A New Generation of Plant Breeders Discovers Fertile Ground in Organic Agriculture

Claire H. Luby, Alexandra H. Lyon and Adrienne C. Shelton
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Claire H. Luby: Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1575 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA
Alexandra H. Lyon: Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 550 N. Park St., Madison, WI 53706, USA
Adrienne C. Shelton: Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 550 N. Park St., Madison, WI 53706, USA

Sustainability, 2013, vol. 5, issue 6, 1-5

Abstract: Plant breeding for organic systems is a growing field that is attracting a new cohort of graduate students in land-grant plant breeding programs. In 2012, the first Student Organic Seed Symposium (SOSS) was organized by and for graduate students and held in Greensboro, VT. This three-day symposium brought together graduate students and plant breeding professionals in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Organic plant breeding offers an exciting new niche for public breeding programs, with the potential to develop unique opportunities and partnerships. Participation in the symposium demonstrated that graduate students are enthusiastic about engaging in organic plant breeding and building a community of support for their work. This new cadre of researchers represents one opportunity to collectively move towards a more sustainable agricultural future, and underscores the necessity of building and maintaining strong public plant breeding programs that can facilitate this work.

Keywords: plant breeding; organic agriculture; graduate education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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