Development of rice blast resistance using Genome Editing induced Gene Silencing (GEiGS)

Rice is a staple food source for over half the world's population and the main source of income and employment for over 200 million households across the world (Asibi\_et\_al\_2019). World rice production is forecast to reach over 500 million tonnes in 2020 (FAO\_2020). However, rice production cannot meet increasing global demand, with the world population projected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030 (UN\_2019).

Rice yields are also decreasing as a result of climate change and rising temperatures; each 1°C rise in global mean temperature is predicted to reduce the global rice yield by 3.2% (Zhao\_et\_al\_2017).

Today, 30% of rice production losses globally (which could feed 60 million people; Nalley\_et\_al\_2016) are caused by rice blast, a pathogenic fungus that can cause total crop failure and is found in all rice-growing regions (Wang\_et\_al\_2014). The appearance of new and more virulent strains of rice blast are challenging for traditional management and control methods such as fungicides and plant breeding (Asibi\_et\_al\_2019).

Tropic Biosciences is developing high-performing commercial varieties of tropical crops (such as banana and coffee), which promote cultivation efficiencies, enhance consumer health, and improve sustainable environmental practices. Our approach relies on proprietary and patented cutting-edge genetic editing technologies, developed in house. With Innovate UK support, we will extend our world-leading gene editing technology to the development of rice blast resistance, building our portfolio in rice.

Headquartered at the renowned Norwich Research Park, with access to world-leading facilities, Tropic Biosciences was founded in 2016 by a team of highly experienced entrepreneurs and academics, including: CEO Gilad Gershon, experienced AgTech private equity investor and entrepreneur; CSO Dr Eyal Maori, scientific co-founder of Beelogics, which was acquired by Monsanto in 2011; and, CTO Dr Ofir Meir, former Head of the Agro Chemistry Division at Rosetta Green, acquired by Monsanto in 2013\.

We now employ a team of over 80 industry-leading experts. This year, we closed a £22.5 million Series B round of equity funding (the largest ever funding round in the UK AgriTech sector) to accelerate our growth trajectory through field trials for our novel banana varieties and to further commercialise our proprietary Genome Editing induced Gene Silencing (GEiGS) technology platform.

This Innovate UK project extends our work to rice for the first time. By achieving a sustainable increase in rice production, this project will improve global food security and contribute to poverty alleviation, in the face of global population growth and climate change.