ECOBREED project at EUCARPIA Cereal Section Conference 2023

ECOBREED partners ATK, BOKU, IFVC, NARDI, NPPC, RGA, SECOBRA, SELGEN and UNITUS participated in the EUCARPIA Cereal Section Conference 2023, which took place in Szeged, Hungary, from 15 to 20 May 2023. This year’s title was Cereal Breeding – Challenges and Opportunities for Global Improvement. The conference was attended by 226 participants from 23 countries. […]

ECOBREED partners ATK, BOKU, IFVC, NARDI, NPPC, RGA, SECOBRA, SELGEN and UNITUS participated in the EUCARPIA Cereal Section Conference 2023, which took place in Szeged, Hungary, from 15 to 20 May 2023. This year’s title was Cereal Breeding – Challenges and Opportunities for Global Improvement. The conference was attended by 226 participants from 23 countries.

UNITUS presented the selection of suitable durum wheat accessions for organic farming with high grain quality, production, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The study allowed them to identify seven accessions suitable for organic agriculture with wide adaptation to different environmental conditions.

SELGEN presented the results of the baking quality in set of selected wheat varieties within the project from experiments managed under organic conditions.

ATK, BOKU, and UNITUS presented the results of multi-year durum wheat variety tests carried out in different management systems. The objective of this study was to identify phenotypic parameters and yield components of durum wheat varieties of different geographic origin under Hungarian organic and conventional management in three growing seasons.

BOKU, SECOBRA, NARDI, NPPC, IFVC, ATK, RGA and SELGEN presented lessons learned from the ECOBREED project regarding breeding wheat for organic farming. Within the project, organic multi-environment trials (METs) with two winter wheat diversity panels (i.e. early and late maturity) were carried out from 2020-2022 in seven European countries.  The METs revealed an extremely high variability in grain yield caused by severe drought in some environments and by a significant legacy effect of previous mineral fertilization in one test site. Essential for organic wheat breeding seems to be resistance against common bunt as severe infection levels were observed.

ATK reported on Hungarian participatory organic wheat breeding programs as they sent their organic-suited winter wheat varieties and two populations to organic farmers to start participatory testing and breeding on their farms.

More information on the presented studies can be found here.

Organic breeding the focus of new article about Secobra and ECOBREED in Top Agrar magazine

One of our focuses in ECOBREED is the development of organic varieties and breeding material with improved stress and disease resistance, resource efficiency and quality. Varieties and candidate varieties are tested and evaluated together with farmers under organic conditions. Our partner Secobra Saatzucht GmbH is working to improve the availability of varieties and seeds for […]

One of our focuses in ECOBREED is the development of organic varieties and breeding material with improved stress and disease resistance, resource efficiency and quality. Varieties and candidate varieties are tested and evaluated together with farmers under organic conditions. Our partner Secobra Saatzucht GmbH is working to improve the availability of varieties and seeds for organic farming.

The varieties resulting from the project will be promoted under the trademark “ecobreed IMPROVING CROPS” and made recognizable to farmers.

More about Secobra and ECOBREED in this article in TopAgrar.

ECOBREED partner NPPC organised a conference on organic plant breeding

Our partner NPPC, in cooperation with EKOTREND Slovakia – Association of Organic Agriculture, organized the ECOBREED Conference “Organic agriculture production- a challenge for the Slovak countryside” on 18 and 19 October 2022 in Liptovská Teplička in Slovakia. They encouraged farmers interested and active in organic farming to join the two-day event to discuss and learn […]

Our partner NPPC, in cooperation with EKOTREND Slovakia – Association of Organic Agriculture, organized the ECOBREED Conference “Organic agriculture production- a challenge for the Slovak countryside” on 18 and 19 October 2022 in Liptovská Teplička in Slovakia.

They encouraged farmers interested and active in organic farming to join the two-day event to discuss and learn about the potentials of organic plant breeding. The event brought together diverse backgrounds, from farmers to scientists, and open discussion on topics related to organic farming. Together there were 54 participants at the conference.

Organic Seed Policy Conference in Croatia

The ECOBREED coordinator and the project manager attended the Organic Seed Policy Conference “Market and policy development of the organic seed sector in Croatia and at EU level” on Tuesday, 18 October 2022 in Zagreb, Croatia. The conference was organised within the new Horizon Europe project LIVESEEDING and was attended by important representatives of the […]

The ECOBREED coordinator and the project manager attended the Organic Seed Policy Conference “Market and policy development of the organic seed sector in Croatia and at EU level” on Tuesday, 18 October 2022 in Zagreb, Croatia. The conference was organised within the new Horizon Europe project LIVESEEDING and was attended by important representatives of the EU commission, Croatian policy makers, and experts from various European organisations, seed companies and producers.

The conference covered topics on the political framework of organic seed and plant breeding market in Europe and in Croatia, on the state of organic seed in Europe, and on the EU seed marketing laws reform process and interlinks with roadmap towards 100 % organic seed. In the second part, a panel discussion on organic seed sector development in Croatia was held. The event featured interesting and lively debates about organic farming and organic plant breeding in the EU.

Professor Zhou’s lecture at the 9th Congress of the Genetic Society of Slovenia

Prof. Meiliang Zhou from the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences was invited to give a lecture at the 9th Congress of the Genetic Society of Slovenia. His talk was about the buckwheat genome and genetics as well as about his work within ECOBREED.

Prof. Meiliang Zhou from the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences was invited to give a lecture at the 9th Congress of the Genetic Society of Slovenia. His talk was about the buckwheat genome and genetics as well as about his work within ECOBREED.

ECOBREED press conference at CRI, Czech Republic

At CRI in Prague, Czech Republic, the ECOBREED executive board held a press conference and round table discussion about the project results with members of the press and the Czech Ministry of Agriculture.

At CRI in Prague, Czech Republic, the ECOBREED executive board held a press conference and round table discussion about the project results with members of the press and the Czech Ministry of Agriculture.

ECOBREED executive board members visit partner PRO-BIO

The ECOBREED executive board visited our partner PRO-BIO, obchodní společnost s r.o., in Staré Město in the north-eastern part of the Czech Republic. PRO-BIO is the pioneering organic food producer and organic farming business in the Czech Republic.

The ECOBREED executive board visited our partner PRO-BIO, obchodní společnost s r.o., in Staré Město in the north-eastern part of the Czech Republic.

PRO-BIO is the pioneering organic food producer and organic farming business in the Czech Republic.

European Organic Day

Happy European Organic Day to all! Today is the 2nd European Organic Day, and ECOBREED is happy to be a part of the movement for a better future. Let’s all keep up the good work!

Happy European Organic Day to all!

Today is the 2nd European Organic Day, and ECOBREED is happy to be a part of the movement for a better future.

Let’s all keep up the good work!

ECOBREED partner NPPC field day and participatory plant breeding training

This summer, ECOBREED partner National Agricultural and Food Center (NPPC) from Slovakia organised a field day as well as a participatory plant breeding training in Vígľaš – Pstrúša that were a big success among the public.

This summer, ECOBREED partner National Agricultural and Food Center (NPPC) from Slovakia organised a field day as well as a participatory plant breeding training in Vígľaš – Pstrúša that were a big success among the public.

ECOBREED harvest in Slovakia

The ECOBREED harvest in Borovce, Slovakia, at its best! Wheat everywhere, and harvesters did their absolute best.

The ECOBREED harvest in Borovce, Slovakia, at its best! Wheat everywhere, and harvesters did their absolute best.

Advanced Phenotyping Training Event at Nafferton Farm, UK

ECOBREED organised an Advanced Phenotyping Training Event at Nafferton Farm at Newcastle University, UK from 4-5 August 2022.  This introductory workshop covered different sensing tools for field phenotyping and their applications as a part of the EU ECOBREED project covering improvement in organic breeding. The workshop covered topics on conventional phenotyping, on remote sensing, on […]

ECOBREED organised an Advanced Phenotyping Training Event at Nafferton Farm at Newcastle University, UK from 4-5 August 2022.  This introductory workshop covered different sensing tools for field phenotyping and their applications as a part of the EU ECOBREED project covering improvement in organic breeding. The workshop covered topics on conventional phenotyping, on remote sensing, on sensor tools for non-destructive phenotyping, in-field demonstration, demonstration of preliminary data analyses approaches and hands on sensor use.

 

DIGIBREED Summer School in Austria

DIGIBREED Summer School was organised at BOKU, Austria, at the end of July. It was a very productive week for 25 participants – 10 were also granted ECOBREED bursaries. We hope they will use the gained knowledge to increase the organic sector and organic plant breeding in the countries with an uptake of organic agriculture.

DIGIBREED Summer School was organised at BOKU, Austria, at the end of July. It was a very productive week for 25 participants – 10 were also granted ECOBREED bursaries. We hope they will use the gained knowledge to increase the organic sector and organic plant breeding in the countries with an uptake of organic agriculture.

ECOBREED wheat harvest at Selgen, Czech Republic

Hot hard days of ECOBREED at Selgen, Czech Republic. The wheat harvest of the year 2022 started during the heat weaves moving across Europe. The toilsome days are full of sweat and dust, temperatures reaching 39 °C. The data gathering, such as measuring the plant heights, is essential for the breeding process. There are thousands […]

Hot hard days of ECOBREED at Selgen, Czech Republic. The wheat harvest of the year 2022 started during the heat weaves moving across Europe. The toilsome days are full of sweat and dust, temperatures reaching 39 °C.

The data gathering, such as measuring the plant heights, is essential for the breeding process. There are thousands of potential genetic combinations but just a few of them are going to be new wheat varieties. Finding the right one is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

PRO-BIO and SELGEN among the 20 most climate friendly companies

Our Czech partners, PRO-BIO, obchodní společnost s r.o. and SELGEN, a.s., have been awarded by the European Seed magazine as two of the 20 most climate friendly seed companies. The jury especially appreciated the 30-year cooperation of PRO-BIO with organic farmers as an example of sustainable farming systems as well as SELGEN’s work in developing new high […]

Our Czech partners, PRO-BIO, obchodní společnost s r.o. and SELGEN, a.s., have been awarded by the European Seed magazine as two of the 20 most climate friendly seed companies. The jury especially appreciated the 30-year cooperation of PRO-BIO with organic farmers as an example of sustainable farming systems as well as SELGEN’s work in developing new high quality plant varieties that require low input of chemicals and energy which contributes to a better environment. Congratulations!

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