Organic cultivation depends on robust and healthy propagation material and the availability of suitable plant varieties. To be able to facilitate organic farmers and growers, Wageningen UR and the Louis Bolk Institute carry out a variety of research aimed specifically at organic propagation and breeding.

The report contains sector facts, sector aspirations, current affairs and research projects

Scholten, Olga

English

Organic Eprints

Propagation material and organic breeding	 AspirationsConventional seeds and propagation material are still widely used in the organic sector. In the future the sector wants to switch to 100% organic propagation material and seeds. This switch can only be made when sufficient healthy and vigorous material can be produced. The harmonisation of the European rules and regulations is also important, to create a level international playing field. Developing organic plant varieties is a further step; varieties that are optimally suited to (low-input) circumstances on organic farms.February	2011Vigorous	propagation	material	and	organic	breeding	in	the	NetherlandsOrganic cultivation depends on robust and healthy propagation material and the availability of suitable plant varieties. To be able to facilitate organic farmers and growers, Wageningen UR and the Louis Bolk Institute carry out a variety of research aimed specifically at organic propagation and breeding.Dutch	research	on	organic	propagation	material	and	breedingThe	circumstances	in	organic	cultivation	are	often	very	different	from	those	in	conventio-nal	agriculture.	Nutrient	levels	in	the	soil	are	often	lower	and	the	availability	depends	on	soil	temperature.	At	the	same	time,	pests	and	diseases	cannot	be	treated	with	chemicals.Specific	organic	breeding	programs	and	tailor-made	research	into	the	vigour	and	health	of	propagation	material	are	essential	to	organic	cultivation.	To	facilitate	organic	farmers,	Wageningen	UR	and	Louis	Bolk	Institute	carry	out	a	variety	of	research	aimed	specifically	at	organic	breeding	and	propagation	material.Organic	Knowledge	UpdateThrips can damage cabbage leavesOrganic Knowledge UpdateCurrent	affairsCurrently,	the	sector	is	discussing	whether	a	separate	organic	breeding	program	is	necessary	and	preferable.	Farmers	need	a	diversity	of	organic	species	that	perform	well	under	low-input	circumstances,	but	have	only	limited	options	available	at	the	moment.Separate	organic	breeding	programmes	are	costly.	At	the	moment	organic	cucumber	seeds	are	especially	difficult	to	come	by,	after	production	in	the	Netherlands	has	ceased.	At	the	same	time	organic	growers	are	obliged	to	use	organic	seeds!Selection of potato cultivars during field trialsPropagation material and organic breeding•		 Nitrogen plasticity in organic potato	The	organic	sector	needs	organic	potato	cultivars	that	are	able	to	deal	with	low	nitrogen	input	and	variable	nitrogen	availability,	and	have	the	ability	to	recover	after	a	period	of	nitrogen	stress.	This	project	aims	to	identify	plant	traits	that	are	correlated	with	these	abilities.	These	traits	will	lead	to	selection	criteria	for	breeding	potato	cultivars	that	are	better	adapted	to	organic	cultivation.	Contact: Marjolein Thiemens-Hulscher MSc, M.Thiemens@louisbolk.nl•		 Onions and mycorrhizas and their relationship to roots and fusarium basal rot	The	aim	of	this	project	is	to	better	understand	the	relationship	between	mycorrhiza-interaction,	root	systems	and	Fusarium	resistance	when	breeding	onions	for	low-input	conditions.	If	plants	become	resistant	to	Fusarium	basal	rot,	how	does	this	influence	mycorrhiza-interactions,	growth	and	nutrient	uptake?Contact: Dr Olga Scholten, Olga.Scholten@wur.nl•		 Thrips resistance in cabbage	Cabbage	varieties	differ	markedly	in	their	susceptibility	to	thrips,	but	the	genetic	background	of	these	differences	is	unknown.	This	study	looks	at	the	inheritance	of	resistance	to	thrips	and	at	plant	traits	related	to	thrips	resistance.Contact: Dr Roeland Voorrips, Roeland.Voorrips@wur.nl•		 Preventing internal Xcc-infections of organic	Brassica seed	Xanthomonas campestris pv. Campestris (Xcc)	is	the	causal	organism	of	black	rot.	Xcc	is	considered	the	major	problem	in	organic	production	of	Brassica	seed.	Previous	studies	showed	the	importance	of	flower	infection	to	internal	Brassica	seed	infections.	This	project	studies	the	colonisation	route	of	Xcc	from	flower	to	seed	in	order	to	find	new	ways	of	controlling	infections.	Contact: Dr Jan van der Wolf, Jan.vanderWolf@wur.nl•		 Rapid analysis of the vigour of organic propagation material	Physical	sanitation	treatments,	which	are	used	as	an	alternative	for	chemical	treatments,	can	damage	the	vigour	of	the	seeds	or	planting	material.	This	project	aims	to	develop	rapid	tests	to	deter-mine	both	stress	tolerance	of	seeds	and	seed	potatoes	and	damage	induced	by	sanitation	treatments.	Contact: Dr Steven Groot, Steven.Groot@wur.nl•		 Detectability of Clavibacter in organic tomato seeds	Research	into	a	treatment	of	tomato	seeds	that	allows	for	efficient	detection	of	Cmm,	without	compromising	germinative	power.	At	the	moment	detection	is	difficult	as	saprophytic	micro-organisms	make	Cmm	contaminations	difficult	to	detect.Contact: Dr Jan van der Wolf, Jan.vanderWolf@wur.nl•		 Improved storage of celery seeds	This	project	develops	methods	for	maintaining	the	quality	of	primed	seeds	in	storage.	This	is	important	to	enhance	germinative	power.	Contact: Dr Steven Groot, Steven.Groot@wur.nlResearch projects•		 Galvan	G.A.,	Kuyper	T.W.,	Burger	K.,	Keizer	L.C.P .,	Hoekstra	R.F.,	Kik	C.	andO.E.	Scholten.	2010.	Genetic	analysis	of	the	interaction	between	Allium	species	and	arbuscular	mycorrhizal	fungi.	Theor	Appl	Genet,	DOI:	10.1007/s00122-010-1501-8.•		 Van	der	Wolf,	J.M.	Michta,	A.,	Van	der	Zouwen,	P .S.,	De	Boer,	W.,	Davelaar,	E.and	L.	Stevens.	2011.	Seed-	and	leave	treatments	with	natural	compounds	to	induce	resistance	against	Peronospora	parasitica	in	Brassica	oleracea.	Journal	of	Phytopathology.	Accepted.•		 Van	der	Wolf,	J.M.	and	P .S.	van	der	Zouwen.	2010.	Colonization	of	cauliflower	blossom	(Brassica	oleracea)	by	Xanthomonas	campestris	pv.	campestris,	via	flies	(Calliphora	vomitoria)	can	result	in	seed	infestation.	Journal	of	Phytopathology.	DOI:	10.111/j.1439-0434.2010.01690.x.•		 Koch,	E.,	Schmitt,	A.,	Stephan,	D.,	Kromphardt,	C.,	Jahn,	M.,	Krauthausen,	H.-J.,	Forsberg,	G.,	Werner,	S.,	Amein,	T.,	Wright,	S.,	Tinivella,	F.,	Gullino,	M.,	Roberts,	S.,	van	der	Wolf,	J.,	and	S.	Groot.	2010.	Evaluation	of	non-chemical	seed	treatment	methods	for	the	control	of	Alternaria	dauci	and	A.	radicina	on	carrot	seeds.	European	Journal	of	Plant	Pathology,	on-line	december	2009.•		 Köhl,	J.,	van	Tongeren,	C.A.M.,	Groenenboom-de	Haas,	B.H.,	van	Hoof,	R.A.,	Driessen,	R.	and	L.	van	der	Heijden.	2009.	Epidemiology	of	dark	leaf	spot	caused	by	Alternaria brassicicola	and	Alternaria brassicae	in	organic	seed	production	of	cauliflower.	Plant	Pathology	(in	press;	DOI:	10.1111/j.1365-3059.2009.02216.x;	Published	Online:	14	Dec	2009.•		 Schmitt,	A.,	Koch,	E.,	Stephan,	D.,	Kromphardt,	C.,	Jahn,	M,	Krauthausen,	H.J.,	Forsberg,	G.,	Werner,	S.,	Amein,	T.,	Wright,	S.,	Tinivella,	F.,	Van	der	Wolf,	J.	and	S.P .C.	Groot.	2009.	Evaluation	of	non-chemical	seed	treatment	methods	for	the	control	of	Phoma	valerianellae	on	lamb’s	lettuce	seeds.	Journal	of	Plant	Diseases	and	Protection	116,	200-207.•		 Galvan	G.A..	2009.	Resistance	to	Fusarium	basal	rot	and	response	toarbuscular	mycorrhizal	fungi	in	Allium.	PhD	Thesis	Wageningen	University	and	Research	Centre,	The	Netherlands.	160	pp.	Research	carried	out	in	the	group	of	O.E.	Scholten.•		 Galvan,	G.A.,	Paradi	I.,	Burger	K.,	Baar	J.,	Kuyper	T.W.,	Scholten	O.E.	and	C.	Kik.	2009.	Molecular	diversity	of	arbuscular	mycorrhizal	fungi	in	onion	roots	from	organic	and	conventional	farming	systems	in	the	Netherlands.	MYCORRHIZA	19:317-328.•		 Tinivella,	F.,	Hirata,	L.,	Celan,	M.,	Wright,	S.,	Amein,	T.,	Schmitt,	A.,	Koch,	E.,	Wolf,	J.,	Groot,	S.,	Stephan,	D.,	Garibaldi,	A.,	and	M.	Gullino.	2009.	Control	of	seed-borne	pathogens	on	legumes	by	microbial	and	other	alternative	seed	treat-ments.	European	Journal	of	Plant	Pathology,	123(2),	139-151.•		 Van	der	Wolf,	J.M.	and	P .S.	Van	der	Zouwen.	2009.	Flower	infections	with	Xanthomonas	campestris	pv.	campestris	can	result	in	internal	seed	infection.	Phytopathology	99,	S134	(Abstract).Literature	Bioconnect aims to further develop and strengthen the Dutch organic sector by initiating and implementing research projects. Within Bioconnect organic entrepreneurs (from farmers to shop-keepers) work together with research institutes, colleges and universities and consultancy organisations. This leads to demand-driven research that is unique to the Netherlands.The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation sponsors these research projects.Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) and the Louis Bolk Institute together carry out these research projects. About 140 projects dedicated to organic agriculture are currently under way.ContactContact: Olga Scholtene-mail: Olga.Scholten@wur.nltelephone: +31 317 480 871www.organicholland.comEditing / Design / ProductionWageningen UR, Communication Servicese-mail: info@biokennis.nltelephone: +31 317 482 515The innovation network of organic agricultural chains

Vigorous propagation material and organic breeding in the Netherlands

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