b'project essentially draws on the principlesaway from it. Weve made these cultivars laid out by G. H. Shull back in 1908har- for both groups of people. Its interesting nessing the power of genetics to createto see this new market class in the retail better plant varieties and fuel the seedspace both in the grocery store and in industry, bringing the past, present andrestaurants.future of plant breeding full circle. It was just one example of the innova-tion on display at this years NAPB meet-Breeding Innovation on Display ing, being ushered in by a new generation It was the first in-person NAPB meetingof both plant breeders and business-since 2019 and nearly 400 plant breed- people who have an eye on the future. ers were brought together, ranging fromPre-conference events included tours of undergraduate students to establishedpollination technology developer Power breeders like Irwin Goldman from thePollen and also Kemin Crop Technologies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, whowhich creates biological products for the has worked to develop new table beetcrop production and food industries.varieties to cater to modern tastes.Irwin Goldman of the University ofThe predominant theme for thisRecord MembershipWisconsin-Madison works to develop newvegetable is its polarizing nature. SomeThat forward-thinking approach toward table beet varieties to cater to modernpeople love it. Some people love it a lotthe NAPBs expanding appeal can be seen tastes.PHOTO: MICHAEL P. KING/UWMADISON CALS less. Its an acquired taste. Its a vegetableon the NAPB board as well. Incoming that brings out strong feelings in people,NAPB president Hannah Senior is not a Goldman says. plant breeder and isnt based in North Part of this polarizing quality revolvesAmerica, either. She leads Pollination around the volatile organic moleculeBag Specialists (PBS) International in geosmin. The compound is what createsthe United Kingdom. The company uses the earthy smell in soil, and it is foundfabric technology in pollination control, in certain foods like beets, spinach andmanufacturing a range of products for a few others. It is produced by strepto- plant breeders and seed producers.myces bacteria in soil. Humans are veryIts really exciting that weve got a sensitive to geosmin and can detect it atrecord level of membership. We sur-levels of 100 parts per trillion. passed our goal of reaching 500 or more Goldmans own association with beetmembers by this year and now have over goes back to his grandparents who came600. I think what NAPB brings is a combi-to the United States from eastern Europe.nation of things. Number one, the con-Since then, the beet has taken on a newnecting of plant breeders across multiple Hannah Senior is the NAPBs new president. life thanks to influencers like Marthacrops and multiple geographies. Theres Stewart and has become a resurgentalso communicating what plant breeding cropthe number of farms in Wisconsinis about, she said.growing beets more than doubledThe third thing that NAPB brings between 2012 and 2017. is this huge energy around the student Along with the resurgence came acommunity and encouraging more familiar complaint, Goldman said. people who are going through their edu-People would say, Cant you do any- cation to think about plant breeding as thing about the fact they taste like dirt? a career path and understand what that So, Goldman and his team beganmight look like and get involved.working to select away from not only theThe almost 400 people who attended earthy intensity and the flavor of geosmin,this years meeting represent over half but also away from the astringency asso- the NAPBs membership. Organizers ciated with oxalic acid contained in beet.Thomas Lubberstedt and Paul Scott had Some low-geosmin varieties have arrivedto cap registrations due to overwhelming on consumers dinner plates as a result demand, showing that members want Snowglobe and Evansville Ember. to return to in-person meetings after a Some higher-geosmin varieties arepandemic that raised questions about the Duke Pauli is the new chair of the Plantavailable as well. viability of in-person events in a post-Breeding Coordinating Committee (PBCC),Some people enjoy the earthiness inpandemic world.which founded the NAPB. their food, and some really want to stayWe were worried if we were going to 30/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2022'