c.saintpierre@cgiar.org

The four-year CropSustaiN mission aims to establish the potential of the biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) trait in spring and winter wheat across the Global South and North. This initiative seeks to reduce agriculture's nitrogen footprint through seed-based solutions. CIMMYT has secured a grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to lead this multidisciplinary initiative, in collaboration with multiple partners.

The long-term vision is for farmers to reduce nitrogen fertilizer use and its associated environmental impacts by adopting BNI technology while maintaining crop productivity and soil health. The BNI mission will demonstrate the economic, environmental, and societal value of the BNI trait at farm, value chain, and policy-making levels. The initiative is structured around three integrated research areas. First, it develops and validates standardized protocols for measuring and documenting BNI-wheat cropping management, soil sampling, and nitrogen cycling parameters to produce accurate, reliable, and comparable data across the diverse global partners’ sites and over time.

This will ensure accessibility and interoperability of the extensive dataset adhering to FAIR principles. Second, it focuses on breeding, agronomy, and field trials to incorporate the BNI trait into elite wheat lines for both spring and winter wheat. Third, it conducts discovery research in genomics, microbial ecology, and agricultural innovation systems to enhance understanding of BNI processes and support technology adoption.

Academic institutions, industry, farmers, and policymakers are all integral to the innovation systems that will enable BNI-wheat scaling across geographies. The CropSustaiN initiative has therefore the potential to significantly impact global food security and enhance environmental sustainability.