Accelerating Breeding Cycles

AbstractThe rate of genetic gain in wheat improvement programs must improve to meet the challenge of feeding a growing population. Future wheat varieties will need to produce record high yields to feed an anticipated 25% more inhabitants on this planet by 2050. The current rate of genetic gain is slow and cropping systems are facing unprecedented fluctuations in production. This instability stems from major changes in climate and evolving pests and diseases. Rapid genetic improvement is essential to optimise crop performance under such harsh conditions. Accelerating breeding cycles shows promise for increasing the rate of genetic gain over time. This can be achieved by concurrent integration of cutting-edge technologies into breeding programs, such as speed breeding (SB), doubled haploid (DH) technology, high-throughput phenotyping platforms and genomic selection (GS). These technologies empower wheat breeders to keep the pace with increasing food demand by developing more productive and robust varieties sooner. In this chapter, strategies for shortening the wheat breeding cycle are discussed, along with the opportunity to integrate technologies to further accelerate the rate of genetic gain in wheat breeding programs.