Innovation in Agriculture Starts With Seeds

Seeds are a strategic resource for agriculture and, today more than ever, can contribute to the sustainability and profitability of agriculture.

Thanks to the genetic potential of seeds, we can achieve better yields, develop resistance or tolerance to pests, and express nutritional and quality characteristics in cultivated crops to meet consumer demands.

Few people realize that improved seeds are the product of years of scientific research and breeding programs aimed at unlocking their full genetic potential. These efforts are focused on enhancing desirable traits to deliver crops with optimal yields and superior quality.

Moreover, improved seeds play a crucial role in addressing the enormous challenge of feeding a growing global population, especially considering that plants make up 80% of the food we consume. And for those who might question this, it’s worth remembering that much of the animal protein we rely on also depends on plant-based feed.

Unlocking the Potential of Plant Breeding Innovations (PBI)

Modern plant breeding techniques, also known as Plant Breeding Innovations (PBI) are transforming the foundation of our food systems. These innovations are helping us respond to some of the most urgent challenges of our time, from food security and environmental sustainability to climate resilience and pest control. 

Food security: PBI enables the development of crop varieties with higher yields, helping farmers produce more food using fewer resources. This is key to meeting the rising global demand for food without expanding agricultural land. 

Environmental sustainability: Through PBI, scientists can develop plants that require less water, fertilizer, or pesticide. These improved varieties contribute to more sustainable farming practices by minimizing environmental impact and preserving essential resources like soil and water. 

Climate change: As extreme weather events become more frequent, there is an urgent need for crops that can thrive under stress. PBI allows for the creation of varieties that are more tolerant to drought, heat, and other climate-related challenges, helping farmers maintain stable production in uncertain conditions. 

Pest resistance: Up to 40% of food is lost due to pests, according to the FAO. PBI offers a way to develop crops with built-in resistance to these threats, reducing losses in the field.  

Promising PBI Technologies

Plant Breeding Innovations include a range of techniques used to develop improved crop varieties, but those based on gene editing have become a major area of interest. Among them, CRISPR-Cas stands out as one of the most precise and efficient tools available today. By making targeted changes to an organism’s DNA sequence, gene editing allows scientists to develop new plant varieties more quickly and accurately than with other methods.   

Thanks to CRISPR-Cas, new crops are being developed to provide food for developing countries in Africa and Latin America. At the same time, these technologies are enabling the development of new varieties that meet specific market demands, such as rice that reduces allergic reactions, a banana that turns brown more slowly and has longer shelf life, and soybeans that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions during cultivation, to name just a few.

Although the era of these technologies is still in its early stages, the opportunities to expand the diversity of plant varieties appear endless, especially when CRISPR is combined with the power of artificial intelligence.

Recently, Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dr. Jennifer Doudna noted that: “In agriculture, AI-informed CRISPR advancements promise to create more resilient, productive, and nutritious crops, ensuring greater food security and reducing the time to market by helping researchers focus on the most fruitful approaches”.

PBI in Mexico

A key factor in harnessing the benefits of PBI is fostering increased investment in research and development in this area. Therefore, at AMSAC, we actively promote strategic partnerships with government authorities and productive sectors to ensure that the latest technological advances are available to Mexican society.

Through numerous forums and discussions with decision-makers, we have emphasized the urgent need to update current legislation to keep pace with rapid progress in science and technology. Today's agriculture is vastly different from what it was 20 years ago, and it requires a modern legal framework that supports the development and production of new plant varieties.

Furthermore, Mexico needs to harmonize its legislation with what is happening internationally to fully participate in the advancements of plant breeding. At AMSAC, we see a great opportunity to boost investment in R&D in Mexico, primarily in staple crops like rice and beans, and to join the worldwide movement toward plant genetic improvement. 

We recognize the many challenges faced by Mexico’s countryside, which is why the seed industry strongly insists on having an appropriate regulatory framework to foster research and development. Such a framework is essential to develop crops that address the country’s needs while enabling Mexican agriculture to remain competitive on the global stage.