ARS | Publication request: The scientific grand challenges of the 21st century for the Crop Science Society of America

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 1, 2012
Publication Date: May 15, 2012
Citation: Lauer, J., Gala Bijl, C., Grusak, M.A., Baenziger, S., Boote, K., Lingle, S.E., Carter Jr, T.E., Kaeppler, S., Boerma, R., Eizenga, G.C., Carter, P., Goodman, M., Nafziger, E., Kidwell, K., Mitchell, R., Edgerton, M.D., Quesenberry, K., Wilcox, M.C. 2012. The scientific grand challenges of the 21st century for the Crop Science Society of America. Crop Science. 52:1003-1010.

Technical Abstract: Crop science is a highly integrative science field employing expertise from multiple disciplines to broaden our understanding of agronomic, turf, and forage crops. A major goal of crop science is to ensure an adequate and sustainable production of food, feed, fuel, and fiber for our world’s growing population. During the last century, crop science scientists have made discoveries that are now important components of everyday life and are often taken for granted. However, the world today faces ever-growing challenges of widespread food insecurity and malnutrition, negative impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and dependence on fossil fuels. Solutions will be found, in part, through sustained, private, state, and federal investment in crop science. In 2009, the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) organized a committee to identify key Grand Challenges which, when addressed, will provide the tools, technologies, and solutions required to address meet these challenges. The Grand Challenges identified by the committee are 1) Crop adaptation to climate change: Increase the speed with which agriculture can adapt to climate change by using crop science to address abiotic stresses such as drought and heat. 2) Resistance to biotic stresses: Increase durability of resistance to biotic stresses that threaten food yield and quality of security in major crops. 3) Management for resource limited systems: Create novel crop cultivars and management approaches designed for problem soils and low-input farming to increase economic prosperity for farmers and overcome world hunger. 4) Crop management systems: Create novel crop management systems that are resilient in the face of changes in climate and rural demographics. 5) Biofuels: Develop sustainable biofuel feedstock cropping systems that require minimal land area, optimize production, and improve the environment. 6) Bioresources: Genotype the major crop germplasm collections to facilitate identification of important genes for breeding and genetics research and deployment of superior genes into adapted, improved germplasm around the globe. These challenges are intentionally dynamic and will change according to societal needs. The rate that they will be addressed will be determined by available funding and national prioritization.