Future-Orientation

Today, plant breeding applies a mixture of different methods. At the beginning of the 20th century, hybrid breeding had already been developed, the basic breeding technique for such important crops as maize, sugar beet, oilseed rape and rye. Cell and tissue culture as well as DNA diagnostics have come up in the mid 70ies.

Innovation in plant breeding was further boosted when modern biotechnology made possible the deciphering of the DNA structure. Genomic research enables the plant breeder to select traits directly by analysing the DNA sequence itself or by looking for concomitant genetic markers. This saves a lot of time and reduces the needed field plot area. Our knowledge of the functions of individual plant genes is steadily increasing and more and more genomes have being sequenced entirely. With these developments, transmission of selected known genes has become possible for plants in the past 20 years (plant genetic engineering). Intensive research into plant genetics and into their interrelation with the environment has been carried out by private companies to create plants for future needs.