National register of cultivars of Brazil

25-year overview for crops of economic and social importance

Resumo

Plant genetic improvement programs are conducted by public and private companies that differ in the crops they focus on and their investment capacities. This study analyzed the number of registered cultivars of cassava, cowpea, common bean, corn, cotton, rice, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane and wheat, as well as the contribution of public and private companies to the registration of cultivars of these species from 1998 to 2022. Data were obtained from the National Cultivar Registry Service database. A total of 6,995 cultivars were registered, with significant variation in the number and distribution of registrations. Corn and soybean were particularly prominent, accounting for 74% of registrations — at least five times the number of registrations compared to crops such as rice and common bean. Over 80% of the registrations were made by private companies. Partnerships contributed modestly (7%). Private companies outpaced public institutions in registering corn, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane, cotton, common bean, rice and wheat. Public institutions prevailed in the registration of cassava and cowpea, which had the fewest registrations. The results highlight disparities in cultivar development and raise questions about public investment in staple food crops and the availability of cultivars for different production chains.