The genetic diversity within the crop functions to protect the crop from pathogens and pests and removes the need for input crop protection. 

A Composite Cross Population (CCP) is an annual crop that has been bred to have a very high level of genetic diversity within the crop population. The genetic diversity within the crop functions to protect the crop from pathogens and pests and removes the need for input crop protection. It also enables crop yields to be resilient in the face of changes in climate or other environmental pressures.

When every plant is genetically identical, as is the case with licenced and genetically modified seeds, any pathogen individual that evolves to infect one plant within a crop will have progeny that is capable of infecting all plants within that crop. Therefore, acute vulnerability to epidemic disease is created, making farmers dependent on input crop protection.

The genetic diversity of CCP’s guards against epidemic disease, as each plant has a unique genetic code. Slight variations in morphology and disease resistance enable a CCP to prevent pathogens from evolving to infect an entire field of a crop, which would result in catastrophic crop failure.

The genetic diversity of Composite Cross Populations guards against epidemic disease and removes dependence on chemical crop protection.

Fields of CCP where no input crop protection is used do not experience pathogen problems, the genetic diversity of the crop is entirely sufficient. In fact, the presence of pathogens activates the resistance genes of the plants, supporting the transmission of those genes into the next generation.

CCP’s are designed for the seed to be saved by farmers and planted the following season. This can reduce input costs and over time can result in a crop which evolves to better suit the environmental conditions of the farm.

CCP’s are also more resilient to changes in weather and climate. The genetic diversity within the crop results in some plants which are more suited than others to particular conditions. Thus, yields can average out over years with significant fluctuations in climate or times they are sown, whereas genetically homogeneous crops would perform poorly or fail completely when they are not provided with ideal conditions. 

Providing ideal conditions for a crop typically requires a lot of input products and a lot of labour. If there are changes in climate, market or the availability of these supporting products a genetically homogenous crop may no longer be viable.

There are CCP’s that have been developed with modern breeds with exemplary yields and quality, and CCP’s which have been developed with heritage breeds. Heritage CCP’s have been shown to perform in very low nutrient soils, reducing the cost and ecological impact of fertiliser applications and extending the range of land capable of supporting arable farming.

CCP’s can enable farmers to reduce input costs and substantially reduce the ecological impact of fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, other crop protections and fertilisers.

Composite Cross Populations are more resilient to changes in weather and climate.