Losses of active ingredients, growing pressure from pathogens, and stress caused by rising temperatures and heatwaves pose significant threats to the health of agricultural crops, jeopardizing food self-sufficiency.
This is particularly evident in cereal production, where the EU is currently a net importer with limited stockpiles, increasing its reliance on the global agricultural market. This dependency was further exacerbated by last year’s low yields, according to a press release.
Michael Gohn, Chairman of Saatgut Austria, stresses at the start of the growing season that the ongoing challenges in agriculture, as well as in vegetable and horticulture sectors, require innovative and robust plant breeding solutions.
“With the breeding of resistant varieties, the EU’s agricultural policy objectives can be achieved in operating resources and yields can be kept stable. Even if the open political discussion about innovative breeding methods is to be welcomed, there is a lack of concrete efforts to implement measures in conventional plant breeding for better framework conditions and a high level of innovative power.
Advancements Enable the Adaptation of Breeding Strategies
Gohn says that a future-proof production that anticipates climate change and benefits climate protection needs new and innovative varieties of plant breeders.
“Healthy plants are the basis for sustainable production and start with resistant seeds and robust varieties. Therefore, tolerance for abiotic stress and resistance are currently important breeding targets.”
Plant breeding and research collaborate closely to identify genetic markers for various rust diseases, providing a foundation for knowledge-driven resistance breeding to reduce the impact of these diseases. Advances in genetics and genomics have further enhanced the understanding of host-pathogen interactions.
“The breeding of disease-resistant plants is complex because it requires stable and broad-spectrum resistances, which can still be broken through by the pathogens.
“Since resistances are not immutable properties, breeding must be constantly promoted,” emphasizes Gohn.
New barley and wheat varieties are now more resistant to disease compared to those from the 1980s and 1990s, with a particular focus on resistance to nematodes, viruses, and fungal diseases.
Klimafit Project Focuses on Resistance
The Klimafit project, launched in 2018, also targets resistance to both known and emerging pathogens. In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (BMLUK), regional governments, AGES, and Saatgut Austria, the project aims to address the impacts of climate change and provide farmers with locally adapted varieties.
Farmers can benefit from these resilient varieties by using certified, officially recognized seeds, ensuring high yields, healthy crops, and high-quality plants.
