What is CRISPR?

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CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaces Short Palindrome Repeats. The gene editing tool makes it easier for scientists to edit DNA strands that are cancerous or malignant.

CRISPR has been developed over the past 30 years. The tool has already produced revolutionary breakthroughs in the treatment of genetic diseases and in the future, it could change agriculture forever.

CRISPR introduces new traits into a plant by simply rewriting its genetic code. Genome editing techniques, such as Crispr can be used to generate plant varieties that are better adapted to our changing climate or that can contribute to improve our environment such as robust crops that require less or no agrochemicals or nutrients. Also, European consumers could benefit from e.g. genome edited healthier or better tasting vegetables.

On a global scale, genome edited plants would be a powerful tool to help increasing our food production by 70% which is the forecasted need by 2050. For developing countries the necessary increase will be even about 200% in order to prevent further food shortages along with their socio-economic consequences and even famine.

CHIC project: Chicory as a multipurpose crop for dietary fibre and medicinal terpenes

CHIC is an innovation project aimed at implementing New Plant Breeding Techniques in chicory, in order to establish it as a multipurpose crop for sustainable molecular farming of products with consumer benefits.

Chicory contains many healthy substances which can, for example, slow down the growth of fungi and bacteria. The crop is very difficult to breed using the current technologies, breeding and selection, and it is also hard to increase production of the healthy components.

New breeding techniques such as Crispr-Cas can be used to develop new chicory varieties, which contain more fibres and components suitable for medicinal applications.

Source:

http://71republic.com/2018/09/01/crispr-change-agriculture-forever/

http://www.wur.nl/en/newsarticle/Breeding-chicory-for-medicine.htm

 

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FDA confirms dietary fiber status of inulin

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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes inulin-type fructans derived from chicory root as dietary fiber for the new nutrition facts label. The recognition consolidates the fiber status of chicory root fiber in the US and supports further opportunities for healthy food applications in the US.

The announcement follows a joint citizen petition requesting the addition of chicory root fiber to the list of dietary fibers accepted in the US as well as a comprehensive response to the FDAs scientific review of inulin-type-fructans and data request. In 2015, the FDA issued new Nutrition Facts labeling regulations for food and supplements to be implemented by January 1st, 2020. In the new regulation, dietary fibers are defined as naturally occurring fibers that are intrinsic and intact in plants, or as isolated or synthetic fibers that have demonstrated a beneficial physiological effect.

Carl Volz, President Sensus America, states: “inulin/oligofructose has been clearly shown to support physiological health benefits as assessed by the FDA’s strict criteria”. He adds: “The FDA’s inclusion of chicory root fiber as a dietary fiber in its new food labeling regulations allows our customers to continue marketing their products as sources of dietary fiber and to continue to use chicory root fiber as a tool to reduce calories and added sugar.”

CHIC project aims to develop chicory varieties that can be used to produce dietary fiber with enhanced prebiotic effects to promote gut health.

Source: http://www.inspiredbyinulin.com/news.html#249

 

 

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Food 2030 Conference: Research & Innovation for Food and Nutrition Security – Transforming our food systems.

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CHIC project will be at Food 2030 Conference, June 14-15 in Plovdiv (Bulgaria).

During this event the European Commission will present an update of the FOOD 2030 process and vision towards shaping tomorrow’s food and nutrition systems. The event will aim at answering how the drivers of sustainability, resilience, responsibility, diversity, competitiveness and inclusiveness, can deliver on the FOOD 2030 priorities and Sustainable Development Goals.

Live streaming

The event will be streamed live: Conference Day 1 will begin at 09:00 and will end at 18:00 (local time, UTC +3) on 14 June 2018. Conference Day 2 will start at 08:30 and will end at 13:00 (local time, UTC +3) on 15 June 2018:

http://food2030plovdiv.eu/

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3rd International Society of Plant Molecular Farming Conference (ISPMF)

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The 3rd International Society of Plant Molecular Farming Conference (ISPMF) took place in Helsinki, Finland, from June 11-13, hosted by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

150 experts from 22 countries discussing new solutions for global challenges. Dirk Bosch from Wageningen University & Research, introduced CHIC project.

Main photo: Empiresali by Timo Kauppila.

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Cichorei als basis voor voeding en medicijn

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Source: www.nieuweoogst.nu
Photo: Twan Wiermans
Onno Beijers

‘Cichorei is een gewas met veel potentie. Het zou mooi zijn als we op beide fronten – als bron van voedingsvezels en medicinale stoffen – slagen kunnen maken. Dat is de doelstelling van het CHIC-programma’, zegt onderzoeksleider Dirk Bosch van Wageningen University & Research.

Dirk Bosch, DLO Groepshoofd Applied Metabolic Systems bij Wageningen University & Research, is in zijn nopjes dat het CHIC-project (zie tekst onderaan artikel) de financiële EU-injectie definitief kreeg toegekend. ‘We hebben er veel werk ingestoken om al die laboratoria en bedrijven uit twaalf landen op één lijn te krijgen. Formeel zijn we in januari al begonnen, op 6 februari was de officiële kick-off in Brussel.’

CHIC is vooral een veredelingsproject. ‘Cichorei is nu moeilijk te veredelen, moeilijk kruisbaar. Tegelijkertijd is het een gewas met veel potentie. We isoleren nu inuline uit de wortel van de cichorei, maar willen via veredeling een beter type maken, met betere voedingsvezels’, zegt Bosch.

Nieuwe soorten antibiotica

‘Daarnaast zitten er ook andere medicinale stoffen in cichorei die interessant zijn, zoals stoffen die aan de basis zouden kunnen staan van nieuwe soorten antibiotica, ontstekings- en tumorremmers en dergelijke.’ Eerdere onderzoeken brachten al aan het licht dat de bitterstoffen in de cichorei zowel een antimalaria-effect hebben als ook een antiwormeffect bij schapen.

Het lijkt een utopie om alle bitterheid uit cichorei te halen.
MATTHEW DE ROODE, INNOVATION MANAGER BIJ SENSUS

Bosch: ‘In de eerste fase van het project gaan we uitzoeken welke medicinale stoffen erin zitten en welke daarvan de meeste potentie hebben; zijn dat antibiotica, ontstekingsremmers of iets anders? Pas als we daar antwoord op hebben, kunnen we gaan veredelen.’

Hij noemt het ‘de inventariserende fase, waarbij de nodige protocollen zullen worden opgezet’. Daarna komt pas de fase van ‘verbeteren, veredelen en testen’.

Crispr-Cas

Het verdere veredelen (dat de EU wel ziet zitten, gezien de verstrekte subsidie) is dankzij Crispr-Cas vereenvoudigd. Deze nieuwe veredelingstechniek kan erfelijk materiaal van onder meer planten relatief eenvoudig genetisch veranderen, wat leidt tot aangepaste of geheel nieuwe eigenschappen.

‘Uiteindelijk moet het project leiden tot meerdere, hoogwaardige types cichorei, met een nuttige verbetering voor de consument of patiënt. Die moeten er iets aan hebben’, aldus Bosch.

Ook projectdeelnemer Sensus kijkt met een gretig oog naar het beter verwaarden van cichorei. Innovation manager Matthew de Roode: ‘Wij zijn niet alleen inulineproducent, maar actief bezig om de hele keten op een hoger plan te brengen en nauw betrokken bij de telers. Dat zijn wij als onderdeel van de coöperatie Royal Cosun aan onze stand verplicht.’

Inulineproductie

De Roode hoopt dat de cichoreiteelt qua opbrengst per hectare ‘dezelfde sprongen’ kan maken als de suikerbiet en dat de inulineproductie minder grillen vertoont. ‘De hoeveelheid inuline is geen constante factor in de campagne die van september tot januari loopt. De piek ligt in oktober en november. Daarvoor, in de opgroei en daarna is die lager. Onder meer door koudere weersomstandigheden, waardoor de plant de voorraad inuline sneller aanspreekt’, vertelt hij.

‘Wij vragen ons af: zou het mogelijk zijn om een cichorei te kweken die zijn inuline dan niet afbreekt? Een hele campagne een constante kwaliteit, dat zou mooi zijn.’

Daarnaast is De Roode zeer geïnteresseerd in de uitkomsten van het onderzoek naar de terpenen (aromatische stoffen met een medicinaal en beschermend effect tegen planteneters) in de plant. ‘De bitterheid in de wortel is best lastig, dat wil je niet in je eindproduct hebben. Met nieuwe veredelingstechnieken kan de bitterheid omlaag, al lijkt het een utopie om alle bitterheid eruit te halen.’

Maatschappelijk debat

De Roode realiseert zich dat de maatschappij nauwlettend kijkt naar het via gerichte mutaties verbeteren van het gewas en verhogen van gezonde inhoudsstoffen.

‘We weten niet hoe de Nederlandse burger denkt over deze veredelingstechnieken die geen vreemd DNA inbouwen. Het maatschappelijk debat tijdens het CHIC-project is belangrijk. Naast een veredelingsproject is dit ook een opinievormend project.’ Het is een van Sensus’ taken om een businesscase uit te werken, de commerciële potentie van nieuwe cichoreitypes duidelijk te maken en vanuit de telers feedback te geven.

De Roode: ‘In dit project zijn twee dingen mogelijk: óf we staan aan de start van een veredelde cichorei, óf dat is om technische redenen niet mogelijk. Ik hoop op het eerste, al is een onderzoeksperiode van 4,5 jaar zeer kort. Ik verwacht niet dat er meteen een nieuw soort cichoreizaad ligt.’

WUR, Sensus en KeyGene in breed gedragen onderzoek

De Europese Unie steekt 7,3 miljoen euro vanuit het Horizon 2020-programma in het onderzoeks- en innovatieproject CHIC (CHicory Innovation Consortium) . In CHIC slaan zestien universiteiten, onderzoekscentra en -laboratoria, bedrijven en non-profitorganisaties uit twaalf landen (elf Europese – België, Duitsland, Finland, Frankrijk, Italië, Nederland, Oostenrijk, Polen, Portugal, Servië en Spanje – plus Nieuw-Zeeland) de handen ineen om met behulp van nieuwe, verantwoorde veredelingstechnieken gezonde voedingsvezels en medicinale stoffen uit cichorei te winnen. Daarbij heeft het project ook oog voor het draagvlak en de maatschappelijke acceptatie ervan.Bij het project zijn drie Nederlandse partijen betrokken: Wageningen University & Research (WUR, kartrekker en coördinator), Sensus en KeyGene (R&D-bedrijf in gewasveredeling). Het project is in januari 2018 begonnen en zal 4,5 jaar in beslag nemen.

Source: http://www.nieuweoogst.nu/nieuws/2018/05/24/cichorei-als-basis-voor-voeding-en-medicijn

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Do you want to know more about chicory?

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Chicory is a crop that is similar to sugar beet and related to endive.

Learn more in this infographic on chicory and our project:

 

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Plant breeding techniques in a new era

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Scientists of Wageningen University & Research have published a concise booklet that gives some new insights into several aspects of plant breeding techniques such as CRISPR-Cas: ‘Plant breeding techniques in a new era’.

In recent years a range of New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs) has been developed that can assist breeders in a more efficient and precise adjustment of the genetic constitution of crops. These techniques include genome editing techniques, which have made tremendous progress since the introduction of CRISPR-Cas in 2012. These new techniques will support plant breeders in improving important crop traits that always have been difficult to improve via cross breeding.

Worldwide, agriculture is facing serious sustainability issues which need to be addressed through an integrated approach that covers the entire production chain. Plant breeders and plant breeding companies are at the base of that chain. Plant breeders will need to develop new varieties in a shorter period of time to keep up with changes in climatic conditions, soil quality and pathogen & pest pressures, increasing food demand, and the evolving preferences of consumers.

Plant breeders are eager to apply new plant breeding techniques. Society wants to know more about the techniques. That is why scientists of Wageningen University & Research have made a booklet giving a brief overview of recent developments in plant breeding techniques. In this booklet the scientists describe examples of techniques and of desirable crop traits that may be improved using genome editing. They also discuss societal, legal and economic aspects of new plant breeding techniques.

DOWNLOAD THE BOOKLET

Source: http://www.wur.nl/en/Expertise-Services/Research-Institutes/plant-research/show-wpr/Concise-booklet-on-new-plant-breeding-techniques-published.htm

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What is inulin?

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CHIC project aims to develop chicory varieties that can be used to produce dietary fibre with enhanced prebiotic effects to promote gut health.

Inulin is also called chicory root fiber and is present in many fruits and vegetables.

Is it safe to eat and what are the benefits? Learn more about the natural source and the versatility of this ingredient in this video:

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What are New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs)

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NPBTs are innovative tools that enable plant breeders to develop novel plant varieties that may provide solutions for environmental and food quality as well as food supply challenges.

Conventional plant breeding generally relies on techniques of which the outcome is difficult to predict, requiring between seven and twenty-five years, depending on the species, to generate the desired characteristics and to introduce these into stable and uniform new plant varieties.

NPBTs allow the plant breeding industry to produce plant varieties in a similar – but more precise – manner compared to conventional breeding techniques, in a significantly shorter timeframe.

The precise increase in speed depends on the species of plant, the desired property and in some cases, the technique used. For example, scab-resistant apples have been produced by use of cisgenesis in approximately 12 years, compared to an exceptionally long period of 50 years with conventional breeding techniques. A rough estimate is that NBTs decrease the breeding timeframe by 50%.

It can be anticipated that, as science on NPBTs progress and breeders start practically using these techniques, further refinements and efficiencies will be found, which will lead to an additional reduction of the plant breeding lead time.

Since research into novel techniques of plant breeding is ongoing and evolving continuously, there is no finite set of NBTs and future techniques may be put under the same ‘umbrella term’. The NBT Platform has chosen to focus on the seven principal NBTs as proposed by the EU Competent Authorities to the New Techniques Working Group[1], as well as by the Joint Research Commission in their respective reports on NBTs[2].

These seven techniques are:

  1. Site-Directed Nucleases (SDN) (as representative of a growing group of related techniques including amongst others Zinc Finger Nuclease-1/2/3, TALENs, Meganucleases and CRISPR systems)
  2. Oligonucleotide Directed Mutagenesis (ODM)
  3. Cisgenesis
  4. RNA-dependent DNA methylation (RdDM)
  5. Grafting (non-GM scion on GM rootstock)
  6. Reverse breeding
  7. Agro-infiltration (Agro-infiltration ‘sensu stricto’, Agro-inoculation)

By developing and implementing a set of NPBTs, CHIC project will adapt the biosynthesis and architecture of root chicory. This will strengthen chicory as a production system for high-quality dietary fibres and establish it as a source of bioactive terpenes.

NPBTs are of utmost importance for plant breeders in Europe, as they provide them with a ‘toolbox’ of innovative plant breeding methods alongside the traditional methods, which allow them to remain globally competitive. Most of the world’s research on NPBTs was done in Europe, totalling to almost 46% of research published up to 2011[3].

[1] New Techniques Working Group. (2011). New Techniques Working Group Final Report. New Techniques Working Group/European Commission.

[2] JRC/IPTS/IHCS. (2011). New plant breeding techniques. State-of-the-art and prospects for commercial development. Luxembourg: Publications office of the European Union.

[3] JRC/IPTS/IHCS. (2011). New plant breeding techniques. State-of-the-art and prospects for commercial development. Luxembourg: Publications office of the European Union; page  30, Table 1.

Source: http://www.nbtplatform.org/frequently-asked-questions

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Are you wondering why this European project is called CHIC?

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CHIC is the Chicory Innovation Consortium.

Its objective is:

  1. to implement New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs) in chicory in order to establish it as a multipurpose crop for the production of health-related products with clear benefits for consumers, and
  2.  to develop co-innovation pathways with stakeholders for game-changing technologies, such as NPBTs.

CHIC will develop four different NPBTs.

They will be used to steer bioprocesses in chicory and mobilize its under-explored potential to produce immunomodulatory prebiotics and medicinal terpenes.

The conceptually different NPBTs will be assessed with respect to technological potential, risks, regulatory framework and their socio-economic impacts. This will be done in close consultation with a Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) composed of relevant stakeholders in industry and society.

Ongoing project activities and results will be discussed with stakeholders and communicated to the  interested public using innovative methods including cultural communication and linking art to science.

In this context, CHIC will develop two business cases in different application areas:

  • inulin as a healthy food ingredient and
  • terpenes as medicinal lead compounds

This effort requires a highly interdisciplinary approach with expertise from molecular sciences, economy, arts, social sciences & humanities, and legislation.

The partnership includes three SMEs and a chicory end-user, and international collaboration is established via a research institute in New Zealand.

The SAG plays a crucial role in consultation in all phases and activities of the project. Via this co-innovation approach, we aim to contribute to leadership in responsible research innovation and to promote improved understanding of plant biotechnology.

Chicory will be boosted as a robust multipurpose crop, tolerant to adverse environmental conditions from which bioactive compounds can be extracted, contributing to sustainable agriculture and a biobased economy.

What is CHIC project?

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