Current and emerging environmental challenges in Australian agriculture—the role of plant breeding

Abstract

Dryland farming systems are evolving due to sustainability issues and market pressures that impact on growers; levels of atmospheric CO₂ and temperatures, both of which can dramatically impact on crop growth, are increasing at unprecedented levels; subsoil constraints and water stress remain. In this paper I assess the emerging and current environmental challenges to farmers and identify challenges and opportunities for plant breeders. Questions are raised which require debate. For example, crops will soon be growing at atmospheric CO₂ levels more than triple those in which they evolved. Should plant breeders be responding to the anticipated effects of elevated CO₂ and temperature? In other instances, issues are discussed which require immediate research by the plant breeding community. Examples of the latter are breeding crops that maximise water and nutrient use, either by increasing the rooting zone and/or improving the ability to grow roots into inhospitable subsoils; also, breeding crops specifically to overcome constraints imposed by farming systems. Immediate attention to these issues is required to sustain our landscape and agricultural systems as well as enhancing our ability to grow crops for an internationally competitive market place.