TGM/BW/79
Report on Visit to Delhi Research Station, and
Ottawa Research Station, Agriculture Canada 27 - 29 July 1981
The visit was proposed at the Montreal meeting of the
Leaf Steering Committee, the main objective being to observe
the tobacco breeding programme in operation at Delhi and,
specifically, their use of modern genetic techniques.
1. Visit to Delhi Research Station
The authors were accompanied by Mr. R. S. Wade from
Imperial Tobacco, Montreal.
a) Plant Breeding
This was discussed with Dr. R. S. Pandeya and 211,r. F. H. White
The authors were impressed by the vigour and enthusiasm shown
by Dr. Pandeya, who will be responsible for all breeding work with
the retirement of Mr. White at the end of this year.
The primary objective of the breeding work is new varieties
to meet the needs of Canadian growers, with particular concern
being shown for maturity. In relation to the latter, topping
date is defined as when at least 1 flower is open on 501,16' of plants
of that variety. Selection of varieties is made after topping
and harvest of the first two primings on the basis "that is where
the dollar is".
The potential advantages of high nicotine tobaccos In relation
to other aspects of smoke delivery are recognized and one variety,
M-26, was claimed to have a 6% nicotine content overall. Its tar
delivery is normal, yield rather low (16oo - 1800 lbs/acre) and
the first results from smoke evaluation in Montreal are considered
encouraging. Source of IM-26 is irradiated seed of Delhi 34.
Anther culture facilities are available at Delhi: Pe.ndeya
considers the technique valuable in speeding up breeding work, but
echoes the views expressed by U.S. scientists on its limitations
particularly in the first generation.
Somatic hybridization is not in use at Delhi, but plants
obtained by it in Ottawa from crossing N. rustica and N. tabacum
In thl a way have been made available to them.
Pandeya also spoke enthusiastically about the extra
possibilities from the use of the embryo rescue technique, which
allows plants to be obtained from sexual crosses which do not
produce fertile seed, eLnd the N. africaLna crossing which is
reported to result in automatic selection for haploid plants with-
out recourse to the laboratory culture stages of anther culture.
Neither of these methods is currently in use at Delhi, but Pandeya
is obviously keen to apply them when they appear appropriate.
Contd. . . . . (J-4
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a) Plant Breeding (continued)
In order to increase knowledge of individual chemical
markers in different tobacco types, which can then be used
to aid plant selection in a breeding programme, Pandeya has
obtained support for a graduate student (Michael Coulthart)
at McMaster University. He is studying enzyme patterns of
young plants in the hope of finding distinctions to be applied
to selection at an early stage of growth.
b) Tobacco Flavour
Dr. W.A. Court has an extensive programme embracing the
chemistry of tobacco lipids including those components
currently considered to be flavour precursors. He stated that
he considered major changes in these components would only be
achieved genetically, a view which somewhat contradicted his
immediate programme on cultural factors. Two varieties have
been identified as having higher than normal concentrations of
diterpenes - Queensland A (about double) and Japanese BY-4.
Dr. Court showed some reluctance to working collaboratively on
the subject. As, in addition, Pandeya requires greater evidence
of commitment to enhanced levels of substances other than
nicotine before serious plant breeding programmes are established,
progress at Delhi towards breeding lines with high levels of
flavour precursors is likely to be slow.
Dr. Court supplied preprints of two papers related to
flavour precursors, which are of interest to both the Hamburg
and GR & DC research programmes. He also undertook to super-vise
the small experiment involving application of herbicides to
tobacco in place of curing.
2. Ottawa Research Station
Somatic hybrids of N. rust and S. tabacum had been
produced originally in Ottawa and then supplied to Delhi.
Dr. Keller, head of the Cytogenetics Section, described their
work and introduced his greatly enlarged staff. He presented a
number of plaLntl eta of their somatic hybrids to Dr. Wilberg,
but in the longer term,their work and aims are likely to be more
concerned with developing and extending these techniques than
applying them to the needs of the tobacco industry. A graduate
student, Steve Gleddie, has worked on somatic hybrids involving
N. Bylvestris and will take up this work again later this year.
There was also an opportunity for a brief visit and
discussion with Prof. G. Setterfield of Carleton 'University,
Ottawa. His students are using Ni cotian a merely as tools and
comparing somatic with sexual hybrids. He appeared amenable to
collaboration and it is hoped that it may be possible to obtain
samples from some of his plants (through Imperial Tobacco,
Montreal) for chemical analysis. The immediate interest would
be in relation to smoke flavour, but it may also offer opportunities
in breeding for disease resistance.
Con td. . .
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3. Conclusions
It was clear that, technically, there was a full under-
standing of modern genetic techniques at Delhi and, in
Dr. Pandeya, a person both willing and able to take advantage
of them. In practical terms, there may be some limitations
in the extent to which this can happen:
a) the immediate demands of the plant breeding programme
for what the farmer requires now.
b) the demands on Pandeya's time will increase considerably
if a further geneticist is not recruited on White's
retirement.
c) the inability of us (and the industry as a whole) to
focus clearly on real targets for the geneticist at the
present time.
It was also evident that, at the academic level, plant cell
research is being actively pursued in Canada and some of these
laboratories may offer useful opportunities for us in allowing
access to novel plant material. Participation in such
collaboration would strengthen our own know-how and possibly
shorten the time required to produce a specific answer. Invvitably,
at some time it would also require more practical support such
as financing of programmes.
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