PS Seminar Series: Speed breeding to supercharge our future crops
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Description
Abstract - The world has to produce 60-80% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050, however traditional plant breeding is slow and the current rate of genetic improvement is insufficient to meet this demand. NASA experiments to grow wheat in space were the inspiration for scientists at UQ to develop the world’s first ‘speed breeding’ procedures here on planet Earth. The technology enables up to 6 generations per year for major crops, compared to just one or two in the field. The powerful tool is fast-tracking development of more productive crops in the face of climate change and rapidly evolving pests and diseases.
Biography - Dr Lee Hickey is a geneticist working on Australia’s most important cereal crops, wheat and barley, situated within the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation at The University of Queensland. His research team investigates the genetics of disease and drought resistance in order to design more robust crops for farmers. For his ‘speed breeding’ innovation and science communication, he was named the ‘2017 QLD Young Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year’ and currently holds a prestigious ARC DECRA Fellowship.
Location
Eucalyptus Room (S2.05), Level 2, RN Robertson Building (46), ANU
Upcoming events in this series
Dr Allen (Zhengyu) Wen - Maize lethal necrosis (MLN) threatens food security for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our research identified two genetic solutions: a mutated peroxisomal peptidase that blocks viral invagination and a eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E mutant that stops viral protein translation while preserving plant growth. Using gene editing, we introduced these traits into elite maize varieties. In Kenyan trials, edited lines showed complete MLN resistance with no yield loss, offering a major advance for protecting millions of farmers’ livelihoods.
Dr Thomas Vanhercke - Plant synthetic biology and metabolic engineering enable precise redesign of plant genomes for improved traits and new functions. For over 20 years, the CSIRO Synthetic Traits group has led in applying advanced genetics to oil crops. This presentation highlights omega-3 transgenic canola as a real-world example delivering health benefits and addressing global supply challenges. I’ll also outline emerging developments such as high-throughput in-planta library screening, advanced RNAi, and novel complex traits pushing plant synthetic biology’s limits.