Although they rather would have been out in the field evaluating crops, seed company representatives from around Asia gathered for a virtual annual workshop to advance shared priorities in vegetable research.

As advances in biotechnology and genomics accelerate the pace of vegetable cultivar development, seed companies of all sizes must have a robust understanding of the latest vegetable breeding research, the practical skills to apply new breeding methods, and access to a diverse collection of vegetable germplasm to remain competitive in turbulent markets. The Asia and Pacific Seed Association (APSA)-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium, now 44 member companies strong, provides a useful platform for the exchange of vegetable breeding information and material.

The consortium held its annual workshop online on 11 May 2021 — the second such since the arrival of COVID-19. Although participants couldn’t evaluate crop performance in the field, they nevertheless engaged in lively online discussions and Q & A.

World Vegetable Center Director General Marco Wopereis welcomed 208 online participants representing 31 companies from 10 countries (Taiwan, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand) and encouraged them to freely share their perspectives. “Seed is the critical entry point to provide healthy diets, especially in times of extreme stress,” he said. “The pandemic and climate change are having profound effects on our ability to produce a safe and affordable food supply.” Exploring collective research interests among seed companies and public institutions can deliver solutions to benefit farmers and boost their resilience.

Kanokwan (May) Chodchoey, APSA Executive Director, greeted consortium members and encouraged them to actively engage with WorldVeg researchers during the online workshop and beyond. “The APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium brings real value to farmers,” she said.

WorldVeg Flagship Leader for Enabling Impact Pepijn Schreinemachers reviewed the results from consortium membership surveys. The composition of company membership has changed since the consortium was formed in 2017 with 19 members. “Small & medium seed companies now make up 50% of the APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium membership,” he said. “They are the essential links to reaching hundreds of thousands of farmers across Asia.”

Flagship Leader for Vegetable Diversity and Improvement Roland Schafleitner highlighted new genetic resources available to consortium members, reviewed WorldVeg breeding pipelines, and outlined opportunities to work on shared research in pest and disease resistance through genomics. Climate change may become a particular focus of the consortium in the future, he said, as vegetable crops have high water demand and strict temperature requirements. “Adapting vegetables to climate increases resilience,” he said. “We need ways to mitigate climate change by breeding resilient vegetable crops, using inputs more efficiently, reducing soil degradation, and promoting a more circular, climate-neutral horticultural economy.”

Global Tomato Breeder Peter Hanson introduced new pest and disease resistant tomato lines developed with molecular markers and explained WorldVeg’s approach to identifying lines with high acyl sugars, which repel pests. “Heat tolerance is a major objective of tomato breeding at WorldVeg,” Hanson said. He discussed a MAGIC (multiparent advanced generation intercross) population developed to identify “super heat” tomato lines that can thrive as temperatures rise. WorldVeg tomato research seeks to improve virus resistance and nutritional content. The breeding pipeline includes dual- purpose tomato with high rutin, a bioflavonoid with powerful antioxidant properties that helps the body produce collagen and use vitamin C.

Vegetable Breeder Derek Barchenger reviewed progress in breeding sweet and hot peppers with tolerance to heat stress and resistance to viruses and anthracnose. “We still have a long way to go to breed peppers that can meet these benchmarks,” he said. “Heat tolerance is a collection of mini-traits; it is controlled by more than one gene. Breeding heat-tolerant material is complex and difficult, but this has been a WorldVeg goal for years and is vitally important going forward as the climate changes.” Pepper breeding at WorldVeg encompasses pollen analysis and automated field phenotyping to measure leaf angle and other responses to environmental stress.

Cucurbit Breeder Narinder Dhillon shared progress in developing bitter gourd for specific market preferences–color, shape, size, fruit weight, resistance to powdery mildew and viruses, and other characteristics. He highlighted the work of companies that used WorldVeg germplasm to breed the successful hybrid bitter gourd variety ‘HY213’ and took the opportunity to promote Bitter Gourd Open Field Day, scheduled for 13 July 2021 at the WorldVeg East and Southeast Asia Research and Training Station in Kamphaeng Saen, Thailand. Dhillon also presented the latest improvements in pumpkin germplasm and updated participants on upcoming large research projects for okra in Africa and India.

Participants raised more than 130 detailed questions about breeding, pest and disease resistance, and other topics throughout the four-hour workshop.

The group then reviewed ideas for special project funding to breed tomato with broad-based insect resistance.

Marco Wopereis wrapped up the workshop by thanking the participants for their attention. He made an appeal to members to respond to surveys: “The surveys give us a better idea if our breeding priorities are the right ones, because you are setting them with us.” He also encouraged members to consider the special projects, as it is “only when we combine resources, that we will be able to raise sufficient funding to conduct significant research and advance together.”

The workshop concluded with renewed commitment to work together for mutual advantage and for the benefit of farmers in Asia.

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