RCUK-CIAT Newton Fund: Exploiting biodiversity in Brachiaria/Panicum tropical forage grasses using genetics to improve livelihoods and sustainability

The overall objective is economic development in Colombia by focused, science-based exploitation of biodiversity to develop new varieties of tropical forage grasses (Brachiaria and Panicum species and hybrids) to meet needs of small and medium scale farmers, and defined goals of environmental sustainability. The following objectives will generate underpinning knowledge for this aim:

- Identify ploidy of accessions to identify appropriate parents for breeding at diploid and polyploid levels across the germplasm collection for Brachiaria; development of genome-specific probes from NGS data to identify the genomic composition of polyploids and hybrids
- Identification of candidate genes implicated in determining forage quality (eg digestibility, lipid content to reduce enteric methane emissions) leading to an atlas of the allelic diversity; Gain improved knowledge of apomixis, its genes and seed production for exploitation in breeding
- RNA-seq from 30 to 40 accessions of both genera to prioritize candidate genes for breeding, building towards a pan-genome defining variation across the genera. Analyse RNA-seq data for evidence of genome interactions and differential gene expression in hybrids
- Define pull from improvements in environmental and sustainability requirements (GHG, soils/erosion, water, nutrient cycling) from forage crops; Define economic pull for defined forage grass improved characters from farmers and breeders in Colombia; Measure the economic value of traits and market sizes for improved Brachiaria seed; define measures for environmental benefits.
- Make RNAi and CRISPR-CAS9 constructs designed to modify candidate genes to improve forage quality
- Plan second and third years programme based on results
- Outputs and capacity building: Training of CIAT staff and students in UK to raise technical skills and experience; allow UK participants to gain international experience at CIAT; Prepare publications, blogs, website for farmers, policy makers, public, hold a workshop to disseminate results.

ODA objectives will be developed alongside scientific aims as we (a) build a research and innovation partnership to support economic development and environmental sustainability, and (b) develop in-country research and innovation capacity for long-term sustainable growth in the post-conflict environment.
Forage grass production is critical to the livelihoods of the small and medium size farmer in tropical Colombia, with great potential to increase livestock production with low inputs, but faces major current- erosion, disease, water - and future - climate change, new diseases - challenges. Small-scale farmers have limited resources, making genetic improvement a key approach. In addition to genomics and bioinformatics, we use UK expertise in the target traits to address the scientific and crop improvement problems. We will provide training to support transfer of technology and expertise to enable implementation via staff exchanges (particularly staff and students from Colombia learning technology in the UK by undertaking research under the supervision of the UK Investigators and their research groups), collaboration and free exchange of data.
The project addresses official development assistance, ODA, objectives through its applied and scientific aims. All work is focused to support economic development and welfare, and our programme includes developing research and innovation capacity to enable long-term sustainable growth in Colombia, an OECD Development Assistance Committee "Upper Middle Income Country" with particular challenges in livestock areas, with most opportunities to benefit in the post-conflict environment, but much poverty among the rural population of farmers and labourers. Economic development and improved welfare (including their health and education opportunities) at the farmer level comes from improved crops. Even 'standing still' in terms of crop production is an enormous challenge. New disease types (biotic stress) are continuously attacking existing crop varieties, while the increasing lack of fresh water and climate change (abiotic stress) threaten current yields, and cannot be met with the unsustainable options of more land, water, crop protection chemicals and fertilizer. Indeed, national policy is to reduce the area of agriculture though sustainable intensification, leaving land spared for biodiversity. Changing farming practices threaten the environment and the social structure. By delivering understanding and approaches with appropriate training and development, our programme builds strongly on world-class strength in UK technical knowledge in genomics and bioinformatics, including germplasm, breeding, and having a pathway for delivery to breeders and farmers, identifying and meeting their challenges. We have shown how groups work together already, and embedded within our programme are management, training at various levels (where our UK Universities are all ranked among the best), dissemination and public accessibility of data, policy impacts, the importance of health and safety in the workplace, and ethical issues.

Success is measured by 1) identifying trait genes and their allelic diversity for exploitation in breeding programmes; 2) identifying genomes in polyploids and defining the ways they may be brought together to generate resilient, seed-producing, hybrids; 3) identifying traits for introduction into forage grasses with economic and sustainability advantages; 4) having a pathway for release of varieties using germplasm and new breeding approaches.

Colombian farms are formally defined as Small (1 to 50 cattle) and Medium (51-250 cattle) (National definition by FEDEGAN); these sizes of producers are open to increased production. For economic work in CIAT, we will consider trying to find a UK PhD student who would be interested in adding a case study of Colombian livestock agriculture to their project likely to be based on an African system, spending 2 up to 6 months in CIAT.