Plant Science Research Network releases decadal vision 2020-2030
Date:
September 8, 2020
Source:
Boyce Thompson Institute
Summary:
Plant science research has tremendous potential to address
pressing global issues including climate change, food insecurity
and sustainability. However, without sustained investment in plant
science, the necessary research to solve these urgent problems is
at risk. The Plant Science Research Network (PSRN) released its
Plant Science Decadal Vision 2020-2030, a report that outlines
bold, innovative solutions to guide investments and research in
plant science over the next 10 years.
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Plant science research has tremendous potential to address
pressing global issues including climate change, food insecurity and sustainability. However, without sustained investment in plant science,
the necessary research to generate innovative discoveries that solve
these urgent problems is at risk.
==========================================================================
On September 1, the Plant Science Research Network (PSRN) released its
Plant Science Decadal Vision 2020-2030: Reimagining the Potential of
Plants for a Healthy and Sustainable Future, a report that outlines bold, innovative solutions to guide investments and research in plant science
over the next 10 years.
The PSRN calls on its community to unite around the Decadal Vision's
priorities and to inspire their government representatives and fellow
community members.
"The Decadal Vision is a community-wide vision that is a powerful
tool for communication and advocacy," said David Stern, President of
the Boyce Thompson Institute and corresponding author. "After all, the
public should be the ultimate beneficiary of the vision." The Decadal
Vision grew out of Plant Summit 2019, a conference held February 10-13,
2019, at Biosphere 2 in Arizona.
"Fifty diverse participants -- including scientists, industry
representatives, educators and advocates -- discussed the future of
research, training and infrastructure," says Stern, who is also an
adjunct professor of plant biology in Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "From that meeting, the writing team
developed the Decadal Vision as a rallying cry for all plant scientists
to unite around a common vision, inspire new collaborations to pursue interdisciplinary research goals, and implement new paradigms for
professional development that will catalyze a more diverse, inclusive,
and equitable future." The Decadal Vision recognizes the intersection
of human and scientific elements and demands integrated implementation
of strategies to advance research, people and technology. The vision is presented through eight specific and interdisciplinary goals, each with
an accompanying action plan.
==========================================================================
Four research goals are presented: Harness plants for planetary
resilience; Advance technology for diversity-driven sustainable plant production systems; Develop 21st-century applications of plant science to improve nutrition, health, and well-being; and Launch the "Transparent
Plant," an interactive tool to discern mechanisms and solve urgent and
vexing problems.
When it comes to agriculture, "Increasing food production may not be the solution," explains co-author Ole Wendroth, professor of soil science at
the University of Kentucky. "Food needs to be produced more sustainably,
and plant science plays an important role in this for the future. Farmers
that I have worked with are very willing to take this bold step as long
as they can produce a safe farm income." The two goals emphasizing
our people are: Reimagine the workplace to nurture adaptive and diverse scientists; and Build capacity and interest to engage with plant science.
"What I like about the Decadal Vision is that equity and justice were
part of the vision right from the beginning, and not just tacked on at
the end," says co-author Madelaine Bartlett, an associate professor of
biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "Everyone should have
the same opportunities that I have had, but that is simply not the case
right now. It is hard work, but it can be done and it must be done."
Bartlett adds that collaborations among people from many scientific
disciplines is the new normal, and the PSRN has strengthened connections between scientific societies.
==========================================================================
"My research is in the intersection of genetics, bioinformatics,
developmental biology and evolutionary biology, so I belong to four
different research societies," she says. "I hope this report will help
knock down those barriers and stimulate more research that integrates
multiple disciplines." The two goals focused on technology infrastructure
are: Develop new technologies to revolutionize research; and Manage and
realize the potential of Big Data.
Co-author Eric Lyons, associate professor in the School of Plant Sciences
at the University of Arizona, says such new technologies are necessary
because plant research is a diverse set of sciences that span from
molecules to the entire planet.
"Addressing the most pressing questions of plant research requires
an unprecedented level of coordination, collaboration, and training
across many disciplines of science," says Lyons. "This Decadal Vision
is essential to bring a common voice to the needs of these diverse
researchers and the central role that data science plays in facilitating integrating information to make new discoveries to improve the human
condition through plants and agriculture." While the Decadal Vision
makes a case for new funding, obtaining that support will require plant scientists to engage the public and advocate for needed resources.
Indeed, federal funding agencies, private philanthropies, corporations
and entrepreneurs, are all necessary for plant science to have a maximum
impact on enhancing human health, improving environmental quality,
boosting the economy, and benefitting global equity and justice.
"Plant science gets such a small piece of the funding pie. If there are
going to be solutions to surviving climate change, then plants are going
to be a critical part of those solutions," says Bartlett.
Wendroth believes that funding agencies can foster plant science
discoveries to address pressing global issues by calling for proposals
in forward-thinking, interdisciplinary research with speculative
outcomes. "This would help harness scientific creativity in a similar
way that venture capital is used to invest in long-term growth potential opportunities," he says.
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Boyce_Thompson_Institute. Original
written by Aaron J.
Bouchie. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Natalie Henkhaus, Madelaine Bartlett, David Gang, Rebecca Grumet,
Ingrid
Jordon‐Thaden, Argelia Lorence, Eric Lyons, Samantha Miller,
Seth Murray, Andrew Nelson, Chelsea Specht, Brett Tyler, Thomas
Wentworth, David Ackerly, David Baltensperger, Philip Benfey, James
Birchler, Sreekala Chellamma, Roslyn Crowder, Michael Donoghue,
Jose Pablo Dundore‐Arias, Jacqueline Fletcher, Valerie
Fraser, Kelly Gillespie, Lonnie Guralnick, Elizabeth Haswell,
Mitchell Hunter, Shawn Kaeppler, Stefan Kepinski, Fay‐Wei
Li, Sally Mackenzie, Lucinda McDade, Ya Min, Jennifer Nemhauser,
Brian Pearson, Peter Petracek, Katie Rogers, Ann Sakai, Delanie
Sickler, Crispin Taylor, Laura Wayne, Ole Wendroth, Felipe Zapata,
David Stern. Plant science decadal vision 2020- 2030: Reimagining
the potential of plants for a healthy and sustainable future. Plant
Direct, 2020; 4 (8) DOI: 10.1002/pld3.252 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200908162119.htm
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