Impacts

Examples of KeyGene's contribution to Technology innovation and Crop improvement

KeyGene's impact

Hand holding rice ears in the research greenhouse of KeyGene, picture made by Johana Acevedo

Hybrid rice for farmers in India

Experts from KeyGene and Bioseed, DCM Shriram in India, developed rice lines that can be used to breed hybrid varieties that meet the demands of Indian rice farmers.

Microscopy picture by Kitty Vijverberg of a dandelion egg cell

Genetics unraveled crucial to making crop plants produce clonal seeds through apomixis

Thanks to over 15 years of fundamental research at KeyGene, breakthroughs were achieved in understanding and using genes crucial to develop crop plants that produce 'clonal' seeds through apomixis.

Genome editing successfully used to induce chicory plants to accumulate important medical compound

KeyGene, Wageningen University & Research, and Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry in Germany, have induced desired variation in chicory for plants that accumulate costunolide, an anti cancer plant metabolite.

Graph showing the telomere-to-telomere sequenced chromosomes of tomato

Telomere-to-telomere crop genomes using only one DNA sequencing platform

Collaboration between KeyGene scientists and the Telomere to Telomere consortium (studying the human genome) has resulted in telomere-to-telomere crop genomes of tomato and maize, using one sequencing technology.

Breeding scheme, showing the complexity of making an effective breeding program

KeyGene’s breeding optimizer integrated in PhenomeOne software package for breeders

Based upon KeyGene’s breeding optimizing algorithm, Phenome Networks offers a new decision support tool to optimize breeding strategies for any crop, within their PhenomeOne software.

Impatiens plants susceptible to downy mildew (left) and resistant ones (right, called Beacon), developed by Ball Horticulture, directly resulting from their collaboration with KeyGene

Accelerated breeding of impatiens resistant to downy mildew

KeyGene supported Ball Horticultural in the USA to reveal, understand and utilize the genetic variation at hand within their germplasm, for accelerated breeding of impatiens varieties resistant to downy mildew.

Graph: result of analyzing nuclei of individual pollen grains in joint research by Takara Bio and KeyGene

Single-nucleus RNA analysis of pollen grains made feasible

Collaboration between Takara Bio and KeyGene made it possible to successfully carry out single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) in pollen.