The Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB) released its final Annual Report today. The report confirms that the world's favourite sweetener is much more than simply sucrose; it is perhaps the best feedstock option to replace conventional oil-based products to produce much needed bio-fuels and biopolymers.
During its seven-year term, the Brisbane-based CRC SIIB unveiled new and diverse opportunities available to the Australian sugarcane industry and through its research and development portfolio made inroads into previously unmapped territory.
The CRC SIIB 2009/10 Annual Report highlights how research into Australia's most promising biomass crop is delivering diverse product opportunities along with technologies and an understanding of the sugarcane genome to help develop an array of new high-performing cane varieties.
Since the CRC SIIB was established in June 2003, it has made enormous advances in Industrial biotechnology. Research has resulted in a patent and license arrangement to manufacture high molecular weight Hyaluronic Acid – a significant body lubricant; development of Barrecote™ - a waterproofing compound that can be extensively used in the production of waterproof cardboard boxes; and development of GI Wise™ - a compound and extract from sugarcane with considerable advantages over existing GI lowering extracts.
Specialised gene research has allowed the CRC to identify sugarcane varieties that take up widely-used (high-cost) nitrogen in the most efficient way to grow. This will provide plant breeders now and into the future with specific information on how to select for nitrogen efficiency.
Research highlights listed in the 2009/10 Annual Report include - Development of the world's most extensive sugarcane gene map.
- Application of the first ever molecular marker system (based on DArTs) to the Australian sugarcane breeding program.
- Research that shows new sugarcane-based bioactive proves highly effective at reducing blood sugar levels.
- Expression of PHB levels (biodegradable plastics) reaches higher-than-expected levels.
- A world-first study into weediness of sugarcane study that will help with the future safe release of GM sugarcane.
- Commercialisation that achieves enormous national and international interest in recyclable paper coating, Barrecote™.
- Specialised biotechnology education project with strong interest both here and overseas.
CRC SIIB CEO, Dr Peter Twine, said one of the challenges faced by his CRC had been to make sugarcane's new territory understood, to encourage Australia to support and ultimately benefit from sugarcane’s 'Super Plant' status.
"Our CRC has taken a new and dynamic area of research, biotechnology, and applied it to a crop that has had very little genetic research. And, we have communicated our science to audiences here (in Australia) and across the globe," said Dr Twine.
"You could say we have taken our audiences inside a time capsule of sorts and shown them just what gene technology can do; what they can expect to see flow from 'Super Sugarcane'."
He attributed the CRC SIIB's strong progress to a highly skilled team of researchers, managers and support staff focused on delivering new and environmentally friendly product outcomes.
The CRC SIIB's achievements would continue to be expanded under the banner of a new company. Sacron Innovations Pty Ltd will oversee the management of the CRC's commercialised products –
www.sacroninnovations.com – and the CRC SIIB web site will remain live through to June 2014 –
www.crcsugar.com.
To download the full Annual Report visit the CRC SIIB website at www.crcsugar.com or contact CRC SIIB Communication Manager Julie Lloyd on 0415 799 890.
*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