Open AccessHarnessing diversity from ecosystems to crops to genes
Author(s) -
BuchananWollaston Vicky,
Wilson Zoe,
Tardieu François,
Bey Jim,
Denby Katherine
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
food and energy security
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.253
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 2048-3694
DOI - 10.1002/fes3.106
Subject(s) - biodiversity , biosphere , climate change , environmental resource management , genetic resources , genetic diversity , underpinning , natural resource economics , adaptation (eye) , agroforestry , biology , environmental planning , geography , ecology , microbiology and biotechnology , environmental science , engineering , sociology , population , civil engineering , demography , neuroscience , economics
To feed humanity, while maintaining a stable and diverse biosphere, crop science needs to adapt to an open research environment where genetic resources and the data demonstrating the environments in which they are effective are freely shared. The challenge faced is to expand crop production on a reduced land area, due to environmental degradation caused by human encroachment and climate change, while maintaining biodiversity. Individual researchers are discovering alleles and genetic combinations that are effective in certain environments but not in others. These data and alleles are useful globally to speed progress in breeding for similar environments while not wasting time on ineffective genotypes. However, currently, there are significant barriers to the sharing of genetic resources and their underpinning data, which must be overcome if we are to sustain the planet for future generations.