Breeding 360: Cross-disciplinary collaboration in focus

The event gathered 83 participants from across SLU’s campuses and faculties, representing plant, animal, and forest breeding. It aimed to provide a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and initiating new collaborations to address key challenges in breeding, including climate change, food security, and sustainability. Particular attention was given to supporting early-career researchers, who were encouraged to present their work.

The event opened with a keynote by John Hickey (Bayer Crop Science), highlighting lessons and synergies between plant and animal breeding. This was followed by a poster session showcasing diverse projects, ranging from AI-assisted phenotyping to CRISPR, SNP arrays, and remote sensing. Marcella Meyer (Dept. of Plant Breeding) was awarded Best Poster for her excellent work.

Thematic modules

The meeting featured two thematic modules that reflected key areas of technological development in breeding: Phenomics, AI, and Machine Learning (Module 1), and Genomic Resources (Module 2). Each module included three short presentations followed by a panel discussion. Module 1 featured Amanda Karlström (Dept. of Plant Breeding), Sallam Mohammed Abdallah (Dept. of Animal Biosciences), and Rosario García Gil (Dept. of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology). Module 2 included Haleh Hayatgheibi (Dept. of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology), Martin Johnsson (Dept. of Animal Biosciences), and Girma Bedada (Dept. of Plant Biology). The sessions demonstrated how advanced technologies are being used to improve selection processes, breeding efficiency, and the resilience of future varieties

The modules were complemented by flash talks, initially given by researchers supported through the SLU Breeding Network’s Seed Money grants: Jens Sundström, Ronja Wonneberger, and Irene Merino. This was followed by presentations from five young researchers (PhD students and postdocs), with Alexandre Aone (Dept. of Plant Breeding) awarded best flash talk. The programme also included updates from SLU Grogrund and SLUBI, as well as a field visit to Lövsta Research Station, providing practical insights into the application of research tools in real breeding environments.

Future directions

Throughout the event, participants engaged in discussions on implementation and future directions for breeding research, including informal networking activities, a “café-style” reflection session, a lot of fika and a delicious vegetarian dinner!

Feedback from attendees was very positive, with strong support for continuing in-person events, seminars, and targeted funding. Breeding 360 demonstrated the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration and created opportunities for new partnerships and ideas.

Thank you for your participation, and we look forward to seeing you again in two years!