Gaining Acceptance of Novel Plant Breeding Technologies

Sven Anders; Wallace Cowling; Ashwani Pareek; Kapuganti Jagadis Gupta; Sneh L Singla-Pareek; Christine H Foyer

doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2021.03.004

Gaining Acceptance of Novel Plant Breeding Technologies

Trends Plant Sci. 2021 Jun;26(6):575-587. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.03.004. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Authors

Sven Anders¹, Wallace Cowling², Ashwani Pareek³, Kapuganti Jagadis Gupta⁴, Sneh L Singla-Pareek⁵, Christine H Foyer⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada.
² The UWA Institute of Agriculture and UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
³ The UWA Institute of Agriculture and UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India.
⁴ National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110067, India.
⁵ Plant Stress Biology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India.
⁶ School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, UK. Electronic address: C.H.Foyer@bham.ac.uk.

PMID: 33893048
DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.03.004

Abstract

Ensuring the sustainability of agriculture under climate change has led to a surge in alternative strategies for crop improvement. Advances in integrated crop breeding, social acceptance, and farm-level adoption are crucial to address future challenges to food security. Societal acceptance can be slow when consumers do not see the need for innovation or immediate benefits. We consider how best to address the issue of social licence and harmonised governance for novel gene technologies in plant breeding. In addition, we highlight optimised breeding strategies that will enable long-term genetic gains to be achieved. Promoted by harmonised global policy change, innovative plant breeding can realise high and sustainable productivity together with enhanced nutritional traits.

Keywords: CRISPR; agrifood systems; climate change policies; crop production; optimised breeding strategies; plant breeding; social licence.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Agriculture*
Climate Change
Plant Breeding*
Plants
Technology