A decline in plant breeding could impact food security.
That is according o research by a horticulturalist at Washington State University. She says that plant breeding plays a fundamental part in the long-term food security of the U.S., and she says that her research points to a cause in its decline.
According to Kate Evans, “New pests, new diseases appear on the horizon annually really... and we know that we are having changing climate issues as well. So, we need to be thinking ahead and plant breeding is one of those techniques that enables us to deal with some of these problems as they occur.”
Evans says that with the pandemic, the focus on food security has received even more attention.