Development of novel cover crop, CoverCress, as a sustainable plant-based protein source for food applications

Project SummaryThe goal of this Phase I effort is to demonstrateCoverCress as a new source of protein for the plant- based protein market. CoverCress is a winter covercrop that is targeted towards corn-soy rotation farmersin the American Midwest. The unique feature ofCoverCress is that it doubles as a cash crop providing$50-70/acre in net returns to the farmer. This givesfarmers a financial incentive to adopt a cover cropstrategy because it more than offsets the cost ofplanting and harvesting the cover crop while providingenvironmental benefits―cover crops prevent soilerosion and nutrient runoff reduce pesticide use anddisease emergence and sequester carbon from theatmosphere. Additionally CoverCress is ready toharvest in late May prior to soybean planting and can be done using a standard soybean combine. Weestimate that CoverCress can bring a potential $275/acre in economic value to the US economy fromthe 35 million acres of corn-soy farmland in the Midwest about $9.6 billion overall. We expect thisvalue to grow through improved CoverCress varieties with greater yields and climate hardiness.CoverCress was initially developed from field pennycress as a winter oilseed crop withenhanced yields low fiber low glucosinolates and low erucic acid content (similar to the rapeseed- canola transition). This allows for CoverCress oil to find applications in both biofuel and culinarymarkets while the meal co-product from oil extraction can be used as a source of animal feed. Toimprove the economic value of the meal this Phase I effort will test the suitability of CoverCressprotein in the emerging plant-based protein market. This market estimated to be $20 billion by 2023includes products such as dairy and meat substitutes baking ingredients dips and whipped toppings.Each one of these products requires a protein input with a different functionality. For example dairysubstitutes require exceptional protein solubility to make a smooth beverage while dips may requiregood protein emulsification properties. Prior encouraging results on pennycress protein revealed highsolubility and emulsifiability and we expect CoverCress protein to perform similarly.Our Phase I objectives are to analyze the functionality of CoverCress protein in order todetermine which end-products can be best served by the product. We will examine meal proximatecomposition protein solubility emulsification foaming ability and water holding capacity. This willset the groundwork for food development testing in Phase II. Additionally we plan to use robustgenetic tools to develop CoverCress lines with the potential to alter protein functionality and targetadditional products in the plant-based protein market. These experimental transgenic lines will betested for functionality and re-created using non-transgenic means (gene editing) in a subsequent PhaseII effort.We expect CoverCress to yield a high protein content from the initial feedstock and performwell in at least one functionality test (solubility emulsification foaming ability water holdingcapacity). This will enable the commercialization of CoverCress protein as competitive alternative toother plant-derived protein sources such as soy pea and canola. In addition we expect to generate atleast one transgenic CoverCress line with altered protein functionalities. This should serve as a startingpoint for creating a functionally diverse portfolio of CoverCress protein sources each one useful for adifferent plant-based protein product.Overall we are excited to introduce CoverCress as an added value for corn-soy farmers in theAmerican Midwest a source of potentially new plant-based protein products and a means to mitigatethe environmental impacts of large-scale agriculture.