Plant breeding is currently under stress – the global demand for breeders is greater than the current educational system has been producing. Companies are having difficulty finding well trained plant breeders, slowing the progress of agricultural research. The need to strengthen public plant breeding programs and educate more professional plant breeders is critical if we are to continue producing improved crop varieties to provide food for an increasing population.
Researchers at UC Davis are initiating a study aimed at gaining consensus on the most essential curriculum components for educating plant breeders. Through an iterative process, a diverse group of experts with highly specialized knowledge of plant breeding will be surveyed to elicit ideas and suggestions for educational program content. Over 200 participants from all over the world will be asked to complete the three rounds of this survey, with each round building on the responses gleaned through the prior round. This consensus-based approach will lead to a comprehensive analysis of content and practical experiences that will guide the design of modern plant breeding curricula. Following conclusion of the analysis, all results will be publically available to the international community.
Delphi - Summary about this study (PDF)
Delphi Q&A (PDF)
Contributors for this study thus far include:
- American Seed Trade Association (ASTA)
- Ball Horticultural Company
- Global Initiative for Plant Breeding (GIPB)
- Monsanto Company
- Nunhems
- Syngenta
- Rijk Zwaan
- UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences
- UC Davis Seed Biotechnology Center
- Fred Bliss
- Michael Campbell
- Gary Whiteaker
Dr. Cary Trexler, a professor in the College of Education at UC Davis will be leading this study in cooperation with the Seed Biotechnology Center. Funding for this study is being provided through the generous support of private companies, university departments, and individual contributors.
For more information please email breedingstudy@ucdavis.edu or call Jamie Shattuck at (530)752-9985.