"Open-pollinated varieties supply more biodiversity and autonomy"

 

Currently almost all peppers and tomatoes are grown with hybrid breeds that are patented more and more. That complicates the exchange of material for further breeding. Eosta commercial director Gert Kögeler is firmly opposed to the EU patents: "We need to prevent growers from becoming dependent on a monopoly with patents for their seed. The ongoing consolidation of the seed market and EU patents on the natural properties of plants are a threat to the autonomy of farmers. We counteract this by marketing patent-free open-pollinated varieties on a commercial scale."

Open-pollinated varieties also fit well into organic plant breeding. Kögeler: "In organic farming, diversity and adaptation to changing circumstances is important. That’s why breeding is preferably conducted in the field instead of the lab. That's how you ensure that plants adapt well to local conditions. The living biodiversity you sustain this way is more valuable than the frozen seeds stored in a vault at Spitsbergen or other gene centers. In 100 years these seeds will fit less well in the world as it is then. By working with open-pollinated breeds, we are working with a living seed bank for the future."

Eosta has selected the open-pollinated pepper and tomato varieties in collaboration with the Louis Bolk Institute. Many varieties were used that were developed by professional breeders twenty, thirty years ago. These outperform the traditional field varieties, but commercially suitable varieties are scarce since almost all efforts have gone into breeding hybrid varieties in recent decades. They have a better yield, but cannot be propagated by the grower. The open-pollinated varieties Eosta ultimately chose, are mainly from Germany and the US, where the search for suitable open-pollinated breeds began a while back.

Breeding of open-pollinated varieties requires a different revenue model. When it comes to hybrid and patented breeds farmers buy seed every year so that the breeding companies can continue to earn. With open-pollinated breeds (provided duty free) producers have the possibility to propagate seed themselves. The reward for the breeder must therefore be regulated differently. Eosta is experimenting with models in which grower, seed company and trade can make these open-pollinated breeds successful together.

Eosta’s organic, dynamic grower Rob van Paassen from Oude Leede began the experiment with open-pollinated pointed peppers and yellow peppers this spring, which are currently being harvested. The Warmonderhof in Dronten is growing a large number of open-pollinated tomato varieties that are also being harvested now. The products will be distributed through health food retail chain Estafette as of early August. If successful, the test will be expanded further in 2017.