Gaining Acceptance of Novel Plant Breeding Technologies

Current agricultural practices are unsustainable. Moreover, an enhanced ability to adapt changing climates, enabling expansion of cultivation and yield resilience, is required maintain increase crop productivity.Significant advances in genome editing can lead improved but such technologies have been met with resistance from society governments.Similarly, plant breeding relatively slow, lacking the novel transformative innovations that achieved basic science. The gap between science acceptance by large unyielding. We highlight problems offer potential solutions. Ensuring sustainability agriculture under climate change has led a surge alternative strategies for improvement. Advances integrated breeding, social acceptance, farm-level adoption crucial address future challenges food security. Societal be slow when consumers do not see need innovation or immediate benefits. consider how best issue licence harmonised governance gene breeding. In addition, we optimised will enable long-term genetic gains achieved. Promoted global policy change, innovative realise high sustainable productivity together nutritional traits. evidence presented Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) puts into question current agriculture, leaving many experts never-before levels uncertainty over Agricultural emissions CO2, methane, nitrous oxides account roughly 23% greenhouse gas [1.Intergovernmental Land: An IPCC Special Report Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Management, Food Security, Greenhouse Gas Fluxes Terrestrial Ecosystems.https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/Date: 2019Google Scholar]. While this figure also does factor compensating CO2 fixation production, stark profile IPCC’s report highlights complexity interdependent climatic, environmental, economic factors calling imminent wide-ranging changes land water use, diets [2.Lipper L. et al.Climate-smart security.Nat. Clim. Chang. 2014; 4: 1068-1072Crossref Scopus (697) Google Investment plants [3.Kaur P. al.Climate clever clovers: New paradigm reduce environmental footprint ruminants low methanogenic forages utilizing haplotype variation.Front. Plant Sci. 2017; 8: 1463Crossref PubMed (10) Scholar] animals [4.Pickering N.K. al.Animal board invited review: possibilities enteric methane ruminants.Animal. 2015; 9: 1431-1440Crossref (73) greatly improve while improving biofortification crops (Box 1). Yet, societies around world remains unyielding.Box 1Animal-Based Foods Are More Resource Intensive Than Plant-Based FoodsThe security growing population rests efficient use available resources production. production animal-based foods supplies about 37% protein supply accounts more than three-quarters two-thirds (GHG) This makes major limiting assuring A similar conclusion shift away was reached EAT–Lancet Commission healthy systems [19.Willett W. al.Food Anthropocene: EAT-Lancet systems.Lancet. 2019; 393: 447-492Abstract Full Text PDF (2811) reliance most livestock aquaculture land-based feedstock contributes their relative inefficiency. Consequently, compared metric tonne consumed, all plant-based sources outrank terms land-use resource intensity (Figure I). Beef among least conversion efficiency perspective. Given rising meat especially beef demand globally, proteins only would result reduction GHG supply. greater thus bolster helping preserve critical agriculture. proposed ‘Great Transformation’ Scholar], technology key component transformation. Gene help both value crops, as Consultative Group International Research (CGIAR) HarvestPlus initiative (www.harvestplus.org). CGIAR’s oversees complex interdisciplinary research activities goal reducing mineral vitamin deficiencies poor through biofortification. diversification within basket approach directly addresses two goals United Nations Development Goals (SDGs), development commodities rival likes wheat, rice, maize underway remain insignificant (www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/57d27093-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/57d27093-en). Links climatic agronomic parameters well documented [5.Van Meijlm H. al.Comparing impacts mitigation 2050.Environ. Res. Lett. 2018; 13064021Crossref (62) However, field policymakers currently face lack understanding terrestrial ecosystems determine yields globally important rice (Oryza sativum), (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), potato (Solanum tuberosum) 1, Figure Production these unlikely keep pace predicted 2) [6.Asseng S. al.Rising temperatures production.Nat. 5: 143-147Crossref (1051) Scholar, 7.Food Agriculture Organization Future Agriculture: Trends Challenges.http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6583e.pdfDate: 2017Google 8.Food Alternative Pathways 2050.http://www.fao.org/3/I8429EN/i8429en.pdfDate: 2018Google Hence, relies critically rapidly develop varieties adapted stresses, traits, at same time nutrition challenge. ‘orchestrated coordinated’ science, society, perspectives achieve goal.Box 2FAO Scenario Predictions Major Crops 2050The challenge insecurity features prominently SDGs. projections top ten 2050 (FAO) suggest further growth possible. Measured against 2015–2018 average levels, output seven commodity ‘business usual’ scenario perpetuates prevailing high-input, resource-intensive farming I).Under usual,’ vegetable, sugar cane, soybean decline necessary offset constraints becomes unattainable. Under ‘towards sustainability’ scenario, FAO predicts smooth transition practices, including creation framework conditions investment support climate-mitigative responsible associated 1 18%, mainly due lower intensities. As increasingly viewed unacceptable, emphasises importance targeted condition move towards change.Figure IFAO 2050.Show full captionAbbreviation: FAO, NationsView Large Image ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) change. Next-generation sequencing genome-editing 3) allow modification genes engineer entirely new traits preferred trait combinations, overcoming incompatibility barriers species [9.Bailey-Serres J. al.Genetic yields.Nature. 575: 109-118Crossref (308) clear pathway climate-resilient underlying always accepted [10.Callaway E. CRISPR now subject tough GM laws European Union.Nature. 560: 16Crossref (161) real contribution emerging measured overcome societal opposition. Such root cause hesitant policymaking regulatory stifles [11.Araki M. Ishii T. Towards editing.Trends 20: 145-149Abstract (132) Scholar,12.Lusk J.L. al.Do care genetically engineered created who it?.Food Policy. 78: 81-90Crossref (47) Scholar].Box 3Integration Appropriate TechnologiesRecent literature power genome-sequencing gene-editing [35.Zafar S.A. al.Engineering abiotic stress tolerance via CRISPR/Cas-mediated editing.J. Exp. Bot. 2020; 71: 470-479Crossref (86) Scholar,46.Hodgens C. al.Mutagenomics: rapid, high-throughput method identify causative mutations screen.Plant Physiol. 184: 1658-1673Crossref (3) Rapid cost-effective platforms revolutionised sequencing. few laboratory-tested validated way meaningful farmer [47.Napier J.A. al.The delivering modified enhancement traits.Nat. Plants. 563-567Crossref (30) Results obtained controlled environment experiments often very different those observed conditions. possibility de novo domestication wild route low-input [48.Fernie A.R. Yan De domestication: toward future.Mol. Plant. 12: 615-631Abstract (151) Similarly, adaptation may delivered rapid-cycle programmes generate strategy, rapid varietal turnover requires active dissemination withdrawal obsolete ones. addition influences controls governing responses stresses epigenome strongly regulated triggers [49.Iwasaki Paszkowski Identification preventing transgenerational transmission stress-induced epigenetic states.Proc. Natl. Acad. U. A. 111: 8547-8552Crossref (94) Most genomes composed primarily retrotransposons (RLXs), which highly dynamic part [50.Meller V.H. al.Modulation chromatin noncoding RNA.Annu. Rev. Genet. 49: 673-695Crossref (68) RLXs drivers evolution mutation change–associated heat drought [51.Kalendar R. al.Genome barley (Hordeum spontaneum) BARE-1 retrotransposon dynamics response sharp microclimatic divergence.Proc. 2000; 97: 6603-6607Crossref (500) other interactive factors, UV light. read-through RLX promoters exerts strong influence expression adjacent genes. targeting RNAi post-transcriptional silencing CHG DNA methylation, acts downstream siRNA label silencing. Heterochromatin formation consequence nearby insertions [52.Lippman Z. al.Role transposable elements heterochromatin control.Nature. 2004; 430: 471-476Crossref (937) methylation spread outwards neighbouring genes, concomitant Crucially, cereal neighbours RLXs. induction therefore play role coordination status stresses. much in-depth replication and, consequently, size incorporate plant-breeding strategies. Nevertheless, breeders productivity. Recent Average increased 1% per year during 20th century, USA continued grow 200 kg/ha/yr 1.8% until devastated 2012 [13.Campbell B.M. al.Reducing risks change.Glob. Sec. 2016; 11: 34-43Crossref (258) Scholar,14.Fischer R.A. al.Crop Yields Global Security: Will Yield Increase Continue Feed World?.ACIAR Monograph No. 158. Australian Centre Research, 2014Google rates improvement must beyond meet [14.Fischer 2). To complicate matters, across Africa South Asia [15.Santantonio N. al.Strategies effective genomic information programs serving Asia.Front. 353Crossref (20) developed economies Australia declined 21st century [16.Hochman trends stalled since 1990.Glob. Biol. 23: 2071-2081Crossref (129) recommendations [7.Food Scholar,8.Food prevent havoc system (i) significant dietary (ii) equally boost public private supportive frameworks translate scientific adoptable, resilient systems. For interventions successful, disruption sacrifices citizens, consumers, stakeholders agrifood chains. scale impacts, geographical distribution, mitigating solutions largely unknown. set projected 9.7 billion [17.United Nations, Department Economic Social Affairs, Population Division World Prospects: 2015 Revision, Key Findings Advance Tables.Working Paper ESA/P/WP.241. 2015Google Without intervention, increasing caloric needs, income growth, resulting shifts demands up 40% put unprecedented pressures natural resources. middle-class households (led China) higher-quality meat, sector consumes 17% intake. Overall, gross milk alone order 70–80% consumption [18.Bodirsky B.L. al.Global scenarios century.PLoS One. 10e0139201Crossref threaten 820 million already undernourished vulnerable people Engle’s law highest elasticities quality, safety, lower-income range (less US $20 000 year). Mainly located sub-Saharan Africa, drive rise needs 176 233%. On end spectrum, affluent Western started behavioural diet ‘beyond meat’ climate-smart lifestyles (independent status) united propensity view any technology, particularly regarding food, suspicion, risk aversion, fear [20.Kleijnen al.An exploration consumer its antecedents.J. Econ.