New plant breeding techniques needed

Awareness needed around “their power and accuracy”, which have “huge potential”.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Charlie McConalogue speaking via livelink at the Irish Grain Growers Group AGM at the Clanard Court Hotel, Athy, Co Kildare. Picture: Michael Donnelly

The consideration of new plant breeding techniques will be needed to help achieve the Farm to Fork Strategy goals.

Farm to Fork is targeting a 50% cut in the use of pesticides by 2030, and Teagasc’s Ewen Mullins has said that the key focus now has to be on improving the disease resistance of crops.