Development of locally-adapted faba bean cultivars for organic conditions in Germany through a participatory breeding approach

Abstract

Organic farming requires cultivars that are specifically adapted to this low input cropping system. Hence, organic farmers and scientists joined in a participatory breeding approach to develop region-specific genotypes of spring faba bean for organic conditions in Germany. A set of 49 genotypes with contrasting degrees of heterozygosity and heterogeneity was used in field trials across five locations in Germany during 3 years 2004, 2005 and 2006. The material involved 18 inbred lines, their 18 polycross progenies, one blend of inbred lines, one blend of polycross progenies, one blend of hybrids and ten checks. Inbred lines are uniform, thus giving the option to be specifically adapted; whereas the polycross progenies and synthetics (Syn-1; predicted from the inbred lines and polycross progenies performance) are partly heterogeneous and heterozygous, thus giving the option to evolve. Agronomic performance was assessed and a ''personal appreciation'' score of the material was assigned to each genotype by each partner. This personal appreciation was strongly influenced by biotic and abiotic constraints faced by the crop in each location and by the expected grain yield of the genotypes. Uniformity was apparently appreciated by organic farmers. In all locations, the highest yielding inbred line yielded slightly better than the predicted highest yielding synthetic. However, this slight disadvantage of the synthetic is very likely to disappear if the synthetic (Syn-1) is propagated during successive generations.

Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems

“…As a result, genetic diversity and local varieties adapted to local belowground selective pressures have disappeared (Altieri 1999;Wolfe et al 2008). Decentralised and farmer-participatory breeding programmes have yielded positive results, as farmers themselves selected cultivars, which perform most effectively under local conditions, according to personal preference (Ghaouti et al 2008;Wolfe et al 2008). Legal issues with using non-commercially available seeds place obstacles in the way of small-scale, decentralised breeding programmes (see Wolfe et al 2008).…”

Response to farmer mass selection in early generation progeny of bread wheat landrace crosses

“…As already noticed by Ghaouti et al 21 , farmer selection is integrative, it does not favor individual traits but instead overall plant vigor, field productivity and quality. As already noticed by Ghaouti et al 21 , farmer selection is integrative, it does not favor individual traits but instead overall plant vigor, field productivity and quality.…”

“…In addition, participation of farmers is required to benefit from their experience and expertise in varietal evaluation in their particular environment 12 , and to implement selection in a way that will respond to their specific needs. This participation also empowers farmers and leads to more autonomy with respect to varietal choices and the promotion of farmers' rights 3,13 .This approach has already proved to be efficient in developing countries 7,12,[14][15][16][17][18] but has started only recently in Europe, with new programs showing promising results 10,[19][20][21][22][23] .…”

Hierarchical Bayesian Modeling for Flexible Experiments in Decentralized Participatory Plant Breeding

“…Such trials involve a mother trial that is replicated and several baby trials that are not replicated (Bellon et al, 2002;Witcombe et al, 2006), for details and examples see Witcombe et al (2006), Bellon et al (2002), Gyawali et al (2007), Ghaouti et al (2008), Vom Brocke et al (2010. Such trials involve a mother trial that is replicated and several baby trials that are not replicated (Bellon et al, 2002;Witcombe et al, 2006), for details and examples see Witcombe et al (2006), Bellon et al (2002), Gyawali et al (2007), Ghaouti et al (2008), Vom Brocke et al (2010.…”

“…Our experimental design is reminiscent of mother-baby trials, which are very flexible for farmers. Such trials involve a mother trial that is replicated and several baby trials that are not replicated (Bellon et al, 2002;Witcombe et al, 2006), for details and examples see Witcombe et al (2006), Bellon et al (2002), Gyawali et al (2007), Ghaouti et al (2008), Vom Brocke et al (2010.…”