Sustaining public plant breeding programs across generations

Plant breeding in the public sector is a multigenerational process that creates new plant varieties intended to meet current and future needs of society. Many public sector plant breeding programs are over a century old, and they continue to curate plant genetic resources that are far older still. While individual breeders serve as temporary leaders of these programs and the plant genetic resources they maintain, it is only their institutions that have the capacity to provide the necessary generational glue, enabling the accrual of long-term value to both breeders and society. Identifying best practices to ensure mutual benefit to both public sector breeders and their institutions is critical to achieving the smooth leadership transitions necessary for the sustainability and long-term impact of public breeding programs. The findings presented here suggest that the successful passing of the torch in such programs depends not only on strategic institutional support but also, critically, on the routine actions and mindset of the breeders entrusted with their leadership.