Ortiz Rios, Rodomiro Octavio
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Increasing demand for nutritious, safe, and healthy food because of a growing population, and the pledge to maintain biodiversity and other resources, pose a major challenge to agriculture that is already threatened by a changing climate. Diverse and healthy diets, largely based on plant-derived food, may reduce diet-related illnesses. Investments in plant sciences will be necessary to design diverse cropping systems balancing productivity, sustainability, and nutritional quality. Cultivar diversity and nutritional quality are crucial. We call for better cooperation between food and medical scientists, food sector industries, breeders, and farmers to develop diversified and nutritious cultivars that reduce soil degradation and dependence on external inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, and to increase adaptation to climate change and resistance to emerging pests.
Keywords
cultivar diversity; cooperation; climate change; food systems
Published in
Trends in Plant Science
2017, volume: 22, number: 10, pages: 842-856
SLU Authors
Associated SLU-program
SLU Plant Protection Network
Global goals (SDG)
SDG2 Zero hunger
SDG12 Responsible consumption and production
SDG13 Climate action
SDG15 Life on land
UKÄ Subject classification
Plant Biotechnology
Genetics and Breeding in Agricultural Sciences
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2017.06.011
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83629