Austria
May 23, 2018
Saatzucht Donau is a breeding cooperation of Saatbau Linz and Probstdorfer Saatzucht. Since 2006, we have been breeding new soybean varieties for both parent companies at the breeding station Reichersberg. Our first independent breeding activities started as early as 1990. At that time, we bought material from a breeding station in Dornburg (former German Democratic Republic) and simultaneously started our own crossbreeding activities. Yet, when the soybean cultivation surfaces dramatically decreased in 1995, we had to stop our own breeding endeavours for financial reasons. With soybean cultivation regaining attractiveness in recent years and our long-standing Canadian partner switching to GMO-breeding, we have been intensifying our own breeding programme since 2010. In 2011, we made the last and most important step towards efficient breeding. By introducing a “fast generation breeding process“, we managed to reduce the development time for a new variety from a minimum of 10 years to roughly 6 to 7 years. Taking advantage of winter generations in South- and Central America, we can count on up to 4 harvests every year.
In 2014, the first variety resulting from our own breeding programme was registered in Austria. 11 other varieties were to follow up until today. We gave all our own varieties names starting and ending with an A (AustriA).
2014 ABELINA
2015 Alexa, AMADEA
2016 Antonia, Ancona
2017 ALBENGA, Angelica
2018 AURELINA, Acardia, Atacama, ALTONA, ARABELLA
How does the breeding process work?
The first step is to select the parents. Most of the time, we combine two elite varieties, which complement each other in the desired traits. The actual crossing is not an easy task, because soybeans are strict self-fertilizers and the early maturing varieties, which are resistant to cold, have very small flowers. This initial crossing is followed by several generations of self-fertilizations in order to increase homogeneity. The initially heterozygous offspring becomes sufficiently homozygous only by consequent self-fertilization. The result are stable lines which are no longer subject to phenotypical changes which means that we can start examining the yields. After several years of tests on the field and in the laboratory, a candidate can only be registered as a new variety if it is distinct from other registered varieties, sufficiently homogeneous and stable and possesses a specific value for the agriculture of the country. This last criterion is deemed fulfilled if the candidate excels over all other registered varieties in at least one trait.
Breeding objectives
Our aim is to develop new soybean varieties for feed and human consumption.
The general traits we aim for are:
- high and stable yields;
- resistance against negative abiotic environmental factors;
- resistance against diseases;
- improved quality characteristics;
- adaptation to the diverse maturity zones in Austria and neighbouring countries (RG 0000-0)
The potential of non-GMO soybean breeding in Austria
In the past, the majority of the varieties/lines tested in Austria were imported from Canada. Yet, the climatic conditions there differ significantly from ours. The adaptation to the prevailing continental climate there has led to disappointing yields and late maturity of such varieties in Europe. There are only very few varieties which are of importance in both Europe and Canada.
The more recent varieties from our own breeding programmes are witness to the high potential of breeding programmes adapted to locational and climatic conditions. With an Austrian breeding programme, we have managed to increase the annual breeding progress and to obtain early maturing varieties with stable yields and which are resistant to lodging, thus meeting the needs of Austrian agriculture.
Bernhard MAYR, Soybean breeder, Saatzucht Donau GesmbH & CoKG
Topics
Species
