Use of extremophile Helianthus species to mitigate climate change impact on feedstock and ecosystem services provided by sunflower

Project Information

HelEx

Grant agreement ID: 101081974

DOI

10.3030/101081974

EC signature date 2 May 2023

Start date 1 May 2023

End date 30 April 2027

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 5 184 372,50

EU contribution

€ 4 997 682,50

Coordinated by

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENT
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HelEx (Use of extremophile Helianthus species to mitigate climate change impact on feedstock and ecosystem services provided by sunflower)

Reporting period: 2023-05-01 to 2024-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Advances in breeding and agricultural practices have significantly increased crop yields over the last century but at a considerable ecological cost, exacerbated by climate change. Intensive methods like monocropping and pesticide use have diminished resources for pollinators, reducing biodiversity in European agricultural systems. Additionally, standardized cropping systems relying on previously adapted genetic material have heightened vulnerability to new climate-induced stresses.
Aligned with the European Green Deal and biodiversity action plans, the goal is to develop climate-resilient cropping systems that maintain high yields while enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services. Sunflower, adapted to southern Europe’s semi-arid conditions, is drought-tolerant and a crucial resource for pollinators. As a key provider of oils and protein, it contributes to Europe’s feedstock independence and growing food demands.
To meet societal needs, sunflower breeding must be accelerated, leveraging drought and heat-adapted wild species. Progress should consider diverse stress scenarios to ensure resilience, sustain seed quality, support biodiversity, and promote beekeeping.
The overall aim of HelEx is to produce knowledge and tools to accelerate the breeding of sunflower varieties adapted to extreme drought and heat stresses and evaluate their environmental impact and economic outputs. We will focus on two traits increasingly impacted by climate change, i.e. the ecosystem service provided to and by pollinators and seed quality. HelEx will thus offer climate-smart sunflower lines that combine various important traits serving future complex demands. HelEx will exploit genetic diversity found in wild Helianthus species. Many species in this genus thrive in extreme environments, and represent therefore a unique natural reservoir of genes conferring abiotic stress tolerance.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first period, HelEx partners developed innovative genetic, genomic, and phenotyping resources to study seed quality and pollinator resource production.
At the genomic level, the consortium produced 11 high-quality annotated genomes, including 2 cultivated sunflowers, 4 extremophile Helianthus species, and 5 locally adapted H. annuus ecotypes. Additionally, high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) tools were enhanced. The Heliaphen platform was equipped to simulate heat stress and drought scenarios, while two image analysis pipelines were developed to count pollinators and estimate seed maturity and leaf area using drone images.
These tools supported both Fast-Track and Slow-Track genetic approaches. The Fast-Track strategy leveraged existing genetic knowledge to identify 10 genomic regions and candidate genes associated with drought tolerance and test new wild Helianthus haplotypes for drought response and pollinator attraction. The Slow-Track strategy used functional genomics to study molecular responses of cultivated and wild sunflowers to drought and heat stress, leading to the selection of 24 candidate genes for further screening.
These resources are utilized for biotechnological application in sunflower. Protocols for in vitro culture, transformation, and regeneration were shared, optimized, and tested across genotypes. Gene editing constructs were developed using prior European project knowledge. Marker-assisted breeding for drought tolerance was initiated, with donor lines identified and markers developed.
Seed quality characterization methods were validated for key traits like protein content and polyphenols, using control genetic materials. Cold-pressed cakes, dehulled kernels, and detoxified low-fat meals were analyzed for protein composition (globulins, albumins) and phenolic compounds, alongside functional properties like emulsifying and foaming capacities. These methods are operational for future evaluation of HelEx climate-smart sunflowers.
These new HelEx sunflowers aim to accompany future shifts in cultivation due to climate change. Regions where sunflower stability or expansion is expected (e.g. Central and Northern Europe) were identified to guide environmental impact assessments. Nutritional and health analytics for pollinator interactions and image-based arthropod tracking were validated. An eDNA-monitoring protocol was adapted and tested for sunflower ahead of 2025 field trials. A Life Cycle Assessment strategy for the climate-smart sunflower value chain was also initiated.
To evaluate farm-level impacts, including pollinator activity, a bioeconomic model was developed and tested for a case study region. This model, calibrated with HelEx data, will inform final farm-level results. Surveys and interviews on producer and consumer attitudes toward modified sunflowers will begin in the next reporting period. Market and cultivation data have been collected to analyze socio-economic impacts, and a Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) model was calibrated. Additionally, the WOFOST model was applied to assess climate change impacts on European sunflower cultivation, with results guiding regional focus and validating crop model outcomes later in the project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

During the initial phase of the project, high-throughput phenotyping tools were developed to monitor pollinator activity and analyze capitula development (KER 1.1).
The first tool, created by INRAE with support from JKI and UCB, enables automatic detection of bees, bumblebees, and moths on sunflowers. This method can help breeding companies assess the biodiversity impact of their genetic material and optimize seed production methods. Technical institutes and registration organizations can use it to characterize sunflower varieties and inform farmers about their ecological impact. However, a robust pipeline is required for commercialization by HelEx partners for the global market.
With further research, this tool could support large-scale biodiversity assessments and extend to other crops like Vicia faba, melon, orchard trees, or wild plants like bramble.
The second tool, developed by HIPHEN and INRAE with contributions from MAS INNOLEA and SYNGENTA, uses drone imagery to estimate seed maturity (via humidity) and leaf area simultaneously. This provides large-scale ecophysiological insights into sunflower responses to environmental conditions and supports the characterization of HelEx climate-smart genotypes.
With additional refinement, this tool could enable farmers to assess field seed maturity and quality, helping them plan harvests and predict crop value.