{
  "id": 7775152,
  "title": "New breeding approach targets crop rotations, not yield alone",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/new-breeding-approach-targets-crop-rotations-not-yield-alone",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-16T11:40:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-approach-crop-rotations-yield.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Breeding crops for their impact on farming systems, rather than just focusing on yield, could unlock untapped genetic potential, according to researchers at the University of Queensland. Dr. Millicent Smith explained that this approach involves selecting varieties based on what they leave behind for the next crop, rather than just their production capabilities. The research, published in Plant Communications and Nature Genetics, suggests that crop rotation has delivered agronomic benefits for centuries, but the genetics behind these benefits have remained largely unnoticed. The team at Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation is treating crop rotation as a genetic question rather than a management issue. By testing this theory, they found that wheat yields could vary by up to 1 tonne per hectare depending on the preceding crop. Some mung bean varieties even increased wheat yields by 45%, while others reduced it by 50%. This study identified specific genomic regions that influence the performance of subsequent crops, highlighting the potential for breeding crops that work together in an integrated way. Researchers discovered that selecting for both crop yield and the following crop's yield could lead to increased productivity while reducing the need for fertilizers. However, further validation is needed to fully understand the underlying biology behind these findings.",
  "summary": "Breeding crops for farming systems rather than yield alone could exploit untapped genetic potential and help farmers cut fertilizer bills.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}