Overview on the current organizational models for cultivar testing for Organic Agriculture over some EU countries.

Variety trials are an important way to evaluate the suitability of existing varieties (conventional, organic, landraces, heirloom, etc.) for organic farming, and are a necessary step in plant breeding and variety registration. However, it is essential that beside on-stations trials, varieties are also tested on-farm in different climatic regions as this gives more accurate and realistic variety performance assessment (Lyon et. al. 2019). Varieties of different crop species are in service to various stakeholders. Thus, their involvement may play an important role in variety trials. They could contribute, with knowledge, seed material in kind or financial support, to build cost-effective variety testing models also for crops that are not grown on a large scale and have small market share. In the report evaluation of different organic variety trials for pre- and post-registration as well as VCU across 15 EU countries (for arable incl. forage, vegetable and fruit crops) is presented through 4 main criteria (trial setup, organizational model, dissemination of results and financial model). Through the range of organizational models of variety trials there were some that were mainly governmentally supported and involving researchers, others that have strong engagement of breeders and seed companies, or are done within seed companies, and some that are running just if project financing is available or some that are mainly established by farmers and done on voluntary basis. Organizational models of variety trials have quite complex nature and therefore, it is not possible to give a general recipe for establishing successful variety trials network. Institutes or initiatives organize trials depending on different socio-economic conditions, such as financial possibilities, economic importance of the crop in the country, chain actors’ engagements, organic sector development, existing trial infrastructure etc. In the report, SWOT analysis of different organizational model groups give better understanding of pros and cons of the different systems and show necessary infrastructure for different models. These analyses will serve as a base for development of guidelines for on-farm trials models that are low budget, with alternative financing and new infrastructures

European workshop: Grain legumes for organic agriculture, Towards better varieties in Faba bean, Lupine and Field Pea

In this document you can find a summary and some key statements from presentations and group discussions from the European workshop on grain legumes held on October 28th 2013 in Copenhagen. The workshop was an activity in the EcoProtein project, a four year project running from 2012 to 2015. The project aims to feed Danish organic farm animals with Danish organic protein feed. The Organic Farming section at the Knowledge Centre for Agriculture is the organizer of the project, project leader is Margrethe Askegaard. Also involved in the project is the Faculty of Science and Technology at Aarhus University and a number of private companies and organic farmers. The EcoProtein project is financed by GUDP

Optimal Utilization Of Natural Phytase Activity In Feed Grains For Monogastric Animals

The aim of this work is to improve the phosphorus utilization in organic pigs and poultry, for lower phosphorus usage and leakage. To reduce leaching of phosphorus in the manure from monogastric animals, it is essential that phosphorus utilization in the feed for pigs and poultry is optimized. Monogastric animals are unable to digest the phosphorus containing phytate, as they lack digestive enzymes (phytase) that can break it down. All cereal species have phytase in the kernels, but the amount varies between species and varieties. New feed mixing concepts are developed, to reduce addition of phosphorus in the feed. On-farm trials in pig herds will be conducted in farms with home-mixed feed and with fabricated and pelleted feed, where a large proportion of grain is not being pelleted. The results will show whether the slaughter pigs are provided with sufficiently digestible phosphorus with the new feed concepts. Similar trials will be conducted in poultry farms

Økologisk dyrkning

Kapitel om økologisk dyrkning i Oversigt over landsforsøgene 2015

Økologisk dyrkning

Oversigt over Landsforsøgene udkommer én gang om året og indeholder en afrapportering og kommentering af de markforsøg, der i årets løb er udført i samarbejde mellem de lokale rådgivningsvirksomheder og SEGES

How to implement the organic regulation to increase production & use of organic seed. Policy recommendations for national and regional authorities

Contents Introduction Part One - Policy Measures 1.1 Measures to stimulate organic seed production and use 1.1.1 Training 1.1.2 Subsidies 1.1.3 Access to cleaning facilities for organic seed producers 1.1.4 Organic cultivar trials 1.2 Derogation Rules 1.3 National Annex 1.4 Equivalent cultivars 1.5 Vegetative propagating material 1.6 Expert Groups 1.6.1 Role and mandate of Expert Groups Part Two - Organic Seed Databases 2.1 Upload of seed offers on national databases 2.2 Features and operation of national organic seed databases 2.3 EU Router database Part Three - Alternative sources of organic seed 3.1 Traditional cultivars & farm saved seed 3.2 Populations and Organic Heterogeneous Materia

Breeding for diversity – political implications and new pathways for the future

At present, around 95% of organic production is based on crop varieties that were bred for the conventional high-input sector, lacking important traits required under organic and low-input production conditions. Populations with a high level of genetic diversity are promising for OA (organic agriculture) conditions due to their adaptation, resilience and performance stability in different environments. Organic farming will benefit from cultivars (populations, varieties) that can cope with multiple stresses such as weeds, diseases, pests, climate change and low nitrogen input from manure. In the COBRA project (Coordinating Organic Plant Breeding Activities for diversity), plant genetic diversity and its potential have been investigated from both an agronomic and a legal point of view. This booklet aims to give insight into the socioeconomic and legal aspects of organic plant breeding including High Diversity breeding. COBRA is a three year (2013-16) European project under the Core Organic II program. It has linked up existing organic breeding activities by a multi-partner coordinated approach. The pillars of the COBRA project are: • Seed health • Response of crops to multiple stresses • Breeding efficiency for organic systems • Networking and coordination • Socioeconomic and legal issues related to organic plant breeding Through case studies, several COBRA partners investigated how different quality requirements can be imbedded in local breeding initiatives and promote organic seed use and production. They also studied how different barriers affect organic seed production and breeding. Case studies from UK, Denmark, Slovenia, Italy and the outputs of the COBRA workshop “Financing of organic plant breeding” (Freising, Germany, 2015) are presented in the booklet

How to implement the organic regulation to increase production & use of organic seed - policy recommendations for national and regional authorities

This booklet for policymakers and stakeholders at the national and regional level describes, based on the results of the LIVESEED project, how to stimulate organic seed production and use, and how to enable organic seed availability on the market. Topics discussed in the booklet include: - policy measures such as training, subsidies, access to facilities and post-release cultivar trials - how to manage the derogation process in combination with the National organic seed databases and an EU router, including the role and mandate of expert groups - the need for adapted cultivars, enabled through alternative seed sources, among which are farm saved seed, populations and organic heterogeneous materia

Guidelines for adapted DUS and VCU testing of organic varieties

In the new Organic Regulation EU 848/2018 two new categories of plant reproductive material have been introduced in order to embrace diversity in cultivars from organic plant breeding. Organic plant breeding aims to meet the different needs of the organic sector by producing a diversity of cultivars from a range of different crops with special qualities and agronomic performance adapted to the environmental challenges faced in organic plant production