Consumers are positive about new varieties of crops

The new findings come as a surprise to the researchers, who have observed in earlier studies from several countries that consumers tend to be relatively negative towards the use of genetic modification in plant breeding, something that can easily give the impression that people are negative towards plant breeding in general.

– More Swedish consumers than we expected are positive about using crossbreeding between modern and traditional crop varieties to improve product quality, says Eva Johansson, professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and one of the researchers behind the study.

The survey is based on a questionnaire completed by 999 Swedish participants, who were asked about their views on crossbreeding between ancient and modern wheat varieties. In the survey, participants were prompted, for example, to rate how bad/good, uncomfortable/comfortable, negative/positive, untasty/tasty, unhealthy/healthy, useless/useful, unsafe/safe, and undesirable/desirable it would seem to them to eat cereals developed through this type of crossbreeding.

Historical cereal varieties are often associated with naturalness, craftsmanship, nostalgia, and authenticity, which makes them attractive to certain consumers. Using modern plant breeding techniques on traditional varieties could be perceived as contradictory. However, respondents in the study believed the opposite: such crossbreeding adds positive qualities to the final product. 88 percent rated at least one of the 13 listed plant traits as relevant.

– This shows that crossbreeding between modern and traditional varieties is not as controversial among consumers as one might expect, says Eva Johansson.

57 percent of the survey respondents were aware that both ancient and modern cereal varieties exist, and this knowledge increased with age and education.

– In the survey, we observed that strong negative attitudes to plant breeding, sometimes described as a form of neophobia, a fear of the new, was more common among women and increased as educational level decreased,” says Eva Johansson.

Plant breeding for quality relatively unknown among consumers

The survey also revealed that people largely associate plant breeding with higher yields, resistance to plant diseases, and mitigation of climate change effects. Far fewer linked plant breeding to traits such as taste, aroma, nutritional content, and health.

– We identified only a small group of consumers who associated sensory and health benefits with plant breeding, says Eva Johansson.

Through research and plant breeding, it is possible to combine the high yields of modern varieties, which contribute to food security, with the gastronomic and health-promoting qualities of traditional varieties. The current study indicates that consumer attitudes do not appear to pose a barrier to this.

Traditional and modern wheat varieties

Wheat accounts for approximately 30 percent of the calories and proteins in the human diet and provides important vitamins and minerals.

Unlike modern wheat, traditional varieties have been developed through conventional selection, without the use of plant breeding methods based on genetic data.

Older wheat varieties exhibit great variation in taste and nutritional content but give lower harvests. During the 20th century, modern plant breeding advanced, and farmers shifted to cultivating new high-yielding varieties. Traditional varieties are now grown only as niche crops, yet interest in them has increased in recent years.

Within SLU Grogrund, researchers are studying ways to bring the positive traits of traditional varieties into high-yielding modern varieties: ”Searching unique qualities from old and alien cereals for use in conventional and organic breeding”

The recently published survey study was conducted in collaboration between researchers at SLU, Kristianstad University, and the University of Copenhagen: “Consumer attitudes towards plant breeding combining ancient wheat with modern varieties”

The study was carried out within a project funded by the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development (Formas).