Completed projects and reports

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Understanding the reproductive biology and ecology of sugarcane to manage the safe release of genetically modified cultivars
(2010) Bonnett, G; Olivares-Villegas; Berding, N; Morgan, T; Collins, P
This project set out to obtain basic and previously unavailable information on the ecology and sexual reproduction of sugarcane primarily so advances in sugarcane biotechnology can be utilised to the benefit of the Australian sugarcane industry and the broader Australian economy. The production and commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) sugarcane has attracted increased international interest in recent years, and this has been exemplified by significant, sustained investment in sugarcane biotechnology by large national and international companies. To commercialise GM sugarcane, the proposed cane has to undergo rigorous regulatory assessment including safety to humans and the environment. A significant part of this assessment relates to how a given sugarcane clone functions in the environment (s) where it will be grown, and the likelihood and impact of transfer of the modified trait to other commercial sugarcane or other sympatric sexually compatible species. While such assessments are performed for each proposed GM sugarcane cultivar under consideration, general information about the sexual reproduction and ecology of sugarcane is also important to help understand potential hazards. For sugarcane, this basic information is scant, largely because the stalk not the seed is the harvested product (i.e. sugarcane is vegetatively propagated) and so the sexual reproduction process have not previously been studied in commercially grown sugarcane. This project undertook a series of studies to help fill the ‘information void’ on sugarcane. The project involved several surveys and experiments using cane in farmers’ fields to understand the level of flowering and viable seed production under commercial production. Species that could be sexually compatible with sugarcane were determined through analysis of the breeding literature to see what crosses had been achieved with human intervention. This was followed by comparison with botanical records to determine which of the potential species were present in sugar growing regions.
High efficiency production of transgenic sugarcane plants
(1994) Bower, R; University of Queensland
The efficiency of gene transfer into embryogenic callus of sugarcane has been increased tenfold by optimisation of particle bombardment conditions, and there is a corresponding increase in stable transformation frequencies. The method routinely yields approximately 2 independent transgenic plants per cm2 of bombarded embryogenic callus for sugarcane varieties anlenable to tissue culture. Genes coprecipitated on separate plasmids are cotransformed at high efficiency, which will facilitate introduction of agronomic genes. Materials needed for recovery of transgenic plants can be halved through improved selection protocols, allowing the recovery of hundreds of independent transformed plant lines. The improved method is now in use in BSES and CSIRO as well as UQ laboratories Since the completion of this project, the transformation system has been shown to be effective on a range of major commercial varieties, and over 70 lines from seven cultivars are currently in field trials.

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