Scientist shortage: Plant breeder deficit threatens global food security, study reveals

13 Jun 2024 --- A new study warns that a shortage of trained plant breeders, especially in the private sector, may have “dire” consequences for global food security. 

The investigation reveals that the current state of plant breeding in academic, government and industry sectors is hindered by a lack of funding for education centers, challenges around public-private partnerships and a lack of understanding of the sector itself. This keeps the public from recognizing its value amid shrinking government funding.

Plant breeding is a multidisciplinary science essential for producing food, feed and fuel.

The study, published in Wiley, uses data from detailed surveys conducted in three countries and is a collaboration between Australia’s national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Lincoln University in New Zealand and McGill University in Canada.

“Our research found that decreasing skills in plant breeding will have flow-on effects for a wide range of agri-food sectors,” says Dr. Rainer Hofmann, associate professor at the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University.

Generational gap
The study highlights the generational gap prevalent in the sector, with 55% of survey respondents aged 51 and over.

Lead author and CSIRO scientist Dr. Lucy Egan says the shortage has built up over time and has implications for the global agriculture sector.

“What we’re seeing is a whole generation of highly-skilled plant breeding specialists who are now reaching retirement age, with a gap left as university graduates opt to focus on other areas of plant science, including molecular biology.”

“The implications of this shortage could be dire, including affecting global food security and the economies of different countries around the world, including Australia.”

The situation remains fragile across the Tasman Sea, and experts note that a plan to slow down the shortage of skilled plant breeders is imperative.

The plant breeding sector has several success stories, including the transformation of rapeseed into canola through modification.Links to food security
Out of 300,000 plant species, wheat, maize and rice provide 60% of the energy in the human diet.

Other major food crops include roots and tubers, sugars, pulses, nuts, oil-bearing crops, vegetables, fruits, spices and others such as tea and coffee. Therefore, food crops significantly contribute to global food security and trade, assert the researchers.

The plant breeding sector has several success stories, including the transformation of rapeseed into canola through modification.

Research has found that plant breeding can improve crop variety and yield, leading to a rise in food quality. This is observed among grains like wheat and rice, where the development of dwarf grain crops paved the way for high-yielding, non-lodging (permanent displacement of crop stems from a standing position) varieties.

Possible responses
The scientists highlight several responses to the labor shortage in the plant breeding industry. There is an urgent need for coordination between the public and private sectors, including educational and research institutes.

A recent example of this is the Syngenta Group opening rights to selected genome-editing and breeding technologies for academic research worldwide as part of its commitment to supporting innovation and driving sustainability in agriculture.

Another primary response should be to establish well-equipped training facilities in different countries.

“We also need more focus on graduate programs in plant breeding and increased private sector involvement if we are to keep pace with emerging scientific and technological advances in the sector,” says McGill University’s Dr. Valerio Hoyos-Villegas.

“Due to the long-term nature and the variety of agricultural industries plant breeding serves, it is important that funding and research become a matter of priority, with modernized plant breeding education top of mind,” he concludes.

By Anvisha Manral