Development of breeding strategies for environmentally friendly agriculture –

one of the major research goals in Priekuli

Arta Kronberga, Linda Legzdina , Aina KokareState Priekuli Plant Breeding Institute

Vienošanās Nr. 2009/0218/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/09/APIA/VIAA/099

“Development, improvement and implementation of environmentally friendly and sustainable crop breeding technologies”

2009-2012European Social Fund co-financed project

Main goal: To create group of researchers for joint and

comprehensive research

Number of organic farms in 2011

3 213

2 600

1 356

0

500

1 000

1 500

2 000

2 500

3 000

3 500

Latvia (LV) Lithuania (LT) Estonia (EE)

Main focus on breeding for organic farming Project partners:

State Priekuli Plant Breeding Institute State Stende Cereal Breeding Institute University of Latvia,

Faculty of Biology Faculty of Medicine

Crops: potato, winter wheat, oat, barley, winter triticale, rye

Main research activities

1. Development of methods for evaluation of breeding material

2. Evaluation of selection efficiency in breeding for organic farming if selection is done under organic or under conventional growing conditions

3. Association mapping of important traits and development of molecular markers (barley)

4. Evaluation of efficiency of genetic diversity in breeding for organic farming (mixtures and populations of different genotypes, barley and winter wheat)

Main research activities (in detail)

1. Development of methods for evaluation of breeding material: Detection of resistance to diseases and pests, including

MAS and pyramiding of resistance genes (potato, barley) Competitiveness against weeds (cereals) Nutrient use efficiency Plant development rate (potato) Stability and adaptability of yield in different growing

conditions (field trials in 2-3 locations in Latvia, in organic and conventional growing conditions)

Identification of biologically active compounds essential for human health – vitamins, amino-acids, fatty acids, beta-glucans, glycoalkaloids, lunasin etc. (comparison between organic/conventional farming);

Possibilities to use NIR technologies in selection: cooperation with Jõgeva PBI

Some preliminary research results

Elaborated or adapted methodologies for MAS: Potato resistance to late blight (R1 and R3 resistance

genes) Potato resistance to nematodes (G. Rostochiensis, H1

un Gro1 resistance genes) Barley resistance to powdery mildew (pyramiding of

mlo and Mla genes)

Some preliminary research results

Detection of lunasin in cereals: a novel, cancer-preventive, anti-

inflammatory and cholesterol-reducing 43-amino-acid peptide

Purpose of study: to compare content of lunasin in different cereal species as well as to evaluate lunasin level in barley grown in organic and conventional farming systems

Triticale was the most lunasin-rich cereal, displaying the lunasin content from 0.42 to 6.46 mg g-1 of grain

Some preliminary research results

BARLEY (Priekuli)

'11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'10, '11

'10, '11

'11

'10

'11

'10, '11

'11

'10

'10, '11

'10, '11

'10

'10, '11

'11

'11

'11

'11

'10

-0,6 -0,4 -0,2 0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8

Grain yield

Maturity (GS 92), days from sowing

Plant height (GS 90-92)

Coefficient of productive tillering

Number of productive stems

Heading (GS 50-52), days from sowing

Canopy height (GS 47-51)

Flag leaf width (GS 47-51)

Growth habit (GS 39)

Canopy height (GS 31-32)

Growth habit (GS 25-29)

Field germination

Weed ground cover(crop GS 31-39)

Weed ground cover(crop GS 51-65)

Weed ground cover(crop GS 90-92)

p<0,05

Plant traits providing competitive ability against weeds:

Some preliminary research results

Development of molecular markers through association mapping: Phenotyping of 154 diverse barley genotypes: 2

organic, 2 conventional environments, 3 years Genotyping Traits relevant for organic farming: early vigour,

plant growth habit, leaf attitude, ability to form yield and accumulate protein in grain under organic farming, infection with diseases etc.

Association mapping: on the way

Some preliminary research results

Barley resistance to Fusarium head blight: phenotyping of RIL mapping population:

10-2

0

20-3

0

30-4

0

40-5

0

50-6

0

60-7

0

70-8

0

80-9

00

5

10

15

20

25

FHB severity, %

Nu

mb

er o

f lin

es

0-30

30-6

0

60-9

0

90-1

20

120-

150

150-

180

180-

2100

5

10

15

20

25

30

FHB progress, AUDPC

Nu

mb

er o

f lin

es

Frequency distribution of FHB severity, % (2010) and FHB progress, AUDPC (2011) of the RIL population Fontana/ND 1646

Some preliminary research results

Populations and mixtures: no clear advantages under organic farming conditions found after 2 year trials

Thank You for attention!