Our Story
Our Story
Crossing Wheat with Barley
Research Project led by Professor Antonio Martin
Professor Antonio Martin
His project was to look at making crosses between wheat (Triticum) and barley (Hordeum) species. One of the aims was the "holy grail" of getting a fertile inter-species hybrid between wheat and barley, but also there was interest in introgressing traits of interest from Hordeum into wheat, traits such as drought, heat and salt stress resistance and disease resistances.
The very start of the project was in the late 1970's in the Plant Breeding Institute in Cambridge, UK where Prof. Antonio Martin was doing a postdoc after finishing his PhD at the University of Córdoba.
Barley tends to be more robust as crop than wheats and will yield under much more marginal conditions.
Back then, crop breeding primarily prioritized enhancing yields within intensive production methods. However, in today's acknowledgment of climate change and the shift towards sustainability, there's a demand for resilient crops tailored to less intensive production systems like organic farming, making the objectives of the Cambridge project highly pertinent.
Tritordeum = Triticum durum X Hordeum chilense
The main outcome of the project was that only a single one of the many Triticum X Hordeum combinations tested.
Triticum. durum X Hordeum chilense gave rise to fertile progeny. From the very beginning the progeny plants were seen to have a very good appearance and excellent fertility compared with what is normally expected from inter-specific crosses.
We now suspect that this is due to closer genetic distance between T. durum and H. chilense than would be expected which is why this genomic combination is compatible and gives viable plants. It was thus clear that Tritordeum was very interesting both from the scientific standpoint and potentially agronomically - following the example of triticale, the other manmade Triticum hybrid crop species (T. durum X Secale).
On returning to the University and later the IAS-CSIC (Institute for Sustainable Agriculture) in Córdoba, Antonio Martin decided to set up a Tritordeum breeding program.
He collected T. durum lines / varieties from international germplasm collections, but H. chilense were not well represented in those seed banks.
Juan Ballesteros
Five expeditions were conducted to Chile and Argentina to collect H. chilense germplasm, involving Juan Ballesteros and Cristobal Martinez, who would participate in the breeding program for the following decades (with Martinez still actively involved).
The objective was to establish a highly diverse germplasm foundation for generating a primary tritordeum population.
Around 250 primary combinations were created, utilizing over 100 H. chilense lines and 80 T. durum lines. Initial grain quality assessments revealed unexpected bread-making quality in tritordeum, a surprise considering Hordeums typically lack such quality.
It became evident that H. chilense possesses atypical traits, with its gluten proteins bearing close resemblance to those of wheat. This discovery unexpectedly paved the way for developing an alternative bread-making cereal, a feat unprecedented since the domestication of bread wheat.
Agrasys: Pioneering the launch of Tritordeum
Agrasys, the IAS-CSIC spin-off launching Tritordeum
Agrasys Team
In 2005, Agrasys, a Spanish biotech spin-off of IAS-CSIC, was established. The original founders comprised the same scientists who had been involved in Tritordeum research since its inception: Professor Antonio Martin, Dr. Francisco Barro, Dr. Pilar Barcelo Ensesa, and Dr. Paul Lasseri. By 2006, Agrasys had secured exclusive rights to the expertise developed by A. Martin, encompassing all available germplasm and knowledge amassed regarding this novel species.
Subsequently, in close collaboration with IAS-CSIC, the Tritordeum breeding program experienced rapid expansion aimed at selecting varieties suitable for commercialization.
Since its start, the breeding program has been focused on three key areas:
- Efficiency, addressing factors such as yield, kernel size, and threshing ability.
- Sustainability, focusing on traits like drought and heat resistance, as well as disease resistance.
- Technology, initially concentrating on bread-making quality and more recently extending to include malting quality.
Throughout the program's progression, significant traits have been identified in Tritordeum, including:
- Resistance to salinity and cold.
- Enhanced nitrogen use efficiency.
- Resistance to septoria and rusts.
- Reduced immunogenic gliadins in gluten
- Exceptional enzymatic activity
Key Attributes unveiled by Breeding Program
The "best combinations" of those attributes are selected from advanced lines and varieties. Presently, the advanced material has been selected in Córdoba and is tailored to suit a southern Mediterranean climate.
Given the considerable variability within the germplasm base, one of the objectives is to identify lines adapted to more northern climates. However, this endeavor is a long-term process, requiring collaboration with partners possessing breeding stations in other regions. Such partnerships enable us to conduct selection processes under varied conditions conducive to achieving our goals.
Wiro Nillesen and Etienne Vassiliadis
AUCAN and BULEL are the initial two Tritordeum commercial varieties introduced by Agrasys in 2014, both protected by the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO).
Agrasys continued its operations until 2020 when its assets were acquired by Vivagran. This transition was enabled by Etienne Vassiliadis, former Sales Manager at Agrasys, and Wiro Nillesen, the former Value-Chain Manager for Northern Europe.
Vivagran is actively engaged in advancing the breeding program for Tritordeum, with support from former Agrasys founders who serve on the company's advisory board.
Alba Martinez, the head breeder, explores the potential of the extensive Tritordeum germplasm collection, evaluating its suitability for innovative applications and diverse geographical regions of cultivation.
Currently, Tritordeum cultivation spans across Spain, Italy, Greece, The Netherlands, and Australia.
Vivagran: Continuing Tritordeum's legacy
Etienne Vassiliadis and Alba Martinez
Vivagran is actively engaged in advancing the breeding program for Tritordeum, with support from former Agrasys founders who serve on the company's advisory board.
Alba Martinez, the head breeder, explores the potential of the extensive Tritordeum germplasm collection, evaluating its suitability for innovative applications and diverse geographical regions of cultivation.
Currently, Tritordeum cultivation spans across Spain, Italy, Greece, The Netherlands, and Australia.
Vivagran: IP licensing and internationalization
The company's present priorities are as follows:
- Strategic Alignment: Adjusting our business model to facilitate the inclusion of new licensees.
- Expansion and Variety: Providing assistance to licensees by offering new varieties featuring desirable traits like malting and pasta-making capabilities.
- Global Outreach: Launching our species in new markets, including the USA and Canada.
Tritordeum's breeding program
Latest Success Story: Atlantis Malt Series
In 2024, the introduction of a novel range of malts derived from Tritordeum is unveiled as the Atlantis Malt Series.
Following two years of intensive research and development led by Boortmalt, in partnership with Vivagran, Tritordeum enters the malting industry under the guidance of the global leader in malting.
Tritordeum malt holds exceptional attributes that will prove advantageous to both brewers and distillers. Further details can be found in the Technology section.
Vivagran is continuing the legacy established by Agrasys with the introduction of the innovative Tritordeum species to the global cereal market.
Tritordeum's distinctive attributes, encompassing sustainability, technology, nutrition, and taste, position it as a unique and innovative alternative to traditional wheats and barleys across various end-product applications.