2.1 Objectives
According to the ToR, the general objective of this study is to analyse the actual capacities of the public plant breeding area and its relation with the private sector (via public/private partnership - PPP) in order to fulfil the needs of the Europe 2020 strategy.
More specifically, the study shall focus on the following specific objectives:
To review main breeding needs for the EU bio-economy 2020 and climate change;
To identify breeding needs for crop/trait combinations relevant for the EU bio-based economy and climate change that are currently covered insufficiently by the private EU sector;
To review the structure and recent evolution of the public plant breeding sector in the EU;
To analyse the potentials and constraints of the public breeding sector (or public/private partnership) to address these needs;
Conclude on the potential of the public plant breeding sector in the EU to meet the needs of the bio-based economy 2020 strategy and climate change.
2.2 Scope
The analysis covers all EU 27 Member States. Member State information is being gathered through desk research, supplemented by surveys addressed to all MS and stakeholders across MS, and specific face to face and phone interviews. Serbia is also covered as historically it has had a strong public plant breeding sector and as it is a candidate for EU accession. To allow comparability of the evolution of the public plant breeding sector, a Third Country analysis has been performed via a qualitative assessment of individual public plant breeding capacities in Australia, Brazil, Chili, South East Asia (SEA), and the USA.
During the last 30 years, the plant breeding scheme which is crop specific has become more complex with the integration of new tools and new breeding techniques (e.g. molecular techniques, genetic engineering, genomics, etc…) leading to the situation that different breeding models can actually be distinguished. The following graph describes the two main breeding schemes: the so-called “conventional plant breeding scheme” and the “modern breeding scheme” in which molecular breeding methods have been integrated. These schemes are permanently being reviewed for process and cost optimisation. It is anticipated that it will continue to evolve over time with the development of additional added values techniques (enabling technologies).
Figure 1 - The conventional versus the modern plant breeding model Conventional breeding model
Modern breeding model Germaplasm
collection &
characterisation
Variety
development Variety testing
Seed multiplication
Marketing &
sales
Germplasm collection &
characterisation
Variety
development Variety testing
Seed
multiplication Marketing &
sales Basic
research
(genomics, transformation)
Pre-breeding (trait development)
Market assisted selection
Notes: in blue the breeding steps, in green the other seed business steps.
The study covers the commercial breeding activities; the main focus of the research is on the applied/conventional breeding steps that are listed as follows:
Germplasm collection & characterisation (including molecular breeding activities in support to germplasm characterisation;
Variety development (mainly field nursery work); and
Variety testing (multi-location field testing that takes place before registration of varieties).
Basic research and pre-breeding activities are not included in the scope of this study.
2.3 Crop coverage
The ToR of the study specifies that the crops covered shall be representative of the following groups: cereals (wheat included), oilseeds, pastures, fruits, vegetables, industrial crops, feed stocks for biofuel production, including grasses and trees, and feed stocks for chemicals and biomaterial production.
Based on discussions with experts and with the relevant EU Commission services (DG Research, DG SANCO, DG AGRI) during the structuring phase of the study, the following crops and crop species have been included in the scope of the research study.
Table 1 - List of crops and crop species studied by the research8
2.4 Methodological approach (in brief
9)
The approach and the methodology deployed for the identification of breeding needs for the EU bio-economy 2020 and climate change and the analysis of the past and current public plant breeding capacities in the EU 27 MS has involved a combination of identification and data collection tools and included several phases:
An initial literature review and desk research to list breeding needs in order to fulfil objectives of the EU 2020 bio-based economy (which needs for the strategy?). Results of this task have been compiled in an EndNote database listing the major scientific papers and other publications addressing future needs of the bio-based economy and presenting the possible role of breeding (public and private) to address these needs;
A large scale consultative exercise with plant breeders, scientists, producers, food supply chain actors, and policy makers through face to face and phone interviews: This first round of interviews (55 in total) was initiated at the beginning of February 2012 and had the objective to complete the listing of plant breeding needs. This consultation process included a workshop that has been organised to validate the first findings of the research and to evaluate which breeding needs are currently not or insufficiently covered by the public sectors. This event brought together the EU plant breeding community from
8
different sectors, as well as farmers and experts from the food and non-food supply chains, as well as EU policy makers. Forty one persons participated to the event, coming from 11 different MS countries. The workshop was structured in working groups to allow optimal participation of individual experts;
A survey on past and current public plant breeding resources and capacities has been completed: The research team developed two survey questionnaires: the first survey (general survey) aimed at collecting information on conventional public plant breeding activities within the EU 27 MS; the second survey complements the first one as it targeted upstream R&D activities (pre-breeding). The survey was launched end of June 2012 and was carried out over the summer. The general survey was sent via Email to 281 representatives of the public sectors of 29 countries (EU 27 MS + Norway + Serbia) that received the General Survey questionnaire. The Specific Survey (which was optional) was launched via the EPSO secretariat that distributed the survey to all its members.
In total the research team received 48 surveys from 21 countries, 12 completed specific surveys and 31 completed general surveys. Three EU MS indicated that no public plant breeding activities were occurring in their country any longer10. Therefore there was no need for them to fill the questionnaire.
Follow-up interviews were conducted with selected respondents to the questionnaires for the purposes of clarification and analysis of specific responses and observations at greater depth in order to obtain an enhanced understanding of various aspects of the plant breeding needs (validation phase).
The second consultation was conducted from August to October 2012, following the survey, in order to obtain complementary information.
A second literature review, completed by interviews was carried out to compile an Endnote library including major publications and scientific evidences addressing evolution of the public plant breeding sector for the last 60 years. To this search, a Third Country analysis was completed to analyse evolution of public plant breeding capacities in several major agricultural countries in the world (Australia, Brazil, Chile, South East Asia, and the USA).
Several delays have been observed in answering to the general survey questionnaire as it was launched during summer time which is a very intensive labour period (field work) for breeders.
2.5 Structure of the report
After this general introduction presenting the background of the study, its objective and the methodological approach the report consists of two main parts.
The first part (Chapter 3) lists the plant breeding needs required to fulfil the objectives of the EU 2020 strategy and summarises how these needs are considered (or not) by the private sector. A typology of needs is proposed and the likely breeding approaches and breeding prioritisation per crop/trait combination are also analysed;
Chapter 4 maps the development of the EU public plant breeding sector (applied breeding resulting in cultivation of new varieties) in the past, current status and capacity of the public plant breeding sector (including public/private co-operations). This analysis is based on the results of the general survey as well as on the analysis of the evolution of public maintainers as listed in the agricultural and vegetables Common Catalogues. An introductory section describes the development of the public breeding sector in the EU since the end of World War II in comparison to the evolution of the private breeding sector in the EU and in the context of the global situation as well as a qualitative benchmarking analysis with Third Countries for a limited number of country/crop combinations. This chapter ends by a conclusion on the
10In total, there is 8 MS in which public breeding do not occur (Information regarding the 5 others is based on information gathered from official authorities in charge of variety registration in neighbouring countries and based on the knowledge of the research study experts)
potential of the public plant breeding sector in fulfilling the needs of the EU sustainable bio-based economy until 2020.