Consultants | Dr Paul Brennan

Change Management Strategies for Plant Breeding

• The operating environment for plant improvement changed dramatically in the last decade of the twentieth century. Many factors, both national and international, have driven these changes. These include:
• private sector investment in gene technology,
• greater availability and/or awareness of IP protection options,
• reduction in public agency investment in private good research,
• requirement for improved varietal outcomes from similar investment levels and
• poor career opportunities in science.

• Also, it is unlikely that the current arrangements within some sections of the Australian plant breeding industry have the expertise to deal with:
• ownership of genetic tools,
• down sizing of public sector investment in private good R and D such as plant improvement,
• management of IP,
• attracting elite professionals or
• delivering varieties that would utilise all relevant currently available genetic tools to maximise grower returns.

Consequently, there is compelling need for all primary industries to assess their plant improvement requirements in light of the changed operating environment for plant genetics and to take leadership in making the necessary adjustments to ensure the delivery of elite market focussed varieties into the foreseeable future. He has and is contributing to these changes.