Consumers demand for environmentally safe production of high quality food is increasing. The organic production sector is requested to develop and produce food and food products of high quality. Research carried out in this programme is connected to this request. Organic agriculture can benefit from higher and more stable production. This can be reached by development of new cultivars specifically for organic growers. To stimulate this development, fundamental and applied research is needed. The current research programme has been set up to further stimulate and promote the growth of the organic sector.
During the growth in the field plants often deal with stresses. Biotic stress as a result of competence with weeds and the occurrence of pests and diseases, and abiotic stress as a result of the limited availability of minerals, temperature shifts and variable availability of water (resulting in drought or flooding during germination, growth and ripening of a crop). Plant stress may result in reduced productivity of crops and limited yields for farmers. To prevent stress as much as possible it is important that farmers can use high quality starting materials and disease-free seed or plant materials. Optimal growth of a crop, especially under low-input conditions, is strongly dependant on the genetic traits of a crop. As in organic agriculture, possibilities to limit diseases and pests to occur, resistance to them is one of the major issues of the sector. Pests and diseases negatively influence product quality, indicating the importance of breeding for resistance or knowing of escape mechanisms that enable early crop harvest. Stress may also lead to the production of secondary metabolites, such as anti-oxidants, making plants more resistant and result in addition in plants that are more healthy for human consumption.
Within the programme the focus is on crops that are important for organic growers in the Netherlands: potato, cabbage, onion and spring wheat. For each crop a research team is involved next to a committee of end users, mainly consisting of farmers and breeders for the practical application of research results, as well as researchers from specific or additional disciplines. Although the main emphasis of the program is toward quality improvement of plant materials for organic growers, spin-off toward a more sustainable conventional production is expected. The program is sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality. Research organisations involved: Plant Research International (Wageningen University & Research centre) and Louis Bolk Institute.
Publications of this programme are available Here |