The Scientific Grand Challenges of the 21st Century for the Crop Science Society of America

Abstract

Crop science is a highly integrative science employing expertise from multiple disciplines to broaden our understanding of agronomic, turf, and forage crops. A major goal of crop science is to ensure an adequate and sustainable production of food, feed, fuel, and fiber for our world's growing population. The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) identified key Grand Challenges which, when addressed, will provide the tools, technologies, and solutions required to meet these challenges. The Grand Challenges are: (i) Crop adaptation to climate change: Increase the speed with which agriculture can adapt to climate change by using crop science to address abiotic stresses such as drought and heat. (ii) Resistance to biotic stresses: Increase durability of resistance to biotic stresses that threaten yield and quality of major crops. (iii) Management for resource limited systems: Create novel crop cultivars and management approaches designed for problem soils and low‐input farming to increase economic prosperity for farmers and overcome world hunger. (iv) Crop management systems: Create novel crop management systems that are resilient in the face of changes in climate and rural demographics. (v) Biofuels: Develop sustainable biofuel feedstock cropping systems that require minimal land area, optimize production, and improve the environment. (vi) Bioresources: Genotyping the major crop germplasm collections to facilitate identification of gene treasures for breeding and genetics research and deployment of superior genes into adapted germplasm around the globe. These challenges are intended to be dynamic and change as societal needs evolve. Available funding and national prioritization will determine the rate that they will be addressed.

Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Drought Tolerance in Common Bean

“…Incidence and duration of drought in major agricultural areas are expected to increase due to climate change and negatively affect crop yields and food security (Lauer et al, 2012;McClean et al, 2011). Incidence and duration of drought in major agricultural areas are expected to increase due to climate change and negatively affect crop yields and food security (Lauer et al, 2012;McClean et al, 2011).…”

The Vulnerability of Plant Genetic Resources Conserved Ex Situ

“…Many active research programs in genebanks are more aimed at germplasm utility with basic characterization to generate accession-level information, but less toward the issues associated with germplasm conservation per se. The Crop Science Society of America's Grand Challenges on Bioresources (Lauer et al, 2012) aims to genotype the major crop germplasm collections to facilitate identification of gene treasures for breeding and genetics research and deployment of superior genes into adapted germplasm around the globe. The specified seven key questions and expected four outcomes provide some guidance into research on germplasm utilization for genetic improvement of important traits.…”

Structural Equation Modeling Facilitates Transdisciplinary Research on Agriculture and Climate Change

“…This shift in funding strategy and research approach will require unprecedented collaboration among investigators in disparate disciplines (Lauer et al, 2012). This shift in funding strategy and research approach will require unprecedented collaboration among investigators in disparate disciplines (Lauer et al, 2012).…”

“…However, successful execution of these complex, multidisciplinary projects on grand-challenge issues requires bridging across multiple disciplinary perspectives to achieve common questions and methods (Lauer et al, 2012). In this context, the practice of 'framing' is emerging as an essential means for organizing successful research teams.…”

“…Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Agriculture and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change program and NSF's Coupled Natural and Human Systems (CNH) program and Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) investment. This shift in funding strategy and research approach will require unprecedented collaboration among investigators in disparate disciplines (Lauer et al, 2012). Here, we will discuss the use of SEM as a visual thinking tool that can improve the outcome of these projects by providing a common frame across disciplines, facilitating constant refinement of hypotheses and methods, and promoting discovery of new questions and relationships.…”