Plant Breeding Stories

We're wrapping up the Plant Breeding Stories podcast by reflecting on our learnings and exploring what's next with our host, Hannah Senior, CEO of PBS International. In the final episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Hannah explains how her studies in experimental psychology and business plus an entrepreneurial spirit set her up for future success as CEO of PBS International, a company that designs and makes specialist pollination bags and tents. We learn about her business' critical role in plant breeding programmes and discover why the Plant Breeding Stories podcast came to be. Hannah reflects on the recurring themes she heard throughout the podcast, including the challenges of funding non-commercial plant breeding programmes and the exciting opportunities that new technologies continue to bring to the industry. She shares her thoughts about entrepreneurship in agriculture and discusses why more systems-focused thinking could benefit food production. Finally, Hannah shares what's next for her and for PBS International, as she hangs up her podcasting microphone for now. Links: Get in touch via Twitter @ PBSInt or Instagram @ PBS_Int Transcripts of this episode and all our podcasts can be found at PBSInternational.com/podcast Innovating AgTech Podcast can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/user-73017811

Dr Leena Tripathi, Director of the East African hub of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), specialises in applying advanced biotechnology techniques to promote disease resistance in bananas. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Leena shares how her desire to promote human health led to plants and an impactful career in crop biotechnology. We follow her journey across countries and crops on her path to Tanzania, where she now leads research into disease resistance in banana species. Leena explains why managing diseases in bananas is particularly challenging and describes where biotechnology and traditional plant breeding methods can support development of disease-resistant varieties for both smallholder farms and commercial banana production. We also learn why fundraising challenges and regulatory hurdles can often frustrate progress. Transcripts of this episode and all our podcasts can be found at PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Julia Sibiya, Associate Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, is experimenting with new tools to improve traits of interest in sorghum and maize crops. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Julia explains why she chose to work with plants over animals and describes the career path that led her to a professorship in South Africa. She gives an overview of her current research, including breeding sorghum varieties for biofuel production and enhancing grain sorghum's productivity and nutritional quality. Julia discusses how collaboration among regional and international plant breeding associations is important to help deliver innovative solutions for global food security and climate change challenges. We also learn how she's helping the next generation of scientists prepare for the vast career opportunities available in agriculture. Transcripts of this and all our podcasts can be found at www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

John Letts had a “Howard Carter in Tutankhamun's tomb” moment when he was handed a shoebox full of 550-year-old ears of wheat. As a chef, archeobotanist and roof thatcher turned plant breeder, he brings a radically different perspective on what's needed in grain varieties for the era of climate change. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, John explains how taking the long view shaped his approach to breeding and grain production, causing him to prioritise resilience and sustainability over maximising yield per se. His entrepreneurial resourcefulness allowed him to largely self-fund his research and turn received wisdom in both conventional and organic farming systems on its head - with remarkable results. Transcripts for this and all our podcasts can be found at PBSInternational.com/podcast.

Professor Girish Chowdhary is a computer science specialist at the University of Illinois. His academics career and interest in robotics comes with a real-world orientation, so he turned his expertise in automation to reducing the uncomfortable, labour intensive jobs in agriculture. The company Girish co-founded, EarthSense, developed its technology to meet the needs of plant breeders, creating robots that can quickly, accurately, and autonomously collect phenotyping data in plot trials. Girish talks about the differences he sees as he moves back & forth between academic and startup life, and why he encourages his students to push their work to more concrete outcomes than the proof points required for an academic publication. Links: EarthSense website: https://www.earthsense.co/ Transcripts of this and all our podcasts can be found at PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Ksenija Gasic, Professor of Horticulture at Clemson University, is on a quest to deliver improved peach varieties to the U.S. market. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Ksenija takes us back to her childhood in Serbia, where time spent in her family's gardens sparked an early interest in plants and agriculture. She shares her experiences completing a postgraduate program during the Balkan conflicts of the early 1990s and how even this adversity had some benefits for her work! We discover why it takes up to 20 years to develop a new peach cultivar, learn about the one-gene difference between a peach and nectarine, and how opportunities in genetic resources led the international exposure which ultimately resulted in Ksenija moving to the USA. Transcripts of this and all our podcasts can be found at www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Narinder Dhillon, Principal Cucurbits Breeder for the World Vegetable Center, has worked with plant breeding programmes around the world, experience which give him a big-picture mindset for solving global food security issues and a special appreciation for collaboration. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast we follow Narinder from his family farm in India, to his international vegetable breeding journey while genomic technologies rapidly evolved. Narinder discusses the role of the World Vegetable Center and his love of cucurbits such as bitter gourd, luffa gourd and tropical pumpkins. He explains why these nutrient-rich crops are critical for food security, the quirks encountered when breeding squash, and how collaboration with private seed companies is a critical component in his program's success. Links: World Vegetable Centre : https://avrdc.org/ Transcript of podcast: www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Emily Negrin, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs at Inari, is an agriculture advocate focused on helping companies communicate more effectively. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Emily explores why food production has become so controversial in recent years and explains how clear, concise communication can help bridge the gap between scientists and consumers. She shares her top tips for talking effective about plant breeding and explains the importance of an effective dialogue for the biotechnology community as a whole. Emily also describes Inari's ambition to use its precision plant breeding platform for environmental impact, increasing corn and soybean yields while reducing water and nitrogen use by up to 40%. Links: Inari website: www.Inari.com Transcripts of this and all our podcasts are on our website at PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Salvatore Ceccarelli, left academia to "pursue more impactful work" breeding at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Aleppo, Syria. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Salvatore explains his experience breeding Barley with smallholder farmers in near desert conditions in the middle east and Africa. He explains “participatory breeding”, involving on-farm testing and collaboration with local farmers; why Syrian farmers prefer tall plants; and the unexpected political implications of involving farmers in breeding decisions. Transcripts of this and all our podcasts can be found at PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Susan McCouch, Professor in plant breeding and genetics at Cornell University, took journey of a lifetime that reframed her understanding of humanity and charted the course for her life's work in rice breeding. Susan's Plant Breeding Story began with a hitchhiking adventure from Boston to Buenos Aires which opened her eyes to society's food challenges and motivated her to pursue a career in agriculture. We learn about the obstacles she had to overcome to earn her PhD degree in plant breeding and genetics as a new mother, and why she jumped at the chance to develop the first genetic map of rice. She recalls her post-graduate work with IRRI in the Philippines, where she helped implement genomics and molecular breeding techniques and train the next generation of rice breeders. She shares how these experiences led to the internationally-respected rice breeding program at Cornell University and its open-source ethos which guides progress and helps solve modern-day agricultural challenges globally. Transcripts of this episode and all our podcasts are available at pbsinternational.com/podcast.

S4 E1 Plant Breeding Stories - Chal Landgren by PBS International

Dr Greg Baute, Senior Director of Breeding and Genetics at Aurora Cannabis, explores the maturing cannabis market and describes why boots-on-the-ground field observations are critical for success. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Greg shares how his educational background and experiences in bioinformatics and practical fieldwork laid a strong foundation for his career, which began in programs breeding sunflowers and tomatoes. We learn about some of the challenges early cannabis breeders faced, including a massive germplasm characterization effort. Greg describes some of the main breeding objectives for improving cannabis varieties, including incorporating consumer-facing traits and the challenges of working with subjective preferences. He explains why it's possible to commercialize a new cannabis variety much faster than other cultivated crops and the complexity of regulatory framework that has to be navigated. Transcript – www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Lane Selman, founder of the Culinary Breeding Network, enriches the science of plant breeding using the colour and engagement that the arts, humanities and convivial discussion bring. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Lane explains how her passions for agriculture, food and art collided to unite diverse perspectives from plant breeders, farmers, consumers and chefs. She describes how a conversation can sometimes transcend science to deliver practical value and shares how an overly data oriented approach can only answer the questions we think to ask. Lane celebrates diversity in food production and explores the eclectic motivations of plant breeders. Her thoughtful insights challenge some traditional perceptions about crop improvement and the food system. Transcript – www.PBSInternational.com/podcast More about the Culinary Breeding Network - @culinarybreedingnetwork https://www.culinarybreedingnetwork.com https://medium.com/@laneselman/how-italian-sagre-inspired-the-culinary-breeding-networks-joyful-celebrations-of-local-vegetables-f4c5a5a909c9

Dr Clare Mukankusi, a common bean breeder at the alliance of Diversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), joins us to explain how collaboration in plant breeding can result in practical improvements for a crop's end-user. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Clare shares how a missed opportunity changed her career trajectory from the medical sciences to plant sciences. She details why the common bean is one of the most critical food legumes globally and highlights its crucial importance as a significant source of protein, zinc and iron in diets across Africa. Clare discusses how research and collaboration across-disciplines improves common bean breeding outcomes for practical uses, including producing beans with faster cooking times. CIAT: https://ciat.cgiar.org/ Pan African Bean Research Alliance: https://ciat.cgiar.org/pabra/ Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture : https://alliancebioversityciat.org/ Transcript - www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr TiFeng Shan, Associate Professor of Marine Biology at the Institute of Oceanology in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, takes us on an underwater adventure to explore seaweed breeding. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, TiFeng highlights both similarities and differences when breeding aquatic and terrestrial crops. We learn about specific traits of interest for seaweed breeding programs, including increased biomass, early maturity, and improved chemical composition. He also explains how climate change and rising water temperatures could affect seaweed breeding programs in the future. We also learn about the commercial applications of seaweed and why the high-value crop has a bright future as well as exploring how collaboration with land crop breeders and use of genomics technology could accelerate advances in seaweed breeding. Transcript - www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Jen Bromley, Head of Client Research and Development at Vertical Future, gives us an inside look at one of the newest movements in agriculture – vertical farming. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Jen describes how her early breeding work with potatoes and tobacco eventually led to her current role leading R&D efforts at Vertical Future. She explains how breeding objectives change for plants grown indoors in a controlled environment compared to traditionally grown field crops. We also learn about some of the ways that vertical agriculture can benefit consumers – from supplying more nutritious produce that is locally grown, to reducing supply chain disruptions. For more information about Jen Bromley and Vertical Future go to: www.verticalfuture.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-bromley/ Transcript - www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Mark Messmer, VP of Breeding and Product Delivery at CoverCress, Inc, is breeding a well-known winter annual weed into a cash crop that benefits farmers' bottom line and the environment. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Mark explains why this particular project brought him out of retirement after a long, successful career in the seed industry. We learn about the challenges that the CoverCress team has to overcome to breed wild pennycress, a winter annual weed, into a commercial crop. He also discusses the potential markets for this new oilseed crop, including biofuel, animal feed and food production uses, and gives us a glimpse of what it takes to commercialize a new crop through the eyes of a startup company. To find out more go to https://covercress.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-messmer-53451873/ Transcript - www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Dr Anupama Hingane, a plant breeder at ICRISAT, joins us to discuss the significance of pigeon peas as a high protein and drought resistant crop which forms a diet staple in India and shares her hopes for expanding the crop's marketability with targeted breeding efforts. In this episode of the Plant Breeding Stories podcast, Anupama shares how a close connection to her family's farm naturally guided her towards a career in plant breeding. We learn about her early breeding work with cotton and cluster beans and their industrial applications. She explains why pigeon peas have historically been neglected by breeders despite their nutritional and agronomic benefits, and she shares also shares how the ICRISAT team uses the latest plant breeding technology to develop pigeonpea varieties that are more adaptable to non-native growing environments, which has agronomic and economic benefits for farmers. Show Notes: Icrisat: https://www.icrisat.org/ Transcript - www.PBSInternational.com/podcast

Daniel Wanjama, founder and coordinator at Seed Savers Network in Kenya, shares how his upbringing in rural Africa set him on a path to help farmers find better ways to nutritional security. In the third of a three-part episode about East African seed systems, Daniel describes how his personal experience with food security inspired him to found Seed Savers Network, which smallholder African farmers gain access to native crop seeds and prevents local landraces of a vegetables and cereal crops from being lost. He explains how the farmers in his network support each other by producing and sharing cassava, bean and indigenous vegetable seed and discusses how network farmers are trained to help ensure that they distribute high-quality seeds. We also learn how intellectual property rights can pose challenges for seed saving programs in Africa. Show Notes Transcripts of all our episodes are available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast For more information about Daniel Wanjama and Seed Savers Network go to https://seedsaverskenya.org

Janey Leakey recognized a gap in the seed varieties available to smallholder farmers in Africa, so she founded a seed company to help support more diversification on the farm. In the second of a three-part episode about East African seed systems, Janey discusses how legumes, cover crops and orphan crops can add value to smallholder farmers in Kenya. We learn about some of the production challenges that local farmers face, including degraded soil, a changing climate and access to affordable seed. She explains why it's essential for a new variety's success that it is commercially feasible for seed companies as well as farmers, and explains the vital role that women play in smallholder agriculture in Africa. Show Notes: Transcripts of all our episodes are available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast www.rajwerafarm.org https://rajwerafarm.org/leldet/

Dr Richard Jones has spent most of his career working in Africa to develop and expand seed distribution logistics for farmers. In the first of a three-part episode about East African seed systems, Richard shares how a gap-year trip to Africa inspired him to focus his life's work there. We learn why farmers “improved” varieties aren't always preferred by farmers and how foreign aid doesn't work as hoped to support low income farmers. He also explores some of the logistical challenges of getting agricultural inputs into the hands of smallholder farmers in Africa. He shares his convictions about how a reimagined regulatory framework and private sector involvement in seed distribution helps support the region's agricultural industry. Show Notes Transcripts of all our episodes are available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast

Dr Paul Matthews and Dr Katherine Easterling of Hopsteiner didn't exactly plan to tackle the complexities of hops breeding when imagining their career paths. But, as fate would have it, their diverse life experiences gave them the perfect foundation to do just that. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Dr Matthews and Dr Easterling explain why hops can be more challenging to breed than other cultivated crops due to their long generation time and unpredictable genetic inheritance patterns. They share how genomic tools, comparative breeding intel and creative thinking help them deliver unique hops varieties that enhance flavour, aroma, consistency and flexibility for brewing. The Hopsteiner scientists also share their excitement about the biomedical properties of the crop and what they could mean for global health initiatives.

Dr Mei-Lie Tan, the managing director and owner of Crea Nova Consultancy, has taken an inter-disciplinary approach to accomplish her educational, career and life goals. Her story is a testament to the power of collaboration, perseverance and innovative thinking. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Dr Tan shares how degrees in plant phytopathology, cell and molecular biology and plant breeding have helped her become a more holistically-thinking problem solver. We learn what it takes to build a biotech research lab for a multinational seed company from scratch and why she eventually quit working for other people to establish her own company. Dr Tan also reveals why she believes that diversity is the secret ingredient for success and discusses how advances in human medicine could shape the future of plant cell research. A transcript of this podcast is available on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast/ Links: Crea Nova Consultancy http://creanova-consult.com

Dr Dave Bubeck, Research Director for Corteva Agriscience and President of the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB), discusses how new technologies and company mergers have transformed some aspects of plant breeding, while also supporting the foundational principles that lead to crop improvement. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Dr Bubeck shares stories of pollinating corn with Raymond Baker, the first plant breeder Henry Wallace hired upon founding Pioneer Hi-Breds in 1926. He discusses how genotyping and gene editing technologies have evolved the plant breeding industry and touches on some of the things that haven't changed – including the need for breeders to intimately understand the crops they work with. Dr Bubeck also shares how the NAPB strengthens plant breeding by promoting food security and a sustainable future for agriculture. A transcript of this podcast is available on the PBS International website https://www.pbsinternational.com/podcast/ Links: Dave Bubeck: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bubeck-77b6b119/ Corteva Agriscience - www.corteva.com The National Association of Plant Breeders - www.plantbreeding.org

Tress Walmsley, CEO of Western Australia's Intergrain Ltd, is a leader in cereal breeding. She was instrumental in implementing Australia's unique End Point Royalty (EPR) mechanism, used by plant breeders to recover the cost of developing improved plant genetics. Her vast experience in cereal agronomy and intellectual property management set her up for success in leading Intergrain, a private company spun-off from a government-operated breeding program. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Ms Walmsley explains how the EPR system works and why it offers breeding programs more benefits than the traditional point-of-sale royalty might. We learn why Intergrain supports an open, collaborative approach to business, and discover some of the atypical objectives in Intergrain's breeding targets – which include cereals that perform well in no-till agricultural systems and a perfect wheat variety for Udon noodles. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast To find out more via Twitter @interGrain1  or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tress-walmsley-8553b831/

Dr Hussein Haji, CEO of Filson Somalia and executive director of Somali Agriculture Technical Group (SATG), is helping to reconstruct agricultural infrastructure in his home country following years of civil unrest. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Dr Haji shares stories of his travels from Somalia to India and Canada working with plant breeding in crops including sorghum and tobacco. He explains how global work and educational experiences forged his intention to return to Somalia and help rebuild its agricultural capability. His work today includes supporting farmers acquire improved seed, technology, testing and equipment for their farms. Dr Haji explores the challenges he faces working in a war-ravaged country and offers insights into how he hopes tissue culture can revive the banana industry in Somalia. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast For more information about Filsan, SATG and Dr Hussein see: www.filsansomalia.org www.satg.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/hussein-haji-510a631b2/

Dr Mike Jackson has had a remarkable career in genetic resource research, curation, and management spanning multiple crops and countries. From potatoes in Peru to rice in the Philippines, Dr Jackson has dedicated his life's work to preserving genetic diversity in crops essential for food security. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Dr Jackson shares why having a diverse pool of genetic resources is critical for the survival of modern agriculture. He discusses his work at the International Potato Centre and the International Rice Research Institute, where he supported programs to advance genetic diversity, breeding outcomes and agronomics for potatoes and rice. Jackson also explains some of the challenges of maintaining modern gene banks, including securing funding, effectively managing data and adequately preserving genetic material. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find out more about Dr Jackson on Twitter @mikejackson1948 and via his blog https://mikejackson1948.blog/

Professor Rita Mumm is a professor, entrepreneur, visionary and change-maker. Her formidable path began in Illinois, where she completed college studies through to a PhD while also raising young children. Professor Mumm's plant breeding career has given her rich experience in the corporate world, academia and entrepreneurship. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Mumm recounts how managing a one-acre hobby garden helped set her direction. We follow her plant breeding journey as she explains what it was like to work at the forefront of agricultural biotechnology, developing novel herbicide and insecticide-resistant corn traits at DeKalb. Mumm shares how she transitioned from a corporate role to one in academia to support the recruitment and training of future plant breeders. Finally, we learn about her latest endeavours at USAID and as Director of the African Plant Breeding Academy at the University of California Davis, where she helps train plant scientists across Africa to improve continent-wide nutritional security. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast For more about Rita Mumm on Twitter (@ritamumm) or on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rita-mumm-2a893425/).

Dr Lee Hickey, Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, Australia, leads a research team focused on plant breeding innovation. His work seeks to find more efficient and efficacious ways of realising genetic gain across plant breeding programmes. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Hickey shares how he pivoted from studies in marine biology to pursue a degree in agricultural science. He introduces the idea of “speed breeding”, which involves employing similar technologies to vertical farming, to accelerate research and applied breeding outcomes. Hickey also discusses why collaboration, effective scientific communication and grit are crucial skills to meet the future food demands of a growing population. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find out more about Lee Hickey: Instagram - @hickeylab, @drhikov Twitter - @HickeyLab, @drhikov

Welcome to series two of Plant Breeding Stories from PBS International, world leaders in pollination control. This series will continue to spotlight the diversity of personalities, crops, organisations, and technologies that go into developing new varieties of plants which humanity so urgently needs. Look out for udon noodles, bananas, corn, and spinach - to name just a few of the applications - as we talk to entrepreneurs, academics, commercial breeders and non profit breeders with a passion for plants! As always, the transcripts are available from our website www.pbsinternational.com and podcasts will be released every week, on Wednesdays.

Wong Choo Kien talks about the “magical crop”, oil palm, and his work as Head of Crop Improvement Division for Applied Agricultural Resources. With 85% of the world's palm oil coming from Malaysia and its neighbour Indonesia, this plant has significance not just for the history and economies of these two countries, but for the entire global food system. Mr Wong describes evidence for a 10,000 year history of the palm's use for food in Africa, and how even working with the world's highest yielding oil crop there is work to be done to develop new characteristics. He also talks about his sense of loyalty to the community of oil palm breeders and the importance of people - the wisdom of investing in development, and the need to encourage young people to consider a career in agriculture. A transcript of this podcast is available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find out more about AAR via their websites: http://www.aarsb.com.my

Laurie McKenzie, Research & Education Associate with the Washington State-based Organic Seed Alliance, develops new crop varieties for organic production systems. A typical day for her might include evaluating breeding trials in the field, collaborating with seed companies and farmers to establish breeding priorities, or sharing the latest seed research at an industry conference. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Ms McKenzie shares how she was inspired to pursue plant breeding after working at a community-supported-agriculture farm and a seed production farm. She shares with us her the people who shaped her career and her passion for her work while also explaining how breeding for conventional and organic systems both differ and complement each other in solving food insecurity challenges. She digs into what traits she breeds for to meet the needs of the organic market, and reveals her proudest career achievement — spoiler alert, it involves very colorful carrots. A transcript of this podcast is available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find more about Laurie's work here: Twitter: @Seed_Alliance

Steve McKeand, Emeritus Professor of Forest Genetics at North Carolina State University, has spent his career improving tree genetics for forest plantations. Each year more than 250,000 hectares of trees are planted using genetics originating from the Cooperative Tree Improvement program at North Carolina State, making it the largest forest tree planting program in the world. Prof. McKeand credits collaboration between the university, landowners and private companies for the program's success. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, we explore how the cooperative model for tree improvement originated in the southern United States. Prof McKeand talks about the traits tree breeders are particularly interested in improving, and discusses why patience is not just a virtue, but a necessity in forestry. He also explains how tree breeding tools and technology have changed since his work began and how forest plantations can help preserve more diverse ecosystems. A transcript of this podcast is available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find more of Steve's work here: Twitter: @NCSU_TIP Website: https://www.treeimprovement.org

Dr. Pete Iannetta, agroecologist with the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, has taken a non-traditional path to plant science. Fishing, aquaculture,teaching and social care were all part of his route to plant biology and ecology. Today, his work at the James Hutton Institute focuses on the utility of legumes in production and semi-natural systems to improve agricultural sustainability. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Iannetta shares how his research on legume production and processing led to working on producing a carbon-neutral Scottish gin, Nadar. He also discusses his quest to breed out nitrogen fixation in legume crops and talks about how his broad life experiences and background in ecology gives him a systems perspective on the the connections between social sciences, economics and agriculture. A transcript of this podcast is available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find more about Pete and his work here: Twitter: @AgroEcoAtJHI @JamesHuttonInst

"How can intellectual property and biotechnology laws affect innovation in the plant breeding industry? It's a question that Canadian independent plant breeder Jodi Souter seeks to answer as a Nuffield Farming Scholar. As one of only about 20 scholars per year, Souter plans to travel the world to learn more about how regulations can promote or stifle innovation in the food and agriculture industries. In this episode, we'll learn more about Souter's project and how she forged an entrepreneurial path in the plant breeding industry to launch J4 Agri-Science. Along the way, she'll share how growing up on a farm helped shape her career and why she credits long-distance running for the determination and competitiveness she relies on to fuel her business success." A transcript of this podcast is available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find more of Jodi Souter here: Twitter: @JodiSouter

Professor Daljit S. Virk's plant breeding career spans five incredible decades. Growing up in a small village in Pakistan, he was surrounded by agriculture and was interested in it at an early age. He chose to study plant breeding for his MSC degree after being convinced by a friend that it could have great potential to serve farmers. Just after he finished his MSC degree, the Green Revolution began, and all eyes were on agriculture. In this episode of Plant Breeding Stories, Virk shares how plant breeding technology has changed since his early days before the wide use of computers. He'll share how he used unconventional and innovative plant breeding techniques to develop rice varieties that benefitted millions of farmers in India and discuss what opportunities he sees for the future of plant breeding. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast You can read more about Dr Virk here: https://www.sikhnet.com/news/dr-daljit-singh-virk-receive-obe

Entrepreneurs Will Pelton and Nick Kral, founders of Phytoform Labs, explain the genome editing technology that is the foundation of their business and share why they are excited about their platform's potential to deliver new crop traits efficiently, safely and sustainably. Introducing a new trait into a crop can take years with traditional breeding methods. Pelton and Kral discuss speeding up the process and improving accuracy by adopting recent genome editing developments in plant breeding technology, akin to the well known CRISPR-Cas9, and describe how they're using artificial intelligence to build new exploration tools to develop novel crop traits. As the global regulatory framework for new breeding technologies continues to evolve, the founders of Phytoform Labs explain how they're working to make the most impact with their technology and why they hope to improve the sustainability of the agricultural supply chain, starting with trait development in the Solanaceae family. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast A transcript of this podcast is available at www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find out more about Phytoform labs here: Twitter: @PhytoformLabs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phytoform-labs/

Dr. Alison Bentley, Program Director of the Global Wheat Program at CIMMYT, shares how her work in wheat breeding delivers more robust varieties that meet farmer and consumer needs around the world. She describes the process of pre-breeding, introducing advantageous commercial traits from native or wild type plant species to increase the genetic diversity critical for any successful plant breeding program. Find more of Alison Bentley here: Twitter: @AlisonRBentley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-bentley-98861959/ In this episode, Bentley will discuss her work in wheat which spans three continents — Australia, Europe and North America. We'll follow along as she describes visiting some of the earliest sites of human civilization near Turkey, where plant domestication began & searching for wild relatives of grains in Australian grasslands. Bentley also talks about her new role at CIMMYT and why she's excited about its global, cross-disciplinary focus. A transcript of this podcast can be found on the PBS International website www.pbsinternational.com/podcast Find out more about Dr Bentley on Twitter, @AlisonRBentley, and more about CIMMYT via their website https://www.cimmyt.org

Welcome to the Plant Breeding Stories podcast. This is a short teaser for the upcoming podcast series. If you like what you hear, click subscribe to the podcast and you'll get the next episode delivered direct to your device when it's released.