A Bridge over Troubled Waters: Addressing challenges in cereal breeding through collaborative research

Cereal breeding is a numbers game. At RAGT, millions of genetic combinations are assessed every year across Europe to identify combinations of phenotypes including yield, disease resistance, quality and adaption to environments. This process is underpinned by a knowledge of key genes that confer beneficial traits, an understanding of the chemistry behind end use processes, and statistical theory put into practice. Where additional fundamental knowledge on is required, further research is undertaken through collaborative research with academics and with other plant breeding companies. There are several examples of how such research has resulted in underpinning technologies, such as the development of pangenomes in wheat, and where it has helped to genetically dissect intractable problems, such as resistance to Zymoseptoria disease in wheat.