Breeding for The Nordic Region

MAGNE GULLORD

HELSINKI 17.-18. FEBRUARY 2011

The Nordic Region –Large regional variations in climatic conditions

The Nordic Region span from:

Iceland in west ( longitude 25 W) to Finland in east (longitude 31 E)- From maritime climate with mild winters and chilliy summers to continental climate with cold winters and warm summers

Denmark in south (lattitude 58 N) to Norway in North (71 N) – From medium long days to extremly long days

The Nordic Region 2010

Scandinavia

RUSSIA

The Nordic Region - Main agricultural crops 2010 – 1000 ha

Countries Cereals Oilcrops

Potatoes,beets

Garden crops

Foddercrops

Denmark 1 484 167 82 20 577

Iceland 0 0 1 0 6

Norway 301 6 13 10 510

Sweden 972 127 65 14 1 214

Finland 1 012 161 40 12 684

Estonia 300 78 9 8 410

Latvia 525 83 38 7 1 130

Lithuania 1 022 162 57 30 1 350

The Nordic Region - Main cereal crops 2010 – 1000 ha

Countries Winter wheat

Spring wheat

Winter rye

Spring barley

Oats

Denmark 751 14 52 429 43

Iceland 0 0 0 0 0

Norway 30 42 7 146 76

Sweden 340 67 25 299 166

Finland 22 192 20 448 296

Estonia 43 65 21 137 34

Latvia 170 84 60 125 166

Lithuania 300 119 76 338 75

Total 1 656 552 261 1 922 756

The Nordic Region –Current Status of Plant Breeding

8 commersial compeeting plant breeding companies

Reduced public funding

Reduction of breeding programmes for smaller crops

Reduced public funding for pre-breeding

Lack of well trained plant beeders

The Nordic Region – Funding of plant breeding

Breeding programmes for the large crops (cereals, oil seeds, forage crops) are mostly funded by private money in the Nordic countries

Breeding programmes for smaller, but important crops (winter rye, field peas, fruit and berries), are mostly funded by public money

Breeding programmes in the Baltics are mostly funded by gradually decreasing public money

Nordic Countries - Use of certified seed (%) in cereals 2010

Countries Winter wheat

Spring wheat

Winter rye

Spring barley

Oats Total

Denmark 85 90-95 95 90-95 90-95 90

Norway 55-60 75-80 100 70-75 70 78

Sweden 70 50 95 85 70 82

Finland 22 20 40 29 27 27

The Nordic Countries – Licences and FSS (mill.€) in Cereals 2010

Countries Licences FSS Total

Denmark 12,1 0,7 12,8

Norway 2,5 0 2,5

Sweden 6,8 1,0 7,8

Finland 2,1 2,5 4,6

Total 23,5 4,2 27,7

Breeding programmes:

Winter wheat and spring barley

Nordic Seed focus on the Nordic and the Baltic market. The company has breeding activities at two locations in Denmark and represent foreign plant breeders in the most important agricultural crops. Newer technologies (DH, MAS) are extensively used to speed up the breeding process Nordic Seed employ close to 20 persons including 7 with academic/scientific background.

Nordic Seed AS, Denmark –Estblished in 2008 when Abed foundation (15 %, Pajbjerg AS (15 %) and DLA – group (70 %) was merged.

Breeding programmes:

Winter wheat (food and feed), spring barley (malt and feed), winter barley (2r – malt and feed) and triticale.

Sejet focus on the Europen market, especially for spring barley. Sejet represent foreign plant breeders in the most important agricultural crops. Newer technologies (DH, MAS) are extensively used to speed up the breeding process.

Sejet Planteforædling, Denmark –Established 1947. The company is owned by DLG (75 %) and Carlsberg (25 %) – Employees: 30, 7-8 with academic/scientific bacground.

Breding programmes:

Forage grasses, forage legumes, turf grasses

DLF-Trifolium is the biggest seed company within temperate forage grasses and forage legumes with a market share of 20%. DLF-Trifolium have breeding activities in Denmark, Holland and France.

DLF-TRIFOLIUM AS, Denmark –Established more than 100 year ago –Owners: 5400 Danish seed growers. 820 employees wherof 75 in Denmark.

Breeding program:

Potatoes

LKF Vandel is the only potatoe breeder in Denmark and has Europe, North Africa and the Middle East as their market. The breeding program is aiming for varieties for all purposes. The breeding activity and selection is mainly done at Vandel. Variety testing goes on in Europe and North Africa. Danespo are marketing varieties developed by LKF Vandel.

LKF Vandel (foundation), Denmark – Established 1948 – Employees: 8

Breding programmes:

Spring wheat (food), Spring barley (6 r -feed), oats, potatoes, forage grasses, forage legumes, top fruits, soft fruits

Graminor focus on earley maturing varieties adaptet to the nothern part of the Nordic region. The company represent foreign plant breeders in the most important agricultural and horticultural crops. Breeding programmes in potatoes, forages, fruit and berries are partly funded by public money.

Graminor AS, Norway – Established 2002 –Owners: Norwegian State (34 %), Norwegian seed companies (51 %) and Lantmännen SW Seed (15 %). 30 employees wherof 10 with academic/scientific background.

Breeding programmes:

Winter wheat (food and feed), spring barley (feed), oats, winter and spring rape, forage grasses and legumes,triticale, potatoes

Lantmännen SW Seed has breeding activities i Sweden, Germany and Holland. Its main markets is in Northern and Central Europe. The company represent foreign breeders in most agricultural crops.

Lantmännen SW Seed, Sweden –Established 1993 (Svaløf AB (1886) - Weibull AB (1870)) – Owner: Lantmännen group – Employees: 210 whereof 110 in plant breeding

Breeding programmes for the Nordic Region:

Sugar beets, winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley

Syngenta is a world wide breeding company with breeding activities in many species and countries. The sugar beet breeding is located to Landskrona, Sweden and the cereal breeding for Nothern and Central Eurpoe is located to New Farm Crops, UK. Syngenta is committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology

Syngenta Seeds - A world-leading agrobusiness

Breeding programmes:

Spring wheat, spring barley, oats, turnip rape, winter wheat, winter rye, field peas, faba beans, potatoes and forage grasses.

Boreal is focusing on breeding varieties adapted to the nordic region. Finland, Sweden, the Baltic states and Russia are their main markets. Boreal represent foreign breders in the main agricultural crops. Newer technologies (DH, MAS) are extensively used to speed up the breeding process. Breeding of some minor crops is partly funded through the State Secturity Fund

Boreal Plant Breeding Ltd, Finland–Establ. 1994. Owners :Finnish state (65 %) and six companies with connection to Finnish agriculture (35 %). Employees: 70 wherof about 50 in breeding.

Jõgeva Plant Breeding Institute (JPBI), Estonia – Established: Owner: Ministry of Agriculture of Estonia

Breeding programmes:

-Winter wheat, spring wheat, winter rye, spring barley, forage legumes and forage grasses

-JPBI have in addition breeding activites in oats, field peas, potatoes, winter turnip rape, vegetables, fruit and berries. Some of the breeding activites is based on agreement with breeders in both Nordic and other Baltic countries. The breeding activities is funded by public money.

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Breeding programmes:

Spring barley, winter rye, triticale, potatoes

The breeding programs are aiming for varieties adapted to Latvian agro ecological conditions. The breeding is mainly funded by public money.

Piekuli Plant Breeding Institute (PPBI), Latvia – Established: 1913 – Owner: State of Latvia – Employees: 75 wherof 12 with scientific bacground

Breeding programmes:

Winter wheat, spring wheat, spring barley, oats

Stende is focusing on breeding for Latvian agriculture. The public fundinge has been reduced recently. The institute has collaborations with foreign breeders.

State Stende cereals breeding inst., Latvia – Established: 1922 – Owner: Ministry of Agriculture of Latvia – Employees: 50

MTT:

Breeding progrmmes:

Strawberries, appel, black currant, red and white currant, bush blueberry

MTT focus on varieties adapted to Finnish conditions

SLU Balsgaard:

Breeding programmes:

Appel

Balsgaard focus on varieties adapted to the Nordic region

MTT, FinlandSLU Balsgaard, Sweden

Breeding programmes:

Winter wheat, spring wheat, winter rye, winter barley, spring barley, winter triticale, oats, winter rape.

KWS Lochow has Germany (25%) and the rest of Europe as their key market. The company has breeding activities in Germany, UK , Poland and France. Many of their cereal varieties are well adapted to the Nordic Region, especially their hybride rye varieties and spring barley varieties.

KWS LOCHOW GMBH, Germany –Establish 1881 – Owner: KWS group –Employees: 180 – of which 100 in breeding

Breeding programmes:

Winter wheat (food and feed), spring barley (maltin and feed), oats, triticale (feed), winter barley, hybrid wheat

Nordsaat focus on Northern and Central Europe. The company has breeding activities at three locations in Germany and is focusing on increased yield, resistance and quality. Newer technologies (DH, MAS) are extensively used to speed up the breeding process. Nordsaat varieties especially in spring barley and oats are successful in the Nordic region.

Nordsaat Saatzucht GmbH, Germany - Established 1910 – Employees: 100 –Nordsaat is a partner of Saaten-Union GmbH

Nordic Countries - Market shares of winter wheat varieties 2010

Breeders Denmark Norway Sweden Finland

Sejet 71 0 3 0

Nordic Seed 15 1 0 0

SW Seed 0 69 27 23

Boreal 0 0 0 55

RAGT 0 17 34 16

KWS 7 0 12 0

Breun 0 12 11 0

Other 6 1 13 6

Nordic Countries --Market shares of spring wheat varieties 2010

Breeders Denmark Norway Sweden Finland

Graminor 0 20 0 2

SW Seed 0 80 62 30

Boreal 0 0 0 48

Schweiger 89 0 1 10

Deutche Saatveredl. 0 0 19 0

Delley Seeds 0 0 17 7

KWS 11 0 0 1

Others 0 0 1 2

Nordic Countries - Market shares of spring barley varieties 2010

Breeders Denmark Norway Sweden Finland

Sejet 28 0 6 0

Nordic Seed

1 16 0 0

Graminor 0 73 0 19

SW Seed 0 7 23 3

Syngenta 58 0 42 5

Boreal 0 0 2 48

Breun 0 0 0 12

Nordsaat 0 2 12 7

Others 13 2 14 5

Nordic Countries - Market shares of oat varieties 2010

Denmark Norway Sweden Finland

Graminor 0 23 0 8

SW Seed 0 77 83 23

Boreal 0 0 0 66

B.Bauer 45 0 0 0

Nordsaat 32 0 17 3

KWS 21 0 0 0

Others 1 0 0 0

The Nordic Region – Future challenges for Plant Breeding

Changing climate – Warmer and more variable weather conditions

Increasing biotic and abiotic stress - More fungal and viral caused diseases, more insect damages, more drought damage, ice suffocation and spring frost

New crops - Maize, soybeans

Replacement of fossil fuels – Increased demand for biofuels

Increaceing population – Increase demand for food and feed

Financing of pre-breeding – Increased need for pre-breeding -Difficult to finance pre-breeding

Recruiting future plant breeders – There are not sufficient numbers of plant breeders being educated – The “next generation”plant breeder will require traditional and new technical skills