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Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems
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Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 36132

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Monika Messmer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, Department of Crop Science, Head of Plant Breeding Group, Ackerstrasse 113, CH-5070 Frick, Switzerland
2. Scientific coordinator of Horizon2020 project LIVESEED – Boosting organic seed and plant breeding across Europe
Interests: organic plant breeding, participatory breeding, lupin, pea, soybean, cotton, breeding for species mixtures, plant – microbe interactions, marker assisted selection, resilient seed systems, on farm cultivar testing networks
Dr. Vladimir Meglič

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Crop Science Department, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: genetic resources; genetics and breeding; biotechnology; molecular breeding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ferdinando Branca

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food and Environment-Di3A, University of Catania Via Valdisavoia n. 5, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: conservation and exploitation of the germplasm of species of interest as vegetable and medicinal interest, organic breeding, plant propagation and seed production, systems and growing techniques and methods with low environmental impact, biometric, biochemical and genetic characterization of species of interest as vegetable and/or medicinal, vegetable product and process innovation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on publications related to a broad range of plant breeding and seed sector innovations for organic food systems presented during the respective international conference co-organized  by EUCARPIA Section Organic and Low Input agriculture and the three Horizon 2020 projects LIVESEED, BRESOV, and ECOBREED, the Latvian project FLPP, and the European Consortium for Organic Plant Breeding (ECO-PB) in March 2021 https://www.eucarpialiveseedconference2021.lv/ and innovative research in the field of organic seed and plant breeding that will arise after the conference. The Special Issue will embrace papers with special focus on the fast-growing organic sector, which cover topics such as exploring plant genetic resources, breeding for diversity, breeding for culinary and nutritional quality, soil–plant interactions, organic seed production, organic seed health, seed treatments, socio-economic analysis of organic seed systems, systems-based breeding, market and consumer aspects, as well as regulatory and policy recommendations related to organic seed and plant breeding and transition toward sustainable food production. This Special Issue will be the first comprehensive collection of upfront research focusing on breeding and seed innovations for organic food systems.

The organic food sector is one of the fastest growing worldwide and has received special attention within the European Green Deal Strategy, which aims for 25% organic managed land to achieve fast transition toward more sustainable food systems by 2030. This needs a fast increase in the production of high-quality and healthy organic seed of adjusted cultivars. To exploit the full potential of organic food production, novel cultivars and types of cultivars are needed that meet the demand of farmers, processors, traders, and consumers for diverse and delicious food and at the same time combat the challenges of climate change. As organic production is based on the principles of health, ecology, fairness, and care, the organic breeding and seed sector and its relation to food systems needs to be understood in a holistic way. Therefore, agronomic, biological, technical, social, economic, regulatory, and political issues as well as ethical, societal, and cultural norms and values need to be considered to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals as pointed out in the review paper on systems-based breeding (Lammerts  et al. Sustainability 2017, 9(1), 18; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su9010018).

This Special Issue aims to publish high-quality research papers on the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary field of organic seed, plant breeding, and cultivar testing innovations to improve performance and sustainability of organic food systems. With this Special Issue, we want to highlight cutting-edge research and innovations of the organic seed and breeding sector beyond genetic engineering. Following a holistic approach to achieve transition toward more sustainable agriculture and food production, we welcome research papers considering a broader perspective on seed and breeding innovations that foster upscaling organic and foods systems in Europe and on a global scale.

Dr. Monika Messmer
Dr. Vladimir Meglič
Dr. Ferdinando Branca
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • organic seed
  • organic plant breeding
  • genetic resources
  • genetic diversity
  • breeding tools
  • detection tools
  • organic varieties, organic heterogeneous material
  • participatory approaches
  • systems-based breeding
  • nutritional quality
  • seed health
  • seed treatments
  • seed systems
  • on-farm cultivar testing
  • seed regulation
  • organic regulation
  • organic seed market
  • farm-saved seed
  • organic seed database
  • socioeconomic analysis
  • financing models for organic plant breeding
  • consumer and market studies
  • culinary quality
  • cultural value
  • organic agriculture
  • organic food systems
  • sustainability

Published Papers (16 papers)

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12 pages, 1137 KiB  
Article
Effect of Harvest Frequency, Seed Extraction Time Point and Post-Harvest Cooling on Organic Tomato Seed Production
by Patricia Schwitter, Amelie Detterbeck and Joelle Herforth-Rahmé
Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11575; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141811575 - 15 Sep 2022
Viewed by 2054
Abstract
In light of the continuous increase in organic agriculture, the availability of organic seeds has gained a lot of importance. Especially since the new EU organic regulation came into force on 1 January 2022, proposing reducing the possibility of using untreated conventional seeds [...] Read more.
In light of the continuous increase in organic agriculture, the availability of organic seeds has gained a lot of importance. Especially since the new EU organic regulation came into force on 1 January 2022, proposing reducing the possibility of using untreated conventional seeds in the absence of organic seeds in the future. At the same time, the breeding of tolerant, resistant and adapted varieties is at the basis of organic production as is research to improve seed production and seed quality. In this study, we investigated seed production of 8 tomato genotypes. The aim was to see whether different fruit harvesting frequencies affect seed quality and germination rate. The hypotheses we tested were (i) whether regularly removing fruits from the field would affect total fruit and seed harvest, (ii) whether storage of fruits and (iii) their ripening stage at harvest, had an impact on seed germination. Our results show that while seed production differs between genotypes and extraction time-points, different harvesting procedures, and with that different fruit maturity levels, did not affect thousand-seed weight and seed germination; these findings benefit both small and larger-scale seed producers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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24 pages, 5277 KiB  
Article
Evolutionary Participatory Selection for Organic Heterogeneous Material: A Case Study with Ox-Heart Tomato in Italy
by Matteo Petitti, Sergio Castro-Pacheco, Antonio Lo Fiego, Domenico Cerbino, Paolo Di Luzio, Giuseppe De Santis, Riccardo Bocci and Salvatore Ceccarelli
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 11030; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141711030 - 04 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1879
Abstract
Cultivars specifically adapted to organic agriculture are lacking in most crops, and tomato is no exception. Evolutionary-participatory breeding (EPB) combines the adaptive ability of evolutionary populations with farmers’ selection, thus representing a cost-effective strategy for the development of novel organic heterogeneous material, as [...] Read more.
Cultivars specifically adapted to organic agriculture are lacking in most crops, and tomato is no exception. Evolutionary-participatory breeding (EPB) combines the adaptive ability of evolutionary populations with farmers’ selection, thus representing a cost-effective strategy for the development of novel organic heterogeneous material, as introduced by the European regulation on organic agriculture (EU) 2018/848. An F4 ox-heart tomato composite cross population (CCP), derived from a half-diallel cross of four local varieties chosen for their superior performance under organic conditions, was submitted to both natural and farmers’ selection on three organic farms and at one research station in Italy. During field days held at each location before harvest, farmers visually scored 400 plants, all of which were carried forward to develop the natural selection (NS) population, while the 20 best ranking plants were chosen to develop the farmers’ selection (FS). After two cycles of selection (2018 and 2019), one NS and one FS population were obtained at each location. After this two-year selection process, in 2020, the eight populations (four NS and four FS), were evaluated in a randomised complete block trial in the four locations of selection and evolution. Four local varieties chosen by farmers and two modern varieties (one open pollinated variety and one F1 hybrid) were added as controls. The ANOVA showed significant differences among entries for all traits. Entry-by-location interactions were larger than the genetic effect for the overall evaluation, yield at first harvest, total yield and percentage of marketable yield. This confirms the importance of decentralising selection when seeking to develop specifically adapted varieties and/or populations. Evidence was observed of the effectiveness of participatory selection for improving the yield at first harvest, with a slight trade-off effect for the total yield and plant vigour. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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23 pages, 2952 KiB  
Article
Estimating Supply and Demand of Organic Seeds in Europe Using Survey Data and MI Techniques
by Francesco Solfanelli, Emel Ozturk, Emilia Cubero Dudinskaya, Serena Mandolesi, Stefano Orsini, Monika Messmer, Simona Naspetti, Freya Schaefer, Eva Winter and Raffaele Zanoli
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10761; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141710761 - 29 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1595
Abstract
The lack of sufficient information about organic seed production and use is among the key factors affecting the development of the organic seed market in the EU. Currently, only very basic organic seed market data are being reported at the country level. Those [...] Read more.
The lack of sufficient information about organic seed production and use is among the key factors affecting the development of the organic seed market in the EU. Currently, only very basic organic seed market data are being reported at the country level. Those available from each member state are seldom comparable over time between countries and sometimes even within one country. This study provides the first overall statistics on European organic seed supply and demand. Estimates of the organic seed demand and supply of twelve important crops in EU organic agriculture are provided by developing and testing innovative approaches to improve data collection and analysis, such as multiple imputation (MI) techniques to estimate missing values. The estimates are based on data extracted from official EU datasets from 2014 to 2018 and collected by an online survey of 756 farmers, as well as various expert assessments across the EU. The results were provided by four EU geographical regions, with a specific focus on wheat, lucerne, carrot, and apple. Although strong sector and regional differences currently characterise the organic seed market, organic seed demand considerably exceeds supply for most crops. Generally, farms in the central and northern regions revealed a higher organic seed supply than those in the southern and eastern regions, and organic seed supply is higher for wheat than other crops. A significant output of this study is the development of recommendations to improve methodologies to increase the transparency and availability of organic seed market data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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20 pages, 4236 KiB  
Article
Participatory Evaluation of Rice Varieties for Specific Adaptation to Organic Conditions in Italy
by Giuseppe De Santis, Daniela Ponzini, Rachele Stentella, Tommaso Gaifami, Bettina Bussi, Rosalia Caimo-Duc, Ugo Stocchi, Marco Cuneo, Marco Paravicini, Riccardo Bocci, Matteo Petitti and Salvatore Ceccarelli
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10604; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141710604 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1495
Abstract
Rice is the fourth most important crop in Italy with a growing area under organic management. We conducted a participatory evaluation of 21 rice cultivars (10 old, 10 modern and a mixture) in four organic/biodynamic farms, for two cropping seasons, to assess the [...] Read more.
Rice is the fourth most important crop in Italy with a growing area under organic management. We conducted a participatory evaluation of 21 rice cultivars (10 old, 10 modern and a mixture) in four organic/biodynamic farms, for two cropping seasons, to assess the extent of varieties × farms and varieties × years within farm interactions and farmers’ preferences. There were significant differences between farms and varieties, as well as large interactions between varieties and farms, particularly in the case of plant height and reactions to Fusarium fujikuroi Nirenberg (bakanae) and Magnaporthe oryzae B Cooke (leaf and neck blast), but also for grain yield. There were also large interactions between varieties and years, which resulted in considerable differences in stability among varieties with one of the old, one modern and the mixture combining high grain yield and stability. Farmers, regardless of gender, were able to visually identify the highest yielding varieties in a consistent way across years, and although accustomed to seeing uniform varieties, they scored the mixture higher than the mean. The results are discussed in the context of a decentralized-participatory breeding program, to serve the target population of heterogenous environments represented by organic and biodynamic farms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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14 pages, 1467 KiB  
Article
Financing Organic Plant Breeding—New Economic Models for Seed as a Commons
by Johannes Kotschi, Berthold Schrimpf, Ann Waters-Bayer and Bernd Horneburg
Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10023; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141610023 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1625
Abstract
Organic seed is vital for organic agriculture. However, organic plant breeding is not keeping pace with the increasing organic production, mainly because of a lack of sufficient financial resources. Therefore, the questions arose: what are the obstacles, and how can they be removed? [...] Read more.
Organic seed is vital for organic agriculture. However, organic plant breeding is not keeping pace with the increasing organic production, mainly because of a lack of sufficient financial resources. Therefore, the questions arose: what are the obstacles, and how can they be removed? An analysis of the situation in Europe revealed that royalties from intellectual property rights (IPRs) such as plant variety protection are inappropriate for organic seed. New additional financing strategies were developed based on the concept of seed as a commons, and the attitude of stakeholders in the food value chain towards an open source strategy was assessed. The conclusion is that dealing with seed as a commons is an indispensable feature of organic plant breeding. New financing strategies for this offer promising potential for organic plant breeding and an alternative to IPRs-based funding. It is essential to involve stakeholders along the entire value chain, including food consumers, in financing plant breeding. The successful introduction of a food label “open source and organic” could boost commons-based organic plant breeding financing. Generally, there is no single solution; the different strategies identified are complementary. Their validation requires further practical research and development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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22 pages, 2496 KiB  
Article
Agronomic Performance of Heterogeneous Spring Barley Populations Compared with Mixtures of Their Parents and Homogeneous Varieties
by Linda Legzdiņa, Māra Bleidere, Dace Piliksere and Indra Ločmele
Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9697; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14159697 - 06 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1384
Abstract
Diversity within a crop of self-pollinating species can provide advantages in sustainable farming, including the ability to adapt to environments. However, few results proving the benefits in various species and climatic conditions are available. Our aim was to find the differences between heterogeneous [...] Read more.
Diversity within a crop of self-pollinating species can provide advantages in sustainable farming, including the ability to adapt to environments. However, few results proving the benefits in various species and climatic conditions are available. Our aim was to find the differences between heterogeneous and homogeneous materials and determine if crossing has advantage over mixing. We compared essential traits of twelve heterogeneous spring barley composite cross populations (CCPs) to those of seven mixtures representing similar genetic backgrounds and five homogeneous varieties in nine organic and three conventional environments over the course of three years. We found significant advantages for heterogeneous materials, particularly CCPs, for yield in organic and stress environments as well as yield stability, N utilisation efficiency, protein content, 1000-grain weight, and net blotch severity and observed positive trends for N uptake efficiency and weed competitiveness. CCPs’ advantages over mixtures were for protein content and 1000-grain weight, a nonsignificant yield gain in low-yield and stress environments, higher yield stability, and minor positive trends for net blotch, NUE, and weed competitiveness. We suggest heterogeneous populations as valuable alternatives to uniform varieties for organic and poor cultivation environments. Although multi-component mixtures could provide a performance similar to CCPs, considering the adaptation potential, populations would be more advantageous overall. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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13 pages, 1188 KiB  
Article
Securing Commitments from Stakeholders in 10 EU Member States—The Organic Seed Declaration to Foster Stakeholder Involvement
by Freya Schäfer, Kaja Gutzen, Maaike Raaijmakers, Katharina Meyer, Xenia Gatzert, Martin Sommer, Ágnes Bruszik and Monika M. Messmer
Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9260; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14159260 - 28 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1145
Abstract
The new European organic regulation 2018/848 aims to phase out the use of non-organic seeds in organic farming by 2036. At present, achieving this goal in countries with a poorly developed organic seed sector is difficult, and therefore there is a great need [...] Read more.
The new European organic regulation 2018/848 aims to phase out the use of non-organic seeds in organic farming by 2036. At present, achieving this goal in countries with a poorly developed organic seed sector is difficult, and therefore there is a great need to increase organic seed supply by promoting the development of the organic seed sector in Europe. This paper presents a conceptual framework to secure voluntary stakeholder involvement in the process of a gradual increase in the supply of organic seeds for organic farming. Stakeholders showed a high motivation to commit to concrete action points for moving forward. In addition, further actors were involved in the fulfillment of the commitments, a sign of a positive network effect in favor of organic seed production and use. The study indicates application potential and can complement mandatory policy instruments. Further progress monitoring is necessary to ensure that established structures maintain their function, and to keep the shared sense of responsibility alive. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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17 pages, 624 KiB  
Article
Freedom of Choice—Organic Consumers’ Discourses on New Plant Breeding Techniques
by Serena Mandolesi, Emilia Cubero Dudinskaya, Simona Naspetti, Francesco Solfanelli and Raffaele Zanoli
Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8718; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14148718 - 16 Jul 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2442
Abstract
In recent years, there have been significant developments in biotechnology, specifically regarding New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs). Such advancements have been driven by the need to develop improved and more sustainable crops while reducing pesticides and fertilisers. NPBTs include a heterogeneous group of [...] Read more.
In recent years, there have been significant developments in biotechnology, specifically regarding New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs). Such advancements have been driven by the need to develop improved and more sustainable crops while reducing pesticides and fertilisers. NPBTs include a heterogeneous group of methods that allow performing plant mutations more precisely than in genetically modified (GM) technologies, saving time and effort. Although some experts consider NPBTs an opportunity for organic farming expansion, the European Court of Justice in 2018 pronounced against their use in organic farming since all plants obtained by NPBTs should follow the same regulations as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). This study aims to understand consumers’ attitudes and viewpoints towards new breeding techniques. Focus groups and Q methodological approach were used to uncover consensus and divergence among organic consumers in seven selected European countries (Germany, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom). Results of qualitative studies suggest that organic consumers are generally hostile towards NPBTs in organic farming. Using Q methodology, three distinct factors were identified: the “Risk Averse”, the “Technological Optimists”, and the “Socially Concerned”. The results highlight that consumers’ subjective knowledge and understanding of NPBTs diverge from the discourse of NPBTs lobbyists and proponents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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16 pages, 2439 KiB  
Article
Biodiversity Enhancement for Improving the Sustainability of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea vr. italica Plenk) Organic Seed Production
by Giuseppe Timpanaro, Ferdinando Branca, Mariarita Cammarata, Maria Concetta Di Bella, Vera Teresa Foti and Alessandro Scuderi
Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6417; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14116417 - 24 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1707
Abstract
The plant heritage of the Mediterranean basin, with its wide biodiversity, offers the best conditions to pursue the objectives of the EU Green Deal, and among it, we pointed our attention to the Brassica oleracea crops, thanks to the high number of landraces [...] Read more.
The plant heritage of the Mediterranean basin, with its wide biodiversity, offers the best conditions to pursue the objectives of the EU Green Deal, and among it, we pointed our attention to the Brassica oleracea crops, thanks to the high number of landraces and of its wild relative species widespread both in agro and ecosystems. In the framework of the European project BRESOV H2020 “Breeding for Resilient, Efficient and Sustainable Organic Vegetable Production”, we evaluated different organic growing conditions and plant characteristics to pursue a good yield and high quality of organic seed under different nutrition protocols. We took in attention the two landraces of sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenk) Sparaceddu and Cavolo Riccio di Messina, which well express the traditional trait of broccoli Sicilian biodiversity that is often unfortunately underestimated. The results showed that the new tools for organic plant nutrition implement the plant characteristics and the related seed yield also by using a lower level of inputs, achieving economically sustainable production by the use of the nutrition protocols evaluated. There is, therefore, a strong need to affirm the concept of “minimum dose” in order to obtain a satisfactory result in terms of production and quality. The research also focused on the characteristics of brassicas crops, highlighting the main factors that render the use of biodiversity possible and profitable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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16 pages, 4202 KiB  
Article
“For More Diversity, Better Taste and My Own Health” Exploring Organic Consumers’ Purchasing Motives for Heirloom Vegetable Varieties
by Josephine Lauterbach and Christina Bantle
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4068; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14074068 - 29 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1794
Abstract
Agrobiodiversity is the foundation of our ecosystems and food supply. However, agrobiodiversity is declining rapidly. A prominent strategy to safeguard endangered varieties, an important component of agrobiodiversity, is their cultivation and preservation in their natural environments. In order to make the cultivation of [...] Read more.
Agrobiodiversity is the foundation of our ecosystems and food supply. However, agrobiodiversity is declining rapidly. A prominent strategy to safeguard endangered varieties, an important component of agrobiodiversity, is their cultivation and preservation in their natural environments. In order to make the cultivation of these varieties attractive to farmers, a functioning value chain and communication concepts for these goods have to be developed. Using heirloom vegetable varieties as an example, we examine existing communication approaches for endangered varieties and evaluate their suitability to transport their added value to organic consumers. We furthermore examine organic consumers’ purchasing motives to buy heirloom vegetable varieties. We collected data in three focus group discussions in Berlin (Germany) in 2018. This exploratory study shows that existing communication approaches for heirloom vegetable varieties strongly appeal to altruistic and biospheric purchasing motives. However, our results suggest that egoistic and hedonic purchasing motives are just as important to organic consumers. Hence, existing communication approaches for heirloom vegetable varieties, including the “Red List of Endangered Local Crops”, are not entirely suitable to communicate the added value of biodiversity-enhancing products to consumers. Based on these results, we will develop a holistic communication scheme for heirloom vegetable varieties for organic supermarkets and further distribution channels in Germany. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
14 pages, 248 KiB  
Article
How the Seed of Participatory Plant Breeding Found Its Way in the World through Adaptive Management
by Micaela R. Colley, William F. Tracy, Edith T. Lammerts van Bueren, Martin Diffley and Conny J. M. Almekinders
Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2132; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14042132 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1973
Abstract
Participatory plant breeding (PPB), where farmers and formal breeders collaborate in the breeding process, can be a form of agricultural niche innovation. In PPB, new varieties are commonly adopted by the farmers involved and shared through seed networks, but few are released and [...] Read more.
Participatory plant breeding (PPB), where farmers and formal breeders collaborate in the breeding process, can be a form of agricultural niche innovation. In PPB, new varieties are commonly adopted by the farmers involved and shared through seed networks, but few are released and commercialized; thus, the variety remains a niche innovation, used within a limited network of beneficiaries. PPB is increasingly emerging to address the needs of organic farmers in the Global North, yet barriers to implementation and institutionalization limit the ability to embed PPB into commercial channels of seed distribution. This case study of a PPB project in the US explores, through the lens of adaptive management, critical points in the commercial release of an organic sweet corn variety, which expanded the innovation beyond the niche environment. The authors show how evolving the actors’ roles, expanding the network of participants, and leveraging opportunities that emerged during the process aided in shifting institutional and market norms that commonly restrict the ability to embed PPB varieties in the formal seed system. They further demonstrate that distribution through the formal seed system did not limit access through informal networks; instead, it created a ripple effect of stimulating additional, decentralized breeding, and distribution efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
26 pages, 2440 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Interventions Targeting Increased Organic Seed Use—The Cases of Perennial Ryegrass in England and Durum Wheat in Italy
by Eva Winter, Christian Grovermann, Stefano Orsini, Francesco Solfanelli and Joachim Aurbacher
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13326; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132313326 - 01 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1526
Abstract
To meet policy goals targeting increasing the share of organic agriculture, an organic seed needs to be provided. Currently, this is far from being the case. This study investigates two cases of important crop country combinations in organic agriculture, namely perennial ryegrass in [...] Read more.
To meet policy goals targeting increasing the share of organic agriculture, an organic seed needs to be provided. Currently, this is far from being the case. This study investigates two cases of important crop country combinations in organic agriculture, namely perennial ryegrass in South-West England and durum wheat in Italy. A novel multi-agent value chain approach was developed to assess public and private-sector interventions aiming at increasing organic seed use. Phasing out of derogations for non-organic seed comes with 2–7% gross margin losses at the farm level. Seed producers and breeders profit by 9–24%. Mitigating measures can be subsidies of 28 €/ha or price premiums of 12 €/ton at the farm gate for durum wheat, in the case of durum wheat in Italy, and subsidies of 13 €/ha or price premiums of 70 €/ton for lamb meat, in the case of perennial ryegrass in England. Further mitigating measures are the promotion of farm-saved durum wheat seed and investments in breeding for better nitrogen efficiency in organic perennial ryegrass seed production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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16 pages, 2461 KiB  
Article
Combining Genetic Gain and Diversity in Plant Breeding: Heritability of Root Selection in Wheat Populations
by Johannes Timaeus, Odette Denise Weedon and Maria Renate Finckh
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12778; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132212778 - 18 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1581
Abstract
To increase the resilience of agroecological farming systems against weeds, pests, and pathogens, evolutionary breeding of diversified crop populations is highly promising. A fundamental challenge in population breeding is to combine effective selection and breeding progress while maintaining intraspecific diversity. A hydroponic system [...] Read more.
To increase the resilience of agroecological farming systems against weeds, pests, and pathogens, evolutionary breeding of diversified crop populations is highly promising. A fundamental challenge in population breeding is to combine effective selection and breeding progress while maintaining intraspecific diversity. A hydroponic system was tested for its suitability to non-destructively select root traits on a population level in order to achieve genetic gain and maintain diversity. Forty wheat progenies were selected for long seminal root length (SRL) and 40 for short SRL from a wheat composite cross population grown in a hydroponic system. Wheat progenies were multiplied, and a subset evaluated again in a hydroponic system. Preliminary tests in soil and competition experiments with a model weed were performed. The hydroponic selection for long SRL led to an increase of SRL by 1.6 cm (11.6%) in a single generation. Heritability for selection of SRL was 0.59. Selecting for short SRL had no effect. The preliminary soil-based test confirmed increased shoot length but not increased SRL. Preliminary competition experiments point to slightly improved competitive response of wheat progenies but no improved competitive effect on mustard. These results indicate a heritable selection effect for SRL on a population level, combining genetic gain and intraspecific diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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12 pages, 1524 KiB  
Article
Breeding Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in Mixture with Grasses
by Christoph Grieder, Katharina Kempf and Franz Xaver Schubiger
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8929; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13168929 - 10 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1910
Abstract
Cultivation of forage mixtures offers several advantages over monocultures, but forage legumes like alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) are mostly bred in pure stands. Our goal was to assess the extent of accession-by-cultivation system interaction when alfalfa plants are grown in pure stands [...] Read more.
Cultivation of forage mixtures offers several advantages over monocultures, but forage legumes like alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) are mostly bred in pure stands. Our goal was to assess the extent of accession-by-cultivation system interaction when alfalfa plants are grown in pure stands or in an easily adaptable nursery system together with their companion grasses, thereby determining the system most suitable for selection in mixture. Spaced plants of 50 alfalfa accessions were grown on bare soil as control treatment (CONV), in a sown sward of short growing lawn cultivars of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and red fescue (F. rubra L.) (LAWN), and in a sown sward of taller forage cultivars of the same species (FORA). Accession-by-cultivation system interaction variances were large for growth habit but small for vigor. Phenotypic correlation coefficients (rp) among the cultivation systems were high for vigor, whereby LAWN was somewhat more predictive for FORA (rp, FORA−LAWN = 0.83) than CONV (rp, FORA−CONV = 0.77). Observed accession-by-genotype interactions can be used pro or contra necessity for selection in mixture. However, the LAWN cultivation system might be a good compromise for practical breeding, allowing to account for given competition effects among species and to easily assess traits in the nursery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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Review

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28 pages, 521 KiB  
Review
Plant-Microbe Interaction in Sustainable Agriculture: The Factors That May Influence the Efficacy of PGPM Application
by Giuseppe Malgioglio, Giulio Flavio Rizzo, Sebastian Nigro, Vincent Lefebvre du Prey, Joelle Herforth-Rahmé, Vittoria Catara and Ferdinando Branca
Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 2253; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14042253 - 16 Feb 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5838
Abstract
The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has caused considerable environmental damage over the years. However, the growing demand for food in the coming years and decades requires the use of increasingly productive and efficient agriculture. Several studies carried out in recent [...] Read more.
The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has caused considerable environmental damage over the years. However, the growing demand for food in the coming years and decades requires the use of increasingly productive and efficient agriculture. Several studies carried out in recent years have shown how the application of plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs) can be a valid substitute for chemical industry products and represent a valid eco-friendly alternative. However, because of the complexity of interactions created with the numerous biotic and abiotic factors (i.e., environment, soil, interactions between microorganisms, etc.), the different formulates often show variable effects. In this review, we analyze the main factors that influence the effectiveness of PGPM applications and some of the applications that make them a useful tool for agroecological transition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)

Other

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16 pages, 1066 KiB  
Opinion
Designing a Seed Health Strategy for Organic Cropping Systems, Based on a Dynamic Perspective on Seed and Plant Health
by Stephanie M. Klaedtke, Frédéric Rey and Steven P. C. Groot
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10903; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141710903 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3801
Abstract
Seed germination and seedling establishment are the main factors for a successful start of a crop, determining crop health, weed suppression and overall crop performance. They are critical, but sensitive phases in crop production. High seed vigour and appropriate seed microbiota significantly contribute [...] Read more.
Seed germination and seedling establishment are the main factors for a successful start of a crop, determining crop health, weed suppression and overall crop performance. They are critical, but sensitive phases in crop production. High seed vigour and appropriate seed microbiota significantly contribute to the resilience of seedlings. This opinion paper is based on a review of relevant literature, two case studies with wheat and carrot and a subsequent stakeholder consultation in the framework of the European project LIVESEED. It presents a seed health strategy for organic farming systems that accounts for dynamic processes behind seed and plant health, taking advantage of the contributions of seed vigour and seed microbiota. Seed and plant health are understood as a continuum. Benefits of seed vigour and microbiota are showcased. Recommendations are given for organic seed production, seed processing and storage, as well as organic plant breeding and future research. In conclusion, organic farming systems, in particular, have the opportunity, both to develop this perspective on seed and plant health and to benefit from it. Adopting this perspective may require a shift in how crop plants and their seeds are cared for, as well as adapted regulatory frameworks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding and Seed Sector Innovations for Organic Food Systems)
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