Commercial crops of biotech sugarcane are one step closer to becoming a reality in Australia through new and improved genetic transformation technologies.
A *CRC SIIB research project, led by Queensland-based BSES Limited researchers, Dr Prakash Lakshmanan and Dr Priya Joyce, is making great progress towards improving biotechnology currently used in Australian sugarcane research.
The project aims to develop commercially useful biotechnology tools for enhanced sugar production and value-added bioproducts, such as bioplastics.
A number of sugarcane lines produced using improved transformation techniques (Agrobacterium-mediated and biolistic techniques) are currently being field tested.
According to Dr Lakshmanan, sugarcane transformed by each method has performed well in the field.
"The latest results from our trials are very promising for one of Australia's most valuable agricultural commodities," Dr Lakshmanan said. "They provide a sound platform from which genetically enhanced sugarcane can be developed for the benefit of our industry and bring us one step closer to commercial release of genetically enhanced canes."
"But there are hurdles to cross; the most significant one being to secure investment to develop the necessary data package to establish that genetically enhanced sugarcane does not pose health or environmental risks."
Biotechnology is not new to Australian sugarcane research; it has been used by our scientists for almost two decades, and various genes have been successfully introduced and expressed in many sugarcane varieties.
The main constraints to commercial release of genetically enhanced sugarcane have been a lack of reliable transformation systems and access to genes that translate to production advantages for growers and millers.
The CRC SIIB research team developed three improved biotechnology methods, two of them involving the popular biolistics system and the other using the soil microorganism
Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
These advances have improved the technology and made the methods more efficient. Hundreds of independent lines using the new methods have been generated and more than one-hundred of these lines are now being tested in the field.
Additionally, using the new technologies, the team has generated canes with new characteristics. This is a major advance compared to previous trials of biotech sugarcane plants, where significant variations in important traits were observed.
According to Dr Joyce, the findings from the latest trials are very encouraging.
"Clearly, the CRC SIIB sugarcane technologies project is laying the foundation for developing commercially useful biotechnology sugarcane, and we are very pleased with the results", said Dr Joyce.
CRC SIIB research is an integral part of targetted research and development by the Australian sugarcane industry to exploit biotechnology to increase profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of the industry.
ENDS*The Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB) was established to add new value to Australian sugarcane.
It is a unique alliance of Australia's top sugarcane biotechnology research organisations including four Universities, sugar industry research organisations, Federal and Queensland State Governments, and commercial expertise.
Established on 1 July 2003 under a seven-year joint research agreement, its Head Office is at The University of Queensland in Brisbane. The CRC’s scientists and research scholars are based in Brisbane and in sugarcane towns throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales. The CRC SIIB entered the commercialisation phase of its research in July 2006. www.crcsugar.com
For more information or a photograph:CRC SIIB Communication
Julie Lloyd
M: 0415 799 890