Shifting trends and fortunes in european crop plant genomics

since the 1980’s

By Steve HughesESRC Genomics Network

1970s Phase 1 Exploration/scoping

• Plant genome analysis – molecular tools

• Plant gene isolation- storage proteins; Rubisco

• Patents on core enabling rDNA technology

• Contained use regulation• Mainly public sector institutions PBI

• Beginnings of private sector involvement

1980s phase2 Exploration/Opportunism

• Suspension of genomic thinking• Plant gene isolation – products; agronomy• Plant gene transfer Atumefaciens (GMplant)• Herbicide/insect tolerance- category GMcrop• Antisense control – gene silencing –resurgence of

genomic thinking • Extensified private sector, GIBiP• Explosion of patenting – enabling&applications• Deliberate release ; field trials• PROSAMO study

Phase3 1990s Opportunism

• Commercial trials: herbicide, insect resistance • Test markets: imported tomato; soya, cotton

• Organised reaction: articulated uncertainty• Company consolidation• Consensus conference• Trait discovery• Marker-assisted breeding: rflp, aflp,rapd

microsatellite

1990s Opportunism 2

• TRIPS , patents PVR• EU 92/20 ACRE• Food use ACNFP• EU commercial moratorium• Ethical review - Nuffield CB• Commercial moratorium ( exception

spanish maize)

2000s Reflection, distributed cognition

• Plant/crop genome sequences: rice, network –v-patenting

• Marker-assisted breeding; tilling; Generation Challenge GDR-P

• Prospectus for agriculture and silvaculture – recognition of disconnections: EASAC; EPSO; ERA-PG; BBSRC

• Producer-consumer relations - food• Non-food uses: biofuel, feedstocks• Opposition shift• Environmental impact: Farm Scale trials

2000s Reflection, distributed cognition

• Continued commercial moratorium – heterogeneous national views – legal decisions on local derogations

• Trade dispute EU-USA at WTO

• Plants for the Future initiative

• A new wave?

EPSO technology platform: Plants for the Future

• Strategic Research Agenda – reconnect with EU prospectus to 2025

• Public-private partnerships• Stakeholder network – sustainable

systems approach/consultation• Keywords: healthy, safe, landscape, green

products, competitiveness, consumer-choice, governance.

• Connectivity knowledge-sharing

Apomixis: a study of the distributed networked global

production system

Useful sites

• Hughes,S : Plant Biotechnology Journal (2006) 4, 3-5• European Academies Science Advisory Council :

Genomics and Crop plant science published 24th May 2004 at http://www.easac.org/CPG%20report_fin5.pdf

• http://www.epsoweb.org/Catalog/TP/EPSO%20pressrelease%20web_22Jun04.htm

• http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/reports/Welcome.html. • http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/press/2004/pr3001-

2en.html • http://www.defra.gov.uk/science/rpg/

research_priorities.htm • http://www.tailoringbiotechnologies.com/