Comparing the performance of cereal varieties in organic and non-organic cropping systems in different European countries

Abstract

Top ranking varieties are tested in multiple environments before and after registration in order to assess their value for cultivation and use (VCU testing). Recently, interest has increased in obtaining varieties specifically adapted to organic farming conditions. This raised the question if an independent system of trials may be required for this purpose. To help answering this question, through the exchange network of European cereal researchers SUSVAR (www.cost860.dk), a number of data sets of agronomic traits from barley, wheat and winter triticale, from trials performed in Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, France, Switzerland, UK and Germany, were made available and analysed using an approach based on mixed models involving parameters describing genetic correlation between the two types of experiments, i.e., organic and non-organic (high or low input). Estimated variance components and correlations were used to evaluate response to selection and index selection. The response to index selection was analysed as a function of the fraction of available trials assigned to the organic system. The genetic correlations were interpreted in terms of ranking agreement. We found high genetic correlations between both systems for most traits in all countries. Despite high genetic correlations, the chances of very good agreement in observed rankings were moderate. Combining information from both organic and non-organic systems is shown to be beneficial. Further, ignoring information from non-organic trials when making decisions regarding performance under organic conditions is a sub-optimal strategy.

Combining ability of tropical maize cultivars in organic and conventional production systems

“…The different response of maize genotypes in different environments is common and the genotype x environments interaction is very important for plant breeding (MIRANDA et al, 2009;FALUBA et al, 2010;FRITSCHE-NETO et al, 2010b). Differences in cultivar performance between organic and conventional environments were found by SILVA et al (2007) for maize and by PRZYSTALSKI et al (2008) for barley, wheat and winter triticale, from trials performed in Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, UK and Germany. The controls x PS interaction were not significant for GY, PH and EH showing that the controls didn't have performance differenced due to production systems variations.…”

“…For controls, despite the lack of a significant control x PS interaction, there was a change of -16% ('BR 201') to 36% ('AG 1051'). PRZYSTALSKI et al (2008) assessed the trials of various crops such as barley, wheat and triticale in the spring systems of conventional and organic production in Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, UK and Germany. They found high correlations between the systems for most characteristics in all countries.…”

Comparison of bread wheat varieties with different breeding origin under organic and low input management

“…Therefore, early stage selection could be based on them during organic breeding. Moreover, some studies also recommend for economic reasons to use a combined strategy for breeding for OA, selecting the material for highly heritable traits in the early generations in (mainly low input) conventional fields, and further selections should be carried out under organic growing conditions for the less heritable traits (Oberforster 2003;Przystalski et al 2008;Löschen-berger et al 2008;Wolfe et al 2008;Baenziger et al 2011). Present study showed that INC, TW, TAR (refers to vigorousness) and also GY could be among these secondary selection targets that should be kept in mind in organic system.…”

“…International experiments have been established in order to examine conventional bred wheat varieties under different management systems in European organic and conventional fields (Baresel and Reents 2006;Löschenberger et al 2008;Przystalski et al 2008). As organic VCU tests have been carried out in some western European countries for more than a decade, organic varieties and varieties bred by a combined strategy, the Breeding For Organic Agriculture (BFOA) strategy (bred partly in conventional field but especially for OA and registered after organic VCU test) had already been released.…”

Structuring an Efficient Organic Wheat Breeding Program

“…Yield trial results for the advanced nursery (F 7 ) and the elite nursery (F [8][9][10][11][12] ) are discussed in this paper. Sites for the nurseries are at UNL research stations, except for the Alliance site on a commercial farm close to Hemingford, NE and the McCook site on a commercial farm near Culbertson, NE.…”