Patent bigdata in plant cultivation technology including promising breeding technologies: a comparative study of intellectual properties leading five countries

The development of new plant cultivation technologies in the green bio industry has increased due to rising populations, climate change, and the depletion of food resources, coupled with efforts to strengthen food security and enhance the productivity of food crops. This study analyzed global patents in plant cultivation technology, deriving prospects and core focus areas by major countries. As a result, patent applications in plant cultivation technology have increased by 6% over the last 5 years, with particularly high growth rates in China. Upon closely examining major technologies, the US leads in Technology of General Breeding (TGB), China in Cultivation of Food Crops (CFC), and South Korea in Cultivation of Garden Crops (CGC). High-tech biotechnologies such as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and CRISPR are predominantly influenced by the US and Europe; however, China has shown a rapid increase in the number of applications and applicants and is predicted to become a leader in technological innovation with support from Chinese government policies. To become a leading country in high-tech biotechnologies such as TSM and GMOs, governments need to ease regulations and improve social perceptions to accommodate new technologies.