PepsiCo and Corteva Agriscience are spearheading industry’s first sequencing of the complete oat genome for use in open-source applications. The partnership now seeks to leverage this research to advance the resiliency of at-risk food systems, while developing heartier oat varieties with improved supply chain resilience, milling efficiency and differentiated raw materials, both nutritional and functional. PepsiCo and Corteva are publicly releasing the genome to continue to broadly advance crop research.

“Hosting the genome publicly will enable additional genome assemblies, which will benefit not only PepsiCo and our Quaker Oats brand, but also the broader oat community. Getting the first genome is the largest hurdle, and now we have a reference and template to work from that will allow continued advancements in oat research,” René Lammers, Chief Scientific Officer at PepsiCo, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“Releasing the genome, in coordination with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), will advance oat research globally by democratizing access to enabling tools that are needed for sustainable food systems and agriculture solutions (e.g. drought, disease, soil erosion, etc.). An open-source approach serves to continue scientific advancements and ultimately improve food and nutrition security, one of PepsiCo’s main goals,” he further notes.

The full oat genome mapping was completed in four months, in collaboration with academia, government and the private sector. Breeding for better yield is expected to produce more resilient varieties with improved disease resistance and guard against loss in the field; create longer root systems and healthier soils that sequester carbon and reduce water run-off; and reduce the amount of land and other resources needed to grow oats.  

In terms of nutrition, oat grains are already rich in fiber and essential nutrients. Understanding a full oat genome improves the ability to target these qualities, ultimately benefiting consumers looking for elevated nutrition profiles from their oats. Meanwhile, in the context of taste, encouraging the consumption of nutrient-dense oats through the introduction of more flavorful varieties can potentially help expand their appeal.

Primary project contributors include Corteva, applying its advanced sequencing technology and analytic capabilities; the University of North Carolina Charlotte, providing sequence data and learnings; and the Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan, providing the oat variety. The data is being hosted on the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s GrainGenes website.

Crop complexities
The oat genome is markedly complex compared to many other crops. “The size and complexity of the oat genome has historically been a major barrier to success. In addition, oat is a minor crop and therefore attracts less R&D investment compared to other grains. As a consequence, breeding new oat varieties has not made the gains seen in other grains like corn and rice,” Lammers tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

A key gap to more effective oat R&D was the lack of an oat genome to support discovery and breeding of better oat varieties for farmers and consumers. “Advances in multiple sequencing technologies, software and cloud computing as well as deep subject matter expertise to leverage and combine the right technologies unlocked the speed and quality of assembling a genome of this size and complexity,” remarks Lammers.

He further details, “The oat genome is very complex in that it has six copies (hexaploid) of chromosomes with estimated size of 11 to 12 billion bases (Gb). It is very similar in terms of size and complexity to wheat, but much larger and more complex than other major crops like corn and soy, which have extensive historic private funding.”

“We are at an exciting time in oat genomics as technological advances have taken the oat community to the forefront of understanding how complex polyploid genomes function. This public-private partnership with PepsiCo that continues to benefit the whole oat community,” says Dr. Jessica Schlueter, Associate Professor, University of North Carolina Charlotte.

“We are so pleased that our breeding line was included in this effort,” comments Dr. Aaron Beattie, Associate Professor, Crop Development Centre at University of Saskatchewan. “This line has a strong combination of quality attributes, including high beta-glucan, protein and milling yield, resistance to diseases like crown rust and smut, and good yield potential in a short plant stature. Its underlying traits can now be studied and understood, and will ultimately assist breeders in their efforts to improve oat.”  

The project is now working with key oat stakeholders to pool resources and deliver additional genomic tools that build upon this crucial unlock, which may hold future potential for similar research of other crops.  “This genome assembly is foundational for oat research and the technology unlocks by Corteva have broader applications for research in any other plant (or organism) that has a large and complex genome,” concludes Lammers.