44 GERMINATION.CA SEPTEMBER 2017 LaVigne says opportunities will come into play, but stresses the importance of new learnings and methods that will emerge and evolve in two years, five years and 10 years. “The domestication of the plant was arguably the single most important technological advance in our his- tory, and allowed us to develop into the highly complex civilization we have become,” says Nino Brown of the University of Georgia’s Institution of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics. “As technologically advanced as we might be, we are still as dependent on plants as we have ever been. It could be argued, that with the current population and rate of growth, we are more dependent on these crops than ever.” According to the United Nations, there were 6.1 billion people on earth in 2000, and that number is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. Brown says that’s a lot of mouths to feed, but LaVigne and Monsanto’s Eathington are optimistic. “We are at an amazing time in agriculture right now when it comes to really understanding what plants do, and how we look at characteristics favorable to crop production as it relates to the challenges farmers face with weather, pests and disease,” LaVigne says. “But how do we deal with those not-so-favorable characteristics and minimize those in the breeding process?” That’s the question plant breeders and researchers labour over. “Today, plant breeders still rely on classic method- ologies to develop top-performing products,” shares Eathington, adding that modern technologies help opti- mize the predictability of how certain plants will grow in a variety of environmental conditions. “It’s this relation- ship between plant genotypes and the environment that will continue to drive genetic improvements for future generations.” EXPLORETHEEVOLUTIONS Almost everything we’ve ever eaten has evolved and changed through generations of breeding. Some of the most popular fruits and vegetables originated from plants that would be almost unidentifiable today: Carrots: Originally, carrots were yellow and purple. In the 1600s humans started breeding them to be white and orange, and then in the 1700s they were bred to be red. Purple carrots are still grown in Europe and Asia, and red carrots are grown in China and India. Watermelons: 5,000 years ago they were only two inches in diameter and tasted bitter — nothing like the sweet-tasting fruit we eat today. Bananas: About 6,500 years ago humans started breeding Musa acuminate, the banana’s forefather. That plant was crossed with Musa balbisiana and produced plantains, a relative of the modern banana. Corn: About 10,000 years ago humans discovered Teosinte, which was a plant with small, thin “cobs” that were only two or three inches long and had kernels so hard they could crack your teeth. Over thousands of years of selection, Teosinte was adapted to produce the 12-inch ears of today. Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kale: These common vegetables descended from the common Wild Mustard plant about 10,000 years ago. Source: Monsanto