BlessT: Wheat lacking B-type starch granules for improved functionality
Lead Research Organisation:
National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Department Name: Genetics and Breeding
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Kay Trafford (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Benedetta Saccomanno
(2019)
Poster: Wheat lacking B-type starch granules for improved functionality
Saccomanno B
(2022)
Characterization of wheat lacking B-type starch granules.
in Journal of cereal science
Saccomanno B
(2021)
Characterization of wheat lacking B-type starch granules
| Description | Strengths • The technology targets a number of large and growing markets. • Most of the companies contacted in this sector are always on the lookout for quality traits. • No competing approaches or similar products were identified. • No prior art was identified and consequently no freedom to operate issues are expected. Weaknesses • The technology is at an early stage of development with respect to its commercial development and has not yet demonstrated commercial proof of concept. • Lack of data regarding processing and malting trials. • Lack of bulk volumes of grain for further testing by potential commercial partners. • Lack of field trials that measure the effects on yield. Opportunities • The underlying genetic approach could potentially be applied in the breeding of improved barley for malting, brewing and distilling, and also in other cereals (e.g. rye and oats). • As with previous specialty crops (e.g. BARLEYmax and waxy wheat) more applications may arise as end users experiment with it and its novel processing properties. • A number of different routes to market may be open if it can demonstrate commercial proof of concept and added value in terms of processing. Threats • The regulatory cost of breeding a new variety may not be justifiable from the overall market value depending on the technology used (e.g. GM or non-GM). • Distillers prefer to work with soft wheat varieties. • Growers might not identify enough value to pick up the new variety. • It may prove difficult to identify the specific genes and to create knock-out lines that do not have other phenotypic problems. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings (IP Pragmatics report) will be be shared with potential industrial groups who it is anticipated, will participate in future collaborative research (should our Follow-on-Fund application be accepted) and/or will licence the technology (which we have patented) for their own further use eg development of breeding lines of wheat or other cereals. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | The award was used to investigate the potential for commercial exploitation of the B-less wheat that we have produced and of any future cultivars of wheat or barley that may be produced in the future using additional research funding. The results have been used to identify partners for the next stages in the route towards commercialization. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Description | FOF partner: KWS |
| Organisation | KWS UK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided research, new germplasm and biochemical and genetic analysis |
| Collaborator Contribution | KWS have provided staff, equipment and field trials. They have also provided technical and business training to the Innovation Fellow. |
| Impact | Germplasm was provided for evaluation and was bulked up before return to academic partner. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | FOF partner: Limagrain |
| Organisation | Limagrain |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided the research, new germplasm and the biochemical and genetic analysis |
| Collaborator Contribution | Limagrain have provided staff, equipment and field trials. They have also provided technical and business training to the Innovation Fellow. |
| Impact | The work is still on-going. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | FOF partner: RAGT |
| Organisation | RAGT Seeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | we have provided research, new germplasm and biochemical and genetic analysis. |
| Collaborator Contribution | RAGT have provided staff, equipment and field trials. They have also provided technical and business training to the Innovation Fellow. |
| Impact | Germplasm was functionally tested and the post holder was provided with both technical and business training. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | FOF partner: Scottish Whiskey Research organisation |
| Organisation | Scotch Whisky Research Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided reserach, new germplasm and biochemical and genetic analysis. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SWRI have provided staff and specialist equipment. They have also provided technical and business training to the Innovation Fellow. |
| Impact | The project is on-going. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Title | Plant gene for granule development, modified cereal plants and grain. |
| Description | A method was described for the modification of the size of starch granules in domesticated Triticeae and Avenae. Specifically, the method relates to the modification of the number of granule initiations per plastid in grain. |
| IP Reference | US20190233838A1 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2018 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | The patent was useful in discussions about commercialization opportunities with various industrial groups involved in the growth, breeding and/or use of cereal grains. |
| Description | BBSRC kickoff event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A meeting to introduce BBSRC Fellows to one another and to the support and training for future leaders available to them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | FOF steering group meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Grant holders and researchers met with steering group members from industry to discuss the route to market for the new wheat lines being developed. Also present were researchers from NIAB engaged in the development of related wheat lines (funded by designing future wheat 2.1 ISP). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020 |
| Description | FoodFutures II |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A networking event with agri-tech and food industry representatives for University of Cambridge PhD students and Postdocs Was held at Clare College, Cambridge. The day was an excellent opportunity for Cambridge's early-career researchers to interact with industry representatives from ADAS, Buhler, Corteva Agriscience, Koppert, PepsiCo and more, hear about what these companies do, and learn about funding Cambridge has available for industry placements and collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Scientific Writing workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This one-day course focused on the structure of good scientific writing. It including writing exercises as an integral part of the workshop. It looked at the practical process of writing, the nature of scientific publishing, and the importance of editing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://writeaboutscience.com |