Soybean breeding for organic farming: breeding goals and options

Domestic soybean production has increased in many countries of Central Europe over the last decade. As a significant share of soybean production is under organic management at present, a growing demand for varieties suitable for organic production systems has developed. For this reason, the specific needs of cultivars in organic production and possible breeding options are elaborated. Apart from grain yield, weed suppression/tolerance is a highly desirable trait that could be determined in inter-seeding experiments for simulating weed pressure. Other traits such as resistance against diseases and pests as well as tolerance to abiotic stresses (chilling, high temperature and drought) can be selected similarly in conventional and organic programs. In contrast, efficient selection for symbiotic di-nitrogen fixation would require dedicated approaches such as continuous selection under lownitrogen soil conditions. As individual organic breeding activities are small, collaborative approaches between plant breeding organisations on a European level could increase the efficiency of breeding work.