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Editorial#9

The crucial role of seeds and the development of new plant varieties, driving agricultural innovation and fostering resilient ecosystems

The crucial role of seeds and the development of new plant varieties, driving agricultural innovation and fostering resilient ecosystems

Modern agriculture faces the pressing challenge of boosting crop yields to feed a growing global population while reducing environmental impacts. For staple cereals, this means developing varieties that naturally resist diseases, efficiently absorb nutrients, and endure climate stresses like drought and heat.

Innovations such as marker-assisted selection and genomic prediction are transforming plant breeding, enabling precise identification of genes for disease resistance and stress tolerance. These technologies accelerate the creation of high-performing crop varieties that combine productivity with sustainability.

Yet, the impact of breeding breakthroughs depends on high-quality certified seeds, ensuring genetic purity and robust performance in the field. As projects like BEST CROP demonstrate, advancing genetic research and delivering top-quality seeds are vital for securing sustainable food production for future generations.

Read the full editorial, written by Paolo De Franceschi – Società Italiana Sementi on LinkedIn.

Editorial#8

The history of induced barley mutants

The history of induced barley mutants

Since the 1920s discovery that X-rays could induce genetic mutations, mutational breeding has transformed barley cultivation. Early research led to the creation of diverse mutants, including chlorophyll-deficient lines and Erectoides types with shorter, sturdier stems, pivotal during the Green Revolution for preventing crop lodging in high-fertiliser systems. Landmark varieties like Pallas (1958) and Golden Promise emerged from induced mutations, boosting yields and quality. Today, key barley mutations such as sdw1.d remain vital in modern breeding, underlining how decades of mutation research continue to shape sustainable and productive agriculture.

Read the full editorial, written by Mats Hansson - Lund University on LinkedIn.

Editorial#7

Survival vs Productivity: Striking the Perfect Balance Between Protection and Efficiency

19 December 2024

Survival vs Productivity: Striking the Perfect Balance Between Protection and Efficiency

Oxygenic photosynthesis, which began around three billion years ago, transformed Earth’s atmosphere and enabled the biodiversity we see today. Plants rely on photosynthesis for growth, but they must also regulate light absorption to prevent damage. When excess light energy accumulates, plants activate photoprotection mechanisms, which prevent damage but also reduce efficiency. Evolution has prioritized survival over productivity, but in controlled agricultural environments, there is an opportunity to optimize this balance. The BEST-CROP project at the University of Padua is working to fine-tune this mechanism, enhancing photosynthetic efficiency while maintaining necessary protection. This breakthrough could lead to higher-yielding crops and a more sustainable future for agriculture.

Read the full editorial, written with the contribution of Università degli Studi di Padova on LinkedIn

Editorial#6

Cracking the Code: Innovative Strategies to Bypass Photorespiration and Boost Plant Efficiency

28 November 2024

Cracking the Code: Innovative Strategies to Bypass Photorespiration and Boost Plant Efficiency

Plants sustain life on Earth through photosynthesis, converting sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food while releasing oxygen. However, this process is hindered by photorespiration, an inefficiency where plants mistakenly fix oxygen instead of carbon dioxide, reducing their ability to produce food—especially in hot and dry climates. Certain plants, like C4 species, have evolved mechanisms to minimize photorespiration, making them more efficient under stress. In the BEST-CROP project, scientists at UDUS are exploring ways to reduce photorespiration in crops, aiming to enhance photosynthetic efficiency and boost food production despite challenging climate conditions.

Read the full editorial, written by Heinrich Heine Universitaet Duesseldorf, on LinkedIn

Editorial#5

The Power of Diversity: Unveiling the Genetic Treasure of Barley for a Sustainable Future

09 September 2024

The Power of Diversity: Unveiling the Genetic Treasure of Barley for a Sustainable Future

Crop plants provide over 80% of human calories, yet the varieties we cultivate today represent only a fraction of the vast genetic diversity stored in global genebanks. These genetic resources hold the key to developing more resilient, high-yielding crops capable of adapting to climate change. Barley, the focus of the BEST-CROP project, thrives in diverse environments—from deserts to the Arctic Circle—thanks to genes that control traits like frost tolerance, flowering cycles, and drought resilience. However, much remains unknown, particularly regarding its superior water-use efficiency compared to wheat. Through advanced genomic research, BEST-CROP aims to enhance photosynthesis efficiency and water utilization, ensuring a more sustainable food supply for the future.

Read the full editorial, written by CREA, on LinkedIn

The Best-Crop:

Project Meets After 12 Months to Assess the Progress Made During the First Year and Plan Future Activities. (Press release)

Alès, 11 July 2024

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The BEST-CROP Project Meets After 12 Months to Assess the Progress Made During the First Year and Plan Future Activities.

The BEST-CROP Project, funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, gathered at IMT Mines Alès in France to review its first year of progress. The consortium is working to boost barley’s photosynthesis and ozone assimilation for higher yield and to develop barley straw tailored for various industrial uses, like animal feed, construction materials, and biocomposites. Achievements so far include developing barley lines with improved photosynthetic traits, identifying genotypes with valuable straw properties, and advancing data management and communication efforts. For further details, please check the full PDF of the grant agreement.

Editorial#4

Agricultural By-Products for Materials: Current Realities and technical Steps to go to Market

01 July 2024

Agricultural By-Products for Materials: Current Realities and technical Steps to go to Market

As agriculture increasingly supports the development of biobased materials, by-products like straw, hemp, flax, and algae are being repurposed into construction panels, insulation, composites, and even sports equipment. This shift promotes sustainability, reduces waste, and creates new economic opportunities. The transformation process involves multiple steps, from collection and storage to crushing, refining, and final product formulation. In the BEST-CROP project, researchers are working on developing barley-based materials for acoustic panels, composites, and construction applications. Bringing these innovations to market requires rigorous quality control, industrial scaling, and regulatory compliance—key challenges that must be addressed for widespread adoption.

Read the full editorial, written by FDR-CODEM, on LinkedIn

Editorial#3

Deciphering Nature's Code: The Vital Role of Functional Genomics

06 May 2024

Deciphering Nature's Code: The Vital Role of Functional Genomics

Advancements in sequencing technologies have drastically reduced the cost of genome sequencing, making it more accessible for research. However, understanding gene function remains crucial for biological processes, disease research, drug discovery, biotechnology, and evolutionary studies. Functional genomics integrates experimental techniques and computational analysis to decode gene roles and interactions. By leveraging this approach, scientists can identify key genetic traits and enhance crop productivity.

Within the BEST-CROP project, functional genomics is applied to barley to:
• Improve photosynthetic efficiency for better CO₂ assimilation
• Enhance barley straw quality for alternative feed production
• Convert barley straw into high-value bio-based products

Read the full editorial, written by Università degli Studi di Milano, on LinkedIn

Editorial#2

The Future of Agriculture: Navigating Toward Sustainable and Revolutionary Farming

28 February 2024

The Future of Agriculture: Navigating Toward Sustainable and Revolutionary Farming

With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, agriculture must evolve to meet rising demands for food, feed, and bioenergy. The future of farming will be shaped by technology, sustainability, and data-driven solutions to enhance productivity while reducing environmental impact. Key advancements include precision and smart farming, utilizing IoT and data analytics for optimized resource use; vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture, ensuring climate-resilient food production; and blockchain technology, enhancing supply chain transparency. Additionally, biotechnology and novel breeding techniques will lead to higher-yielding, more nutritious, and stress-tolerant crops. The BEST-CROP project is driving these innovations forward by developing next-generation barley breeding lines, contributing to the circular bioeconomy and global food security.

Read the full editorial on LinkedIn.

Best-Crop:

an EU-funded project to deliver novel crops with enhanced photosynthesis and tailored straw for the circular economy. (Press release)

Milan, 28 April 2023

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Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under the topic HORIZON-CL6-2022-CIRCBIO-02-02-two-stage, the BEST CROP project (Boosting photosynthESis To deliver novel CROPs for the circular bioeconomy) capitalizes on ground-breaking technologies to improve the photosynthetic properties and ozone assimilation of barley and deliver novel crops with tailored straws for industrial uses. To achieve these ambitious targets, the University of Milan lead a multidisciplinary alliance of 18 European plant breeding companies, straw processing companies and academic plant scientists aiming to use the major advances in photosynthetic knowledge to improve barley yield and to exploit the variability of barley straw quality and composition.

BEST-CROP targets barley, a major crop worldwide, with the European Union producing the largest share (almost 55 Mt grain/yr) and an almost equivalent amount of straw covering about 10% of EU arable land – aiming to:

• Mitigate ozone air pollution extremes during drought: by providing a strategy of air phytoremediation through the modulation of stomatal conductivity for ozone without a negative effect on drought tolerance and yield;
• Address the global food security crisis: by delivering highly productive barley breeding lines thanks to optimized photosynthesis features. Furthermore, barley represents an optimal model species for other cereals with a view to project medium-term replicability;
• Boost the growth of the circular bioeconomy: tailoring of barley straw for efficient transformation into high-value bio-based compounds and materials that replace products currently obtained from high-polluting industrial sectors with high dependency on non-renewable energy sources, with a focus on the feed and building sectors.

Acknowledging and respecting the current position of EU legislation on genetically engineered crops, BEST-CROP will drive forward based on highly innovative biotechnology and science that exploits natural- and induced-genetic variation. Nevertheless, BEST-CROP also exploits gene editing techniques providing barley genetic materials that could be exploited directly in breeding programs soon, or serve as proof-of-concept of gene function.
With a total funding of almost 6 million €, the BEST-CROP project is expected to start in July 2023 and end in June 2028.

News From Barley

22 December 2023

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2023 "News from Barley" is the new BEST-CROP newsletter, that wants to highlight how Next Generation Barley Plants will bring innovations that will replace non-renewable with renewable resources within the EU-funded BEST-CROP project. Be the ﬁrst to get the latest updates! Sign up for our newsletter now!

Editorial#1

Green Horizons: Nurturing Innovation for a Sustainable Future

22 December 2023

Green Horizons: Nurturing Innovation for a Sustainable Future

As the world transitions toward sustainability, tackling climate change requires a holistic approach beyond clean energy. While the EU has set ambitious carbon reduction targets, other key sectors like food production, construction, and industrial lubricants also significantly impact the environment. The BEST-CROP project is addressing these challenges by innovating with Next Generation Barley Plants. By enhancing barley’s photosynthetic efficiency and optimizing its genetic properties, the project aims to increase biomass production, improve resource efficiency, and create high-value bio-based products. These innovations will contribute to more sustainable animal feed, eco-friendly lubricants, and greener construction materials.

Read the full editorial on LinkedIn.

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Editorial#9

Editorial#8

Editorial#7

Editorial#6

Editorial#5

The Best-Crop:

Editorial#4

Editorial#3

Editorial#2

Best-Crop:

News From Barley

Editorial#1

Funded by the European Union | Grant Agreement No 101082091