___ 3~1 Note to P. Sheehy, Be Centri for Adi~nc~d Technology BIT proposeo to ac(ulre the Tvyfordi eAT es part of the rertructurin( progriine that Tvyford international la currently facing. The laboratory and greenhouie are practically complete and 21 Icisnciiti tot a planned 26) and 7 adllin. Itaff are coniittid to Ciibtidge~ Since the original decliion to eatablieh the CAT for Molccul~r biology (plant genetic Inpiniiriolllcne napping) wee taken, it was decided by the T.I, Board that all reaearch at Tvyfordi Ihould be concentrated at Ciibridgs~ With this in view, 26 Icicneirel engaged on tissue culture resaarchlplant breeding were nid~ redundant at the end of 1987. Current l~t~l~olr~iic The prograpne currently in place for the 33 ataff planned by Tvyfotds for the new facilities coipriies: I~ BhT funded projecti (sll of which have a strong elenent of nolecular blologp)~ Thsee cover the derivation of I tobacco gene nap aa a basiJ for highly directed breeding of tobacco varlerles offering: i) Pirl~nt~ with Oriintal flavour, ixiiting tobaccos with aiplified taitelflavcur, iii) existing tobaccos with very high nicotine Icveli, iv) Reduced ni~ro~~~lni lereli. In addition to these tobacco projects, BAT is funding basic research on plant virus dilealle resistance and on building insect-resistance into various croprl Currentl?r the foraer is focussed on two caPnercially iiportant viruses of potieo~ Pork on the insect-resistance project is at I very early stage; in essence It ir based on introducing into the plant a 'gene cassette' capable of generating an insect repellent. 2~ IAT funded research on flowers. Specilically, the tean II ailing to introduce flower colour genes and various diseaJeltnsect resistances into chrliinlhiiui and gerbera. 3~ funded research on date pale and, to a lesser extent, oil pain. This ~i~s to increase the reliability of clonol propogstian~ Additionally, for date pain, there is a project to introduce disease resistance gine~~ I, A research contract (fJalker's Crisps) for a potato of controllable sugar lever, offering iiproved processing psrtorisncr and product guality, I~ I research contract (Soporcel) for rapid propagation of suc~lyptus~ 6~ plln~ Dill~~e ~ndcxipl - thll is ~ ~arvlec Io I'OY"'I' pdr~lb h~"l 1 a*la~ B ClibPDF - v~~fastio.soni ___. -2- Future Ptoata:se O~irst much of the existing progranme vill-contlnue along the planned course under BAT leadership, there are tvo reasons why some of the projects lust terminate as soon as practlcabte. Firstlv, there are projects that presume access to ruyfsrd's oatler; rht~e avenues nusr nov be aisumcd closed. Sccoadly, BI: has over ricei~ months, been rafocussing its biotechndl6gy Interests aua: from agronomic targets and towards dovns:rea3 proeessorlproduct benefitsl Discussions along such lines have been held vi:~ CAT management and plans to redirect some projects have been alr~d~ this will nov be essential~ For the future, therefore, we shall direct projects to those downs:rean businesses that BAT either has, or plans to scpulre. The CXT will create genetically engineered plants for I;prsved tobacco, for improved trees, for novel agribusiness ptoduc:s and for general horticultural materials needed by our overseas blotec~nolPgy eom)anlea~ Although this can only be taken as a general guide (si~ee 30 opportunity has been available for discussions with Others), the inplle3elons amie is proposed for the next tvo years but vie~ or at least 5 yeats if commercial end-products are to result~ Pr~lee~ i. :3bacco improvement The over;:: goats of this project area as outlined above vilr be retained. Although it was our intention that edt should develop independently the skills required in the area o gene-mapping; it nov makes more sense for BQT to fund a collaborative project between CIT end NPI who have a lead position in this technology and who have already offered to vor~ with us in this vay~ This will accelerate the tobacco projects by tuo yeats end bring CI: up to speed In gene napping, a technology that will be the basis of genetic development of all ctops~ Additional costs of P6001000 over the next two years ale estimated for this cotlabotalion~ BaT and Sesia Crut R&D will continue jointly to identify and grow key tobacco getmplasm that will contribute to the agreed projects. Project rI~ -:~tus-resfstance Genes This work is progressing well and will be taken to the stage of field trials with genetically engineered potato plants. This can reasonably be estimated at 3-4 years. Application vill be through BAT Blotechnology companies overseas (ehe ~ota~s crop is important in practically all terrleorles) but thi technology ac~~ited vill have relacsn;e to vital problems for a wide range of crops~ project III~ - Insect-resistance Genes Since this work has barely started, this will be reassessed with the expectation of termination. Resources will be tediree~td tovards agrlausfness projects (see latcr)~ Clit; PDF -!::!!::!!::!.f3 StlC.i: 0111 -3· Project IV~ - Date Palm improvement Unless the new owners of Date Palm Developments, a subsidiary of rwyfotd Plane laboratories, are prepared to fund long-term research into means of cloning or of introducing novel traits into this crop, this work mill terminate [ortbieh~ Project V, - Oil Palm improvements Unless Salaysian Tobacco Company is willing to fund work on improved systems for propagating oil-palm, this work will terminate. Project VI~ - Potato Crisp Contract Providing Walkers accept the assignment of CAT to BAT, this project is highly desirable both technically and financially (worrh E98,O00 p.a. for at least 3 yeats), The molecular biologists are developing methods far inserting into the potato DBA, genes that produce enzymes that reduce the plant's pool of glucose~ This type of research will have broad implication for storage and processing of other ctops~ Project Bff, - Advanced Breeding of Eucalyptus Just as we have defined downstream proceseinglproduet goals for the CbT tobacco programme, we now need to define the gears achievable only through the advanced techniques of molecular biology for the forestrylpulp and paper Interests of BIT~ Discussions with Wiggins Teape are being arranged and projects should be agreed and implemented in early 1989~ Project fX~ -~Agrlbusiness Projects Although not possible yet, we fully expect to identify projects aimed at improved or even novel fruits, vegetables or other produce that will play a key role in the emerging Agt~business plans of BATCo~ Means of altering the biosynthetie pathways involved in ripening represent one potentially important line of research, No serious research in this area is expected before 1989. Prolcct X~ - Plowers All research in this sector will be terminated forthwith. This will release important molecular biology rcsources~ Project XI~ - Plant Disease indexing This is a service activity that earns vary low income for Tvyfotds and is of no value to the CAT. The techniques should be retained by BIT since they have value for out Biotechnology businesses overseas. The technicians may not be capable of re-assignment to new projects~ Clit; PDF -!::!!::!!::!.f3 StlC.i: 0111 -b- Resources The following table sunstiees estimates of staff and cost allocation against projects, compared in teres of current, transitional and future activities: PROJECT CURRENT PROCRAHHE FUTURE PBOCRAHME E'000s 1988 1989 BdT TI OTHER TOTAL BU OTHER BAT OTHER Tobacco 400t 400" 100t · 300f Iltus 300 - - 300 300 - 300 resls~ance Inseee 110 - - 150 100 resistance Forestry 50 200 Oil Pale 50 - - 50 50 Date Palm 75 75 Flowers 100 Agribusincss 100 200 Disease Indexing 75 75 Soporcel 50 50 1O 50 Walkers 100 100 · 100 100 TOTII ;000 lj0 150 1300 1000 150 1000 150 STAFF 26 4 1 31 26 3 26 3 Sores on lOPl support:- " Plus additional f200 to NPI contract Plus additional e~00 to NPI contract This will have the effect of advancing our Tobacco Prograeme by 2 gears, and bring BAT to the *state of the art" in Ceoe Napping Technology which will pctmit highly focussed and rapid plane breeding for Tobacco and other erops~ Clit; PDF -!::!!::!!::!.f3 StlC.i: 0111 f -5- Summary The revised programme for Chf vould have the follDutng core group of ictlvlties:- 1~ Tobacco Current direction and organisation retained~ project to be supplemented by contract vith NPI~ 2~ Forestry Wiggins Teape support and direction is nov tegui~ed~ preliminary discussions arranged. 3~ Virus resistance These projects originally supported by BIT vill be aa~neeined~ Initial focus Is on potato although there vill be broad application for other etops~ 4, agribusinese CIT vill provide significant opportunities for novel prDducts~ 3Lrectlon to be see by the emerging BITCo strategic pran~ Z~ Contracts 3xistlng contracts with Walkers Crisps (for so improved processing potato) and with Sopotcel (fot propagating eucalyptus) vfll be maintained. The transition from the existing programme costing E1.3 mt p.a, and employing 34 personnel to the above core programme costing 2.1.15 an p~a~ (plus f~3 In pla~ average contract vleh 1PT), and employing 29 staff is estimated to tate one year. If during that period definition of agribusincse or forestry projects is not complete, it should be possible to operate the core programme (Including the contracts) vlth 26 people at a net cost to sai of E,85 mn (plus i~3 In l~a~ average contract vith )PI)~ A~ t~ Heard AIHIDET 21st Match 1988 Clit; PDF -!::!!::!!::!.f3 StlC.i: 0111