This initiative is funded by the Department of Science and Technology
Projects
The PlantBio Project Portfolio includes the following investments:
ALGAL BIOPROSPECTING

This project, which is a partnership with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), focuses on the isolation and screening of naturally occurring algal strains from a broad diversity of South African aquatic ecosystems and the selection of potential strains by assessment of lipid production. Algal fuel production systems can be integrated within industries producing CO2 and waste water, can be implemented in desert areas that are normally impoverished and in rural communities. If successfully established, the production of algal biodiesel will result in job creation, skills development and could mitigate inflationary pressures from high fuel prices. These advantages make micro algae an attractive third generation feedstock for biodiesel production.

AZITU BIOTECH (PTY) LTD

PlantBio established a for profit in vitro initiation platform to develop new tissue culture protocols and generate “elite mother stocks” of plants suitable for commercial use.

The development of new methods for propagating plants and the generation of high quality plant materials suitable for initiating the mass in vitro propagation of plant and/or crops are limiting factors to develop this biotechnology sector in South Africa.

The investment includes the construction of a purpose built laboratory facility located in Somerset West, Western Cape. Improved plant tissue culture methods will be used to generate initiation material and mother stock required by mass propagation laboratories for the production of plants for horticulture, ornamental, medical and industrial sectors. The business will access and use a combination of proprietary IP and public domain knowledge.

BIOCONTROL OF PANAMA DISEASE IN BANANA

Biological control is one of PlantBio’s Strategic Technology Areas. PlantBio has identified Panama wilt as an economically significant disease of banana and has undertaken to investigate a project aimed at a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly approach to controlling the disease. To date, a Proof of Concept study has been funded. If results prove successful, then the application of the biocontrol agent could be marketed through an existing company or a Spin-off company.

BIOSAFETY SOUTH AFRICA

PlantBio has taken the leadership in funding the establishment of a Biosafety Platform for South Africa which will be run as an independent company. The services which will be provided to the research community as well as to private companies both locally and internationally will include:-

Guidance and assistance to all stakeholders to help ensure compliance with the regulatory and Biosafety requirements across all the stages of GMO research and development e.g. contained use, field trials and commercial release.

Identification and commissioning of strategic Biosafety research in a South African context that would feed into regulatory submissions at a later stage.

Facilitating, managing and funding regulatory compliance projects, i.e. compilation of regulatory dossiers in collaboration with the technology developers.

Management and dissemination of information related to all aspects of biosafety and risk assessment of biotech products in the South African context.

Capacity building in Biosafety research and assessment by training researchers and decision makers and leveraging additional funds for Biosafety research.

The vision of Biosafety South Africa is to support innovation in biotechnology by ensuring the development of safe, sustainable biotechnological products.

BREEDING AND AGRONOMIC STUDIES OF SWEET STEM SORGHUM FOR SOUTH AFRICAN CONDITIONS

Biofuels are viewed as the most viable option as a sustainable source of energy. Sweet stem sorghum is ideal for the production of bioethanol as it is one of the crop plants with a high percentage of easily fermentable sugars and relatively high levels of drought tolerance.

The innovation of this project will be to successfully introgress the cytoplasmic male sterility system into locally adapted sweet-stem sorghum germplasm and develop the male sterility system for the production of hybrid varieties, thus enabling the exploitation of hybrid vigour for the sweet stem characteristic. This germplasm should also show high biomass yields and hopefully grain yield in the case of dual purpose sorghums. The successful introgression of the sweet stem characteristic into high biomass genotypes will also be another innovation. The long-term goal of the project is to breed highly productive sweet stem sorghum varieties which are locally adapted to the major agricultural regions of South Africa as a basis for bioethanol production, especially in marginal areas.

CAPE GOURMET MUSHROOMS (PTY) LTD

PlantBio recently granted fundind to Cape Gourmet Mushrooms (Pty) Ltd, a food production company located in Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa. The company develops mushroom growing processes, produces, markets and sells gourmet mushrooms to the Cape Town hospitality industry. Having successfully grown and sold Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms in small quantities to date, CGM is close to reaching its operational and technical goals which will enable it to pursue its strategic objective of outsourcing part of the food growing process to the surrounding impoverished communities of Cape Town.

PlantBio has identified the production of gourmet mushrooms as a niche market where the supply does not meet the ever increasing demand for the commodity. In addition, PlantBio's remit of poverty alleviation has combined to make this business venture a feasible candidate for funding.

CAPELANDS NURSERIES (PTY) LTD

PlantBio injected share capital and loan finance into the existing Capelands Nurseries (Pty) Ltd to scale it up to a world class ornamental plant propagation facility utilising tissue culture technology.

Commissioned in February 2007, the laboratory situated in the Eastern Cape consists of a commercial in vitro plant propagation platform of about 700m2 that is linked to a hardening facility. The facility has the capability of expanding and training the technical team to supply quality products to meet market demands. A partnership with the Dutch company Vitrocom has been formed, allowing Capelands to produce Pothos plants for sale in the international market. In the future Capelands will become specialists in Agapanthus and are, even now, producing more than five new Agapanthus varieties.

CENTRE FOR PROTEOMIC AND GENOMIC RESEARCH

The Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research (CPGR) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2007 by the Cape Biotech and PlantBio Trusts (both initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology).

PlantBio recognised the opportunity to provide the plant biotechnology sector with much needed proteomic and genomic research capability by making a strategic investment into the CPGR.

The CPGR is based within the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town and is equipped for high end mass spectrometry (ABI 4800 MALDI TOF/TOF), 2D nano-LC (Dionex), DNA/protein microarraying (Genetix QArray2), high density gene chip analysis (Affymetrix GS3000 system), microarray scanning (GenePix 4200AL), real-time PCR (ABI 7900), and DNA/RNA analysis (Agilent 2100 bioanalyser). The CPGR provides specialised services in the field of gene expression analysis, genotyping and gene mapping, array-based comparative genome hybridisation, CHIP-on-Chip, microRNA expression analysis, protein expression analysis, protein identification, protein separation, custom array development and data analysis and interpretation, to both local and international institutions.

CITROGOLD SOUTH AFRICA AND BIOGOLD HOLDINGS

PlantBio provided share capital and loan finance into the existing CitroGold South Africa (CGSA), a South African Cultivar Management company situated in Stellenbosch. The funds were utilised to scale up operations in South Africa, and for the foundation of BioGold Holdings (BGH) to develop international commercialisation possibilities.

CitroGold South Africa’s focus is the exploitation of varieties of horticultural crops by sourcing, evaluating and commercialising Plant Breeders Rights within South Africa. Over the years, CGSA has acquired and licensed a number of specialty cultivars to South African growers.

PlantBio believes that through the assistance of CGSA and BGH, the plant breeding programmes in South Africa now have a valuable instrument of accessing local and global markets. The process of developing, protecting and eventually taking a variety to market is lengthy and costly. CGSA and BGH’s roles are to optimize the exploitation of protected plant varieties by providing technical, management, promotional and commercial expertise. The company targets all levels of the value chain (breeders, farmers, nurseries, marketers and retailers).

CYCLOTRON MUTAGENESIS OF THE AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY CROPS

The cyclotron research and development project was a collaborative initiative with RIKEN, the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, in Japan within the Bilateral Agreement between the Governments of South Africa and Japan. As part of the National Biotechnology Strategy established by DST, PlantBio funded this initiative whereby a South African research institution utilized RIKEN’s cyclotron mutagenesis facilities.

Maize, sorghum and millet seeds were sent to RIKEN where they were irradiated and returned to the African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) in South Africa to be planted and screened for useful mutations.

During 2007 and 2008 several maize mutants were selected as being resistant to sulfonylurea herbicides used to control Stiga, a root parasitic weed that causes important losses to several crops in Africa. Future developments include a commercial plan to incorporate the new trait into breeding programmes aiming at generating crop varieties with improved attributes in yield, productive and resistance to herbicides.

The resistant varieties, being considered non-GM, will have a significant benefit within the African markets and it is expected that the additional characteristics will contribute to the increased productivity of crops for commercial and small-scale farmers.

DEVELOPMENT OF TISSUE-SPECIFIC PROMOTERS FOR TRANSGENIC IMPROVEMENT OF SUGAR-CANE AND OTHER CROP SPECIES

PlantBio and the South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) co-funded this project in which the use of micro-arrays to identify genes with differential and sufficient expression in root, stem and leaf tissues was proposed.

During the first phase of the project, several genes expressed in leaves and roots were successfully identified. The next step will be to use the identified gene sequences to verify the tissue specificity of the genes and to quantify the levels of expression. Once these have been confirmed the gene promoters will be cloned and characterized to assess their capacity to drive the expression of different transgenes. The work is built on methodologies already developed through previous SASRI research and international collaborations.

EVALUATION OF CASSAVA GERMPLASM IN MAPUTOLAND

PlantBio co-funded this project with the Industrial Development Corporation with the aim of identifying suitable varieties for the viable and sustainable production of cassava starch in the Maputoland area. This starch would then be providing sustainable economic and social upliftment in Maputoland. A number of cassava varieties will be assessed and once appropriate selections have been identified, they will be multiplied using in vitro propagation and conventional stake methods. Upon a successful outcome of the project, PlantBio is interested in investing in a propagation facility to rapidly multiply cassava and provide planting material for the production area that will serve the starch factory. A South African cassava plant breeding initiative is also being considered.

Cassava, a tropical crop, is grown by many small scale farmers throughout Africa. It is a drought tolerant crop that can be grown in marginal areas with an important impact on food security in many African countries. In addition, cassava starch has specific physical characteristics which make it sought after in niche industrial applications. The Industrial Development Corporation has been tasked to establish a multi-million starch processing facility in the Makhathini area of Northern KwaZulu-Natal, to provide some economic upliftment to the area. The IDC project aims to produce cassava starch for industrial use as well as starch which could form the basis for biofuel production.

FALSE CODLING MOTH: STERILE INSECT TECHNOLOGY - XSIT (PTY) LTD

PlantBio recently invested in XSit (Pty) Ltd, a private company which has been established in the Western Cape. The company will own and operate a Sterile Insect Technology (SIT) facility. A result of an initiative undertaken by Citrus Research International (CRI), the research arm of the Citrus Growers’ Association of South Africa (CGA), the facility will produce sterile FCM which will then be released into the citrus and other orchards in the area as part of an integrated pest management plan to combat the infestation of wild FCM,

"This project is a great example of Biological control. We have identified FCM as a significant pest of citrus and have undertaken to investigate this initiative which is aimed at a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly approach to controlling the pest" said Antonio Llobell, CEO of PlantBio. Approximately 30% of fruit grown in the area is lost to FCM infestation.
IMPROVEMENT OF CASSAVA VIRUS RESISTANCE

This is a transgenic cassava project which uses an RNA silencing approach for engineering resistance to cassava begomoviruses (the cause of Cassava Mosaic Disease) in South African elite cultivars, landraces and commercially grown varieties with potential for industrial starch production.

Cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta) is the primary source of calories for approximately 600 million people in the tropics and ranks fourth in caloric intake among all crops directly consumed by humans. Cassava starch also has specific structural characteristics which makes it important for some industrial applications. African Cassava Mosaic Disease (ACMD) is the most serious vector-borne disease of cassava in Africa. A novel virus species, South African cassava mosaic virus (SACMV), was recently identified in SA. This disease causes the most severe constraint to cassava production, which can cause up to 95% yield losses and since cassava is vegetatively propagated via stem cuttings, control of the whitefly vector is often ineffective.

RNA silencing is the process in which double stranded RNA triggers sequence-specific repression of gene expression. RNA silencing does occur naturally and is believed to be an innate defence mechanism against infectious viruses and mobilisation of endogenous viruses. An option to obtain a license for the RNAi technology has been negotiated with the CSIRO (Australia). Proof of concept has been achieved at Wits University using tobacco plants where resistance has been expressed after transformation. Several RNA constructs have been produced and transformed into cassava tissue culture material.

LIGNOCELLULOSIC ENZYMES FOR AGRICULTURAL FEEDSTOCKS [LEAF]

LEAF, a collaborative project that includes the University of the Western Cape (UWC), University of Stellenbosch (US) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), looks at the use of metagenomics approaches to bioprospect unique microbial South African ecosystems to identify enzymes able to degrade and/or remove the lignin fraction of biomass from different energy crops. The overall aim of the project is to develop a range of novel thermophylic enzymes that could be used in the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars and then to ethanol, increasing the efficiency of the process and enhancing the yield of the fermentable carbon fraction.


MAIZE EXPRESSION QUANTITATIVE TRAIT LOCI (MEQTL)

PlantBio provided the financial investment to fund a three year project which is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2009. The Consortium members for this project are the University of Pretoria, Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research, PANNAR Research Services, African Centre for Crop Improvement/ University of KwaZulu-Natal

The research and field trials in this project aim to identify the genes involved in quantitative resistance to the pathogen Cercosposa zeina (causal organism of grey leaf spot –GLS- in maize), is currently in its second year. The work is based on the identification of the expression of quantitative trait loci (eQTL) using micro-array expression analysis.

The short term expectations of the project include the identification of diagnostic tools that have commercial value both locally and internationally. The long term expectations from the microarray expression profiling and bioinformatics analysis are expected to lead to the identification of genes that confer resistance to GLS in maize with the overall outcome resulting in the identification of new genetic markers that would either be located inside the QTLs or will be tightly linked to the QTL.

MICRO-RNA DISCOVERY IN SOUTH AFRICAN GRAPEVILE

The South African grapevine and wine industry contributes to more than R22 billion to our GDP per annum. Grapevine production in South Africa is constrained by many pathogens including grapevine leafroll disease (caused by a complex of up to 9 viruses and considered to be one of the most damaging viral diseases of grapevine world-wide) and Aster Yellows phytoplasma, an increasingly damaging disease in the Western Cape that is due to be classified as a quarantine disease. Both diseases dramatically reduce the yield, quality and vitality of the grapevine plant. In addition, climate change predictions are expected to put severe strain on water consumption in the viticulture industry, making drought tolerance a priority in grapevine improvement programs.
The aim of this project is to identify molecular markers in Grape vines that will eventually help to assist with drought tolerance and disease resistance. This is an early stage project which will make use of the facilities and expertise at the Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research Platform situated in Cape Town.


OPV SEED FEASIBILITY STUDY

An opportunity was recognised to uplift smallholder farmers, and to significantly increase their contribution towards the South African maize balance sheet. The objective of the Open Pollinated Varieties (OPV) Seed study is to unlock the full entrepreneurial skills and potential of smallholder farmers by determining a viable business model for the production of open pollinated variety maize seeds by small scale farmers and provision of a marketing arm in the Eastern Cape & KwaZulu-Natal.

The project fits very well into PlantBio’s vision and strategy to alleviate poverty and increase food security, as well as to improve quality of life through plant biotechnology.

SUGAR CANE FEASIBILITY STUDY

The South African Sugar Industry is a major contributor to our economy with sales in excess of five billion rands per annum. The industry has a substantial impact in rural areas creating employment for many as farm labourers and in the fifteen sugar mills which are situated in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga areas.

A feasibility study is being funded by PlantBio who is working with a consortium of representatives from the sugar industry, government, and various academic and research institutes to evaluate the need for a research platform for a sugar cane centre of competency (CoC). A business plan will then be developed should the feasibility study be successful. The aim of the CoC will be to have a central platform that will be tasked with new product development as well as research into crop improvement and skills development for the South African Sugar Industry.

SWEET STEM SORGHUM: EASTERN CAPE

Sweet stem sorghum has been identified as an ideal crop for bioethanol due to its high percentage of fermentable sugars and its drought tolerance. It is necessary to establish which varieties are best suited to which particular areas of South Africa.

This project aims at establishing which varieties are best suited to which areas of South Africa through mass production of sweet-sorghum varieties selected from breeding programs which will be carried out by the African Centre for Crop Improvement and the Agricultural Research Council - Grain Crops Institute. These selected varieties will be tested for suitability in regions of the Eastern Cape and it is presently envisaged that the development work would span a three to four year period by which time it could be ascertained whether certain sweet sorghum varieties could contribute to commercially viable ethanol production in the Eastern Cape. It is probable that this development work on sweet sorghum could identify varieties with characteristics better suited to purposes other than ethanol / energy production.

TRITICALE BREEDING PROGRAMME

PlantBio is funding a four year breeding programme with the University of Stellenbosch to evaluate the potential of Triticale for ethanol production. Triticale a low input crop which is a man made hybrid of wheat and rye, is used primarily for silage by dairy farmers. Advantages of using triticale as a feedstock for Biofuel production as opposed to other small grains are: increased starch yields which could be converted to ethanol, low input requirements, and the fact that it could be grown on marginal land, thus avoiding direct competition with land used for food crops.

XSIT (PTY) LTD

PlantBio has identified FCM as a significant pest of citrus and has undertaken to finance this biological control initiative aimed at a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly approach to controlling the pest.

A Sterile Insect Technology (SIT) facility to produce sterile False Codling Moths (FCM) has been established to combat this pest of the Southern African citrus industry. A private company, XSit (Pty) Ltd owns and operates the SIT facility. The sterile FCM are released into the citrus and other orchards in the area as part of an integrated pest management plan to combat the infestation of wild FCM. FCM infestation in these orchards contributes to fruit losses of up to 30% and has a direct negative impact on import and export of the fruit. In addition, stringent phytosanitary import regulations and controls in the USA, Europe, China, South Korea and Iran are aimed at eliminating the possible imports of FCM infested fruits. The presence of FCM larvae in export shipments destined for these markets places the entire export program from the area at risk of being terminated. The objective of the FCM SIT program is to eventually service the entire industry, with SIT facilities in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga/Limpopo.

© PlantBio 2008 | Disclaimer | SiteMap |