Abstract
The‘wish list’ from animal nutritionists to plant breeders can be summarized in terms of global nutritional security and resource efficiency, along with the increasing improvement/safety of the quality of feeds of plant origin. Reductions in the content of undesirable substances are more important than increases in the content of value-determining components of the plants. The following are also noteworthy: (a) studies with the target animal species are necessary to evaluate the nutritional value and safety of the changes induced in the plants; (b) cooperation among plant breeders and animal nutritionists should be a necessary element from the early stages of breeding programmes to evaluate the changes induced; and (c) life-cycle assessments (eco-balances, documentation of inputs and outputs) should be conducted to compare and evaluate the consequences of breeding programmes.
