Response of old, new and organically bred winter wheat cultivars in different farming systems: concept and experimental layout in the DOK field trial
Hildermann I., Thommen A., Dubois D., Boller Th., Wiemken A., Mäder P.
Abstract
Organic farmers often use winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars that have been
bred under conventional high-input conditions. We test the hypothesis, whether old
and organically bred cultivars are better adapted to low-input conditions through a
better functioning of the symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Our aim is
to assess the nutrient acquisition potential of old, new and organically bred winter
wheat cultivars and to identify the role of AMF for nutrient uptake and growth. In
October 2006, an experiment with 10 wheat cultivars was superimposed to all four
field replicates of the DOK long-term experiment, comprising four different treatments
with increasing nutrient input: unfertilized, biodynamic low and moderate intensity and
conventional mineral system. Growth and harvest parameters such as plant density
and length, growth habit, plant health, yield and grain quality will be assessed. Shoot
and root samples were taken at tillering and flowering to analyse nitrogen and
phosphorus content and AMF root colonization. In this paper, the current state of
literature findings in the field of organic breeding is summarized and the experimental
setup for variety testing in an existing long-term trial is outlined.