b'Gene Editing Technologies: A Scientific Breakthrough in a Benefit to SocietyWE ARE ALL AWAREof the challenges human-ity is facing, with a growing population and natural resources under pressure. Together with other con-cerns such as climate change, we find ourselves in a delicate situation. Paradoxically, we are living through one of the most exciting times on a scientific level, with important advances that promise great benefits to society in sustainability and food safety. It is vital that we all make a great effort and do our JUAN KIEKEBUSCH,part, acquiring good habits, managing waste cor-biotechnology andrectly, and consuming conscientiously in order to face plant breeding inno- the challenges ahead and ensure quality of life in the vation coordinator formedium and long term. the Seed AssociationThis means that, in order to ensure the supply of of the Americas.food, feed, fuel and fiber in quality and volume for future generations, we must act in a sustainable way. In other words, we must ensure that production and consumption practices are as environmentally friendly as possible: using less arable land, preventing crop loss, avoiding deforestation, reducing food waste, restoring natural resources and genetic diversity. The interaction between human behavior, science and technologies will play a key role in achieving this goal. Given the food and feed requirements of the future, breeding in generalbut specifically plant breed-ingwill be critical to our success as a species. The history of plant breeding has several major advances with three distinguishable milestones: in 1860, the work with different varieties of peas carried out by Gregor Mendel, which gave rise to genetic inheritance laws; in 1930, the appearance of the first hybrid corn crops; and in 2012, the development of gene editing and CRISPR-Cas9 in particular. The generation of modern breeding tools such as gene editing offer unprecedented opportunities in several respects. - They drastically reduce development and produc- - They also allow the inclusion of minor and orphan tion time and costs; crops in the breeding process, improving the diversity - They encourage the democratization of biotech- of genetic traits and enabling genetic diversity to be nological tools by expanding the number of players.exploited in a more efficient way. All of these factors This factor is already showing important influence onbenefit the entire value chain, consumers and society; the composition of technology developers, which now- They will support the adaptation of different crops range from start-ups to large multinationals and fromto climate change, improving water use and fertilizer the private to the public sector around the globe; efficiency.54/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2023'