The economic performance of composite cross populations (CCP) of winter wheat were calculated and compared with pure line varieties using cost benefit accounting. An organic production system was modelled based on field trial data (yield, quality), market information (prices) and standard data (machinery and labor costs) to calculate the net return of the winter wheat production. This paper compares two CCPs created from both yield- and quality-oriented parent varieties (YQI and YQII ) with ten reference varieties. Yield distributions were estimated from experimental data from the INSUSFAR project (harvest years 2016-2019). Simulations for one fertilization scenario (100 kg N) are presented here. At the field trial site, the CCPs were productively and economically similarly successful as or better than reference varieties from organic breeding, with the CCP YQII having the highest net return behind the hybrid and fodder varieties and two of the conventional E-varieties. As expected, these results fit in with previous studies on yield stability by Weedon and Finckh (2019). Our results suggest that the CCPs can also compete (e.g. ‘Capo’) and outperform (e.g. ‘Kerubino’) individual varieties from conventional breeding. However, these calculations are based on one trial location, so that further investigations are necessary in order to make general statements. An economic performance at the same level as or better than popular varieties from organic breeding indicates CCPs competitiveness under low-input conditions
