RE SEARCH Louise Fresco: Developments around genetic modification will continue undeterred For various crops, varieties have been developed that are resistant to many pests and diseases. However, new resistant diseases are emerging that require an advanced approach. In Fresco’s view, CRISPR-Cas is a promising, new method in the domain of genetic modification that can be of help. ‘CRISPRCas allows for a much more precise intervention in the genome of the assailant. This can be described as a small, accurate pair of scissors, which can remove longer sections of the genome and which can switch genes on and off, so to speak, and put them in the right spots. This is a technique that is already many times more accurate than we currently have with genetic modification. I think that genetic modification will continue to be employed. The big success of GM is that it can control diseases, and not the herbicide tolerance or resistance of soy and maize, with which it all started. This latter point has caused a serious lack of understanding among the general public.’ Problems with defining gentech The breakthrough and the possibilities of genetic modification are mainly in the domain of fungi control and suchlike, according to the Professor. ‘Without genetic modification, the cultivation of a crop such as pawpaw would already no longer be possible’, says Fresco. The problem is that growers that want to export genetically-modified pawpaw can’t do so, because of the import bans in many countries. ‘Classic breeding complemented by state-of-the-art technologies such as CRISPR-Cas and genetic modification serve as a very important tool kit for working on plant resistance. However, to have genetic modification sanctioned, there is still a big problem in the area of definition. Moreover, politicians are often conservative and cautious, especially in Europe, where they look predominantly at the process and not at the final product. In America, it’s the other way round, which is why research into genetically-modified potatoes is allowed there for the time being. The stalemate situation in Europe must end quickly. It’s very important for the future of agricultural systems that we can recommend breeding with these types of techniques’, underlines Fresco. Lots of possibilities for integrated and organic cultivation systems ‘But there are also lots of possibilities for pest and disease control in the scientific domain of integrated and organic cultivation systems’, the Professor continued. ‘We are increasingly getting to know more about micro-organisms in the environment of the plant itself. In addition, more is known about intestinal flora, for example, through food science. Research into the favourable action of the various starch variants in the potato is a good example.’ This makes it easier to create a link to mini-ecosystems around the plant and how we should deal with them, says the Professor. ‘What contributes to the plant’s resistance and what contributes to the health of the human being? One of the greatest challenges will be how to develop organic cultivation systems even further. When, how, and where is it best to intervene then become crucial questions. he potato is a good example of this. For example, we have drawn up rules about acceptable crop rotation in respect of disease control.’ Fresco now also mentions cisgenesis as a practicable modern method in the fight against pests and diseases. As far as potatoes are concerned, the method of cisgenesis has been studied for ten years in the Sustainable Resistance programme against Phytophthora (DuRPh) project, which was carried out by Plant Research International in Wageningen. Cisgenesis is a form of genetic modification whereby exchange only takes place with native genes. The results with cisgenesis were positive; unfortunately they may not be applied in practice yet for political reasons. ‘It is good to look at this technique again in regard to the composition of pathogens in the soil and in the plant’, Fresco thinks. Furthermore, she has observed a trend in agriculture that is increasingly shifting towards monocultures. Growing the same crop over and over again in large fields, as is also happening with potatoes, makes this crop and many others very vulnerable in her opinion. She notices that plant ‘We know that cisgenesis in the potato can lead to a minimal use of chemicals in cultivation. Unfortunately, this hasn‘t got through to the politicians and the people yet’ diversity is minimal, which increases the pressure from pests and diseases. On top of that, there’s also the issue of climate change. ‘We’re not yet taking this into consideration in agriculture.’ Knowledge about climate change speaks for the use of acceptable techniques in the domain of genetic modification, she believes. ‘You need to create a society that knows what the importance of science is on this point. Applications from chemistry and genetics that are difficult for people to understand are increasingly portrayed in a bad light. To create more understanding, we’ll need to reach out to that society. We know that cisgenesis in the potato can lead to a minimal use of chemicals in cultivation. Unfortunately, this hasn‘t got through to the politicians and the people yet’, Fresco explains. The Professor ends her lecture by saying that it is important to realise that sustainable production will win in the end. ‘And this is an important export product for us in the Netherlands. To achieve acceptance by the politicians and the people, it’s necessary to tell them the story about why there are now no longer devastating famines in the world. If famine does come after all, it won’t be because of a lack of science or knowledge, but because of political unwillingness’, Fresco expresses her anxiety for the future. ● Leo Hanse Potato World 2016 • number 3 29 Pagina 28
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