Sustainability

Human activities, and particularly agriculture, interfere with the environment. Innovative plants can help minimise the consequences of such interference and ensure sustainable use of the area under cultivation. Resistance breeding gives plants resilience against diseases or pests. Farmers using such varieties can reduce plant protection measures and make agriculture more environmental-friendly.

Another advantage of innovative plants is their more efficient uptake and use of nutrients and water ("low input"); they help preserve soil fertility. Some plants allow the neutralization of contaminants, soil remediation and reverse damages to the soil structure.

Preservation of genetic resources

Plant breeders support the preservation and the research of genetic resources. Plant genetic resources play a role in the breeding process, which consists in lengthy breeding processes to develop an up-to-standard variety. 

Research into plant genetic resources as well as viable framework conditions for the preservation of biodiversity are crucial to ensure access to and utilization of plant genetic resources and sustained availability of a natural genetic pool. The regulatory framework needs to encourage the utilization of genetic diversity in order to be able to tap the full potential of modern plant breeding and make the necessary breeding progress for a sustainable agriculture protecting biodiversity.

Plant breeders put a lot of efforts into preserving the unique genetic combination of their varieties and of their genetic pool. Gene banks play a special role in preserving the genetic material by ensuring its preservation and exchange for agricultural crops.