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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #422298
Research Project: Curation and Research to Safeguard and Expand Collections of Plant and Microbial Genetic Resources and Associated Descriptive Information

Location: Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research

Title: Sustaining public plant breeding programs across generations

Author
item HALE, I - University Of New Hampshire
item KOEBERNICK, J - Auburn University
item HERSHBERGER, J - Clemson University
item RIFE, T - Clemson University
item ARBELAEZ, J - University Of Illinois
item ANDERSON, N - University Of Minnesota
item BEKKERMAN, A - University Of New Hampshire
item BOHN, M - University Of Illinois
item BOURLAND, F - University Of Arkansas
item BURKE, T - Bayer Cropscience
item CHEE, P - University Of Georgia
item EVANS, E - Washington State University
item FUMIA, N - University Of Hawaii
item FELDMANN, M - University Of California, Davis
item GASIC, K - Clemson University
item HAGUE, S - Auburn University
item HEILMAN-MORALES, ANA - North Dakota State University
item Hulse-Kemp, Amanda
item IGLESIAS, C - North Dakota State University
item MUELLER, L - Cornell University
item LUBY, J - University Of Minnesota
item PRATT, R - New Mexico State University
item THOMPSON, A - Michigan State University
item VIERLING, R - Texas A&M University
item WORTHINGTON, M - University Of Arkansas
item SMITH, M - Cornell University
item Volk, Gayle
item WOLFE, M - Auburn University
item KANTAR, M - University Of Hawaii

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/9/2025
Publication Date: 6/11/2025
Citation: Hale, I., Koebernick, J., Hershberger, J., Rife, T., Arbelaez, J.D., Anderson, N., Bekkerman, A., Bohn, M., Bourland, F., Burke, T., Chee, P., Evans, E., Fumia, N., Feldmann, M., Gasic, K., Hague, S., Heilman-Morales, A.M., Hulse-Kemp, A.M., Iglesias, C., Mueller, L., Luby, J., Pratt, R., Thompson, A., Vierling, R., Worthington, M., Smith, M., Volk, G.M., Wolfe, M., Kantar, M. 2025. Sustaining public plant breeding programs across generations. Crop Science. 65(3). Article e70094. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70094.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70094

Interpretive Summary: Plant breeders create the new plant varieties that are critical for global food security. Plant breeding programs are multi-generational, in part because it may take decades to develop and release new plant varieties. This article summarizes the main findings of a workshop that was held to identify and understand the various leverage points in facilitating successful transitions in public breeding programs. Two essential elements of successful transitions included 1) A need for a clear understanding and appreciation at the institutional level of the purpose and holistic value of the program; and 2) Current, accurate, clear, and actionable documentation of the program’s goals, protocols, and resources (including germplasm). These and other identified approaches will help ensure public sector breeding program sustainability.

Technical Abstract: Plant breeding is a multigenerational process that creates new plant varieties for the public. Many public sector plant breeding programs are over a century old, and they continue to curate plant genetic resources that are even older. While individual breeders serve as temporary leaders of these programs and the plant genetic resources they maintain, it is only their institutions that have the capacity to provide the necessary generational glue, enabling the accrual of long term value to both breeders and society. Identifying approaches to ensure mutual benefits to both public sector breeders and their institutions is critical to achieving breeding program sustainability.