History and past achievements of plant breeding

Abstract

Developments in improving the world's three most important staple food crops—maize, wheat, and rice—are reviewed. A discussion of the origins and diffusion of maize and wheat and farmers' early plant breeding efforts is followed by an overview of the rise of the private sector in maize breeding, the development of international agricultural research, the Green Revolution in wheat and rice, the development of hybrid rice, and recent (1960-2000) achievements in international maize breeding research. Promising new tools for breeding improved food crops in developing countries are reviewed, including genomics and genetic engineering. Issues that will concern plant breeders—especially those focusing on the needs of developing countries—in years to come are discussed, including the rise of the private sector, intellectual property protection, and globalisation. The paper concludes with some thoughts on how plant breeding has changed in the course of the past century and must adapt to the needs of the present century.