Development of breeding strategies for environmentally friendly agriculture – one of the major research goals in Priek

1. Development of breeding strategies for environmentally friendly agriculture – one of the major research goals in Priekuli Arta Kronberga, Linda Legzdina , Aina KokareState Priekuli PlantBreedingInstitute Vienošanās Nr. 2009/0218/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/09/APIA/VIAA/099

2. “Development, improvement and implementation of environmentally friendly and sustainable crop breeding technologies” 2009-2012 European Social Fund co-financed project Main goal: • To create group of researchers for joint and comprehensive research

3. Number of organic farms in 2011

4. Main focuson 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

5. Main research activities • Development of methods for evaluation of breeding material • Evaluation of selection efficiency in breeding for organic farming if selection is done under organic or under conventional growing conditions • Association mapping of important traits and development of molecular markers (barley) • Evaluationof efficiency of genetic diversity in breeding for organic farming (mixtures and populations of different genotypes, barley and winter wheat)

6. Main research activities(indetail) • 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/conventionalfarming); • Possibilities to use NIR technologies in selection: cooperation with Jõgeva PBI

7. 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)

8. Some preliminary research results • Detection of lunasinincereals: • 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

9. Some preliminary research results Plant traits providing competitive ability against weeds:

10. 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

11. Some preliminary research results • Barley resistance to Fusarium head blight: phenotyping of RIL mapping population: Frequency distribution of FHB severity, % (2010) and FHB progress, AUDPC (2011) of the RIL population Fontana/ND 1646

13. Some preliminary research results • Populations and mixtures: no clear advantages under organic farming conditions found after 2 year trials

14. ThankYouforattention!