Regulatory aspects of breeding for field resistance in crops

The regulatory frameworks for varietal approval and quality seed control concentrate on governing the seed supply. They do not intend to influence the direction of plant breeding. However, the indirect result of the variety release system is that breeders target high input levels, wide adaptation, and easily recognizable traits. In the extreme case, the main objective of the breeder is not to develop varieties for the farmers but to develop varieties that can be approved by the variety release committee. This often results in approved seeds that have little significance to farmers.