Creative destruction is transforming the plant breeding industry through innovations that significantly disrupt traditional practices. This is leading to the decline or transformation of existing methods, products, and even entire industries. Let’s look at some notable examples:
Open-Pollinated Varieties vs. Hybrid Seeds
Farmers used to rely on open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) that allowed them to save seeds from one season to plant the next. However, the development of hybrid seeds starting in the late 19th century revolutionized agriculture. Hybrid seeds, created by crossing two different inbred lines, offered much higher yields and more uniform crops. Farmers switched to hybrids due to their superior performance, even though it meant buying new seeds each season. This shift has fundamentally changed seed production and sales.
Conventional Breeding vs. GMOs
Traditional plant breeding methods like selective breeding and crossbreeding were once the primary ways to develop new crop varieties. But the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the 1990s allowed scientists to directly modify plants’ DNA, inserting specific genes for traits like pest resistance or herbicide tolerance. GMOs enabled faster and more precise development of enhanced crops, disrupting traditional breeding practices. This innovation led to a major shift in agriculture, especially for major crops.
Traditional GMOs vs. CRISPR
Earlier GMOs inserted foreign genes into plants, often facing public resistance. But the advent of CRISPR gene editing in the 2010s allowed precise, targeted changes to a plant’s own DNA without foreign genes. CRISPR is more efficient, less costly, and more publicly acceptable. This has opened new possibilities for plant breeding innovation, potentially reducing the dominance of earlier GMO technologies.
Phenotypic Selection vs. Marker-Assisted Selection
Breeders used to rely on phenotypic selection, choosing plants based on visible traits, a slow and imprecise process. But marker-assisted selection (MAS) uses genetic markers to screen and select plants more efficiently, even before traits appear physically. MAS has accelerated breeding and improved accuracy, leading to the decline of purely phenotypic methods. It has become standard in modern programs, making traditional methods less competitive.
Public Breeding vs. Private Companies
Public institutions and universities were once the main sources of new crop varieties. But the rise of private seed and biotech companies, with advanced research and funding, shifted innovation to the private sector. These companies developed proprietary technologies like GMOs and hybrids. As public programs faced funding cuts, private companies took the lead in developing high-performing varieties.
Each example shows how innovation in plant breeding can displace older methods, driving the industry forward while creating new challenges and opportunities. Creative destruction is reshaping the seed sector through disruptive technologies.