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Harnessing crop breeding innovations for a sustainable agricultural future
Dr. Sebastian Schultheiss, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Computomics, walks us through harnessing crop breeding innovations for a sustainable agricultural future. Our agricultural production today faces the dilemma of addressing two challenges at once. Food security and nutrition on the one hand, sustainability and resource efficiency on the other. In other words, farmers must produce enough food to feed the world's growing population today while also protecting the environment and ensuring that they can continue producing food tomorrow. Extreme weather conditions like droughts, heat waves, floods and storms have become alarmingly common and are worsening yearly. These events erode the foundation of our crops, the livelihoods of millions of farmers, and, by extension, the global food supply chain. Addressing these challenges is an urgent concern for a sustainable agricultural future.

Population growth in the next few decades will increase the need for food production, while the yields of major food crops could be impacted by the changing climate and changing threats from pests and pathogens. Crop breeding, both through conventional techniques, and GM assisted breeding could help meet these challenges, if adequately supported by appropriate information on the future climate. We highlight some of the major challenges for crop breeders and growers in the coming decades, and describe the main characteristics of crop breeding techniques and other adaptation options for agriculture. We review recent uses of climate information to support crop breeding decisions and make recommendations for how this might be improved. We conclude that there is significant potential for breeders to work more closely with climate scientists and crop modellers in order to address the challenges of climate change. It is not yet clear how climate information can best be used. Fruitful areas of investigation include: provision of climate information to identify key target breeding traits and develop improved success criteria (e.g. for heat/drought stress); identification of those conditions under which multiple stress factors (for example, heat stress, mid-season drought stress, flowering drought stress, terminal drought stress) are important in breeding programmes; use of climate information to inform selection of trial sites; identification of the range of environments and locations under which crop trials should be performed (likely to be a wider range of environments than done at present); identification of appropriate duration of trials (likely to be longer than current trials, due to the importance of capturing extreme events); and definition of appropriate methods for incorporating climate information into crop breeding programmes, depending on the specific needs of the breeding programme and the strengths and weaknesses of available approaches. Better knowledge is needed on climate-related thresholds important to crop breeders, for example on the frequency and severity of extreme climate events relevant to the product profile, or to help provide tailored climate analyses (particularly for extreme events). The uncertainties inherent in climate and impact projections provide a particular challenge for translating climate science into actionable outcomes for agriculture. Further work is needed to explore relevant social and economic assumptions such as the level and distribution of real incomes, changing consumption patterns, health impacts, impacts on markets and trade, and the impact of legislation relating to conservation, the environment and climate change.

List of Figures -- List of Tables -- List of Contributing Authors -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- I Introduction -- 1 Farmers, Gene Banks, and Crop Breeding: Introduction and Overview 3 M. Smale, M. Bellon, and P. L. Pingal -- 2 Definition and Measurement of Crop Diversity for Economic Analysis 19 E. C. H. Meng, M. Smale, M. R. Bellon, and D. Grimanell -- II Valuation of Crop Genetic Resources Conserved Ex Situ -- 3 The Cost of Conserving Maize and Wheat Genetic Resources Ex Situ 35 P. G. Pardey, B. Skovmand, S. Taba, E. Van Dusen, and B.D. Wright -- 4 Optimal Collection and Search for Crop Genetic Resources 57 D. Gollin, M. Smale, and B. Skovmand -- 5 Crop Breeding Models and Implications for Valuing Genetic Resources 79 R. E. Evenson and S. Lemarie -- III Conserving Crop Diversity on Farms -- 6 Farmers' Perceptions of Varietal Diversity: Implications for On-farm Conservation of Rice 95 M. R. Bellon, J.-L. Pham, L. S. Sebastian, S. R. Francisco, G. C. Loresto, D. Erasga, P. Sanchez, M. Calibo, G. Abrigo, and S. Quilloy -- 7 Agronomic and Economic Competitiveness of Maize Landraces and In Situ Conservation in Mexico 109 H. Perales R., S. B. Brush, and C. O. Qualset -- 8 Implications for the Conservation of Wheat Landraces in Turkey from a Household Model of Varietal Choice 127 E.C. H. Meng, J. E. Taylor, and S. B. Brush -- IV Impacts of Crop Diversity on Productivity and Stability -- 9 The Contribution of Genetic Resources and Diversity to Wheat Productivity in the Punjab of Pakistan 145 J. Hartell, M. Smale, P. W. Heisey, and B. Senauer -- 10 Varietal Diversity and Yield Variability in Chinese Rice Production 159 D. Widawsky and S. Rozelle -- 11 The Economic Impact of Diversifying the Genetic Resistance to Leaf Rust Disease in Modern Bread Wheats 173 M. Smale and R. P. Singh -- V Policies and Genetic Resource Utilization -- 12 Intellectual Property Rights, Technology Transfer, and Genetic Resource Utilization 191 D. Zilberman, C. Yarkin, and A. Heiman -- 13 Enhancing the Diversity of Modern Germplasm through the International Coordination of Research Roles 205 G. Traxler and P. L. Pingal -- 14 Achieving Desirable Levels of Crop Diversity in Farmers' Fields: Factors Affecting the Production and Use of Commercial Seed 217 M. L. Morris and P. W. Heisey -- 15 Collaborative Plant Breeding as an Incentive for On-farm Conservation of Genetic Resources: Economic Issues from Studies in Mexico 239 M. Smale, D. Soleri, D. A. Cleveland, D. Louette, E. B. Rice, and A. Aguirre.

The article presents aspects of using the adapted gene pool of economically valuable wood species of the VNIISPK arboretum to improve the environment, increase the potential of resource indicators, and create comfortable living conditions for people. The genetic collection of the arboretum, which includes 329 species, forms and varieties, representing 17 orders, 31 families and 57 genera, has enormous potential and fulfills a number of important tasks: scientific, educational, environmental, aesthetic and recreational.

Molecular Breeding for Sustainable Crop Improvement, Volume 2 focuses on integration of advances in genetics, cytogenetics, molecular biology and biotechnology aimed at alien gene introgression for genetic improvement of major crop species at molecular level to help overcome the limitations associated with conventional plant breeding. This book includes articles on the availability and application of modern genomic approaches, tools, and resources in a precision breeding approach. The contributions involve the use of molecular markers and linkage, QTL and association mapping of agronomic traits to identify candidate genes and to design functional markers for marker assisted selection (MAS), gene pyramiding using MAS coupled with marker assisted back cross breeding (MABB), next generation sequencing (NGS) to generate genome wide markers and screen new alleles, and targeting induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING) or ecotype TILLING (EcoTILLING) for the screening of either mutant or natural germplasm collections to integrate genomic information into directional and selective breeding in crops to maximize genetic gains. Breeders, taxonomists, geneticists, cytogeneticists, molecular biologists and biotechnologists are going to greatly benefit from this book. We sincerely hope that this book will serve as a milestone in the precision breeding of crops to achieve meaningful plant genetic improvement

part 1. Plant breeding under adverse conditions of acid soils -- part 2. Horticultural crop science -- part 3. Ecological peculiarities of the foothills of the Northen Caucasus : cytogenetic anomalies of the local human population -- part 4. Phenogenetic studies of cultivated plants and biological properties of the seeds -- part 5. Anthropogenic pressure on environmental and plant diversity -- part 6. Methods of evaluation of the quantitative and qualitative characters of selection samples.

This book comprehensively addresses the impact of climate change on crop productivity and approaches to adapt to both biotic and abiotic stresses as well as approaches to reduce greenhouse gases. The predictions of climate change and its impact on crop productivity, adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses through crop breeding, sustainable and resource-conserving technologies for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change and new tools for enhancing crop adaptation to climate change are also discussed.

The domestication of plants and animals is a long and on-going process that has shaped not only the domesticated species and the landscape, but also the humans who have domesticated them. For example, the evolution of our immune system has been strongly influenced by the close contact between humans and domestic animals. The changes in domesticated species have been dramatic, from the wild red junglefowl hen raising two clutches of 10 chicks per year, to today's laying hen producing more than 300 eggs per year. In one hundred years the average wheat yield has increased from two tonnes per hectare to six tonnes per hectare in many European countries. Although part of this increase is due to management techniques, fertilizers, and pesticides, the genetic component of such progress has been substantial. With an increased knowledge of evolution, the understanding of heredity, and the discovery of chromosomes and genes, we have gone from unintentional selection to advanced breeding programmes. Our ever-increasing knowledge of the mechanisms behind different traits can be used to customize the sources of our food. Thanks to these breeding programmes, we now have access to healthier livestock and crops, and are producing milk, meat, and grain at levels our ancestors could only have dreamed of. With this book we wish to provide an overview of the methods and techniques used in the domestication and development of new agricultural crop varieties and breeds of livestock. We also describe the legislation and discusses different ethical views on the use of biotechnology in crop and animal breeding. This book is published within the Mistra Biotech research programme, financed by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research (Mistra) and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). This second edition is a shortened version of the previous edition. We are grateful to Inger Åhman and Marie Nyman for helpful comments on the manuscript.

"International authors review achievements, new developments, trends and challenges in the field of plant mutation breeding, across the scientific community and the private sector. Chapters highlight specific challenges, such as emerging transboundary threats to crop production, and assess the overall importance of mutation breeding to food security"--

You may not have thought about why tomatoes look the way they do, why our pets and farm animals are so calm and friendly, or how it is possible to get a watermelon without any seeds in it. Although the breeding of plants and livestock have shaped more or less everything we eat, few people know about the scientific achievements and the tedious work that results in the food we see on our plates every day. With this book we wish to give an overview of the background of domestication and breeding, from the beginning of farming more than 10,000 years ago to the molecular work of today. We present the basics of the structures and functions of genes, describe why and how different breeding methods are applied to crops and livestock, and give some insight into legislation surrounding the use of biotechnology in breeding in the EU and in Sweden. We also provide an overview of different products produced through genetic modification, a summary of the economic impact of such crops, and some ethical issues related to breeding in general and to genetic modification in particular.

1 Plant Breeders and Their Work -- What Is Plant Breeding? -- The Strategy of Plant Breeding -- Training for the Modern Plant Breeder -- Some Early Plant Breeders -- Some Accomplishments in Plant Breeding -- Who Does Plant Breeding in the United States? -- 2 Reproduction in Crop Plants -- Types of Reproduction -- Sexual Reproduction in Crop Plants -- Asexual Reproduction in Crop Plants -- 3 Gene Recombination in Plant Breeding -- Variation, the Basis of Plant Breeding -- The Mechanism of Mendelian Heredity -- Gene Recombination Following Hybridization -- Gene Structure and Action -- 4 Quantitative Inheritance in Plant Breeding -- Quantitative Inheritance and its Measurement -- Multiple Alleles -- Types of Gene Action -- Heritability -- Selection Intensity and Genetic Advance -- Gene Frequency and Genetic Equilibrium -- Gene Recombination and Plant Breeding -- 5 Variations in Chromosome Number -- Polyploidy -- Aneuploidy -- Haploidy -- 6 Mutation -- The Nature of Mutation -- Induction of Mutation -- Mutator Genes and Controlling Elements -- Some Mutation-Breeding Experiments -- Role of Mutation Breeding -- 7 Fertility-Regulating Mechanisms and Their Manipulation -- Incompatibility -- Male Sterility -- Apomixis -- Interspecific Hybridization -- 8 Plant Cell and Tissue Culture: Applications in Plant Breeding -- Plant Cell and Tissue Culture -- Clonal Propagation -- Embryo Culture, Ovule Culture, and in Vitro Pollination -- Anther Culture and Haploid Plant Production -- Genetic Variability from Cell Cultures -- Somatic Cell Hybridization -- Plant Genetic Engineering -- 9 Germplasm Resources and Conservation -- Germplasm Conservation -- Germplasm Resources and Their Maintenance in the United States -- How Genetic Resources Are Utilized -- Acclimatization -- 10 Breeding Self-Pollinated Crops -- What Is a Variety? -- Genetic Significance of Pollination Method -- Breeding Methods in Self-Pollinated Crops -- Plant Breeding: A Numbers Game? -- 11 Breeding Cross-Pollinated and Clonally Propagated Crops -- Genetic Structure of Cross-Pollinated Crops -- Breeding Seed-Propagated Cross-Pollinated Crops -- Breeding Clonally Propagated Crops -- 12 Breeding Hybrids -- Proprietary Nature of Hybrid Varieties -- Inbreeding -- Hybrid Vigor or Heterosis -- Double-Cross Hybrid Corn—The Model for Hybrid Breeding -- Cytoplasmic Male Sterility and Hybrid Seed Production -- Alternative Hybrid Procedures -- 13 Techniques in Breeding Field Crops -- Selfing and Crossing -- Conducting Field Trials -- Maturity Comparisons -- Resistance to Lodging and Shattering -- Resistance to Stress -- Breeding for Disease Resistance -- Breeding for Insect Resistance -- Measuring Quality -- Keeping Accurate Records -- 14 Breeding Wheat and Triticale -- Breeding Wheat -- Breeding Triticale -- 15 Breeding Rice -- Origin and Types -- Varieties -- Botany and Genetics -- Breeding Methods -- Breeding Objectives -- Upland Rice -- Deep-Water and Floating Rice -- Wild Rice -- 16 Breeding Barley and Oats -- Breeding Barley -- Breeding Oats -- 17 Breeding Soybeans -- Origin and Species -- Genetics -- Botany -- Varieties -- The USDA and Cooperative State Agricultural Experimental Stations -- International Soybean Program (INTSOY) -- Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) -- Breeding Methods -- Breeding Objectives -- 18 Breeding Corn (Maize) -- Origin -- Races of Corn -- Genetics -- Pollination -- Heterozygous Nature of Open-Pollinated Corn -- Breeding Open-Pollinated Corn -- Hybrid Corn -- Breeding Improved Hybrids -- Population Improvement -- Breeding Objectives -- Special-Purpose Hybrids -- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center -- 19 Breeding Sorghum and Millet -- Breeding Sorghum -- Breeding Millet -- 20 Breeding Cotton -- Botany, Pollination, and Male Sterility -- Genetics and Cytology -- Varieties -- Breeding Methods -- Variety Maintenance -- Breeding Objectives -- 21 Breeding Sugar Beets -- History of the Sugar Beet -- Botany and Genetics -- Varieties -- Breeding Methods -- Breeding Objectives -- 22 Breeding Forage Crops -- Forage Crop Breeding Problems -- Pollination, Fertilization, and Seed Setting -- Vegetative Propagation -- Genetic and Cytogenetic Studies -- Natural Selection -- Endophytic Fungi: Impact on Grass Breeding -- Breeding Self-Pollinated Forage Species -- Breeding Cross-Pollinated Forage Species -- Public versus Private Breeding of Forage Crops -- Breeding Objectives -- Seed Increase of New Varieties -- 23 Seed Production Practices -- Public and Private Plant Breeding and Seed Distribution -- Classes of Certified Seed -- How a New Variety Reaches the Farmer -- How a Variety is Certified -- Agencies Concerned with Seed Certification in the United States -- Practical Problems in Seed Production -- Vegetatively Propagated Forages.