Uploaded December 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
RSNSW 2021 Poggendorff Lecture presented jointly by the Royal Society of NSW and the University of Sydney — 30 November 2022
“A plant breeder’s perspective on food security and climate change”
Professor Richard Trethowan
Director, The Plant Breeding Institute, University of Sydney
Timing Marks:
00:00:00 Introduction to the Speaker: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN FTSE FAHMS, President, Royal Society of NSW
00:04:02 Presentation: Professor Richard Trethowan
00:50:58 Q&A Session (audio only)
00:57:54: Vote of Thanks: Dr Susan Pond, President, Royal Society of NSW
Summary: As our climate becomes less stable and international commodity markets fickler, it is time to reflect on past achievements in plant breeding and to assess whether these successes are still relevant in the 21st century. The Green Revolution resulted in a step-change in grain production and undoubtedly reduced the blight of famine globally. However, such significant advances have been difficult to achieve since, and the yield of major crops has plateaued globally. Trethowan will address these issues by focussing on wheat, our most important grain crop, and the most widely grown foodstuff globally, in the context of high-temperature, low rates of genetic gain for yield and intractable diseases. He will draw on a career spent researching and breeding wheat both in Australia and internationally to explore these issues, including the importance of partnership and technology.
RSNSW 2021 Poggendorff Lecture presented jointly by the Royal Society of NSW and the University of Sydney — 30 November 2022
“A plant breeder’s perspective on food security and climate change”
Professor Richard Trethowan
Director, The Plant Breeding Institute, University of Sydney
Timing Marks:
00:00:00 Introduction to the Speaker: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN FTSE FAHMS, President, Royal Society of NSW
00:04:02 Presentation: Professor Richard Trethowan
00:50:58 Q&A Session (audio only)
00:57:54: Vote of Thanks: Dr Susan Pond, President, Royal Society of NSW
Summary: As our climate becomes less stable and international commodity markets fickler, it is time to reflect on past achievements in plant breeding and to assess whether these successes are still relevant in the 21st century. The Green Revolution resulted in a step-change in grain production and undoubtedly reduced the blight of famine globally. However, such significant advances have been difficult to achieve since, and the yield of major crops has plateaued globally. Trethowan will address these issues by focussing on wheat, our most important grain crop, and the most widely grown foodstuff globally, in the context of high-temperature, low rates of genetic gain for yield and intractable diseases. He will draw on a career spent researching and breeding wheat both in Australia and internationally to explore these issues, including the importance of partnership and technology.
