ISHS Acta Horticulturae 809: International Symposium on the Socio-Economic Impact of Modern Vegetable Production Technology in Tropical Asia
CONTRIBUTIONS AND PROSPECTS OF PLANT BREEDING RESEARCH FOR IMPROVING VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN TROPICAL ASIA |
| Author: | E.T. Rasco Jr. |
| Keywords: | 'Avinash 2', 'Hybrid No. 10', kangkong, 'Suprema', vegetable breeding |
| Abstract:
The vegetable industry in tropical Asia has been transformed from a stagnating industry into a rapidly growing industry which has seen dramatic increases in per capita consumption. Key respondents from academia, government and the seed industry were interviewed and the literature reviewed to document the role of plant breeding in this transformation. The main contributions from the public sector were to evaluate and characterize germplasm and to develop breeding stocks and improved OP cultivars. On the other hand, the private seed companies’ main contributions were to supply sufficient quantities of high quality seed and to develop commercial hybrids that combined superior quality with yield, tropical adaptation and pest resistance. Case studies are presented to demonstrate the diverse roles of plant breeding in shaping the vegetable industry. In the future, plant breeding will be shaped by such factors as climate change, and shifts in consumption patterns and retail marketing. Research will be constrained by the decline in public sector activity, reduced access to germplasm and declining output of trained plant breeders by universities. A seed company in the future will be offering a more diverse menu of agricultural inputs and services, in addition to selling seeds. | |
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