Plants and their seeds are essential for global food security, providing over 70% of the world’s caloric intake and contributing to a USD 70 billion seed market. As the global population reaches 9 billion by 2050, improving seed production and performance becomes critical. Seed vigor, which includes traits related to germination and stress tolerance, is vulnerable to climate challenges like drought and heat. Enhancing seed vigor is essential for seed companies and farmers who play a key role in achieving agricultural sustainability in the EU. Oil-rich seeds, such as oilseed rape (Brassica napus), are also vital for renewable energy production, reducing reliance on petrol-based fuels.
Current Problems
Crop diversity, which underpins agricultural productivity and resilience, has been reduced due to intensive breeding. A significant challenge is identifying genetic and non-genetic (epigenetic) markers for crop selection and improving seed performance through practices like seed priming. Industrial seed priming techniques, including chemical osmo-priming (developed by DSV) and biostimulants (developed by BioAtlantis), enhance germination efficiency and drought tolerance. However, the molecular mechanisms behind seed priming are not well understood, limiting its full biotechnological potential.
Epigenetic processes, which involve changes in chromatin structure that regulate gene activity without altering DNA, could be key to establishing the physiological memory associated with priming. For example, hyperosmotic priming can alter chromatin profiles for several days, influencing plant development, stress recovery, and yield. Understanding how to balance stress “memory” and gene resetting is crucial to exploiting epigenetic diversity. EpiSeedLink aims to address this by exploring two key questions:
1. Which chromatin regulatory layers improve plant performance under stress through priming?
2. How can epigenome diversity be used to develop new crop markers and biotechnological tools?
The Solution
EpiSeedLink aims to build a European network for crop improvement through epigenetics and seed priming. The project will train 11 early-stage scientists in experimental and computational biology, equipping them with the skills to drive innovation and address societal and agricultural challenges. The consortium combines expertise from academic leaders and two companies to facilitate knowledge transfer between the model plant Arabidopsis and oilseed rape, a major European crop.
Why Oilseed Rape?
Oilseed rape is Europe’s leading oilseed crop and is closely related to Arabidopsis, making it ideal for translational research. The crop is highly vulnerable to environmental stress during germination and emergence, with the 2018/19 drought causing 44% losses in the EU. BioAtlantis’s expertise in biostimulants and DSV’s experience in priming techniques will help ensure the success of EpiSeedLink’s objectives in mitigating climate-related stress.
Main Research Objectives
1. Gene-to-Field Applications: Develop genetic and epigenetic markers to select stress-tolerant crop varieties. This framework will help transfer knowledge to other Brassica crops, including leafy vegetables, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard, and turnip.
2. Training Early-Stage Scientists: Provide advanced training to 11 researchers, enhancing their technical and complementary skills to boost career prospects in both the public and private sectors.
3. Closing Knowledge Gaps: Improve the understanding of epigenetic regulation of seed vigor traits under stress conditions through interdisciplinary research and knowledge sharing.
Specific Goals
1. Identify Epigenetic Traits: Discover beneficial (epi)genetic traits that improve seed vigor and stress tolerance in oilseed rape.
2. Modulate the Epigenome: Identify and isolate natural or synthetic compounds that modify the plant epigenome to enhance or silence pathways controlling seed vigor and stress resilience.
3. Develop a Diagnostic Toolbox: Create a practical diagnostic toolbox for industry, enabling the detection of genetic and epigenetic markers linked to optimized seed priming and improved seed vigor.
Expected outcomes
1. Identification of new epigenetic and genetic markers for stress-tolerant traits.
2. Isolation of compounds that regulate the plant epigenome to enhance crop performance.
3. Creation of a diagnostic toolbox for industrial plant breeding applications.
4. Comprehensive training of 11 early-stage scientists, enhancing their career opportunities in academia, industry, and agriculture.
Through its innovative approach combining academic research, industrial expertise, and training, EpiSeedLink will provide sustainable, climate-resilient solutions to improve crop performance and secure global food production for future generations.
