Advancement of the vegetable seed market is incomplete without the incorporation of proper research and development on plant breeding programs. The latest technology that drives the vegetable seed market is marker-assisted breeding, which is involved in the development of new varieties of vegetable crops. With the advancement of marker-assisted breeding, vegetable breeding can be made more cost-effective and time-saving, which will help in releasing high-quality vegetable seeds in a shorter time. Understanding the scope of marker-assisted breeding, USDA granted USD 2.45 million for marker-assisted breeding research of spinach.

Technology Trend

Marker-assisted breeding has been advocated as a highly efficient breeding tool that can be incorporated in vegetable crops for indirect selection for a particular trait, like disease resistance, morphological or biochemical characters. This marker-based selection is cost-effective and time-saving as it can avoid time-consuming conventional breeding programs, which will take a longer time for the release of a new variety. Various multinational seed companies, such as Monsanto, Bayer, etc., are focusing more on marker-assisted breeding in the release of new varieties of vegetable crops. Developments in the hydroponics market will also drive the growth of the vegetable seed market.

Recent Developments

Monsanto is using marker-assisted breeding in vegetable seed production to double the rate of genetic gain compared to traditional breeding methods. Syngenta, another leading vegetable seed producer, has announced the use of marker-assisted breeding in the vegetable seed production in order to triple the farm outputs by 2050. Development of okra varieties resistant to yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV), using marker-assisted breeding, is also a research priority of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), during 2017.

Bright Future for the Vegetable Seed Market Growth – Know Why!

According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the global vegetable seed market size is nearly 11% of the overall global seed market. The estimated value of the global vegetable seed market during 2016 was USD 7.81 billion and the market is projected to witness a double-digit growth rate during the 2017-2022 period. The figures clearly depict the rapid growth, which is likely to be witnessed in the global vegetable seed market.

According to our analysts, 25-30% of the total productivity depends on the quality of seeds. Rapid production of high-quality vegetable seeds with traits like abiotic and biotic resistance, high yield and adaptability can be achieved using marker-assisted breeding. Hence, marker-assisted breeding is projected to drive the vegetable seed production in the coming years.

Competition Analysis

The acquisition of some of the large independent seed companies, which had invested in R&D of biotechnology traits, by Monsanto, helped in widening the vegetable seed research. The mergers & acquisitions of Bayer and Monsanto, both having a number of seed enhancement and breeding technology, are likely to make the market more dynamic. The move helps them to achieve their business objectives, in addition to creating value to the society that is demonstrated by their strong effort in the research of seed technology.

Click to know more about the latest trends and scope of the market.

The post Marker-assisted Breeding in Vegetables – Need of the Hour? appeared first on Mordor Intelligence | Knowledge Center.