IAEA-TECDOC-1369 Improvement of new and traditional industrial crops by induced mutations and related biotechnology August 2003 The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was: Plant Breeding and Genetics Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria IMPROVEMENT OF NEW AND TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIAL CROPS BY INDUCED MUTATIONS AND RELATED BIOTECHNOLOGY IAEA, VIENNA, 2003 IAEA-TECDOC-1369 ISBN 92-0-101603-4 ISSN 1011-4289 © IAEA, 2003 Printed by the IAEA in Austria August 2003 FOREWORD Industrial crops are an important source of income for many small landholders in developing countries and contribute directly or indirectly to food security in rural areas. Crop diversification, finding alternative crops, development of new uses for existing crops and introduction of new crops are important components in the efforts to meet the demand for food, pharmaceuticals, chemical raw materials, fibres and fuel in developing and developed countries. Plant breeding efforts combining genetic resources and induced mutations using classical, in vitro and innovative molecular approaches have been responsible for much of the development of industrial crops. This co-ordinated research project (CRP) was initiated in 1994. It focused on developing mutagenesis approaches for previously unstudied species, screening procedures for agricultural and industrial requirements and suitable genotypes of traditional industrial crops adapted to new areas and for new needs. The industrial crops selected for improvement under this CRP were oilseeds and fibre plants. The potential of induced mutations to affect critical steps in various biosynthetic pathways leading to oil quality and other metabolic modifications was investigated. The success of this CRP is evidenced by the application of mutation techniques, in combination with in vitro and molecular techniques in genetic improvement of oilseed crops such as soybean, rapeseed, sunflower, linseed, cuphea, meadowfoam and fibre plants such as cotton and jute. As a result, improved breeding lines are available in all the industrial crops that the CRP focused on. Novel oil types were developed in cuphea with potential use as a renewable, economical and safe energy source and in linseed with increased levels of saturated fatty acids. Genes of fatty acid synthesis were isolated from one species and used for modification of quality of other oilseeds. Disease and pest resistance was improved in oilseeds and fibre crops through transgenesis and introgression of desired genes from related species. It is expected that many of the breeding lines developed under this CRP will be released in the near future as official varieties. They will contribute to the increased crop options of farmers, sustaining the biodiversity of industrial crops, providing higher income at the farm gate, and improving availability of renewable resources and raw materials for the chemical industry. Industrial crop varieties with improved resistance to diseases and pests will lead to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. This publication summarizes the results presented at the third and final research co­ ordination meeting of the CRP, which was held in Corvallis, Oregon, USA, 2-6 August 1999. The IAEA officers responsible for this publication are K. Nichterlein of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, and former IAEA officer A. Ashri. EDITORIAL NOTE This publication has been prepared from the original material as submitted by the authors. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the IAEA, the governments of the nominating Members States or the nominating organizations. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. The authors are responsible for having obtained the necessary permission for the IAEA to reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights. CONTENTS Summary.............................................................................................................................................. 1 Use of induced mutations and biotechnology to tailor industrial crops for new crop rotations and quality improvement .............................................................................................9 D.C. Joshua, S.J. Jambhulkar Genetic modification of oil crops for optimisation of oil quality regarding industrial uses.............................................................................................................................17 W. Friedt Biotechnology trends in oilseed crops in the USA......................................................................51 S.J. Knapp Cotton biotechnology .......................................................................................................................53 J. McD. Stewart Improved earliness of two locally adapted cotton cultivars by induced mutations ............... 61 F. P. Xanthopoulos, U.E. Kechagia Development of improved germplasm of cotton through radiation and DNA- mediated embryo transformation technique — Evaluation and confirmation of novel genotypes .....................................................................................................................69 M. Aslam, M.T. Elahi, N. Iqbal Varietal improvement of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) through mutation breeding ............. 81 K. M. Shamsuzzaman, M.A. Hamid, M.A.K. Azad, M. Hussain, M.A. Majid Soybean breeding for earliness and seed quality by induced mutations ..................................95 M. Hajos-Novak, G.K. Hodos, F. Korosi Combining radiation mutation techniques with biotechnology for soybean breeding .........107 L. Z. Wang, L. Wang, R.J. Zhao, Y.L. Pei, Y.Q. Fu, Q.S. Yan, Q. Li Domestication of Oenothera as a new oil plant ........................................................................117 Q. X. Liu, M. Wel, L.Q. Zhu, G.M. Me, Y. Vang Breeding and genetic engineering of Cuphea and meadowfoam .............................................123 S.J. Knapp A procedure to minimize the linkage drag in backcross breeding of rapeseed (Brassica napus) through irradiation ..................................................................................... 125 Y. Zhou, S. Shi, Z. Wei, J. Wu, Q. Nie, G. Li Improvement of rapeseed and mustard by induced mutations and in vitro techniques...... 133 A.S. Syed, I. Ali, S.J.A. Shah, K. Rahman, M. Ahmad Modification of flax (Linum usitatissimum) by induced mutagenesis and transformation .............................................................................................143 G. G. Rowland, R. Wilen, Y. Hormis, G. Saeidi, C. Ntiamoah Use of biotechnology in flax germplasm development ............................................................. 151 R. Wilen Mutation breeding in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) for disease resistance and oil content .......................................................................................................................... 153 M. Fernandes de Oliveira, R.M. Villas Boas de Campos Leite, V.B. Roderigues Castelioni, A. Lopes de Farias Neto, C.A. Arrabal Arias, J.M. Gontijo Mandarino, A. Tulmann Neto Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................................161 List of Participants 163 SUMMARY 1. INTRODUCTION There is an urgent need for crop diversification to add new uses to existing crops and to introduce new crops to meet new demands for food, fibres, fuel, pharmaceuticals and chemical raw materials. This need is recognized in both the developing countries (to give more options to their farmers) and developed ones (to overcome surplus problems). It is driven by efforts to reach a more sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. These efforts call also for renewable resources, new and more specialized raw materials for the chemical industry, vegetable oils for fuel, disease and pest resistance sources which will reduce the use of pesticides, products with modified qualities and adaptation to stress conditions. Industrial crops can fill these needs very well, especially since many are also food crops and they satisfy essential dietary needs. The crops grouped under the term ‘industrial ’ have to be processed before use. Their products include oils, sugars, protein sources, food additives, beverages, fibres, gums, starches, elastomers, medicinal substances and stimulants. Furthermore, crops that have been traditionally grown for one purpose can be modified for other uses. Today many developing countries ’ economies and millions of smallholders depend heavily on their farm gate income from industrial crops. Plant breeding efforts combining genetic resources and induced mutations using classical, in vitro and innovative molecular approaches have been responsible for much of the intensified development of industrial crops in recent decades. In addition, these efforts have changed quality characteristics, which are more exacting in industrial crops. Many of the critical steps in the