Plant breeding for organic agriculture: something new?

Abstract

The role of both organic (OF) and conventional (CF) farming remains open to debate particularly when related to food security and climate change. Targeting plant breeding for OF can contribute to reduce its yield gaps vis-à-vis CF. Currently, the cultivars produced for CF are also used in OF, however, it is unreasonable that all lines bred for CF will always perform well in OF. Nonetheless, plant breeding goals for OF and CF converge at aiming for high productivity, host plant resistance or tolerance to biotic and abiotic factors, and high resource-use efficiency. Likewise end-use quality and local adaptation may be more important for OF as the resource recycling and quality of the inputs that are used vary from region to region, even though OF practices are highly regulated. This article provides an overview on organic plant breeding (OPB) with a perspective from conventional plant breeding, highlights the main traits, their source of variation, and what methods and tools are available for their breeding. It concludes listing some organic crop breeding achievements and providing an outlook on what needs to be done for OPB.

Effect of Organic Potato Farming on Human and Environmental Health and Benefits from New Plant Breeding Techniques. Is It Only a Matter of Public Acceptance?

“…The consequence is that more land will be sacrificed to agriculture unless the yield gap would be closed. In agreement with other authors [84][85][86], we consider that organic farming as it is conceived today is not the way to sustainably feed the world, particularly in a scenario where high food productivity is required, with extreme care of the natural resources. An approach based on integrated farming (organic and conventional), the use of low-input agronomic practices and the use of genetically improved varieties requiring less inputs can be essential for enabling food security in a sustainable way.…”

Organic versus Conventional Cropping Sustainability: A Comparative System Analysis

“…Although the concept of breeding specifically for organic agriculture is relatively new, several small agricultural companies and public institutions mostly in Europe and North America have initiated breeding programs directed at organic agriculture to help meet the needs of these underrepresented producers ( Figure 9). Breeding programs within organic systems can be found in France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, as well as Canada and the U.S., with a focus on a range of horticultural as well as grain crops, including tomato, squash, dry and green beans, peppers, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onion, carrots, beets, potato, field and sweet corn, barley, winter wheat, and quinoa [131]. Breeding for the target environment allows for alleles and traits particular to organic production to be selected.…”

Concepts and Strategies of Organic Plant Breeding in Light of Novel Breeding Techniques

“…Research programs for organic plant breeding activities are running in many countries [47], and at the European level the Horizon 2020 program calls for projects on organic seed and breeding.…”

“…Organic plant breeding is a holistic approach where the process of breeding, including technical, socio-economic and ethical aspects, is equally important as the final product (cultivar) with its characteristics [47]. With new labels for organically bred varieties such as "Bioverita" in Switzerland the sector tries to communicate its values and create valorization along the value chain up to consumers (www.bioverita.org).…”