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An Overview of Innovation & Biotech Wheat May 2015 Rutger Koekoek Marketing Specialist Presented for:
An Overview of Innovation
& Biotech WheatMay 2015
Rutger Koekoek
Marketing Specialist
Presented for:
Outline Presentation
• Introduction to USW
• Why do US wheat farmers support innovation?
• Increased investment in wheat and new players since 2009
• An overview of wheat innovation:– Advanced conventional breeding technologies– The latest step in the evolution of wheat innovation: Biotech or Genetically
Engineered wheat
• Overview of (biotech) traits in development
• Common biotech position of US, Canadian and Austral ian Organizations
• USW’s principles of commercialization of biotech wh eat
Introduction to USW
Our Mission:
“Develop, maintain and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of
U.S. wheat producers and their customers.”
Trade Servicing Technical Assistance
Promotion
Why do US farmers support Wheat Innovation?
• To keep wheat competitive with other crops
• To make wheat production more sustainable– Reduce pesticide, fertilizer,
and water use.– Manage volatile weather
conditions
• To increase wheat production in order to feed the world
Fight for Acres
▀ Corn
▀ Soybeans
Acreage Competition Increasing in US
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Mill
ion
Hec
tare
s
U.S. Harvested Acres20 Year Look
Corn Soybean Wheat
Harvested wheat area: -24% since 1995/96
Harvested corn area: +27% since 1995/96
Harvested soy area: +35% since 1995/96
Global Acreage Competition also increasing
Source: USDA PSD Online
• World harvested area last 30 years:– World wheat harvested area down 4%– World corn and soybeans up 38% and 120%
0
50
100
150
200
250
Hec
tare
s (m
illio
ns)
Corn Soybeans Wheat
Acreage Competition – Other Countries
0,0
1,0
2,0
3,0
4,0
5,0
6,0
7,0
8,0
Mill
ion
Hec
tare
s
Ukrainian Harvested Area
Corn Soybean Wheat
0
2.000
4.000
6.000
8.000
10.000
12.000
14.000
16.000
Tho
usan
d A
cres
Canada Harvested Area
Rapeseed Wheat
Why is wheat losing area?
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
ME
TR
IC T
ON
S P
ER
HE
CTA
RE
U.S. and World Yield Statistics
US Corn World Corn
US Wheat World Wheat
US Corn Yields: +51%
since 1995 (20 yrs)
US Wheat Yields: +22%
since 1995 (20 yrs)Introduction of Biotech Corn (1996)
Source: USDA PSD Online Database
The Need for Biotech Wheat / InnovationWhy is wheat innovation needed?
Source: USDA/ERS – Agriculture Baseline Projections – February 2015
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
$ / H
EC
TAC
RE
U.S. National Average Revenue per Hectare
Corn Soybeans Wheat
The need to feed the world
Projected World Population Growth2010 to 2050 (From 6.8 to 9.5 billion?)
Southern Hemisphere Grain Belt
Northern Hemisphere Grain Belt
Mid-Latitude Demand Concentration
Latin America+ 300 Million
Africa+1 Billion
Asia+1.8 Billion
Wheat provides 20% of the world’s calories
Wheat provides 20% of daily protein for poorest half of the world
Innovation is needed to overcome Agronomic Challenges
• Insects– Wireworm, stem sawfly
• Diseases– Of root, leaf and head (affect yield and quality)
• Soil health– Nutrients, water management
• Weeds– Can contain pathogens and insects
• Environmental stress– Heat, drought, volatile weather
Industry Response: Increased Investment in Wheat
� Since 2009 a large increase in wheat investment.– After the high wheat prices of 2007/08.– And after efforts by USW and the National Association of
Wheat Growers to increase investment in wheat innovation.
� Since 2009 new companies entered wheat breeding.– Also many private companies partnered with public
universities for access to germplasm and to share technology.
(New) Players in the World of Wheat Innovation
• Starts North American breeding program (2010), invests in Arcadia (2010), buys US wheat seed companies (2012), starts public-private partnership with Idaho State (2012)
• Buys Northwest Plant Breeding (2011), invests in Hyland Seeds (2011), agreement with HRZ Wheats in Australia (2011)
• Signs research agreements with with CSIROand ACPFG in in Australia (2007) and collaborates with Limagrain (2010)
• Buys two US seed companies and creates KWS Cereals USA (2011)
(New) Players in the World of Wheat Innovation
• Buys US seed company WestBred (2009), expands collaboration with BASF (2010), starts public-private partnerships with K-State (2010), VA Tech (2011) and NDSU (2012), invests in Australian seed company InterGrain (2013)
• Starts long-term partnership with CSIRO in Australia (2009), buys biotech firm Athenix (2009), starts collaboration with Evogene in Israel (2010), starts public-private partnerships with U of Nebraska(2010), SDSU (2011), Texas A&M (2012) , buys two Ukrainian seed companies (2010)
• Buys two US seed companies to be added to AgriPro (2008), enters hybrid wheat business (2010), starts collaboration with CIMMYT (2010)
Advanced Technologies For Wheat- in conventional breeding programs
• Marker-Assisted Selection– Allows breeder to select only those plants with a specific, desired
gene/trait. For example, resistance to Fusarium Headblight.– Often used before plants are grown in fields.
Chipper machine
Advanced Technologies For Wheat- in conventional breeding programs
• Use of Doubled Haploids– Shortens time to develop a new variety by producing genetically
pure lines in a single year. – Delivers improved genetics to farmers and end-users faster.
• Hybridization / Hybrid wheat– Combines desirable genes from two different varieties to
produce superior progeny. (Hybrid Vigor).
Advanced Technologies For Wheat- in conventional breeding programs
• High-Throughput Phenotyping– Utilizes vehicle-mounted sensors to rapidly evaluate field plots
for expression of specified traits.
High-Throughput Phenotyping machine from K-State University
Advanced Technologies For Wheat- genetically engineered (GE) or biotech wheat
• Genetically Engineered (GE) or Biotech Wheat– Definition: Genetically Engineered means that
recombinant DNA technology has been used in the crop breeding process.
– Specific DNA segments are inserted into a plant for the purpose of:o overcoming agronomic challenges limiting crop yield and
quality.o Improving processing and consumer traits (improved
bread-making, color, vitamin).
• Genetically Engineered (GE) or Biotech Wheat– Compared to “traditional breeding” genetic engineering is
a more precise and directed way of DNA modification.
Advanced Technologies For Wheat- genetically engineered (GE) or biotech wheat
10,000 BCWheat is created through natural hybridization of three types of grasses
6,700 BCFlour is first milled
3,000 BCEgyptians first produce risen loaves using yeast
1400 ADCrop rotation is first
introduced
1700 ADThe Industrial Revolution allows for growing crops on a larger scale
1850Gregor Mendel tests pea plants and discovers laws of inheritance
1916Edgar S. McFadden confers genetic resistance to stem rust in wheat
1940s-1960sNorman Borlaug develops dwarf wheat. The Green Revolution takes place. Fertilizer use becomes more widespread with input-responsive varieties
1930sHybrid corn widely used. Federal hybrid wheat program launched in US
1960s-70sPesticides are more commonly used
1983First successful transfer of bacterial genes into plants. Creation of genetically modified plants
1996First biotech
corn, soy commercially
cultivated
1974First hybrid wheat variety developed in US. Not commercially successful.
1970s-80sFirst use of molecular markers for breeding
1988Doubled haploids in wheat through maize pollination
Advanced Technologies: the next step in wheat innovation
List of (Biotech) Traits in Development
TraitsDrought tolerance Improved grain qualityAphid resistance Nitrogen utilization efficiencyHerbicide resistance Improved bread-makingAbiotic stress tolerance Heat tolerance Disease resistance (fusarium, yellow mosaic, etc.)
GE or Biotech Research in – Australia, China, Egypt, India, the UK – US – multiple wheat trials notified in 2014– Canada – several wheat trials approved & planted in 2014– Argentina has wheat trials with drought tolerant varieties
Other Innovation for Wheat
• Seed treatments– Small and targeted dosage– to protect the crop from pests and diseases
• Optimizing Farm Management– Precision farming– Big data applications
Principles of Commercialization
• - Informative Dialogue –education & outreach activities
• - Regulatory approvals – 5% of normal export volume
• - Tolerances in place for non-GM commercial shipments
• - Availability of accurate and timely trait detection test
• - Stewardship of technology, education & outreach to growers
• - Support a certified seed model for value capture
THANK YOU…QUESTIONS?
For a copy of presentation:E-mail to
•Website: www.uswheat.org
