| Study Period | 2019 - 2030 |
| Market Size (2025) | USD 8.94 Billion |
| Market Size (2030) | USD 21.46 Billion |
| CAGR (2025 - 2030) | 19.10 % |
| Fastest Growing Market | Asia Pacific |
| Largest Market | North America |
| Market Concentration | Low |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
Molecular Breeding Market Analysis
The Molecular Breeding Market size is estimated at USD 8.94 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 21.46 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 19.10% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
- Molecular breeding has gained significant adoption due to its ability to develop improved crop varieties with enhanced yield quality, disease resistance, and desirable traits. This technology enables breeders to analyze plant genetic makeup at the molecular level and make informed decisions about selecting and cross-breeding individuals with specific genetic traits, helping eliminate undesirable characteristics. The primary techniques in molecular breeding include marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection, genomic-enabled prediction, and genomic editing. In crop breeding applications, these methods focus on developing varieties with enhanced drought tolerance, pest resistance, and improved nutritional profiles. The United States has reported a significant increase in corn yields through molecular breeding, with projections indicating yields may double in the next two decades through biotechnology and MAS implementation.
- Traditional crop variety development typically requires 20-25 years, but biotechnology reduces this timeline to 7-8 years. Tools like marker-assisted selection (MAS) enable scientists to select plant traits more efficiently. ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute developed new wheat varieties in 2022 using marker-assisted selection (MAS) technique which include HD 3494, HD 3495, and DL 23-16 that are resistant to various diseases and has high yield potential. While molecular breeding technology remains in its early stages, countries such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have achieved 100% adoption of these techniques for new crop varieties. Major seed companies have integrated these technologies to improve seed varieties. The market has also benefited from declining costs in genetic research and development.
- The market growth is supported by increased funding from private and public sectors for plant breeding and genetic research, particularly in genomic selection for field and vegetable crops and MAS applications. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) demonstrates this support through its commitment to plant breeding, genetics, and genomics research to address global agricultural challenges. In 2023, NIFA allocated USD 300 thousand to the Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production project, focusing on improving genomic and phenomic selection processes for better cover crops and forage mixtures. These developments and investments continue to strengthen market growth during the forecast period.
Molecular Breeding Market Trends
Growing Biotechnology Industry
The growing biotechnology sector has brought a range of cutting-edge tools and techniques to the molecular breeding market, leading to increased efficiency, accuracy, and speed in developing improved plant varieties. Similarly, with the usage of biotechnology tools molecular breeders can achieve faster breeding cycles. For instance, biotechnology has developed many precision breeding techniques such as CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and RNA interference (RNAi). These tools help the researchers to modify the silence genes through molecular breeding thereby leading to the development of various crop varieties with desired characteristics.
In addition to this, the fast, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of biotechnology methods such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) make it easier to develop improved varieties through molecular breeding. In this way, the successful commercialization of genetically modified crops is demonstrated with the help of biotechnology all over the world. Along with this, the development in biotechnology will help the breeders obtain genetically modified crops with desirable traits. For instance, in 2022, scientists at the University of Western Australia discovered the targeted tuning and manipulation of ENOD93 in plants during specific phases of their lifecycle through biotechnology which allows the development of desirable characteristics in plants by the molecular breeders.
Furthermore, the increasing investments in the biotechnology sector will lead to an expanding range of crops that benefit from molecular breeding thereby driving the market growth. For instance, the biotechnology funding by the National Institutes for Health accounted for USD 7,847 million in 2021 which is increased to USD 8,851 million in 2023. This rising funding in the field of biotechnology leads to the development of various tools that simplify the gene sequencing process thereby leading to market growth during the forecast period. Therefore, the continued development of biotechnology is expected to drive further advancements in molecular breeding, resulting in improved crop and animal varieties that address global challenges such as climate change, food security, and sustainable agriculture.
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North America accounts for the Largest Share
North America holds the largest share of the molecular breeding market due to its agricultural advancements, technological developments, and emphasis on improving crop yields and traits. The region's growing population and evolving dietary preferences have increased the demand for high-quality, high-yielding crops, driving the adoption of molecular breeding techniques that develop crop varieties resistant to diseases, pests, and environmental stressors. The increasing awareness among farmers about the benefits of molecularly bred crop varieties is expanding market opportunities.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) supports public breeding efforts through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), investing USD 8.6 million in 2024 and USD 16.2 million in 2023 to promote the development of new crop varieties by public institutes.
North American countries, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico, have widely adopted genetically modified crops. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2022, 95% of soybean crops in the United States were genetically modified for herbicide tolerance. This high adoption rate of genetically engineered varieties contributes to market growth, as molecular breeding is essential in their development.
The region's market strength is further enhanced by the presence of prominent companies, research institutions, and universities engaged in molecular breeding research. Major biotechnology companies such as Illumina, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Charles River in the United States and Canada have increased market adoption. Advancements in genome sequencing, marker-assisted selection, and gene editing technologies have improved the efficiency and precision of molecular breeding processes. The combination of increased awareness, rising importance of molecular breeding, and high adoption of genetically modified crops in North American countries continues to support market growth.
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Molecular Breeding Industry Overview
The molecular breeding market is fragmented, and major players are using many strategies such as pricing analysis of the product, new product development, acquisition and mergers, expansion, and partnership to make a footprint in the market. Illumina, Inc., Eurofins Scientific, LGC Limited, SGS, and Thermo Fisher Scientific are the major players operating in this market.
Molecular Breeding Market Leaders
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Illumina, Inc.
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Eurofins Scientific
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LGC Limited
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SGS
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Thermo Fisher Scientific
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
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Molecular Breeding Market News
- March 2023: China and Pakistan launched the project of the China-Pakistan joint wheat molecular breeding international lab. The lab conducts collaborative research on molecular breeding, training scientists and organizing workshops to develop new varieties with high yield and disease resistance.
- February 2023: Scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) and Purdue University identified the Anthracnose Resistance Gene 2 (ARG2) in sorghum. This identification enables the development of disease-resistant sorghum cultivars through breeding and biotechnological methods, reducing fungicide dependency.
- February 2022: The Cornell program added seven new plant and animal species to its arsenal of supported specialty crops and animals for 2022. This program aims to help accelerate public and private plant and animal breeders to increase efforts to introduce new varieties adapted to climate change, shifting consumer preferences, and more.
Molecular Breeding Industry Segmentation
Molecular breeding enhances traditional breeding techniques by incorporating DNA sequencing and genotyping to select and breed desired traits. The molecular breeding market is segmented by application into plant and livestock breeding; by market type such as simple sequence repeat, single nucleotide polymorphism, and expressed sequence tag; by breeding processes including marker-assisted selection, marker-assisted backcrossing, and QTL mapping; and geographical regions covering North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and South America. The report provides market size and forecasts by value in USD for all the aforementioned segments.
| Application | Plant | ||
| Livestock | |||
| Marker | Simple sequence repeat | ||
| Single nucleotide polymorphism | |||
| Expressed sequence tags | |||
| Others | |||
| Molecular breeding process | Marker assisted selection | ||
| QTL Mapping | |||
| Marker assisted back crossing | |||
| Geography | South America | Brazil | |
| Argentina | |||
| Rest of South America | |||
| North America | United States | ||
| Canada | |||
| Mexico | |||
| Rest of North America | |||
| Europe | Germany | ||
| United kingdom | |||
| France | |||
| Russia | |||
| Spain | |||
| Rest of Europe | |||
| Asia Pacific | China | ||
| Japan | |||
| India | |||
| South Korea | |||
| Rest of Asia-Pacific | |||
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Molecular Breeding Market Research FAQs
How big is the Molecular Breeding Market?
The Molecular Breeding Market size is expected to reach USD 8.94 billion in 2025 and grow at a CAGR of 19.10% to reach USD 21.46 billion by 2030.
What is the current Molecular Breeding Market size?
In 2025, the Molecular Breeding Market size is expected to reach USD 8.94 billion.
Who are the key players in Molecular Breeding Market?
Illumina, Inc., Eurofins Scientific, LGC Limited, SGS and Thermo Fisher Scientific are the major companies operating in the Molecular Breeding Market.
Which is the fastest growing region in Molecular Breeding Market?
Asia Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2025-2030).
Which region has the biggest share in Molecular Breeding Market?
In 2025, the North America accounts for the largest market share in Molecular Breeding Market.
What years does this Molecular Breeding Market cover, and what was the market size in 2024?
In 2024, the Molecular Breeding Market size was estimated at USD 7.23 billion. The report covers the Molecular Breeding Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The report also forecasts the Molecular Breeding Market size for years: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.
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Molecular Breeding Industry Report
Statistics for the 2025 Molecular Breeding market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. Molecular Breeding analysis includes a market forecast outlook for 2025 to 2030 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.
