Decentralized-participatory plant breeding: an example of demand driven research

Ceccarelli, S; Grando, S. 2005. Decentralized-participatory plant breeding: an example of demand driven research. Paper presented at In the Wake of the Double Helix: From the Green Revolution to the Gene Revolution, Bologna, Italy, 27-31 May 2003. Bologna, Italy: Avenue Media.

Participatory plant breeding exploits the potential gains of breeding for specific adaptation through decentralized selection. This article describes a model of participatory plant breeding in which genetic variability is generated by professional breeders, selection is conducted jointly by breeders and farmers, and the best selections are used in further cycles of recombination.