Two Paths Forward: Diane Saunders and Conventional Breeding and Gene Editing
Professor Dianne Saunders is leading the charge against some of agriculture’s oldest and most devastating diseases, including wheat rust. Her team pursues two parallel breeding pathways: slow but trusted conventional breeding, and precise, accelerated gene editing using CRISPR. From genome-edited wheat trials in Kenya to the cautious stance of European breeders, this piece explores the scientific, regulatory, and economic forces shaping the future of crop improvement.