Roots of the Second Green Revolution

The Green Revolution boosted crop yields in developing nations by introducing dwarf genotypes of wheat and rice capable of responding to fertilisation without lodging. We now need a second Green Revolution, to improve the yield of crops grown in infertile soils by farmers with little access to fertiliser, who represent the majority of third-world farmers. Just as the Green Revolution was based on crops responsive to high soil fertility, the second Green Revolution will be based on crops tolerant of low soil fertility. Substantial genetic variation in the productivity of crops in infertile soil has been known for over a century. In recent years we have developed a better understanding of the traits responsible…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Agriculture
• US
  United States Agency for International Development
• MF
  McKnight Foundation