Could California's Next Crop Breakthrough Already Be in Storage?
What if the next big breakthrough in California crop production is already sitting in a federal collection, just waiting to be discovered?
The USDA maintains more than 600,000 plant samples representing over 16,000 species. But researchers have yet to fully map the genetic information contained in those collections.
Now, USDA is investing 180 million dollars through a new Seed Sovereignty Initiative to change that.
Over the next two years, researchers plan to genetically sequence plant collections, using technologies including artificial intelligence to identify potentially valuable traits.
For California growers, producing everything from almonds and citrus to grapes and vegetables, that research could eventually contribute to crop varieties better equipped to withstand pests, diseases, drought, and other production challenges.
The initiative is also intended to help the United States better understand its agricultural genetic resources and identify potential dependence on foreign sources.
It's a long-term investment, but one USDA hopes will help shape the future of American crop production.
