Breeding for Extreme Environments
On 7–8 October 2026, the SLU Breeding Network brought together 57 participants for its early-career symposium, titled Breeding for Extreme Environments, at SLU Campus Ultuna.
PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and other early-career researchers from across SLU gathered to exchange knowledge, share their research and build connections across plant, forest and animal breeding. Against the backdrop of climate change and increasingly unpredictable environmental conditions, the symposium explored how breeding can contribute to more resilient crops, forests and livestock.
The symposium opened with a keynote lecture by Giovanny Covarrubias-Pazaran, Senior Biometrician and Quantitative Geneticist from BASF Agricultural Solutions, who discussed predictive breeding under climate change and the challenges of developing breeding strategies for changing environmental conditions.
The first thematic module, Tools for Precision Breeding, covered a range of approaches across different breeding fields. Presentations addressed EU legislation and the implementation of new genomic techniques (NGTs), engineering starch metabolism in potato, genomic techniques in livestock, and the use of genomics for forest trees in a changing world.
The second module, Breeding for Resilience to Biotic Threats, explored how breeding can help address challenges posed by plant diseases and livestock infections. Speakers presented research on plant resistance and immunity, Scots pine blister rust, disease transmission in dairy cattle, and genetic strategies for reducing bunt in organic wheat.
On the second day, the third module, Breeding for Resilience to Environmental Extremes, focused on how crops, forests and livestock can cope with challenging environmental conditions. Presentations explored natural adaptations in reindeer to cold climates, flowering regulation and the genetic basis of earliness in faba bean, heat resilience in Swedish Holstein cows, and genomic selection for drought response in Scots pine.
The programme also included presentations introducing SLU Grogrund and WIFORCE, highlighting research initiatives and collaborations at SLU. An interactive roundtable discussion on breeding at SLU and a networking café provided further opportunities for participants to exchange ideas and connect with colleagues across disciplines.
The poster session gave participants an opportunity to present their work and learn about research taking place across SLU. The award for best poster went to postdoctoral researcher Venancio Riella Koifmann for “Who Gets the Next Plot? How Genetic Connectivity and Breeding Priorities Shape Phenotyping Allocation.” Participants particularly appreciated the poster session, early-career presentations, and networking opportunities.
By bringing together early-career researchers working with different species, breeding systems and research questions, the symposium created opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and strengthened connections within the SLU Breeding Network.