High-quality rubber is produced in the roots of Russian dandelion, which possibly makes this plant a regional, sustainable alternative to imports from rubber-tree plantations overseas. Using Russian dandelion in such a way requires sophisticated breeding approaches, in order to adapt this more or less undomesticated plant species to the requirements of economical crop farming.

Genetically, Russian dandelion is relatively unexplored so far and as a cross-pollinated species with a strong self-incompatibility system it is not an easy object for breeding purposes. Nevertheless, in collaboration with external partners we have put a focus onto making this undomesticated species amenable to plant breeding.

This includes characterization of gene bank accessions as well as more advanced pre-breeding lines in field and greenhouse trials with regard to agronomical relevant traits. By means of current methods of genome analysis and bioinformatics, we develop molecular markers which may be used as selection tools for identifying and merging favorable gene variants in breeding lines.

In this project we examine whether and to what extent the integration of lupins with high biomass potential into novel cultivation systems may allow to exploit ecosystem services of leguminous crops for energy crop cultivation. The system of intercropping Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) with maize (Zea mays) is to be based on the breeding methodology of combining optimized partners that have been tested and selected for their suitability for combination with the respective complementary partner species.

This will result in a more sustainable biomass production and an increase in the crop species diversity in this area. The project aims at contributing to novel, more versatile crop rotations, higher diversity in the agricultural landscape and a gain in public acceptance of energy production.

The Thünen Institute of Organic Farming and the Professorship of Agrartechnology and Process Engineering of the University of Rostock as well as the Agricultural Institute (LLA) in Triesdorf as a subcontracted participant are our co-operation partners in this joint research project.


Contact:
Dr. Steffen Roux

Novel crops not originally native to Central Europe - such as Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) - may help to increase crop diversity in European agriculture. To this end, though, they need to be adapted to local climatic and growing conditions via breeding efforts.

Presently, Andean lupin is adapted to local growing conditions to a quite limited extent. This is primarily  due to the specific day-length conditions in the geographic region of origin of L. mutabilis, which differ from those met in Central Europe. As a consequence, while this species appears interesting with regard to being used as a potential biomass crop on the short run, it has shortcomings in its applicability as a grain protein crop, at least under Germany’s growing conditions. This appears regrettable in the light that Andean lupin is outstanding among the lupin crop species with its relatively high protein and fat contents in the grain. To make use of these properties in regional agricultural systems it is necessary to further adapt this crop species to the growing conditions of Central Europe.

We are investigating the potentials of plant genetic resources of L. mutabilis to be used for grain production under local agricultural conditions. The focus of our interest is on traits such as earliness in flowering, grain set as well as even and timely seed ripening. Additionally, low vulnerability to plant diseases such as anthracnose is recorded. In a medium-termed pre-breeding approach, we are developing Andean lupin lines that exhibit increased grain-yield potential and, thus, may open up opportunities to breed a novel protein crop for our domestic agriculture.

Sweet narrow-leaved lupin (NLL) has always had a reputation for being a crop species with low demands on the soil. This is correct inasmuch as NLL may still be a profitable crop on light soils where other crops fail.

The downside of this actually positive property of NLL is that over decades it has consolidated the widespread belief that this crop should exclusively be reserved for lower-quality locations. The practice of reserving NLL for cultivation sites of poor soil quality – which in Germany’s agriculture often means a soil value between 20 and 30 – is inevitably accompanied by low grain yields, especially in years with unfavourable weather conditions. This is one of the reasons why NLL yields fluctuate significantly over the years on those locations, with grain yields sometimes ranging well below 15 dt/ha in unfavourable years. Often enough, such yields are then compared to those of other grain legumes which demand (and, thus, are grown on) higher-yielding locations. Not surprisingly, NLL does poorly in such comparisons and, consequently, among farmers the reputation of NLL is tarnished.

For this reason, we are testing in the frame of a long-termed field trial which grain and protein yields can be achieved with NLL under good agricultural practice on a soil belonging to the medium-quality segment. We are doing this at the JKI experimental site of Groß Lüsewitz. As a diluvial (D) site with an average soil value of 47 and a mean precipitation of 353 mm (April to September), this location is of average agricultural quality. It is representative of the growing areas of the North German Plain, Western Poland and the Baltic Region. Since 2016, we have been cultivating a selection of 3 current varieties of NLL annually on larger plots (0.50–0.75 hectares per variety) under current practical management. It should be stressed that this single-site test is not comparable to the yearly state variety trials and, thus, is not meant to compare NLL varieties. Rather, yield data are recorded here which allow to assess yield potential and yield stability that can be realised under reasonable agricultural practice. We want to make available the results to farmers potentially interested in growing NLL as a protein crop and to the public.