Challenges of integrating conventional breeding and biotechnology: a personal view!

The development of ‘scientific’ breeding methodologies in the first half of the 20 Century was based partly on the application of genetic theory following the rediscovery of Mendel’s Laws, but mostly on developing procedures for systematic phenotypic selection. Although, new technologies in tissue culture, pathology, statistics and quantitative genetics contributed to advances in the second half of the 20 Century, these were limited. The last decade has seen an explosion of genetics and genomics information, yet this also has yet to make a major impact, and there are major challenges to be overcome in translating and integrating this information into plant breeding practice. A foremost challenge is exploiting the detailed molecular information from cloning genes and sequencing model genomes. We need methodologies for utilizing information from Arabidopsis and rice in plant breeding, particularly in cloning useful agronomic genes, and allele mining in germplasm collections. At the administrative level, we face challenges in creating the right balance of investment in model systems and crops, and in bridging the interface between them. There are, however, already significant successes emerging in the application of genetic information in plant breeding, particularly through the use of marker-assisted selection. At present this is almost exclusively used for major genes, and this needs to be extended into QTL controlling complex traits to greatly increase the impact. Coupled with this are methodologies for high-through-put genotyping, and the development of array of ‘functional’ markers. It should also not be forgotten that ‘low tech’ approaches can have major impacts on plant breeding practice, as exemplified by the application of doubled haploid systems and alien gene transfers. Media Summary Although huge progress has been made in accumulating genetic and genomics technologies and insights into the biology of ‘model’ plants, a ‘technology gap’ exists in translating this knowledge into tools that plant breeders can use to produce improved crop varieties.