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The genesis of Florida Genetics LLC (FLG) stretches back to the1970's and 80's when development of technology to clone crop plants from cells, combined with breakthroughs in manipulation and analysis of DNA, foretold a revolution in agriculture via “Biotechnology” or “Genetic Engineering”. In the ensuing years, several major agricultural crops (in particular, corn, cotton and soybean) were genetically engineered for improved insect and herbicide tolerance and then commercially deployed around the world. The benefit of these crops to farmers and consumers through decreased pesticide usage, environmental improvements, increased worker safety and reliable yields was repeatedly confirmed and is evidenced by their commercial success over the last two decades.
The demonstrated potential of the emergent field of biotechnology for crop improvement led to an increase in research efforts to adapt it to other crops. In 1982, Dr. Dennis J. Gray received a Ph.D. for research on disease resistance of pine trees and began to develop cell culture technologies for forage grasses and cereals. In 1984 he established the Grape Biotechnology Laboratory at the University of Florida . In the late 1980's Zhijian T. Li began Ph.D. research to develop cell regeneration and genetic engineering systems for rice. Dr. Li joined the Grape Biotechnology Lab in 1998.
While research on the major agricultural crops was booming, woody fruit crops like grape remained problematic. Although grape is the world's most economically valuable fruit crop, the problems inherent in its bioengineering presented an obstacle to the development of improved traits. Thus Dr. Gray and Li's pioneering work in genetically engineering grapes and the associated biotechnological techniques largely progressed with little outside competition. Today these leaders in the field stand years ahead of the world in patented grape technology. Although still considered difficult by most experts, genetic engineering of grape has been commonplace in the Grape Biotechnology Laboratory for almost a decade, resulting in the unique development of prototype disease resistant plants, which are now in USDA approved field tests in Florida and the US Virgin Islands. The plants are protected by several US patents covering the regeneration system and genetic engineering approach by which they were produced as well as the genetic tools and genes used.
The patented technology and personal skill possessed by Gray and Li has application far beyond the development of disease resistant grape, extending to use in plants, animals and microbes such as bacteria, fungi and yeast. Certain of the disease resistance genes and controlling elements have already been inserted into citrus and tobacco for future testing. Gray and Li's background in grass and cereal biotechnology facilitates application of the technology to biomass development. The unique patented bidirectional dual promoter system and associated proprietary know-how has wide application in microbial genetics to facilitate bioethanol conversion.
The demonstrated successes of the grape technology and clear potential to extend it to other applications, such as biomass/biofuel technology led to the creation of FLG in 2006. FLG brings together distinguished scientists and businessmen to lead the way in commercializing these revolutionary technologies. |
