Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM) – Fruit Crops Biotechnology Unit (Lead Contact: Dr. Mickael Malnoy)

(EIC Pathfinder) Through the combined use of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), protoplast regeneration, in vitro synthetic meiosis induction, and editing via trans-grafting, the project aims to overcome the long timelines of traditional breeding (reducing cycles from decades to just a few weeks) to create plants that are more resilient to climate change and diseases, laying the foundation for the "Programmable Orchard".

European Fruit Cultivation is facing unprecedented challenges related to climate change — such as prolonged periods of drought, heat spikes, and extreme weather events — as well as an increase in biotic threats due to the emergence of new pests and pathogens. However, developing more resilient fruit varieties using traditional breeding methods requires decades. Woody plants have very long lifecycles before reaching flowering and display high genetic complexity, making selection and propagation difficult.

The SMARTER-FRUIT project was created to overcome these structural obstacles and lay the scientific foundations for the so-called "Programmable Orchard" (Frutteto Programmabile).

The project develops and integrates a combination of innovative biotechnologies:

• In Vitro Synthetic Meiosis: A technology designed to bypass the lengthy natural reproductive cycle (fruit-seed-plant-flower-fruit), allowing genetic recombination to be induced directly in the laboratory and reducing selection timelines from decades to a few weeks.
• Protoplast Regeneration: The optimization of cell culture techniques and identification of key regeneration genes to overcome the natural resistance (recalcitrance) of woody species to in vitro manipulation.
• Transgene-Free Gene Editing (Trans-grafting): The use of specialized rootstocks capable of sending editing RNA signals toward the rest of the plant, enabling targeted genetic modifications in commercial varieties without leaving any trace of foreign DNA in the final product (transgene-free).
• Precision Allelic Replacement: Targeted interventions on the regulatory regions of genes to activate internal tolerance mechanisms against water/thermal stress and disease resistance.

L'obiettivo finale di SMARTER-FRUIT è fornire alla frutticoltura una capacità di risposta rapida ed "on-demand" di fronte alle emergenze climatiche e fitosanitarie, accelerando la creazione di piante più sostenibili, produttive e conformi alle normative europee sulle NGT.

"Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them."