Scientists turn to speed breeding to develop resilient, high yield crops

The demand for food continues to rise with the growing population, but several food crops face challenges such as shorter seasons, pests, and erratic weather. Scientists at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in Kashmir are turning to ‘speed breeding’, a technology to fast-track the development of climate-resilient and high yield crops for the growing population in the valley.

The annual population growth rate in Jammu and Kashmir which ranged from 1 to 2.6% after the year 2000 has put immense pressure on resources and overall food demand. This has come in the backdrop of declining land area, vagaries of climate change, soil erosion, water deficit, short growing seasons, resurgence of new pests and a constant shortage of quality seeds.

To meet the growing food demand amid these challenges, the scientists at SKUAST are experimenting with speed breeding. Speed breeding is a novel technique that accelerates the growth cycle of crops using controlled environmental conditions. While traditional breeding allows only one or two crop generations per year due to natural climate limits, speed breeding enables scientists to grow up to four to six seed-to-seed cycles per year.

Asif Bashir Shikari, Professor, Genetics and Plant Breeding at SKAUST- Kashmir and Principal Investigator of Speed-Breeding programme in Kashmir, explained that in the speed breeding technique, the goal is to accelerate the breeding process. While it is not a crop cultivation practice, when a variety comes out of the speed breeding programme, it can be released for commercial cultivation, he clarified.

Shikari elaborated that typically developing a new crop variety takes around eight years. After this, an additional two to three years are needed for regulatory approval before a variety reaches farmers. This means it can take up to a decade before a new improved variety is available in the market.

“Speed breeding shortens this entire process significantly. It involves growing plants under controlled environmental conditions using advanced full-spectrum PPFD lights (photosynthetic photon flux density), precise temperature and humidity regulation, and optimised photoperiods (the duration of light exposure each day). This enables the growth of multiple crop generations per year — up to five or six in rice — compared to just one or two generations under traditional field or glasshouse conditions,” Shikari said.

The scientist stressed that once a promising variety is developed in the containment chamber, it still undergoes field testing under natural conditions for one or two more years. But overall, the breeding cycle is drastically reduced, allowing improved, climate-resilient crop varieties to reach farmers faster than ever before. Thus, speed-breeding can help in keeping pace with environmental changes and market needs.

Speed breeding in Kashmir

At SKUAST, the researchers have initiated the speed breeding experiments for staple crops such as rice, wheat, maize and pulses, which are part of the mega-project DST PURSE, funded by Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Sciences. The programme is currently prioritising two key areas: enhancing biotic stress tolerance, particularly resistance to common crop diseases, and improving the nutritional quality of staple crops. For example, rice is a major food crop in Kashmir, but it’s vulnerable to diseases such as blast and bakanae, and to cold weather during early growth. Speed breeding allows scientists to quickly develop rice varieties that can better withstand these stresses and still give good yields.

“By combining speed breeding with modern techniques like gene editing and marker-assisted selection, it’s now possible to create improved rice lines with multiple disease-resistant traits in just a few years’ time. Further, in maize we have achieved biofortification for vitamin A and quality protein traits through DNA marker-assisted selection, using rapid cycling in speed breeding chambers. The aim is to apply this technology to other crops too — like, wheat, pulses and some of the vegetables — to develop better varieties with stronger traits and improved productivity,” Shikari added.

He added that the initiative is still in its early stages, and many aspects of the technology are yet to be standardised. “Over the next one to two years, efforts will focus on refining and optimising the approach to make it more effective and widely applicable.”

For maize, using speed breeding along with tools like doubled haploid technology and genomic selection can greatly reduce the time needed to develop high-performing hybrid varieties, researchers note. “This is especially important in Kashmir, where different altitudes need crops suited to specific local conditions,” Zahoor Ahmad Dar, Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at SKUAST-Kashmir, who has worked extensively on maize said.

Dar added that vegetables, too, stand to benefit enormously. As critical sources of both nutrition and income for local farmers, vegetable crops like tomato and cucurbits often face challenges such as diseases (like late blight and downy mildew), short shelf life, and limited nutrient density. “Speed breeding can accelerate the development of disease-resistant, nutrient-rich varieties with better post-harvest quality,” he said.

Vikas Kumar Singh Senior Scientist and the programme lead of the speed breeding program at the International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI-SARC) at Varanasi, said one of the most promising applications of speed breeding lies in the temperate and high-altitude regions such as Kashmir, where farmers are often limited to a single rice crop per year due to short growing seasons. “With speed breeding facilities, it becomes possible to simulate optimal conditions and grow four–five generations annually. This in turn accelerates the development of high-yielding, stress-tolerant varieties suited to these challenging agro-climatic zones,” he said.

Challenges for speed breeding in India

IRRI-SARC developed the first ever speed breeding protocol for rice in 2023-24. The protocol was developed specifically for indica and japonica rice. By fine-tuning light quality, humidity, and temperature, the protocol allows flowering in just 52-60 days and up to five to six rice generations per year, compared to just one in most regions.

However, implementing such a technology at scale in India hasn’t been without its challenges.

“One of the most significant hurdles has been electricity consumption. In many parts of northern India with intense summers and cold winters—maintaining stable environmental conditions inside speed breeding chambers requires constant operation of air conditioners, heaters, humidifiers, and LED lighting, leading to high power usage. The facilities run for 24 hours a day, year-round, demanding regular maintenance and robust backup systems to avoid disruptions,” Vikas Kumar, Singh, the program lead at IRRI-SARC said in conversation with Mongabay India.

Singh added, while energy consumption is a concern, water usage is surprisingly low. Under speed breeding facilities, using ebb-and-flow hydroponic systems require only weekly water replacement. “On the other hand, soil management remains crucial. To avoid fungal and bacterial infections that could impact germination and seedling health, the soil must be autoclaved and replaced every three–four generations as plants deplete nutrients,” he said.

The scientist stressed that another important learning has been the need for scientific validation of light quality. Since the protocol’s success hinges on precise control of the light spectrum, scientists are advised not to blindly trust vendor claims about LED performance. “Instead, the equipment should be verified with reliable light measurement tools to ensure accurate spectrum ratios, especially when adapting the system for all important agricultural crops like wheat, chickpea, or maize. These crops may require customised light and temperature settings,” Singh said.

On safety regulations, Singh said speed breeding does not involve genetic modification, so there are no biosafety concerns or regulatory barriers in India at present. “It is simply a more efficient way of advancing plant generations by managing the environment—not altering the plant’s DNA. This distinction is crucial, especially amid public discussions around genetically modified crops and biosafety,” he said.

Singh pointed out, looking ahead, the future of speed breeding in India appears bright but complex. Over the next five to 10 years, the technology is expected to replace traditional glasshouses in breeding programmes, especially for crops like rice, wheat, and pulses. “However, the high costs of LED lights, electricity bills, and the technical expertise required for maintenance will remain ongoing challenges. Innovations in solar power, energy-efficient lighting, and automated climate control systems are being explored to reduce these limitations,” he said.

Beyond accelerating variety development, speed breeding is also proving valuable in pre-breeding efforts, especially for incorporating traits from wild relatives of rice into elite cultivars. “This enables scientists to explore a broader genetic base and improve disease resistance, stress tolerance, and yield potential in a much shorter time frame. By combining speed breeding with genomic selection, CRISPR gene editing, and AI-driven modelling, the approach holds immense potential to reshape modern plant breeding and respond effectively to climate threats and food security challenges,” Singh said.

Recognising its potential, IRRI has also played a pivotal role in supporting the establishment of speed breeding facilities across India —in places like Jabalpur, Mohali, Coimbatore, Ludhiana, and more — along with training and guidance. Future facilities are in progress, with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) recommending the IRRI model (with minor adjustments) as a national standard. IRRI is also an active member of the Indian Government’s Speed Breeding Committee, playing a central role in policy and technical guidance.

Read more: India gets two genome-edited rice varieties

Banner image: Speed breeding facility at IRRI-SARC. Image by Vikas Kumar Singh.