Approaches to Translational Plant Science

Abstract

Abstract Translational science deals with the dilemma between basic research and the practical application of scientific results. In translational plant science, focus is on the relationship between agricultural crop production and basic science in various research fields, but primarily in the basic plant science. Scientific and technological developments have allowed great progress in our understanding of plant genetics and molecular physiology, with potentials for improving agricultural production. However, this development has led to a separation of the laboratory-based research from the crop production systems and the more applied crop research. The link between basic and applied research is at risk when focus is kept on one level of complexity, not taking higher or lower levels into account. Without this link, the chance that basic research results will be translated into agricultural progress is lessened. In our opinion, implementation of translational plant science is a necessity in order to solve the agricultural challenges of producing food and materials in the future. We suggest an approach to translational plant science forcing scientists to think beyond their own area and to consider higher or lower levels of complexity and possible multidisciplinary collaboration. The approach can be described by four main questions, suggesting considerations of (1) viability of the basic results outside the lab, (2) possible side effects, (3) implementation difficulties, and (4) alternative solutions to the same problems. By the use of examples where translational plant science has either been successfully or not successfully applied we describe an approach for advancing translational plant science.