Applied Research and Method Development

Coordinated Research Projects

The Plant Breeding and Genetics Subprogramme of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture plays a unique role in providing expertise to supplement conventional and traditional applications with nuclear techniques in all areas of food and agriculture, to create applied R&D networks and improve technology, and to provide capacity building and transfer of technologies necessary for improved agricultural security, safety and sustainability. This is achieved through a strong network of 400-500 institutions in Member States, working together under Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs). Each project focuses on specific topics to find solutions relevant to the application of nuclear and related technologies for the development of sustainable agriculture with high productivity even in harsh and changing environments (drought, salinity, and diseases), crop quality and subsequently food quality, and also the understanding of genome functions through the use of nuclear techniques associated to advanced molecular techniques, such as TILLING.

The results are freely available for immediate application to Member States and the international scientific community through dissemination in relevant international journals, and IAEA and FAO technical publications. The knowledge gained through CRPs and other scientific collaborations is used to enhance the implementation of outstanding science based mutation assisted breeding programme.

On a yearly basis the Plant Breeding and Genetics Sub-programme manages 6 CRPs based on 5 year contracts involving 15 collaborators: 10 scientists from developing countries; the Contract Holders and 5 scientists from more advanced institutions in developed countries; the Agreement Holders. 37 Member States have participated in CRPs with a staff member of the Plant Breeding and Genetics Section as scientific secretary: ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, BANGLADESH, BRAZIL, BULGARIA, CHINA, COLOMBIA, CUBA, CZECH REPUBLIC, EGYPT, FRANCE, GERMANY, GHANA, ICELAND, INDIA, INDONESIA, IRAN, ISRAEL, ITALY, JAPAN, KENYA, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA, MEXICO, NIGERIA, PAKISTAN, THE PHILIPPINES, POLAND, SOUTH AFRICA, SWITZERLAND, THAILAND, TUNISIA, TURKEY, UKRAINE, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, VIET NAM.

Information on the IAEA Coordinated Research Programme and how to apply to research contracts and research agreements can be found at http://www-crp.iaea.org/.

Information of current and previous CRPs can be found here.

Plant Breeding Laboratory

Twenty five years ago, the IAEA initiated a research programme on the development of in vitro mutagenesis in banana at the Plant Breeding Unit and since then has developed considerable and unique knowledge on the use of mutation techniques and related biotechnologies in Musa. Seibersdorf became famous and internationally acknowledged for its leadership in banana biotechnology. Through 25 TC projects and 2 CRPs on banana, in vitro mutagenesis on banana has been implemented in several banana-producing countries. Three mutant banana varieties are worth mentioning here:

More mutants are in the pipeline for varietal release in Cuba, Malaysia, The Philippines and Sri Lanka. The targeted traits are improved agronomical characters such as height reduction, earliness and larger fruit size. Although disease resistance seems to be more difficult to be gained through mutation induction techniques, mutants tolerant to the toxin from the disease agent were obtained by PBU at Seibersdorf, and are about to be screened in the field. Through the recent FAO/IAEA/GDIC Coordinated research Project (completed in 2002), we have established an interregional network on the use of mutations for banana improvement. Furthermore, techniques and methodologies have been developed and transferred, which have set the stage for the creation of a Global Musa Genomics Consortium hosted by Bioversity International (Montpellier, France). Banana through the Global Musa Genomics Consortium and programme considering its small genome size has a chance of becoming a model plant for vegetatively propagated crops. This has led to the development of a TILLING platform for banana -an invaluable resource for reverse genetics and breeding for the global community - in the Plant Breeding Laboratory of Seibersdorf.