Genetic improvement and the consequential productivity benefits are key to enhancing the competitiveness of the Irish farming industry, according to Professor Jimmy Burke of Teagasc.
At the launch of a new information booklet on certified seed, he said plant breeding techniques are continuously evolving and contributed 1%-1.5% yield improvement per annum.
Prof Burke said yields, lodging resistance, plant health, and overall grain quality have improved massively in recent decades.
A substantial part of the increase in average cereal yields over the past 25 years can be attributed to innovations in plant breeding.
The professor said the development and commercial introduction of better plant genetics into Irish farming systems must be encouraged, thus improving and safeguarding our national competitiveness in a fast evolving globalised market.
We have the highest cereal yields in the world, he said, and we need to maintain that position to remain competitive.
