancing thenatural environment.

The consultation singled out theneed for Government to encouragemore commercial research to driveadvances in plant breeding, thelatest in a series of positivestatements from EnvironmentSecretary Michael Gove and hisdepartment about the role ofcrop genetic innovation insupporting a competitive andsustainable future for UKagriculture.

In a recent letter toBSPB regarding plantbreeding and theBrexit negotiations,

the Environment Secretary stressed thatcontinued innovation in plant breedingwould be essential to attract inwardinvestment, to meet the demands of theUK’s £110 billion food chain, and toincrease the competitiveness of Britishagriculture. He also explicitly recognisedthe potential for new crop varieties tosupport his vision of a ‘Green Brexit’ bydelivering environmental benefits.

UK Government must deliver on commitmentsto support plant breeding post-BrexitBSPB Chairman Dr Richard Summers welcomes the UK Government’s support for continued innovation inplant breeding, including the potential opportunities of new breeding methods developed from genomicsresearch and the selection of varieties adapted to advances in agronomy. However, given the current highlevel of pan-European trade and research activity in the plant breeding and seeds sector, he warns thatfailure to secure a seamless regulatory transition on issues such as plant variety rights, variety registration,seed certification and plant health as a result of the Brexit negotiations may jeopardise prospects forinvestment as well as British growers’ continued access to such advances.

Plant Breeding Matters

P r o m o t i n g i n n o v a t i o n i n P l a n t b r e e d i n g

BSPB

Chairman

Dr Richard

Summers

I agree that we mustcontinue to encourage

innovation in plantbreeding and high quality

seed production as ameans of ensuring that theUK remains attractive forinward investment. Thebreeding of innovativevarieties is essentialto improve a widerange of attributes

benefiting farmers, foodmanufacturers and

processors, and morewidely to increase thecompetitiveness of UKagriculture. I appreciate

the potential for newvarieties to deliver

environmental benefits.

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MPSecretary of State for Environment,

Food and Rural AffairsFebruary 2018

“

”

However, future access to advances incrop varieties will depend crucially onmaintaining the conditions to support avibrant, UK-based plant breeding sector.

Commercial plant breeding companiesprovide the only route to market for cropgenetic innovation, including the researchcurrently underway in our institutes anduniversities.

At the same time, many of the plantbreeders developing varieties for theBritish market are not owned orheadquartered in the UK. In fact, a veryhigh level of pan-European trade andresearch activity in plant breeding andseeds supports UK growers’ access toinnovation.

Failure to secure regulatory alignmentand/or mutual recognition on issues suchas plant variety rights, variety registration,seed certification, trade and phytosanitaryarrangements, all of which are currently

regulated on an EU-wide basis, willinevitably drive up the costs of investingfor the UK market alone, potentiallyimpacting the competitiveness of UK cropproduction.

For BSPB members (as well as our EUcounterparts), the requirement is for asfrictionless a transition as possible fromcurrent to post-Brexit regulatoryarrangements, with a focus on thefollowing outcomes:

Plant Variety Rights (PVR)Complete and continued collaborationwith the EU PVR system through UKassociate membership of CPVO(Community Plant Variety Office).

Variety registrationReciprocal recognition of varietiesregistered on the UK National List andEU Common Catalogue, allowing EU-registered varieties to be marketed in theUK and vice versa.

Seed certificationMutual recognition of seed produced inthe EU and seed produced in the UK anda continuing free market in seed with notariffs.

Phytosanitary arrangementsAgreement on continued free movementof seed between the UK and EU withoutincreased import checks and without arequirement for phytosanitary certificatesfor moving seed between the UK and EU.

Chris Burt of RAGT makes his

presentation on plant breeding

innovation at the AHDB workshop

P r o m o t i n g i n n o v a t i o n i n P l a n t b r e e d i n g

BSPB members are major contributors tothe AHDB Recommended List (RL).Indeed the scale, quality and technicalvalue of the RL system would not bepossible without plant breeders’ input.

BSPB’s total contribution to the RL –including trials and their associatedactivity together with the statutory feespaid by breeders and in-kind support fromBSPB staff and members – amounts toover £2 million per annum, more thanmatching AHDB’s annual RL expenditure.

One of the strengths of the RL systemis that it is subject to regular review toensure that it continues to be technicallyrelevant and meets the needs of farmersand their customers.

In March, BSPB participated in a ‘lookahead’ workshop hosted by AHDB as part

of this review process, alongside otherindustry partners. The consensus amongparticipants was that the RL continues toprovide a valuable and cost-effectiveservice, and enjoys strong support acrossthe industry.

Discussion about possibleimprovements to the RL system focusedon issues such as digital dissemination ofdata, recognition of new traits andassessing yield stability over time.

In addition, AHDB has launched anon-line survey to collect feedback fromacross the industry on how theRecommended List is used in varietydecisions, which aspects are most valuedby users, and how the system could beimproved or developed further. Responsesto the survey are invited until August

Have your say on the RLThe industry-funded AHDB Recommended List for Cereals andOilseeds is widely regarded as one of the best systems of independentvariety evaluation and recommendation in Europe, if not the world.

2018. To have your say visit the RLsection of the AHDB Cereals and Oilseedswebsite at www.ahdb.org.uk.

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Source: AHDBOn-farm innovation is needed to improve the productivity

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Total factor productivity (TFP) annual growth 1964–2014

Photo: © Germ

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Oilseed rape Dr Rachel Wells, Senior Scientist –Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre

The benefits of F1 hybrid seed in terms ofyield improvement, agronomicperformance and consistency of end-usequality are due to the heterosis, or ‘hybridvigour’, derived in a single season bycombining the best characters from twocarefully selected parent lines. But if a

hybrid crop is grown on again as farm-saved seed it will lose this boost inperformance, producing a segregatingpopulation with variable offspring,reduced yields and loss of agronomiccharacters. This is why the law excludeshybrid varieties from the list of crops

allowed to be farm-saved.Plant Breeding Matters asked three

leading experts to explain the practicaland agronomic risks of using farm-savedseed from hybrid varieties in oilseed rape,barley and rye.

Conventional oilseed rape varieties are pure inbred lines, selected andself-crossed over at least eight generations to ensure that all resultingplants and their offspring are genetically identical.

While the quality of seed savedfrom a conventional variety may not beas good as certified seed (because seedgermination quality and vigour can beinfluenced by the seed productionenvironment), the offspring of seedsaved from a conventional variety willbe genetically identical and show thesame quality traits as the parent.

To produce hybrid varieties, twogenetically distinct inbred parent linesare crossed to create a heterozygous F1population containing 50% geneticinformation from either parent.Because oilseed rape is self-fertile, oneparent (the female) is male sterile toprevent pollen production and self-fertilisation. The other parent is malefertile. A number of different malesterility systems exist. F1 oilseed rape seed is produced bysowing male and female plants inadjacent blocks. Only the female lines

are harvested as any seed produced inthese blocks will be the result of cross-pollination from the male parent. Thissystem makes the production of hybridseed more costly compared to conventionalseed.

If the correct combination of parents isselected then the resulting F1 hybrid linewill display ‘hybrid vigour’, outperformingeach of its parent lines with greateruniformity, more predictable and robustperformance, and may also have valuableselected traits such as pod shatterresistance.

Unlike conventional inbred varieties,self-pollination of an F1 hybrid variety andsubsequent use of the seed will result in anF2 population that segregates for thecharacters of the parents, with genescontrolling key traits mixed in a randomassortment within the offspring, very muchlike we see in humans, with no two,independent offspring being the same.

If farm-saved seed of an F1 hybridoilseed rape variety is sown as a crop itwill produce a non-uniform mix ofvigorous plants, weak plants, tall plants,short plants, lodging plants, standingplants, disease susceptible plants andresistant plants all with potentially variableflowering and harvest date requirements.Very different from the uniform F1 varietywith all the good quality traits originallyselected by the grower!Dr Rachel Wells

P r o m o t i n g i n n o v a t i o n i n P l a n t b r e e d i n g

F1 hybrid varieties, which can offer significant advantages in crop performance and quality, have longdominated the commercial production of UK crops such as sugar beet, forage maize and many vegetablecrops. Recent breeding advances have now extended the availability of hybrid varieties to includecombinable crops such as oilseed rape, barley, wheat and rye.

E X P E RT S WA R N A G A I N S T FA R

Barley Dr Bill Thomas, International Barley Huband The James Hutton Institute

Hybrid barley seed is produced whenthis self-pollination process is disruptedallowing the stigma to be fertilised bypollen from a different variety. A naturalgenetic disruption techniqueknown as cytoplasmic malesterility (CMS) is used toproduce a female linewhich can only bepollinated by non-CMSbarley plants.

However, while theseed produced from sucha pollination will grownormally, the resulting plantswill also be male-sterile because the male-sterile trait is transmitted down thematernal line. In hybrid barleyproduction, dominant nuclear ‘restorer’genes are therefore used in a male parentto ensure that pollen developmentproceeds normally in the F1 hybrid,

producing a fully fertile plant. Restorer genes do not exist in current

commercial barley varieties and must beintrogressed into a contemporary winter

barley variety by careful breeding andselection to produce a restorer line.

F1 hybrid seed isproduced by pollinatinga CMS female with themale restorer line sothat all F1 plants willbe fully fertile.

Importantly, however, the malerestorer gene segregates in typical

Mendelian fashion across the seedsproduced on the F1 plants, and theharvested seed will therefore be a mixtureof three fully fertile plants to one male-sterile plant. As a consequence, whilst allseed will germinate normally and produceplants, seed set on the male-sterile plantsin a field of farm-saved hybrid barley seed

will be far from complete, yield will bevastly reduced and inputs effectivelywasted on 25% of the crop.

In addition to the loss of yield due to ahalving of the hybrid advantage, a crop offarm-saved seed from an F1 barley hybridwill also segregate for all other charactersthat differentiate the male and femaleparent lines.

This means that the crop is likely toexhibit a mixture of agronomiccharacteristics such as height and diseaseresistance, and it will look non-uniform,possibly with developmental differencesthat may make timing of fertilisers andsprays difficult.

Rye John Burgess, Maize & Hybrid RyeProduct Manager, KWS UK LtdTraditionally grown as a grain crop and increasingly as a whole-cropsubstrate for use in biogas plants, rye is suited to a wide range of soiltypes across the UK and offers important agronomic benefits such asimproved black-grass control, moderate input requirements andreduced soil erosion.

However, unlike wheat or barley, rye isa cross-pollinating species which meansthat it can be more susceptible to poorflowering and pollination leading tovariable grain yields and in some caseshigh incidence of ergot.

Breeders have now overcome thisproblem by introducing a gene into hybridrye varieties which significantly increasespollen formation, so ensuring good quality

flowering and pollination, resulting inmore consistent grain yields and quality.

However, if a hybrid rye crop is grownon again as farm-saved seed, it will losethis boost in performance, producing asegregating population with indeterminatepollination and grain set, as well asincreased susceptibility to disease –particularly brown rust.

This can also affect the marketability

of the crop. In terms of grain quality,farm-saved hybrid rye is likely to havelower hagbergs and protein content, and afar higher risk of ergot contamination.

John Burgess

Dr Bill Thomas

P r o m o t i n g i n n o v a t i o n i n P l a n t b r e e d i n g

Like wheat and oats, barley is a self-pollinating cereal with male andfemale organs in the same flower. In conventional barley varieties themale anthers ripen and shed pollen on the female stigma within eachbarley flower resulting in an inbred seed.

M - S AV I N G H Y B R I D VA R I E T I E S

P r o m o t i n g i n n o v a t i o n i n P l a n t b r e e d i n g

A third generation partner in the familybusiness at Wold Farm near Driffield inEast Yorkshire, Paul manages 410hectares in total – mostly tenanted withsome farmed on contract.

It is a mixed farming operation onGrade 2, primarily chalky soils including asix-course arable rotation – wheat, oilseedrape, vining peas, grass, rye and covercrops – alongside a commercial beef unitcomprising 220 head of Stabiliser sucklercows.

Paul emphasises the importance ofgenetics in driving the productivity andefficiency of both sides of his farmingbusiness.

“Innovation in livestock genetics issupporting productivity improvements inour beef operation, and it is a minormiracle that wheat yields on our thinWolds soil have increased from 4 tonnesper hectare to more than 10 tonnes perhectare over the past 40 years,” he says.“Genetic improvement delivered throughnew wheat varieties has been the singlemost important factor behind thatachievement.”

And Paul believes that unprecedentedadvances in our scientific understanding ofgenetics, with the rapid emergence of newmarker, sequencing and breedingtechnologies, make this one of the mostexciting times for innovation in globalcrop and livestock production.

Supported by innovation in digitaltechnology and precision farming, he cansee the possibi lity that 15 tonnes/ha willbe an achievable wheat yield on his farmin the not too distant future.

Paul is alsopassionate aboutimproving soil health andfertility as the foundationfor successful cropproduction, with soilquality at Wold Farmbenefiting from livestockmanures from the beefoperation andneighbouring pig units.

And although hedescribes himself as aploughman by nature,Paul is in the process ofconverting the entirefarming operation to a no-till croppingsystem, persuaded of the long-termeconomic, environmental and agronomicbenefits in terms of improved nutrition,

Farmer Focus: Paul Temple

moisture retention, soil structure andreduced input costs.

“More farmers are now taking anactive interest in managing their soilsrather than just what is happening abovethe ground, although we still face a majorchallenge in the lack of soil scientistshelping farmers to understand theimportance of this vital medium,” he says.

A strong advocate for agriculturalinnovation, Paul regularly welcomes thepublic onto his farm to highlight theimportance of science and technology insecuring a safe, reliable and affordable

supply of food. He was atrial grower in theGovernment’s GM cropFarm Scale Evaluations inthe early 2000s, and hasoften raised concerns thatEurope’s farmers are beingleft behind theircounterparts in other partsof the world due to ananti-science culture amongEU politicians.

Although he had hopedthat Britain would chooseto remain in the EU, he isnow resigned to Brexit and

recognises that crop science is one keyarea in which leaving the EU may open upmore positive opportunities for science-based regulation and enable the UK

exploit its world-class agri-sciencecapabilities and expertise more fully.

Above all, he emphasises the importanceof speaking up for agricultural science andits vital role in producing not only the foodbut also countryside we value and enjoy.

“We need people to understand that thefarmed landscape, beautiful as it is, is aman-made environment – every tree andhedge placed there strategically. At the sametime, not a single crop grown in Britain isnative to this country. All have beenadapted to thrive under the UK’s uniquegrowing conditions through the scientificingenuity and skill of plant breeders.”

“Faced with the prospect of a reductionin production-based support after Brexit,UK farmers’ ability to compete on anincreasingly global stage, to produce asecure and affordable food supply, and tocare for the countryside for futuregenerations, will depend critically on ourability to access the latest advances inagricultural science and technology.”

“Visiting the international maize andwheat improvement centre at CIMMYT inMexico recently reinforced two key things:the importance of wheat in global nutritionand the importance of modern breedingtechniques to ensure we meet the challengesof changing plant disease, climate andunlock the potential of the crop to feed agrowing global population sustainably,”he concludes.

Not a single cropgrown in Britain is

native to thiscountry. All havebeen adapted tothrive under the

UK’s unique growingconditions through

the scientificingenuity and skill of

plant breeders

“

”

A former NFU vice-president and now chairman of both AHDBCereals and Oilseeds and the Voluntary Initiative, Paul Templeis a well-known and influential figure in the farming industry.

P r o m o t i n g i n n o v a t i o n i n P l a n t b r e e d i n g

British Society of Plant Breeders Ltd

bSPb House, 114 lancaster Way business Park, elY Cb6 3nX

Tel +44(0)1353 653200 Fax +44(0)1353 661156

Email enquiries@bspb.co.uk Website www.bspb.co.uk

Olivia joins BSPB after working in thetravel industry, with a background inproject planning and marketing.

A farmer’s daughter and YFC member,Olivia grew up on the family farm inCambridgeshire, a mixed dairy and arableholding. With such a strong farmingbackground, she is delighted to be backworking in an industry she understands andtakes an active interest in.

“The farming industry is facing a greatdeal of uncertainty, but one thing is clear –continued investment in the development ofimproved crop varieties, bred for ourgrowing conditions and our markets, willbe essential to stay competitive and to helpthe industry cope with new challenges,”says Olivia.

Maintaining and strengthening theFAIR PLAY campaign on farm-saved seedwill be a key part of Olivia’s role as Farm-Saved Seed Officer. Through FAIR PLAY,BSPB and the farming unions have joinedforces to support continued innovation inplant breeding by optimising the collectionof FSS payments from individual farmers.

“Through improved communication,more targeted enforcement and simplified

declaration and payment arrangements, theFAIR PLAY campaign has come a long way inensuring all farmers using farm-saved seedcontribute fairly for the benefits of breedinginvestment and innovation,” explains Olivia.

“FSS payments now account for a third ofthe total income available to support UKbreeding but there is still work to do to deliver100% compliance. That’s why FAIR PLAY willcontinue to reinforce the need for all farmers topay their fair share for the benefits of usingfarm-saved seed,” she says.

Olivia Herdman joined BSPB as Farm-Saved Seed Officer in December2017. With a strong focus on communication, her primary responsibilityis to optimise the collection of FSS payments – ensuring individual farmersand growers understand their legal obligations on FSS use, highlightingthe benefits of supporting investment in UK plant breeding, and seekingcontinued improvements in the FSS declaration and payment system.

Meet the BSPB teamOlivia Herdman, Farm-Saved Seed Officer

FARM-SAVED SEED– KEY POINTSHere is a reminder of the keypoints to ensure compliance withthe rules of farm-saved seed.

• All use of farm-saved seed mustbe declared to BSPB, includingthe use of older, previously zero-rated varieties.

• There are five ways to declare –by post, e-mail, online, phoneand fax.

• Payment for use of eligiblevarieties must be made to BSPB.Two payment routes areavailable:

• via your NAAC or BSPB registered seed processor at a tonnage rate;

• direct to BSPB at a hectarage rate.

• Farm-saved seed must beproduced and saved within afarmer’s own holding (i.e. landfarmed as the same business).

• Farm-saved seed rules applywhether seed has been processedor taken straight from the barn.

• Farmers cannot sell, buy, barteror otherwise transfer farm-savedseed outside their own holding.

• The use of farm-saved seed fromhybrid varieties is not permittedwithout the breeder’s consent.

Plant breeding exhibition heads to Parliament

“Our exhibit will show how plantbreeding improves yield, end-use qualityand in-field performance of home-grownagricultural and horticultural crops.

“As decision-making powers over thefuture for British agriculture switch fromBrussels to Westminster, BSPB is taking

every opportunity to ensure UK politiciansunderstand the importance of our plantbreeding and seeds sector as the essentialfoundation for competitive, sustainableagriculture and the starting point in our£110 billion food chain,” explains BSPBchief executive Dr Penny Maplestone.

BSPB will showcase plant breeding to MPs and Lords at Westminster this summer. Sponsored byYorkshire farmer and Conservative MP Julian Sturdy and supported by Defra, the exhibition will runfrom 18-21 June in the Houses of Parliament.

Olivia Herdman