Action Title: Omics Technologies for Crop Improvement, Traceability, Determination of Authenticity, Adulteration and Origin in Saffron (SAFFRONOMICS)

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• Action Title Omics Technologies for Crop
  Improvement, Traceability, Determination of
  Authenticity, Adulteration and Origin in Saffron
  (SAFFRONOMICS)
• Action number FA1101
• Start date 24/11/2011
• End date 23/11/2015
• Year 2nd

• Maria Z. Tsimidou
• Chair
• Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/
  Greece

• Annual Progress Conference
• Jerusalem, 1-3 July 2013

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• Scientific context and objectives (1/2)

• Background / Problem statement Saffron is
• a profitable High Value Agricultural Product
  (HVAP), of European in origin, cultural and
  historical background
• fits food-safety tendencies in Europe
• a crop that fixes population in the rural areas
• The European Saffron industry is in crisis.
  Little or null impact in the CAP.
• Adulteration and mislabelling are key problems.
• The scientific human power involved in Saffron
  RTD is petite.
• This crop requires global actions, overcoming
  private and national interests actions are
  needed beyond EU borders.
• Brief reminder of MoU objectives To build up a
  network of collaborative research on the
  structural organization of Saffron genome, DNA
  fingerprinting, chemical fingerprinting,
  proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics of
  this crop. The final objective is to preserve
  Crocus biodiversity, to carry out genetic
  improvement and to protect quality,
  sustainability, and safety of production of
  saffron in Europe.
• The long term achievement expected CONTROL OF
  ADULTERATION WORLDWIDE.

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Family Iridaceae Subfamily Crocoideae Genus
Crocus Species Crocus Sativus Linnaeus
Crocus sativus L.

• The plant Crocus sativus L.
• is a member of the Iridaceae
• family.
• The major producing countries
• are Iran, India, Spain and Greece.
• It is a perennial, triploid, sterile
• plant and is reproduced by corms.
• It reaches a height of 10 to 25
• cm.
• Its purple flowers consist of 6
• petals.
• The pistil is located in the
• centre of its flower with one ovary
• from which a style is emerged.
• Style is ended to a three-branch

• ?? f?t? C. sativus L. a???e? st?? ???????e?a t??
  ???d?e?d??.
• ?? ????e? ?????pa?a????? ???e? e??a? t? ????, ?
  ??d?a, ? ?spa??a ?a? ? ????da.
• ???a? f?t? t??p??e?d??, ste???, p???ap?as???eta?
  µe ß??ß???.
• ?? ???? t?? ??µa??eta? ap? 10 ??? 25 e?.
• ?a ??d? ???? t?? ap?te????ta? ap? 6 p?ta?a.
• St? ???t?? t?? ?????? ?p?????? 3 ??t?????
  st?µ??e? ?a? ? ?????? µe t? st??? ? ?p????
  d?a?????eta? se 3

stigma
style
st??µata
stigma
ovary
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Annual cycle of the plant Crocus sativus L.
? ?????? ???? t?? f?t?? Crocus sativus L.
corms 3 to 6 years in the same field
ß??ß?? 3 µe 6 ?????a st? ?d?? ????f?
White Book, Saffron in Europe
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• Scientific context and objectives (2/2)

• Research directions
• -ORGANISING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE RD and
  INNOVATION
• ASSEMBLING PREEMINENT EXPERTS (MULTIDISCIPLINARY
  APPROACH)
• INVOLVING PRODUCERS, MANUFACTURERS, MARKET
  STAKEHOLDERS CONSUMERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
  FRAUD
• This integrated knowledge will be the basis for
  the development of Saffron genetic improvement,
  for reliable innovative techniques to produce
  high value saffron and to combat especially
  bio-adulteration and fraud.

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• Working groups

• Working group Genetics, Genomics
  Transcriptomics (coordinated research on these
  fields). Leader P. Herslop-Harrison (UK)
  Co-Leader A. Mozzarelli (IT)
• Working group Phytochemistry Metabolomics
  (coordinated research on these fields). Leader
  M. Polissiou (GR) Co-leader M. Carmona (ES)
• Working group Molecular and Phytochemical
  fingerprinting for breeding, traceability, and
  authenticity (development of technological tools)
  Leader S. Fluch (AT) Co-Leader P. Tarantilis
  (GR)
• Working group Dissemination, Project Management
  Coordination. Leader O. Santana (ES) Co-Leader
  JM. Thiercelin (FR)

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• Future Plan and Challenges

• Further advance in the genetic characterization,
  estimation of biodiversity and development of
  molecular and chemical descriptors for Saffron
  and Crocus spp. at the CROCUSBANK World Saffron
  and Crocus Collection (www.crocusbank.org).
• To evaluate the available genomic tools and
  modern genetic and breeding approaches looking
  for crop improvement in saffron and ornamental
  crocuses.
• To initiate the application of omics techniques
  to detect new-generation bioadulterants in
  saffron, based on DNA and chemical
  fingerprinting.
• To initiate genomic typing of Saffron in PDOs and
  recognized areas, as tools for traceability
  applications, determination of authenticity, and
  for fighting against fraud of origin, labelling
  and marketing in this HVAP, the highest-priced
  European food product.

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Action Parties

• Grant Holder
• Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)
• Spain
• Dr. Marta Roldan-Medina

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Action participants
10
IRAN2 INDIA1 AJERBAIJAN1 USA2 NEW Zealand
2 SAUDI ARABIA1
ISRAEL1 MOROCCO2 EGYPT 1 TURKEY1
1
2
1
2
4
1
1
3
3
1
1
10
2
1
20
19
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• Use of COST Instruments

Activity (No.) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
MC/WG Meetings 3 3
STSMs 5 5
Training Schools - -
Workshops or Conferences 1 -
Joint Publications - -
In scientific journals
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Progress vs objectives

• Progress in joint research has been achieved
  mainly through exchange visits of young
  scientists from laboratories of established
  experience in saffron quality and authenticity
  aspects (Spain, Italy, Greece) to laboratories of
  established experience in new analytical
  techniques (Greece, Spain, Italy, the
  Netherlands) and between laboratories involved in
  Plant Genomics (Spain, Italy).
• Progress has been also achieved in networking of
  individual researchers during the 4 meetings so
  far (2 collaboration for project submission).
• WEB page (www.saffronomics.gr) and newsletter are
  useful platforms for communicating various types
  of information on saffronomics and other
  related activities
• Progress was also achieved in dissemination about
  saffron properties, authenticity and consumer
  awareness as well as for expansion of saffron
  cultivation (Austria, FYROM, Israel, Egypt, Saudi
  Arabia)

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Progress vs objectives

• Main Results obtained vs. specific objectives
  were the 54 communications by a total of 95
  different authors presented in the 3 COST FA1101
  Meetings taken place during the 2012 year and the
  20 ones presented by a total of 49 authors in the
  1rst meeting of 2013 (http//www.saffronomics.org/
  download-center/)
• Agreement to share reference samples of saffron
  dried stigmas to get comparable scientific
  results among laboratories
• Agreement to collaborate in ring tests for the
  improvement of analytical protocols

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• Significant Highlights in Science or Networking

• One proposal to the Call FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN.
• One proposal in Call FP7-KBBE-2013-7 -
  single-stage -KBBE.2013.2.4-01 Assuring quality
  and authenticity in the food chain

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• Challenges

• Deviations are mainly due to financial
  restrictions in terms of national or european
  fundings
• Collaboration between academics and industrial
  partners -even when agreements are signed is
  not funded easily.
• More data are expected in the field of Genomics
  and transcriptomics. This work is tedious and
  expensive.

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Socio-economic impacts and important societal
impacts

• Involvement of SAFFRONOMICS partners with saffron
  producers and companies strengthen the links
  among all interested parties (Italy, Spain,
  Greece)
• Expansion of saffron cultivation has become a
  strategic plan (Austria)
• Familiarization of the young generation from
  producing areas with saffron cultivation,
  authenticity and properties has become a priority
  in the activities of certain partners (Greece)

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Thank you for your attention