“Will the seeds sprout properly this year?”
This concern was not unfounded for farmers standing before their seedbeds this spring. A joint survey by the National Seed Resources and the Rural Development Administration found that government-supplied seeds had an average germination rate of over 85%, which is generally good. However, some varieties and farmer-saved seeds sprouted one or two days later than usual, and their germination rates were lower. For farmers, the timing of germination is crucial for the start of the farming season.
We often think that farming begins in the spring fields. However, this spring's slow germination is a problem that started last fall.
The harvest season was particularly challenging due to high temperatures and frequent rainfall. Prolonged monsoon rains caused rice plants to fall over before harvest, and the damage from premature sprouting spread. The area affected by the rice blast disease increased to 36,000 hectares, more than double the previous year. This summer, temperatures in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, exceeded 42 degrees Celsius, marking the highest temperature recorded in South Korea. Such alternating heavy rains and heat have become new conditions that agriculture must contend with.
The bigger issue is that the bill for weather disasters does not end with reduced harvests for the year. Seeds remember the weather of the previous season. High temperatures and frequent rainfall during the ripening period hinder the proper maturation of seeds, leading to delayed germination and reduced vigor in the following spring. Abnormal weather in one year can disrupt the starting line for the next year's farming. The most silent yet lasting impact of climate change is etched into the seeds.
Research from the National Institute of Crop Science shows that rice seeds affected by premature sprouting have lower germination rates and vigor. This issue is not limited to rice. Wheat has also seen increased damage from premature sprouting due to high temperatures and frequent rain during the harvest season. The same applies to soybeans and seed potatoes.
In particular, crops that rely heavily on self-saved seeds due to insufficient government-supplied seeds are more likely to experience a decline in seed quality that affects the following year's farming. The impact of the climate crisis extends beyond the crops growing in the fields to the seeds waiting for the next season. It is now essential to consider not only the harvest yield but also the 'strength to start the next farming season.'
Our research has focused on developing better varieties and stable cultivation techniques. These efforts have been necessary and have yielded clear results. However, in an era where the climate crisis has become commonplace, the scope of research must expand from 'after planting' to 'before planting.' No matter how excellent a variety is, if the seeds are not healthy, they will struggle to realize their potential.
We must now move beyond creating good varieties to ensuring the stable acquisition of healthy seeds that can fully realize their potential. The National Institute of Crop Science aims to address this as part of a research roadmap.
First, we need to find answers in native genetic resources to utilize them as assets for future breeding. Traditional varieties and wild relatives that have withstood heat waves and monsoons are reservoirs of resistance. It is crucial to identify disaster-resistant traits such as heat adaptability during the ripening period, water germination resistance, and seed vigor from genetic resources of rice, wheat, barley, soybeans, and potatoes, and to connect this research to the development of new varieties using genomic analysis and digital breeding technology. Accumulating related achievements as intellectual property will also lay the groundwork for future breeding competitiveness.
Second, we must strengthen the links that connect these useful genes to variety and seed production technologies, ensuring they reach the field. It is necessary to apply disaster-resistant traits to actual variety development while also enhancing climate risk management technologies throughout the entire seed production process, from seed selection to drying and storage. We need to strengthen germination rate prediction and vigor diagnosis technologies and collaborate with the National Seed Resources and local agricultural technology institutions to establish a safety net for seeds that connects research outcomes to farmers' seedbeds and fields.
Agriculture does not begin the moment seeds are sown; it starts the moment good seeds are prepared. No matter how much the climate changes, the starting point of agriculture must remain stable. Ensuring that farmers do not worry each spring about whether their seeds will sprout properly is the responsibility of the National Institute of Crop Science in this era of climate crisis.
In the future, the National Institute of Crop Science will strive to secure healthy seeds, supporting genetic resources and stable production and management technologies to fulfill its role in ensuring a healthy diet for the public amid unpredictable future climate conditions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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