Modern agriculture is successful today because of advances in mechanization, breeding, nutrients (e.g., fertilization), and pest and disease management, all of which enhance crop productivity and provide greater food security. Expanding the use of crop microbiomes to improve plant production is the next agricultural revolution.

Plant Breeding and Genetics is a paper in the series on The Need for Agricultural Innovation to Sustainably Feed the World by 2050. Humans depend on plants for food, feed, fiber, and fuel—as well as less tangible aspects of life such as aesthetics and environmental stability.