Plant Breeding and Genetics - University of California, Davis

1 Number 57. March 2017. Plant Breeding and Genetics A paper in the series on The Need for Agricultural Innovation to Sustainably Feed the World by 2050. AbstrAct The art and science of Plant breed- ing is directed to one of humanity's greatest challenges: the need to feed, clothe, and nourish a growing world population in the face of climate extremes, decreased water availability, demands for renewable energy, and the imperative for environmental steward- ship. Innovation is critically important to continued progress in providing food and nutritional security to human- kind in the decades ahead. There is an urgency to Plant Breeding and the need for innovation because our increasing population and increasing prosperity will require genetic improvements in our crops at twice the current rate of improvement globally. The ultimate goal of Plant breed- ing is to develop improved crops. Improvements can be made in crop productivity ( , grain yield; adapta- tion to a specific region; disease and pest resistance; tolerance to drought, heat, cold, or salinity), crop processing and marketing ( , milling or baking/.)

2 Cooking/fermentation quality, biofuel yield, visual appeal, postharvest stor- ability, shelf life), and/or consumer quality ( , flavor, protein content, oil profile, fiber quality, nutritional value). The process of developing an improved cultivar1 begins with inter- crossing lines with high performance Given the Given the focus focus and and investment investment devoted devoted to to technological technological innovation innovation in in crop crop for the traits of interest, then evaluating improvement, it improvement, it is is vital vital that that maximal maximal value value is is derived. derived. (Photo from PAN KBOON/Shutterstock.). and selecting outstanding progeny that demonstrate superior performance, and cultivars. The innovation can come in been done to date. finally, confirming performance stabil- the form of new genetic technologies Crop improvement through tech- ity across the potential market region. that may involve creation or assembly nological innovation is facilitated, Given the goals and steps in the of genetic diversity, production of the empowered, leveraged, and maximized Plant Breeding process, innovation progeny to be evaluated, structures in a number of ways.

3 Partner tech- provides the means to achieve greater and schemes to facilitate selection of nologies, multidisciplinary collabora- gains, increase efficiency, and ac- superior genotypes, and even systems tion, technology transfer, financial celerate time-to-market for improved to enable delivery of superior perfor- investment, governmental biosafety 1 Italicized terms (except genus/species names mance to farmers. Several significant accreditation, protection of intellec - and published material titles) are defined in the examples of innovative technologies tual property , farmer adoption, and Glossary. are presented to demonstrate what has consumer acceptance all play a role in This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Agreement No. 59-0202-5-002. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USDA ARS, USDA APHIS, any other USDA agency, or the USDA.

4 CAST Issue Paper 57 Task Force Members Authors Reviewers P. Stephen Baenziger E. Charles Brummer, Department Richard Flavell, Ceres, Inc., Thou- (Cochair), Department of of Plant Sciences, University of sand Oaks, California Agronomy and Horticulture, California Davis Jan Leach, Plant Pathology, Colorado University of Nebraska Lincoln Peter Langridge, School of Agri- State University , Fort Collins Rita H. Mumm (Cochair), Depart- culture, Food and Wine, University of Don Lee, Department of Agronomy ment of Crop Sciences, University Adelaide, Glen Osmond SA, Australia and Horticulture, University of of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Philipp Simon, USDA Agricultural Nebraska Lincoln Rex Bernardo, Department of Research Service, Department of CAST Liaison Agronomy and Plant Genetics , Horticulture, University of Wiscon- University of Minnesota, St. Paul sin, Madison Wendy Srnic, Research and Devel- Stephen Smith, Seed Science Center, opment, DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, Iowa State University , Ames Iowa enabling genetic technological advance- global population of more than 9 billion Per-unit area yields of the three major ment and effective realization of food by 2050 is to be fed and nourished.

5 Field crops in the United States corn, security goals. Aspects and influences to soybean, and wheat have increased these empowerments of technological innovation are discussed in detail. IntroductIon dramatically since the late 1800s or early 1900s (USDA ERS ) (Figure Given the focus and investment Grand Challenges 1). Approximately 50 to 60% of this devoted to technological innovation Human life depends on plants for increase has been attributed to improved in crop improvement, it is vital that food, feed, fiber, fuel, aesthetics, and crop cultivars (varieties), with the maximal value is derived; this often environmental services such as recy- remainder of the yield improvement means fitting improved cultivars and cling carbon dioxide (CO2). Some of attributable to improved crop the process to create them with other humanity's grand challenges are met, at production practices (Fehr 1984). features of the agricultural production least in part, through improved plants: Despite yearly fluctuations, the total system and the value chain.

6 Integration feeding and nourishing a growing hu- acreage (1 acre= hectares). with farmer-implemented agronomic man population, supporting a biobased devoted to these three major crops practices; delivery options for crop pro- economy, coping with and helping increased from 160 million acres (65. tection; and machinery used for Plant - mitigate climate change, and sustaining million hectares) in 1926 to 225 mil- ing, harvest, and postharvest storage are the environment. Looking pragmati- lion acres (91 million hectares) in 2015. important to realizing the full genetic cally at the past and strategically to the (USDA ERS ) (Figure 1). Hence, potential of improved cultivars and de- future, this paper focuses on the role increases in total crop production from riving maximal value and impact from and critical importance of innovation 1900 to the present have been due to a innovation. Likewise, further innova- in Plant Breeding to meet the grand combination of higher yields per acre tion in production systems and value challenge of being able to provide food as well as more acres cultivated.

7 The chains will sustain and leverage genetic and nutritional security to humankind amount of and global arable land, advancements. in the decades ahead. Improved crops however, is limited and decreasing Past success in devising innova- are also used for sources of fiber, wood, because of urbanization, salinization, tive Plant Breeding solutions to develop and amenity plants such as flowers and limited irrigation water, and soil erosion improved crop cultivars to nourish, fuel, turf grasses. (Tester and Langridge 2010). Hence and beautify the world while mitigating future increases in crop production will climate change and enhancing the envi- Feeding and Nourishing Humanity need to come from increased productiv- ronment has been impressive. Success The population has grown ity, often on less desirable land. to date should provide the motivation from 76 million in 1900 to 321 million Future demands for increased crop and confidence to sustain and intensify in 2015 (USDA ERS ) (Figure production will be high because of efforts in the decades ahead to eliminate 1).

8 Having many more mouths to population increases. The popula- human hunger and malnutrition while feed necessitates increases in crop tion is projected to increase to more preserving our environment. The scale production, which can be achieved than 450 million in 2050. The world of innovations that needs to be made through higher crop yields per land population is projected to increase from and broadly implemented globally area unit (increased productivity) or billion in 2015 to approximately within the next few decades in the many through more land devoted to crop billion in 2050 (Godfray et al. 2010). and diverse crops that sustain humanity production. In addition, as people Staple crops such as wheat, maize, and reinforces the urgency and call to action become more prosperous, they eat more rice account for a high proportion of for innovation in Plant Breeding if a food and have a more diverse diet. the caloric intake in the human diet 2 COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

9 (approximately 60% globally [FAO.. ]), and a nutrient-sufficient diet for a growing population will have greater .. demands for vegetables, fruits, oilseeds, . and nuts (FAO 2009). At the same time, . increasing affluence will lead to a great- .. er demand for meat and dairy, which in turn will drive demand for crops used as animal feed ( , corn, soybean, . alfalfa, and forage grasses). Finally, to combat the various forms of undernutri- . tion globally, a generally more diverse and nutritious diet is critical. Improving . nutritive value is a major Breeding goal . in many crops.. There is an urgent need to increase . agricultural productivity to meet the .. grand challenges facing humanity. Simply stated, current improvements . in crop production through Genetics . and agronomy are not sufficient (less than half of what is needed) to sup- . port the human activities predicted due to population growth and increased . prosperity by 2050 ( , the predicted 9 billion people of 2050 will consume.)

10 The agricultural products equivalent to 12 billion people of today [Godfray et .. al. 2010]). Furthermore, while great .. progress is being made in some crop plants, not all crops currently share . equally in these advances, which may greatly lessen the diversity of choices . that humans will have in the future. Simply imagine a salad of the future . with its diverse vegetables, fruits, and . nuts if most of the scientific advances . are made only in the major crops of the . world ( , maize, wheat, rice). Will Plant Breeding end hunger? Figure 1. Average yields of corn, soybean, and wheat per acre through time;. No. The causes of starvation and mal- acreage in the United States planted to these crops; and population growth (USDA ERS ). nutrition are inextricably linked with poverty, lack of markets, poor political are dependent on plants, animals, and greater quantities of Plant material, but leadership, wars, etc. It is understood microorganisms are renewable and also for Plant biomass that has specific that today nearly one billion people live can contribute to rural economy.