Opportunities and Challenges of Interacting with Industry Partners.

The wheat breeding program at Kansas State University has the mission to improve wheat genetics available to growers in the High Plains region around Kansas. To accomplish this, partnerships between public and private entities have emerged to leverage the resources of other those in the wheat industry to excel genetic gain in wheat varieties. Although these partnerships offer exciting opportunities to advance wheat yields, challenges exist in the form of conflict of interests, finding the right fit in a collaborator, and intellectual property. In this presentation, perspective will be offered on successful advancements and potential future caveats from these public and private partnerships in wheat the wheat industry.