KeyPoint Mutation Breeding - Gene Based Trait Development

Basic research on plant genes and their functions is fueled by an implicit promise: that we may adapt genes for the improvement of our crop plants. However, despite the many known genes/functions, their direct application in practical breeding is seen only seldom. Among the main reasons for this disparity is the cost and time involved in the making and testing of novel alleles, plus the uncertainty of added value in already high-performance elite breeding material. This constellation of factors is unfavourable to make wider and fast progress in gene-based breeding. Keygene’s interest is to provide approaches that will resolve this disparity. We developed KeyPoint^® Mutation Breeding: a random point-mutagenesis (non-GMO) platform designed to rapidly single out new gene variants with potentially enhanced function. It does this within one crop generation, starting from any source of seed. KeyPoint MB provides a versatile, economic and green gene-technology for a broad range of crop species, regardless of generation time, breeding system or genetic background.

Our KeyPoint MB technology is available to help in achieving this goal and in bringing molecular genetics and gene functional analysis closer to the practical breeder.

The KeyPoint^® MB technology is covered by patents and patent applications owned by Keygene N.V. KeyPoint is a registered trademark of Keygene N.V.