Biofortification and plant molecular farming: two sides of the same coin

Gianfranco Diretto 
ENEA, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development - Italy

January 28, 2026 (11:30-12:30)
Webinar Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/39681059803866?p=nOtTBf9Z3sT8cTgFl5

Abstract: Metabolic engineering has revolutionized classic breeding, allowing the production of new plant materials enriched or devoid of molecules of pro- and anti-nutritional interest, respectively; historically, the greatest efforts and the most promising results have concerned the obtaining of lines of species of agricultural interest (rice, corn, potato and tomato) in which the vitamin content (A, B, C, E, K) has been increased or accumulated de novo. Subsequently, metabolic engineering found a further field of application in the use of plants as biofactories ("molecular agriculture") for the production of metabolites with high added value and, therefore, of strong industrial interest (pharmaceutical, cosmetics, etc). In this context, ENEA has a long tradition in the field of metabolic engineering, specifically of carotenoids and, more recently, of apocarotenoids: after a general introduction and on the main metabolic engineering strategies for different classes of natural molecules, there will be presented (i) the approaches that led to the creation of potato and tomato lines enriched in -carotene and total carotenoids (therefore defined as “Golden”); (ii) characterization studies, through the use of omics sciences, of these materials, with particular reference to the accessory effects on metabolism and agronomic traits; (iii) the "molecular farming" strategies that have led to the generation of plants (Nicotiana benthamiana, potatoes and tomatoes) capable of accumulating saffron apocarotenoids. Finally, the research developed in ENEA for the generation and characterization of tomato lines free of anti-nutritional molecules (glycoalkaloids and allergens), produced through genome editing technology, will be presented

Author's Info: https://biotec.sostenibilita.enea.it/people/gianfranco-diretto