Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Diversity, Intellectual Property, and Plant Variety Protection

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Plant Breeding in the Omics Era

  • 1210 Accesses

Abstract

There seems to be a misunderstanding in terms of plant genetic resources exchange. The diverse “South,” which includes most of the centers of crop diversity, asks to be compensated for the custodianship role and to give access of its germplasm to the gene-poor “North,” which sells high-price seed under patents or plant variety protection. There is a strong belief in the “South” about multinational (MNC) seed enterprises from the “North” profiting from plant germplasm conserved and bred by farmers from the “South,” who lack a mechanism for compensating their contributions. Although, intellectual property did not play any role at the time of the Green Revolution, advances in plant genetic engineering led to a proactive intellectual property engagement in the “North.” The private sector argues that it seeks intellectual property rights to secure market protection, recover investments, generate income for shareholders, and fund research and development (R&D). In this view, intellectual property rights reward innovations and improve society welfare through inventions.

“The secret of improved plant breeding, apart from scientific knowledge, is love”

Luther Burbank

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agrawala S, Bordier C, Schreitter V, Karplus V (2012) Adaptation and innovation: an analysis of crop biotechnology patent data. OECD Environment Working Papers 40. OECD Publishing, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Alene AD, Menkir A, Ajala SO, Badu-Apraku B, Olanrewaju AS, Manyong VM, Ndiaye A (2009) The economic and poverty impacts of maize research in West and Central Africa. Agric Econ 40:535–550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andreau B, Dubreuil P, Perret D, Ananza F, Charcosset A (2003) Synthesis of studies conducted by SEPROMA on the estimate of genetic distance between maize inbred lines. Institut national de la recherche agronomique, Gif/Yvette, France—Chambre Syndicale des Enterprises Francaises de Semenses de Mais, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Asiedu R, Sartie A (2010) Crops that feed the World 1. Yams for income and food security. Food Secur 2:305–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bari MAA, Carena MJ (2015a) Can expired proprietary maize (Zea mays L.) industry lines be useful for short-season breeding programs? I. Grain quality and nutritional traits. Euphytica 202:157–171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bari MAA, Carena MJ (2015b) Can expired proprietary maize (Zea mays L.) industry lines be useful for short-season breeding programs? II. Agronomic traits. Euphytica, in press

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo R, Kahler AR (2000) North American study on essential derivation in maize: inbreds developed without and with selection from F2 populations. Theor Appl Genet 102:986–992

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bidinger FR (1998) Farmer participation in pearl millet research in Namibia. In participatory plant improvement, Proc Wksp, Chennai, India, 27–28 October 1998. M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation—International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Chennai, India, pp 21–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackeney M (2009) Intellectual property rights and food security. CABI, Wallingford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bonny S (2014) Taking stock of the genetically modified seed sector worldwide: market, stakeholders, and prices. Food Sec 6:525–540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byerlee D, Dubin J (2010) Crop improvement in the CGIAR as a global success story of open access and international collaboration. Intl J Commons 4:452–480

    Google Scholar 

  • Carena MJ (2013) Challenges and opportunities for developing maize cultivars in the public sector. Euphytica 191:165–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Sabato Guerrante R, de Souza Antunes AAM, Pereira N Jr (2010) An analysis of the growth trajectory of Monsanto. iBusiness 2:223–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EuropaBio (2013) How intellectual property rights promote innovation and create economic and societal value. EuropaBio, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkel E (2009) Scientists seek easier access to seed banks. Science 324:1376

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler C, Hawtin G, Ortiz R, Iwanaga M, Engels J (2004) The question of derivatives. J World Intellect Prop 7:641–663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuglie KO, Heisey PW, King JL, Pray CE, Day-Rubenstein K, Schimmelpfennig D, Wang SL (2011) Research investments and market structure in the food processing, agricultural input, and biofuel industries worldwide. ERR-130. United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Services, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuglie K, Heisey PW, King JL, Pray CE, Schimmelpfennig D (2012) The contribution of private industry to agricultural innovation. Science 338:1031–1032

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grushskin D (2012) Threat to global GM soybean access as patent nears expiry. Nat Biotech 31:10–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heisey PW, Srinivasan CS, Thirtle C (2001) Public sector plant breeding in a privatizing world. Agric Bull 772. Resources Economic Division, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard PH (2009) Visualizing consolidation in the global seed industry: 1996–2008. Sustainability 1:1266–1287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones MP (1999) Basic breeding strategies for high yielding rice varieties at WARDA. Jpn J Crop Sci 67:133–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Jördens R (2010) Benefits of plant variety protection. WIPO Mag 3:20

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahler AL, Kahler JL, Thompson SA, Ferriss RS, Jones ES, Nelson BK, Mikel MA, Smith S (2010) North American study on essential derivation in maize: II. Selection and evaluation of a panel of simple sequence repeat loci. Crop Sci 50:486–503

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim R, Kapstein EB (2014) Who benefits from intellectual property rights for agricultural innovation? Steward Redqueen, Harlem. http://www.stewardredqueen.com/uploads/cases/report_europabio.pdf Accessed 23 March 2015

    Google Scholar 

  • Koo B, Nottenburg C, Pardey P (2004) Plants and intellectual property: an international appraisal. Science 306:1295–1297

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Le Banuec B (2005) Plant genetic resources and freedom to operate. Euphytica 146:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemchi JI, Ezedinma CI, Tshiunza M, Tenkouano A, Faturoti BO (2005) Agro-economic evaluation of black Sigatoka resistant hybrid plantains under smallholder management systems. Afr J Biotech 4:1045–1053

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesser W, Mutschler MA (2004) Balancing investment incentives and social benefits when protecting plant varieties: implementing initial variety systems. Crop Sci 44:1113–1120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Louwaars NP, Tripp R, Eaton D, Henson-Apollonio V, Hu R, Mendoza M, Muhhuku F, Pal S, Wekundah J (2005) Impacts of strengthened intellectual property rights regimes on the plant breeding industry in developing countries. A synthesis of five case studies. Wageningen UR, Wageningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Luby CH, Kloppenburg J, Michaels TE, Goldman IL (2014) Enhancing freedom to operate for plant breeders and farmers through open source plant breeding. Crop Sci. doi:10.2135/cropsci2014.10.0708

    Google Scholar 

  • Lusser M, Parisi C, Plan D, Rodríguez-Cerezo E (2012) Deployment of new biotechnologies in plant breeding. Nat Biotech 30:231–239

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maredia MK, Byerlee D (2000) Efficiency of research investments in the presence of international spillovers: wheat research in developing countries. Agric Econ 22:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nassar NMA, Ortiz R (2007) Cassava improvement: challenges and successes. J Agric Sci (Camb) 145:163–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oldham P, Hall S, Forero O (2013) Biological diversity in the patent system. PLoS One 8(11):e78737. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0078737

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ortiz R, Crouch JH (2007) Creating an effective process to define, approve and review the research agenda of institutions in the developing world. In: Loebenstein G, Thottappilly G (eds) Agricultural research management. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 65–92

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Pardey P, Koo B, Drew J, Horwich J, Nottenburg C (2013) The evolving landscape of plant varietal rights in the United States, 1930–2008. Nat Biotech 31:25–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pollack LM (2003) The history and success of the public-private project on germplasm enhancement of maize (GEM). Adv Agron 78:45–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raitzer DA, Kelley TG (2008) Benefit-cost meta-analysis of investment in the international agricultural research centers of the CGIAR. Agric Syst 96:108–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renkow M, Byerlee D (2010) The impacts of CGIAR research: a review of recent evidence. Food Pol 35:391–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanginga N et al (2003) Sustainable resource management coupled to resilient germplasm to provide new intensive cereal–grain–legume–livestock systems in the dry savanna. Agric Ecosyst Environ 100:305–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiferaw B, Bantilan MCS, Gupta SC, Shetty SVR (2004) Research spillover benefits and experiences in interregional technology transfer: an assessment and synthesis. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmonds NW (1990) The social context of plant breeding. Plant Breed Abst 60:337–341

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh BB, Hakizimana F, Kueneman EA, Ortiz R (2004) Soybean production and utilization in Africa. In Moscardi F, Hoffman-Campo CB, Ferreira Saraiva O, Galerani PR, Krzyzanowski FC, Carrao-Panizzi MC (eds) Proc VII World Soybean Conf, Foz du Iguassu, Brazil, 29 Feb–5 March 2004. Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation—National Soybean Research Center, Min Agriculture, Livestock Food Supply, Londrina, pp 56–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith S (2008) Intellectual property protection for plant varieties in the 21st Century. Crop Sci 48:1277–1290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan SN (2004) Plant genetic resources and the law. Past, present, and future. Plant Physiol 135:10–15

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tripp R, Byerlee D (2000) Public plant breeding in an era of privatisation. ODI Natural Resources Perspective 57. The Overseas Development Institute, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripp R, Louwaars NP, Eaton D (2007) Plant variety protection in developing countries. A report from the field. Food Pol 32:354–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UPOV (1985) International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of December 2, 1961. UPOV 293(E). The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, Geneva, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • UPOV (1996) International convention for the protection of new varieties of plants of December 2, 1961, as revised in Geneva on November 10, 1972, on October 23, 1978 and on March 19, 1991. UPOV 221(E). The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, Geneva, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • van Eeuwijk FA, Law JR (2004) Statistical aspects of essential derivation, with illustrations based on lettuce and barley. Euphytica 137:129–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Alnarp, Sweden

    Prof. Rodomiro Ortiz Ríos

Authors
  1. Prof. Rodomiro Ortiz Ríos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rodomiro Ortiz Ríos .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ortiz Ríos, R. (2015). Diversity, Intellectual Property, and Plant Variety Protection. In: Plant Breeding in the Omics Era. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20532-8_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation