Oak Park Staff

Research Programme

For centuries, farmers have been improving and modifying their crops. Through the process of selective breeding, specific traits are identified and a hybrid line is created that expresses the desired agronomic character (e.g. high yield, disease resistance). This conventional form of breeding has had great success but by its nature has also imposed many restrictions. Modern day biotechnology provides a means to accelerate this pace of discovery and over the last decade especially, the application of this science to crop improvement has provided a tremendous insight into its potential.

Now, through biotechnology, a gene of interest that originates in bacteria, fungi, another plant can now be inserted into the genome of a specific crop. As a consequence, certain crops now possess characteristics that previously would have been considered unattainable. For example; potato varieties have been developed with resistance to potato blight disease after the transfer of genes from a number of wild potato species taken from central America, while 'Golden Rice' has been generated with elevated levels of vitamin A after the transfer of a number of daffodil genes into a commercial rice variety to combat childhood illnesses.

Though potentially advantageous, the production of these genetically modified (GM) plants has invoked public concern, in regard to the perceived environmental impacts and other issues associated with the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops. Our research is focussed on addressing these concerns.

At present, we are investigating the environmental impact of a GM potato line that has been developed with durable resistance to potato late blight disease; causative agent of the Irish Potato Famine. This work is being conducted at Oak Park under license by the EPA and is part of a larger European funded project ('AMIGA') to assess the impacts of GM crops on the agro-ecosystem. In parallel, we are conducting a gene discovery programme in wheat, with the goal of isolating genes that could provide durable resistance to the important leaf disease Septoria tritici blotch. This is critically important in light of the decreased efficacy of existing fungicide regimes against Septoria. We have also developed a novel technology platform to transfer genes of interest into target species. Based on a non-Agrobacterium spp. our system (termed Ensifer-mediated transformation, 'EMT') bypasses the existing quagmire of patent restrictions that exist with current gene transfer techniques.

We have recently concluded two studies. One was focussed on developing cost-effective production measures for GM herbicide tolerant (GMHT) oilseed rape in coexistence with non-GM oilseed rape cultivars. The second study was to assess the environmental impact of Irish-specific GM crops using a novel biodiversity index (termed CINMa) which factors in the impact of a crop's management on different ecological zones (e.g. field, hedgerow etc...) through time. The objective of this work was to design a research methodology to assist in the completion of GM crop risk assessments as per the general surveillance component of EU legislation 2001/18.