Summary
Moore et al. argue that current plant breeding has been narrowly optimised for monoculture systems and is inadequately equipped to support the agronomic and environmental benefits of multicrop systems. The authors contend that breeding objectives and methods must be reframed to address diverse rotations, alternate-season crops, and intercropping arrangements, whilst simultaneously calling for systemic changes in research collaboration, policy support, and private sector leadership to realise adoption of improved cultivars for diverse cropping contexts.
Regional applicability
The principles discussed—multicrop system benefits for soil carbon, nutrient retention, and biodiversity—are directly applicable to United Kingdom farming policy and practice, particularly given current support for sustainable intensification and agroecological transitions. However, the paper does not specifically address United Kingdom breeding programmes or cultivar availability; transferability will depend on aligning UK plant breeding investment and variety development with local multicrop system archetypes.
Key measures
Not applicable; this is a conceptual review of breeding programme design rather than an empirical study reporting quantitative metrics.
Outcomes reported
The paper analyses the need for shifts in plant breeding programmes to support multicrop systems including rotations, intercropping, and ecosystem service crops. It identifies changes required across breeding methods, research collaboration, policy, and private sector investment to enable adoption of diverse cropping systems.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.