01
Environment-ready cultivars
Vegetable Crop Breeding
Kimchi cabbage and peppers are representative vegetable crops that are widely consumed in South Korea. Tomatoes are the most consumed vegetable crop globally. We are developing breeding lines with useful characteristics in these three major vegetable crops. If these lines are successfully developed, they will contribute to enhancing agricultural competitiveness through minimized climate change-induced damages, improved agricultural productivity, reduced cultivation costs, and increased added value.
Key points
- •Kimchi cabbage: tolerance to adverse environmental conditions, suitability for greenhouse cultivation
- •Peppers: ideal plant architecture for reduction of trade-offs between growth and abiotic stress responses, suitability for once-over mechanical harvesting, stability of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration
- •Tomatoes: novel cytoplasmic male sterility
02
Digital breeding foundation
Application of AI models based on time-series 3D image data for breeding
We are developing a high-efficiency digital breeding platform that integrates high-quality phenotypic data, including time-series 3D imaging, with genomic information. Our research focuses on AI-based phenotyping, multi-omics data integration, and the development of LLMs and digital twins for growth prediction and breeding simulation. This platform aims to accelerate crop breeding and support optimized cultivation for smart farming and space agriculture.
Key points
- •Development of a platform for massive acquisition of images for phenomics analysis, including time-series 3D images
- •Development of AI models for phenomics data extraction and integrated analysis with genomic data
- •Development of LLM models and digital twins incorporating phenomics and genomics data
03
Durable resistance breeding
Abiotic stress diagnosis and mitigation
To address food security challenges driven by climate change and extreme weather, we are building an integrated agricultural system that combines stress-tolerant breeding with optimized cultivation technologies. Our research focuses on AI-based plant stress analysis, including transcriptome-driven stress diagnosis, alongside the development of stress-resilient cultivars and cultivation strategies using environmental control and beneficial microbes. Through this approach, we aim to provide practical solutions to climate challenges and demonstrate the synergy between breeding and cultivation technologies.
Key points
- •Development of AI models for real-time quantitative/qualitative stress analysis through fusion of transcriptome data and sensing/imaging data
- •Development of breeding materials with tolerance to abiotic stress
- •Development of customized cultivation technologies (microbial treatment, environmental control, etc.) to maximize adverse environmental tolerance of breeding materials
04
Organelle-driven trait control
mtDNA dynamics analysis & molecular breeding of CMS
Plant mitochondrial genomes play key roles in cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), which is widely used for efficient F1 seed production, and may also influence important traits such as stress adaptation. To overcome the challenges of analyzing these structurally complex genomes, we have established an automated pipeline for mitochondrial genome assembly and are developing technologies to induce genome rearrangement by targeting genes that suppress mitochondrial recombination. In parallel, we conduct molecular breeding research to improve pepper seed production by addressing CMS-related issues such as instability of male sterility and inaccurate molecular markers. This research has strong potential for practical application in commercial seed production systems.
Key points
- •Establishment of an automated mitochondrial genome assembly pipeline
- •Development of structural variation induction technology using mutants of mitochondrial genome rearrangement suppressor gene
- •Development of novel male-sterile cytoplasm using the developed mutagenesis technology (targeting tomato and Kimchi cabbage)
- •Establishment of a precise molecular breeding system for cytoplasmic male sterility that can be utilized in commercial F1 seed production in peppers