ABSTRACT
Natural variation is a term that is not often uttered in agricultural research. There is, however, an abundant use of the phrase-the genetic variation for trait X is signicant, so we expect a suf- cient variation for Y% increase in yield. These results are not unimportant; on the contrary, studies that investigate the genetic basis of traits are key to a better understanding of plant biology. The issue lies with the implications of these studies in that only by continuing to improve the existing annual varieties of major crops will we be able to feed the world’s growing population. There are certainly limits to what can be achieved in our current agricultural system when so much of the research is biased toward short-term improvements or solutions that will maximize industrial prot but do little to help small-scale farmers or increase sustainability. There is a general support for a more sustainable agricultural system, but we rmly believe that this will not be achieved by solely focusing on research efforts to improve existing annual varieties of corn, soybeans, wheat, and rice. Long-term solutions, such as perennial crops, are becoming viable alternatives with the assistance of new and improved biotechnologies.
