ISCF WAVE 1 AGRI TECH - Innovative oxygen- and epigenetics-related assays and marker for Allium seed quality

The focus of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of innovative diagnostic assays and molecular marker assays for the improvement of salad onion and leek (Allium spp.) seed quality. The project partners are Tozer Seeds Ltd (Cobham, UK), who sell Allium seeds in the UK and export worldwide, and the Seed Science Lab at Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL, Perez/Steinbrecher/Leubner). This multi-disciplinary team will provide a solution to the short shelf-life of seed, a particular issue for onion seeds which are often damaged during storage/transport and thus subject to accelerated ageing. Sowing of damaged seed results in reduced germination and poor seedling establishment, which causes a reduction of healthy produce. Our collaboration aims to employ novel and innovative technologies to deliver superb seed quality.

Our multi-disciplinary approach uses novel and innovative methods to improve the seed quality of salad onion and leek (Allium). Tozer Seeds Ltd (UK) sell Allium seeds in the UK and exports worldwide. Their collaboration with the seed science lab of Prof Leubner at Royal Holloway University of London will provide novel diagnostic assays and longevity markers to address the challenge of increasing shelf-life. The low longevity of Allium seeds is due to ageing damage during storage/transport (reduces vigour). We will investigate seed oxygen relations, develop novel and fast oxygen-based diagnostic assays for seed ageing to classify the distinct Allium varieties according to seed quality. Differences in the ability to maintain DNA/RNA integrity during ageing will be used to select contrasting varieties to identify gene expression markers. We found that seed ageing is accompanied by epigenetic changes which will be used to establish an innovative diagnostic assay for global DNA methylation.

At ca. Eur35 billion annual turnover, the seed trade contributes significantly to the global economy (ISF, www.worldseed.org; ESA, www.euroseeds.org). The EU seed market represents 20% of the global seed market and employs ca 50,000 people. The EU is the world's leading exporter in crop seeds, with vegetables comprising 11% of the market share. The UK has a highly successful agri- and horticultural industry which also exports seeds for local primary crop production of fresh vegetables. Excellent seed quality is the key to further increase seed sales for primary crop production, and specifically boosting exports by UK seed companies will foster the economic competitiveness of the UK. The strength of UK based science and companies in the crop seed business makes it a prime focus area for the strategy to utilise novel and innovative agricutural technologies for this goal (UK Government Policy Paper BIS/13/1060). This is especially relevant for high-value vegetable seeds used by farmers for direct sowing and growth of fresh produce for the local supply chain for healthy food. Allium seeds for salad onion and leek production are key products of the British vegetable breeding company Tozer Seeds (Cobham, Surrey). Their Allium seed sales face the challenge that the seeds shelf-life is low due to seed aging and viability loss during postharvest storage and transport in container ships resulting in germination problems. The proposed multi-disciplinary pre-industrial research feasibility study estabishes a collaboration between Tozer Seeds and the renowned UK seed science lab of Prof G Leubner (Royal Holloway University of London, www.seedbiology.eu) to explore and evaluate the commercial potential of novel and innovative diagnostic assays and molecular markers to improve Allium seed quality. Tozer Seeds and other seed companies will benefit from our research economically, especially by boosting export of high-quality crop seeds, and thereby increasing the competitiveness of the UK economy. Our research therefore has direct beneficial economic effects for seed industry in that it aims to increase seed sales.

Beyond this, indirect economic and societal effects include training of the next generation of researchers for the seed industry job market and triggering investment in novel and innovative technologies at seed companies. This project will also train research staff at the interface of fundamental and applied research and thereby produce experts required for the UK job market in seed research and management. Regulators and government bodies will also benefit from evidence-based knowledge. Our research will not only foster global economic competitiveness and the production chain for healthy food, but is also of benefit beyond this in that it contributes to improve public services such as seed bank storage for conservation purposes. Examples for this include Kew's Millenium Seed Bank and horticultural gardens such as RHS Wisley. This project is therefore important for improving quality of life, health, and well-being as it supports preserving biodiversity, botanical gardens, and ecosystem management.

The UK is not self-sufficient in food production (www.foodsecurity.ac.uk). Many domestic and international factors affect food production, prices, security and quality. This became for example evident during the 2008 world food price spike and the subsequent food price rises have affected UK consumers more than those in mainland Europe. Furthermore, the reliance of imported food through trading is becoming increasingly unstable as a food security strategy, as we witness unforeseen destabilisation in developing markets such as Eastern Europe. Clearly this research has impact on fresh vegetable production, and therefore enhances food quality, harvest quantity and consumer health. The supply of affordable, healthy and high-quality fresh vegetables is important to the general public who will therefore directly benefit from our research.