Sustainability, plant breeding and PBRs go hand in hand

In many cases, plant breeding and the resulting Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) provides the essential foundation for a climate-proof and resource efficient industry. Photo credit: Royal Van Zanten.

The development of ornamental plant varieties with improved shelf life, pest, and disease resistance, end-use quality, heat and drought tolerance, and environmental performance play a vital role in creating a sustainable, resource-efficient horticulture fit for the new green economy. Plant Variety Rights (PVR) are in place to incentivise long-term investment in producing new varieties, writes Emanuela Truffo, Partner at Studio Legale Jacobacci E Associati, for FCI.

“Climate change has always happened on Earth, as evidenced by a range of geological settings. Yet, the fast pace and magnitude of climate change occurring now are raising the alarm.
As such, sustainability has become a business imperative for all companies, and it’s perfectly clear why.

The development of ornamental plant varieties with improved shelf life, pest, and disease resistance, end-use quality, heat and drought tolerance, and environmental performance play a vital role in creating a sustainable, resource-efficient horticulture fit for the new green economy.

The broader concept of sustainability

It is common knowledge that the focus of commercial breeding programmes in ornamental horticulture is to improve yields with reduced inputs and the plant’s adaption to a changing climate while reducing the sector’s environmental footprint. All these aspects are included in the broader concept of sustainability.

At first sight, the ornamentals sector hasn’t changed dramatically over the last decades, basically because the development and production of the new varieties and their marketing are the same. Yet, it would be incorrect to assume that sustainability isn’t high on the sector’s agenda.

It may well be possible that this apparent absence of updating of the horticultural industry derives from the fact that it has always been sustainable. As a matter of fact, could anyone argue that developing a new variety is based on the principles of a circular economy and related sustainability? No, of course not.

‘WE WOULD BE NAIVE TO DENY THE IMPORTANCE OF A RENEWED ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE ENTIRE HORTICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAIN’

Prominent members of the circular economy

However, for decades, and even centuries, breeders have been developing new varieties without impacting our ecosystem – or at least, with limited impact.

In many cases, plant breeding and the resulting Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) provides the essential foundation for a climate-proof and resource-efficient industry.

Coping with new pathogen agents, and facing climate drought, are mere examples of the productive troubles solved by new varieties. Furthermore, breeders focus on waste control and recycling, thus proving themselves prominent members of the circular economy club.

We would be naïve to deny the importance of a renewed eco-consciousness in the entire horticultural supply chain. However, it seems that the environmental impact from the horticultural supply chain – including the illegal and uncontrolled release of waste – is happening downstream. That is from the commercialisation of young plant material up to the final consumer.

Despite its peculiar character, horticulture must cope with the same problems as any other industry when it comes to sustainability: logistics, energy and waste management are pivotal, both having a central role in almost any step of the supply chain from breeders to customers.

The challenges

The challenges for the years to come – aligned with COP26 include the following:

(a) Reducing the energy necessary to be deployed in the manufacturing and marketing process: the development of advanced sustainable sources of energy – favourited and, in a sense, made it possible thanks to breeders’ activity and patents – is paramount to grant the existence of the sector at the discussion. However, no matter the source, the energy must be used properly and with due ‘frugality’;
(b) Decreasing the production of waste. In this sense, the very nature of horticulture and agriculture is to be circular. So, waste is deployed as an energetic source or rough material in a new lifecycle instead of being stocked;
(c) Reducing carbon fossil impact by reaching the ambitious ‘zero emission’ goal in a few years. Again, breeders develop the varieties necessary to improve the manufacture of ‘eco-flues’, thus helping humankind reach that goal.

Climate change is happening now, and climate scientists have been indicating the path to follow. The horticultural industry must adapt to the new environment and do its share to reach the goal. Breeders seem to be aware of this and are ready to accept the challenges, proving themselves as an essential part of the sustainable and circular economy.”

Emanuela Truffo is a Partner at Studio Legale Jacobacci E Associati, Italy.

This article was first published in the June 2023 edition of FloraCulture International.