Our growing population has a huge number of impacts, but the simplest and most pressing is that we have more mouths to feed than ever before. At the same time, though, climate change is threatening farmland worldwide. That means crops like wheat, which account for 20% of daily calories consumed worldwide, are plateauing.

Enter: Richard Trethowan and the Plant Breeding Institute. Richard and his team are working on something called hybrid wheat, which will be more robust and productive than the regular plant. They’re trying to make food that’s healthier, easier to grow, and that will feed more people.

Richard explains why we’ve never been able to make hybrid wheat before, why it’s so crucial to the future of our planet, and how over a century of forward-thinking research has laid the foundation for the work he’s doing today.

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The Solutionists is a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Facebook and Instagram, and @sydney.edu.au on Bluesky.

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Sarah Dabro. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Sladjana Rstic, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

Our growing population has a huge number of impacts, but the simplest and most pressing is that we have more mouths to feed than ever before. At the same time, though, climate change is threatening farmland worldwide. That means crops like wheat, which account for 20% of daily calories consumed worldwide, are plateauing.
Enter: Richard Trethowan and the Plant Breeding Institute. Richard and his team are working on something called hybrid wheat, which will be more robust and productive than the regular plant. They&rsquo;re trying to make food that&rsquo;s healthier, easier to grow, and that will feed more people.
Richard explains why we&rsquo;ve never been able to make hybrid wheat before, why it&rsquo;s so crucial to the future of our planet, and how over a century of forward-thinking research has laid the foundation for the work he&rsquo;s doing today.
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The Solutionists is a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://deadsetstudios.com/">Deadset Studios</a>. Keep up to date with&nbsp;The Solutionists&nbsp;by following @sydney_uni&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/sydneyuni/">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sydney_uni/?hl=en">Instagram</a>, and @sydney.edu.au on&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/sydney.edu.au">Bluesky</a>.
This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Sarah Dabro. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Sladjana Rstic, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman.
This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught,&nbsp;shared&nbsp;and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.&nbsp;

Big challenges need big solutions. Meet the minds making it happen.

Join Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, and get ready to view the world from a different perspective.

From our own wellbeing to the preservation of the planet, The Solutionists dives into the most pressing issues of our time and introduces you to the people unearthing the seeds of remarkable solutions.

You'll discover a world of progress and possibility.



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The Solutionists is a podcast from The University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Big challenges need big solutions. Meet the minds making it happen.
Join Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, and get ready to view the world from a different perspective.
From our own wellbeing to the preservation of the planet, The Solutionists dives into the most pressing issues of our time and introduces you to the people unearthing the seeds of remarkable solutions.
You'll discover a world of progress and possibility.
 
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The Solutionists is a podcast from The University of Sydney, produced by <a href="https://www.deadsetstudios.com/">Deadset Studios</a>.
This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Big challenges need big solutions. Meet the minds making it happen.

The Solutionists, with Mark Scott

Big challenges need big solutions. Meet the minds making it happen.

Join Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, and get ready to view the world from a different perspective.

From our own wellbeing to the preservation of the planet, The Solutionists dives into the most pressing issues of our time and introduces you to the people unearthing the seeds of remarkable solutions.

You'll discover a world of progress and possibility.



+++

The Solutionists is a podcast from The University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people.

Big challenges need big solutions. Meet the minds making it happen.
Join Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, and get ready to view the world from a different perspective.
From our own wellbeing to the preservation of the planet, The Solutionists dives into the most pressing issues of our time and introduces you to the people unearthing the seeds of remarkable solutions.
You'll discover a world of progress and possibility.
 
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The Solutionists is a podcast from The University of Sydney, produced by <a href="https://www.deadsetstudios.com/">Deadset Studios</a>.
This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people.