The new DNA technology has already been developed for cucumber and tomato, and other crops are expected to follow.

The two organisations say that new varieties often differ less from one another. To identify the differences, DNA technology is proving to be helpful, as the existing methods for analysis are no longer adequate for tomorrow's problems and are too labor intensive.

Cooperation

The project Green Forensics started in 2013, as part of the Green Life Sciences Hub, better known as the CSI in horticulture. Knowledge in the area of the high throughput sequencing technology comes from the UvA, while Naktuinbouw brings expertise in the field of varieties and relationship analyses. The latter has access to different plant databases; it also functions as a bridge to make the technology transferable in areas of knowledge for the sector.

New technology

Researcher, Fleur Gawehns-Bruning (Naktuinbouw Laboratories, team R&D), indicates that the new DNA technology is bringing important benefits. She says that it makes all sequence information of every variety available for a fast and good analysis.

Genomes of plants are complex. For example, the genome of a tulip is ten times larger than that of a human. Therefore, they need to spend more time and money to analyse its genome. There needs to be a baseline set, before the new technology can be implemented.

For cucumber and tomato varieties, reference material is already available, so the new technology can be implemented for these crops. In this project rose, lettuce and tulip are included. The new identification methods are offering the horticultural entrepreneurs the chance to improve their position. It can provide evidence in cases of alleged infringement of plant breeders' rights.

New impulse

Through the ‘Green Forensics’ project, the determination of the possible relationship of plant material got an important impulse. When it is finished in 2016, it will have a fresh start within Naktuinbouw Laboratories.

What is DNA-sequencing?

DNA-sequencing is the determination of the order in which the four nucleotides: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine (A, G, C and T) are arranged in a DNA-string. The current technology is able to completely unravel the whole genome in only a few days, through a combination of chemical- and computer techniques. The arrival of fast DNA-sequencing methods accelerates the biological and medical research. Knowledge of DNA-sequences has become an indispensable tool for fundamental biological research and applied science, such as diagnosis for medical a horticultural diagnosis, biotechnology, forensic biology, virology and biological classification.

What is a Variety Tracer?

Naktuinbouw’s Variety Tracer ascertains the identity of plant material. The technology combines morphological examination with genetic fingerprinting. Comparing a plant with a set of reference plants or varieties allows the establishing of suspected second cropping, infringement of Plant Breeders’ Rights or essential derived varieties. This product provides a concept that can be used to settle (legal) discussions about identity. There are also Tracers available for both pathogens and origin tracers.

Source: Naktuinbouw Laboratories