The level of collaboration and interaction between plant breeders and plant pathologists in most crop improvement research programs is usually both symbiotic as well as synergistic. One discipline depends on the other to function more efficiently and the products that they jointly develop (new, high-yielding and disease resistant varieties) are usually superior to those that result when both disciplines work in isolation. The linkage between breeders and agronomists has usually not been as interdependent or interactive as between breeders and pathologists. However, as farmers continue to adopt new crop production practices (Table 1) that emphasize: 1) reduced and/or zero tillage seeding practices combined with the retention of crop residues on the soil surface and 2) more efficient use of crop inputs including fertilizers (especially N suppliers) combined with minimal, judicious use of chemical pesticides to reduce costs, protect the environment in a sustainable way, then it can be strongly argued that breeders and agronomists need to work more closely.

Conservation Agriculture Program

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0307|AGRIS 0301|AL-Economics Program

CSAY01

CIMMYT Staff Publications Collection