With organic to more sustainability

KWS develops organic varieties that will complement the established conventional portfolio in the future.

As part of the European Green Deal, the area of organic farming is to be increased to 25 percent of agricultural land across Europe by 2030. While there is still a debate at the political level about whether and how this can be achieved, Moritz Bleckwenn has already taken action: The farmer from the Hildesheim Börde converted his farm to organic farming three years ago. From his experience, he reports on the challenges and opportunities involved in converting to organic farming and how choosing the right varieties can influence yields and thus economic success.

Jenny Matthiesen, who is responsible for the development of organic varieties at KWS, knows which variety traits are important in organic farming. And why organic traits such as juvenile development and certain resistances, which are specifically selected in younger generations in conventional breeding programs, are also becoming increasingly important for conventional agriculture.

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As Organic Variety Developer at KWS, Jenny Matthiesen drives the development of organic varieties.
Learn more about Jenny and her activities here
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Moritz Bleckwenn converted his farm to organic farming three years ago.
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The yields that Moritz Bleckwenn achieves with organic wheat are nearly as high as they used to be with conventional farming.
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Moritz Bleckwenn and Jenny Matthiesen, Organic Variety Developer at KWS, on the field with organically grown sugar beets.
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One challenge in organic farming is to keep enough nitrate in the soil. For this purpose, Moritz Bleckwenn cultivates field beans in the crop rotation.
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Moritz Bleckwenn with his wife Christina and daughter Clara.

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Searching for resistance

The purpose of pre-breeding is to adapt the available breeding material in terms of resistance and yield to changing environmental conditions. To obtain the genetic diversity needed for this process, pre-breeders like Klaus Oldach cross exotic material, which comes from such sources as gene banks, with their own breeding material.

Fight against pathogens

Breeders at KWS are successfully working on the development of Cercospora-tolerant sugarbeet varieties that offer high yields.

How farmers improve pig fattening with rye

Successful pig fattening and happy animals – Andreas von Felde believes they are not mutually exclusive goals. This Northern German farmer plants rye and uses it for feed. He needs less fertilizer, and a recent study backs him up.