Multi-trait evolution of farmer varieties of bread wheat after cultivation in contrasting organic farming systems in Europe

• Published in: Genetica Vol. 140; no. 1-3; pp. 1 - 17
• Main Authors: Dawson, J. C, Serpolay, E, Giuliano, S, Schermann, N, Galic, N, Chable, V, Goldringer, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.03.2012; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Agricultural sciences; Agriculture; Agrobiodiversity; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Biodiversity; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cluster Analysis; Conservation; Crops, Agricultural - classification; Crops, Agricultural - genetics; Crops, Agricultural - growth & development; Cultivation; Differentiation; Environment and Society; Environmental Sciences; Europe; European Union; Evolution; Evolution, Molecular; Evolutionary Biology; Farmers; Farming systems; Farms; Genetic diversity; Genetic Variation; Global Changes; Grain cultivation; Human Genetics; landraces; Life Sciences; marketing; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Multivariate Analysis; on-farm research; Organic Agriculture - methods; Organic farming; organic production; Phenotype; Phylogeny; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Principal Component Analysis; Seeds; Seeds - genetics; Seeds - growth & development; Selection, Genetic; Species Specificity; Triticum - classification; Triticum - genetics; Triticum - growth & development; Triticum aestivum; Wheat; Europe; Participatory research; Genetic diversity; On-farm conservation; Landraces; Catalog registration; genetic diversity; landrace; catalog registration; participatory research; on-farm conservation
• ISSN: 0016-6707; 1573-6857
• DOI: 10.1007/s10709-012-9646-9

Because of the lack of varieties for organic agriculture, associations of organic farmers in several European countries have begun cultivating landraces and historic varieties, effectively practicing in situ conservation of agricultural biodiversity. To promote agrobiodiversity conservation, a special list for “conservation varieties” was implemented in 2008 by the EU because for any exchange and marketing of seeds in the EU, a variety must be registered in an official catalog. Our study aimed at improving knowledge on the phenotypic diversity and evolution of such varieties when cultivated on organic farms in Europe, in order to better define their specific characteristics and the implications for the registration process. We assessed multi-trait phenotypic evolution in eight European landraces and historic varieties of bread wheat and in two pureline variety checks, each grown by eight organic farmers over 2 years and then evaluated in a common garden experiment at an organic research farm. Measurements on each farmer’s version of each variety included several standard evaluation criteria for assessing distinctness, uniformity and stability for variety registration. Significant phenotypic differentiation was found among farmers’ versions of each variety. Some varieties showed considerable variation among versions while others showed fewer phenotypic changes, even in comparison to the two checks. Although farmers’ variety would not satisfy uniformity or stability criteria as defined in the catalog evaluation requirements, each variety remained distinct when assessed using multivariate analysis. The amount of differentiation may be related to the initial genetic diversity within landraces and historic varieties.