An analytical model of a wheat breeding program

Plant breeders and their administrators face decisions regarding the most appropriate methods and approaches to use in their breeding programs. The analytical model described in this paper provides a means of evaluating the profitability from the point of view of society of the resources used in a public wheat breeding program. By identifying the costs of individual operations and estimating the expected returns from the program, investment criteria can be used to evaluate the efficiency of the breeding resources. Any change in the program can also be accommodated, so that the relative efficiency of different approaches to breeding can be determined. The analytical model provides a means of improved economic efficiency in the allocation of research resources within a breeding program, as well as providing a means of identifying the possible gains from adjustments that would follow a change in the level of resources provided to the program. The economic analysis of a wheat breeding programin Australia indicates that the resources in the program represent a profitable investment for society. The model is readily adaptable to other plant breeding programs.