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FORNY20-FORNY2020

KVAL: Oil-seed rape with increased seed retention

Alternative title: Raps med redusert oljefrøtap

Awarded: NOK 0.50 mill.

Project Number:

328916

Project Period:

2021 - 2022

Funding received from:

Organisation:

Rapeseed oil is one of the most important vegetable oils, it is used both for food and biodiesel. Rapeseed oil is collected from the plant's seeds. However an important part of the seeds detaches from the plant prematurely, resulting in up to 25% loss of seeds. Sustainable and effective production of food is a key aim, both for securing food production and effective production processes. Researchers at the University of Oslo have developed a model rapeseed variant from which the seeds do not detach. In this project we have developed industrially relevant rapeseed variants for which we expect less seed-loss. The results indicate that the desired changes have been established, however the final characterization of the desired seed-retention plants needs to be confirmed after the plants have grown to full maturity. the plants have been grown and characterized at a specialized collaboration partner; in parallel we are in the process of filing a patent application and establishing contact with identified industry for further development of the technology.

A batch of novel industrially relevant rapeseed cultivars has been developed though advanced molecular biology technology approaches. Genetic sequencing has confirmed that the approach is highly effective and the plants are likely to have improved seed retention, a feature that will be fully characterized after the plants have grown to full maturity. This method will be included in a patent application that will be filed early 2023 and which will make possible further development and commercialization activities. The impact of this project is that it has been demonstrated that agro-industrially highly relevant rapeseed oil plants with specific mutations that are likely to secure seed-retention and hence less seed loss are possible to produce. Increased and more robust food production is required for a growing world population nd increasingly variable weather with consequences for agricultural productivity. Successful productification and commercialization will also bring value based on Norwegian research-funding based inventions.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020