PLANT BREEDING, A POTENTIAL TOOL FOR IMPROVING SUSTAINABLE INTENSIFICATION OF CROP PRODUCTION

¹Yahuza I. Inda, ²Imrana A. Musa, ³Abdulrahman Ibrahim & ⁴Usman M. Abubakar

ABSTRACT

The growing global population, projected to reach 9 billion by 2050, poses a significant challenge to food security. While conventional agricultural intensification has improved crop yields, it has also led to environmental issues such as soil degradation, pollution, and climate change. Sustainable intensification of crop production through plant breeding presents an effective alternative to increase food production while minimizing negative environmental impacts. This paper explores various plant breeding techniques, including conventional breeding, marker-assisted selection, and genetic modification, highlighting their role in developing climate-resilient, high-yielding crop varieties. Advances in genome editing, such as CRISPR-Cas9, are also discussed as transformative tools for future agricultural sustainability.

Keywords: Sustainable intensification, plant breeding, crop production, genetic modification, genome editing, CRISPR-Cas9.