Innovation Extra EN 1-2023

100 YEARS DEUTSCHE SAATVEREDELUNG AG Let‘s all get back to the soil. CONTENT 04 | 100 YEARS OF INNOVATION FOR YOUR GROWTH 06 | PERENNIAL RYEGRASS “THE WHEAT OF THE GRASSLAND” Dear readers, 08 | INTERNATIONALLY SUCCESSFUL WITH COUNTRY Do you want to know how you can secure yields on your land in the future? Your soil is your greatest asset, so let’s come back to it. 10 | HOME GAME IN EUROPE’S STADIUMS You don’t need a crystal ball to guess what an important role agriculture will play in the future. Climate, resources, politics, world population – we all know the consequences for food production. In order to achieve the neces- sary increases in efficiency, new, more sustainable paths must be taken. The soil and the plants grown in it are becoming an important topic. Modern plant breeding is a key to good yields with moderate use of re- sources. Healthy varieties and innovative plant communities will help to secure production. A small seed contains the knowledge and know-how of generations. That is why this issue of Innovation is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Deutsche Saatveredelung AG, which is particularly passion- ate about plant breeding for the future. Innovation for your growth 14 | OILSEED RAPE – MODERN BREEDING SECURES THE FUTURE 18 | IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS A BAG OF SEEDS 20 | BREEDING CREATES PERSPECTIVES – WHAT CAN THE CEREALS OF TOMORROW DO? 22 | ADAPTED BREEDING – VARIETIES THAT CHANGE THE WORLD 24 | HEALTHY SOIL IS THE BASIS 26 | EVERGREEN CROPPING SYSTEMS – COVER CROPS TODAY AND TOMORROW 29 | SEEDS – 60,000 TONNES AS A CHALLENGE 32 | MAIZE – A MULTITALENT FOR THE WORLD 34 | WHITE LUPIN – FROM ZERO TO 30,000 HECTARES IMPRINT Frequency of publication: The magazine “Innovation” is published in January, April, August and November; Publisher: Verlag Th. Mann GmbH Editors: Anna-Lena Bräucker, Carmen Fiedler, Linda Hahn, Angelika Hemmers, Sebastian Hötte, Dr. Eike Hupe, Dr. Sandra Kaminski, Martin Koch, Nadine Lachmann, Frederik Schirrmacher, Jan Hendrik Schulz, Sascha Sokoll, Maren Timmermann, Frank Trockels, Nadja Arends, Claus Wiegelmann-Marx Concept and realisation: AgroConcept GmbH, Bonn Copyright: The articles published in “Innovation” are protected by copyright. Reprinting – even of extracts – is only permitted with written permission. Contributions with author names do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editors. No liability is accepted for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other materials. Subscription price: Annual € 10.00 incl. postage and valid VAT; single issue € 3.00 incl. postage and valid VAT; Frequency: 4 times a year. Cancellations with a notice period of 6 weeks to the end of the respective calendar half-year in writing to Verlag Th. Mann, Maxstr. 64, 45127 Essen, by fax 02941 296 8370 or e-mail: innovation@dsv-saaten.de Innovation 1/2023 | 3

100 YEARS OF INNOVATION FOR YOUR GROWTH 1923 After the First World War, there was a shortage of forage seed, especially for grassland. To secure farmers’ forage production, “Deutsche Saatveredelung (DSV)” was founded in Landsberg an der Warthe. Its first task was the multiplication of forage plant seed. 1945 The Russian army marched into Landsberg. Valuable breeding material and large quantities of seed were rescued and transported to Lippstadt, where “Deutsche Saatveredelung GmbH” was newly founded. 1966 Start of winter oilseed rape breeding. 1985 New buildings were occupied in Lippstadt, at the former Weissenburg Brewery. 1934 Start of forage plant breeding. The first breeding garden was established in Landsberg. White clover, timothy, alsike clover, red clover, perennial ryegrass, crimson clover and shaggy vetch were cultivated there. 1965 Beginning of turf grass breeding. 1974 IDSV’s central rape breeding station was built in Salzkotten-Thüle (NRW). In the same year, the RAPOOL Ring, a community of medium-sized oilseed rape breeders (DSV, NPZ, W. v. B. Eckendorf and the Dippe company), was founded for the joint marketing of rape varieties in Germany.

1991 Start of cereal breeding. The acquisition of the Leutewitz seed breeding station near Dresden marked the beginning of cereal breeding. This subsid- iary has a long and traditional breeding history. 2004 Deutsche Saatveredelung became a public limited company (AG). 1990 After reunification, a first subsidiary was established in Bückwitz (Brandenburg). Forage reproduction was extended to Thüringen, Sachsen, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 1998 The first international DSV subsidiary was found- ed in Canada, which became DL-Seeds in 2008. DSV Polska was founded. 2008 The subsidiary DSV UK was founded. 2007 DSV France was founded. 2013 The DSV subsidiaries DSV zaden Nederland and DSV Frø Danmark were founded. DSV acquired Northstar Seed Ltd. in Canada. The Canadian subsidiary DSV Northstar was founded. 2022 2010 DSV Ukraina was founded, which is an important subsidiary in the East 2017 DSV Semillas was founded, a subsidiary in South America (Argentina). Start a tour through the DSV history

PERENNIAL RYEGRASS “THE WHEAT OF THE GRASSLAND” Lukas Wolters, Head of DSV forage and cover crop breeding, has been breeding new varieties at the Ven-Zelderheide sub- sidiary in the Netherlands for 32 years. FORAGE GRASS For a brief insight into grass breeding, you can watch this film Perennial ryegrass is the most valuable forage grass for intensively used meadows and pastures in terms of forage and crop production. Thanks to plant breeding, yields and qualities have been steadily improving, thus con- tinuously increasing the basic fodder yield. This is how perennial ryegrass developed into the leading grass for grassland. DSV breeds over a dozen forage grasses and legumes, which includes perennial ryegrass. Perennial ryegrass is also called the “wheat of the grassland” because of its high yield and forage quality poten- tial. It thrives on almost all soils, with the exception of dry sites, and it is very tolerant of both cutting and grazing. For this reason, it is used in large parts of Europe as a mixing partner for grassland and in arable fodder mixtures. Furthermore, it has a very good nitro- gen efficiency and regeneration capacity. With regard to these for- age-growing properties, perennial ryegrass is superior to many other forage grass species and is the most intensively bred species with the 6 | Innovation 1/2023

longest tradition and greatest importance within forage plant breed- ing in North-West Europe. Deutsche Saatveredelung AG (DSV), for example, runs several breeding programmes for perennial ryegrass at various breeding sites in Europe. These include Ven-Zelderheide in the Netherlands, Wardington in the UK and Les Rosiers in western France. As part of the cooperation with the seed breeding company NPZ (Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht), which has been in place since 2015, perennial ryegrass is also bred in Malchow, northern Germany. Markets require different variety types Within perennial ryegrass, varieties are divided into different segments. These result from the combination of early to late maturity groups and a diploid (twofold) or tetraploid (fourfold) chromosome set. The individual segments have different market significance. DSV’s main markets for perennial ryegrass are Germany, France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Denmark, Poland and the Baltic States. Due to their higher elasticity of use, varieties of the middle and late maturity groups are more in de- mand than early varieties, which are almost insignificant in Denmark or the Netherlands, for example. To ensure that each region receives varie- ties that are suited to its requirements, DSV maintains its own breeding programmes for the individual segments of perennial ryegrass. Success of 50 years of breeding: Increase in dry matter yield of perennial ryegrass by 40 % from 85 dt/ha to 120 dt/ha.* Varieties are constantly being further developed In all segments, diverse breeding objectives are pursued in the devel- opment of new, improved varieties. An increase in forage value and dry matter yield are of major impor- tance with regard to high basic forage performance and are there- fore fundamental breeding objectives for perennial ryegrass. If one compares today’s grass varieties with those of 50 years ago, the pro- gress made through plant breeding becomes clear: “The dry matter yield of perennial ryegrass, for example, could be increased from 85 dt/ha in 1965 by 40% to 120 dt/ha dry matter within 50 years “*. Furthermore, it is about stabilising and even increasing yields under non-optimal or changing cultivation conditions, such as increasingly dry summers caused by climate change or decreasing amounts of ni- trogen fertiliser. It usually takes more than twelve years from breeding to marketing a new variety. Breeding experts therefore need to antic- ipate changes and trends for tomorrow today in order to breed new varieties with the right characteristics. * Source: https://www.bdp-online.de/de/Pflanzenzuechtung/Kulturarten/Futterpflanzen FORAGE GRASS All candidate varieties are specifically analysed for their forage quality. Rust screening in France In order to develop its yield and quality potential, a variety must be as resistant as possible to pathogens such as rust fungi. The rust vulner- ability of all DSV variety candidates is assessed at the French breeding station Les Rosiers. High humidity and warm days lead to high infection pressure, which the breeders use to select the most tolerant varieties. Forage quality – must-have for milk production For 25 years, DSV breeders have been selecting new forage plants not only for yield and tolerance to diseases and abiotic stress factors, but they also focus on forage quality. The aim is to develop highly digestible forage plants for high milk yield. This is influenced by the feed value parameters of the varieties, such as cell wall digestibility, sugar con- tent and protein content. The analysis of the newly developed perennial ryegrass variety material is carried out using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Only the best varieties then receive the DSV “Milk Index” seal of quality. It distinguishes particularly digestible varieties with a high nutrient concentration. Their use increases the basic feed intake, which improves the health and performance of the animals. In France, Swit- zerland and Great Britain, the feed value parameters are already part of the official VCU (value for cultivation and use) tests and thus particularly important for variety registration. Seed yield – a requirement for the production In addition to the aforementioned breeding goals, sward density and persistence, even on difficult sites such as peat soils, there is one more important point from a grass breeders perspective: A high seed yield. In cereals, for example, seed yield is relevant both for seed production and for actual use, e.g. as fodder or baking raw material. In the case of for- age grasses, seed yield must be optimised through breeding in addition to biomass. This is because a high seed yield is crucial for the economic Innovation 1/2023 | 7

FORAGE GRASS producibility of a variety. Therefore, seed yield trials are an- other important part of the breeding process. Other important differences compared to cereals or oilseed rape are the multiple cuttings per year and the multiple years of biomass harvest (both in practice and in breeding). This makes the evaluation of forage grasses very elaborate and complex. Internationally successful variety portfolio DSV was founded in 1923 to ensure the availability of for- age seed. Even then it was clear that high-quality forage could only be produced with high-quality seed. Since then, DSV breeding has produced hundreds of variety candi- dates. Currently, certified seed of more than 40 varieties of perennial ryegrass is produced and marketed. These cover all market and utilisation requirements of farmers in Ger- many and internationally. Conclusion Perennial ryegrass is called the “wheat of the grassland” because of its excellence in forage production. The mul- titude of regionally different climatic and utilisation re- quirements places diverse demands on the varieties and the development of their characteristics. The successful breeding of new, adapted varieties is based on the breed- ers’ many years of know-how, their close cooperation with each other and the diverse locations where the variety candidates are tested for their performance under a wide range of conditions. New varieties – used in site-adapted mixtures – enable farmers to achieve higher yields and feed qualities, improved animal health and thus more milk from the basic feed. Franziska Kremper, Product manager forage grasses/legumes INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS WITH COUNTRY The COUNTRY mixture programme has stood for successful forage production for almost 30 years. It combines knowledge about the variety of different forage grasses and legumes according to location and use. The fact that perennial ryegrass is a very important compo- nent of high-performance mixtures is also shown by our international voices from the field: » I became aware of the EXPLOSION variety through the Dutch recommendation list, as it is particularly convincing with its perfor- mance in the important first cut. Due to the very high yield in the first cut (rel. 111) and the above-average sugar content, I have been growing EXPLOSION for two years now as part of the mixture “COUNTRY Milkmore 14”. With 5-6 cuts per year I achieve 120–140 dt DM/ha with it. « Johan Oerlemans, Farm Manager Farm profile Oerlemans Location: Ypecosga Friesland (In the north of the Netherlands) Total area: 191 ha, of which 120 ha permanent pasture Livestock: 470, of which 270 dairy cows Annual output: 10,800 kg, fat: 4.2 %, protein: 3.5 % 8 | Innovation 1/2023

FORAGE GRASS Family farm profile Warnke Location: Gajewo, district of Czarnków (in north-western Poland) Total area: 90 ha, of which 55 ha are grassland Livestock: 180, of which 85 are dairy cows Annual output: 11,700 kg, fat: 3.9 %, protein: 3.4 % » On my grassland around the Notéc River, I have been using COUNTRY mixtures with high percentages of perennial ryegrass for many years. “COUNTRY Energy 2027 Milk Index” and “COUNTRY Energy 2026 Protein” have a high utilisation flexibility and I use them for regular reseeding as well as for new plant- ing. This has allowed me to not only increase my yield but also forage quality, which shows positively in milk yield. « Adam Warnke, Farm Manager » We have been cultivating the perennial clover grass „COUNTRY Field Forage 2055“ as a combination of per- ennial ryegrass, meadow fescue, timothy and red clover very successfully for a year. The composition of the different species, including the high proportion of red clover, works very well on our different soils from loam to moor. Compared to mixtures of other competitors, this mixture has delivered the highest yield in 2022. « Edgars Zaļaiskalns, Farm Manager Farm profile “Lejas-Krastiņi” Location: Vaives pagasts, Cēsu novads (In the north-east of Latvia) Total area: 400 ha, of which 250 ha grassland Livestock: 250, of which 125 dairy cows Annual yield: 11,600 kg, fat: 3.9 %, protein: 3.3 % Innovation 1/2023 | 9

TURF GRASS Here you can find more information about turf grass breeding HOME GAME IN EUROPE’S STADIUMS Deutsche Saatveredelung AG (DSV) is a leading breeder and producer of turf grasses. At the breeding stations in Asendorf (Germany) and Les Rosiers (France), a large number of turf grasses are cultivated and tested on an area of 50 ha. From there, many varieties have already found their way into Europe’s stadiums. Compared to forage grass breeding, the breeding of turf grasses have a short but very exciting history in Ger- many. The first turf grass varieties bred by DSV were approved of in the 1960s. The first grass species to be cultivated by DSV were red fescues (Festuca rubra ssp.). Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) followed shortly afterwards, which became increasingly relevant in the following years. Continuous selection for leaf fineness, durability and density led to a significant progress in turf quality. This led to other species and varieties conquer- ing the international markets in the 1980s. Turf experts are still familiar with the DSV variety LIMOUSINE, which was approved of in Germany in 1985 and is still one of the world’s best-known Kenntucky bluegrasses. Use determines breeding goals The breeding programmes and objectives for turf grass- es are oriented towards the different usage and envi- ronmental requirements throughout Europe. The usage directions – home lawns, ornamental, hard-wearing, landscape and deep-cut turf – determine the breeding objectives for the individual turf species. There are a large number of species with different usage characteristics: for example perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is often used as a hard-wearing turf in sports areas, but also for home lawns. Red fescue (Festuca rubra ssp.) is preferred for use in ornamental and close mown lawn. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is particularly 10 | Innovation 1/2023

The directions of usage in turf: • In the case of home lawns, the focus is on properties such as leaf fineness, disease resistance, slow growth and scar density. • For sports turf, on the other hand, durability, regen- eration, coverage and scar density play an important role. • For landscape turf, low growth, the proportion of plants without flower stems and scar density are im- portant. • For low cut turf, the parameters leaf fineness, scar density and disease resistance are important at a cut- ting height of 10 mm. suitable for use in warm and dry regions, while tufted hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) is preferred for shady areas. There is no perfect type of turf species that is ideal for all uses. In sports areas, the turf must be particular- ly hard-wearing and have a good regenerative capacity. For this reason, different species as well as varieties are combined in mixtures in order to be optimally suited for different environmental conditions. 50,000 individual plants for 10 candidate A breeding cycle for new turf varieties begins with setting the breeding goals. To do this, the DSV turf team has to identify tomorrow’s trends today in order to be able to bring competitive varieties onto the market. In addition to the classic breeding goals of durability and density, rust resistance and drought tolerance have long been im- portant parameters in the selection process. The breeding of turf grasses is carried out in the classical form by means of crossing (“polycross”) and selection. At the beginning, about 50,000 turf grasses of different species and types are planted out in a single plant sys- tem. The appearance and characteristics of the individual plants are then precisely observed and evaluated for one year. The aim is to identify the plants that offer breeding progress with their positive characteristics and expres- sions. 4 to 20 of these individual plants, which are phe- notypically similar, form a so-called polycross. This is the starting point of each new variety candidate. About 500 polycrosses are assembled each year. Each cross is placed in an isolation cabin and is thus protected from the in- trusion of foreign pollen. In the cabin, the grasses be- gin to flower. With the flowering, the selected individual plants pollinate each other. The result is genetically new seed, which in the best case combines and surpasses the TURF GRASS positive characteristics of the parents. In the following years, the new genetics are intensively tested for their turf properties. Barefoot over the turf The variety candidates that have passed the first suitability tests are tested over three years at the DSV breeding sta- tions in Asendorf and Les Rosiers for their special turf suit- ability. For this purpose, the DSV employees lay out 8,000 plots of 1 m² each every year. “During this time, the turf is subjected to continuous stress tests because this shows the difference between the indi- vidual breeding lines” explains Cord Schumann, head DSV turf breeder in Asendorf. Among other things, the suita- bility for deep cutting is tested by cutting the turf up to 10 mm three to five times a week. Whether a variety can- didate is suitable for sports purposes this is tested with the help of the cleat roller. This simulates the wear exerted on 90Today, DSV turf varieties are approved worldwide. A single plant installation in Asendorf. Innovation 1/2023 | 11

TURF GRASS Turf breeding and climate change. In France, under extremely dry conditions, DSV has been breeding and selecting for drought tolerance for several years now. The results are increasingly appearing on international recommendation lists: • Meadowgrass NINO (variety for FR). Excellent regeneration after dry periods. • Tall fescue TATONKA (variety for FR). Extremely robust and persistent under hardest summer conditions • Red fescue TASIDA (variety for DE + UK + NL). Best variety in summer green aspect, with vital dark green leaf colour • Perennial ryegrass TETRASUN (variety for FR). Tetraploid ryegrass with excellent disease resist- ance and resilience • Perennial ryegrass TETRAFAN (variety for DE). Tetraploid quality variety with clear advantages in summer performance compared to diploid varieties The cleat roller is used up to four times a week to test the wear tolerance. the turf during a football match and training. The cleat roll- er is used up to four times a week to identify the best and most durable candidates. In addition, the sports turf is cut to 25 mm once or twice a week, depending on the weath- er conditions. The evaluation for the respective directions of use is carried out regularly by the breeder. 15 years until marketability The result of twelve years of breeding and testing are candidates that are applied to the official authorities throughout Europe. On average, the subsequent register examination at the Federal Office of Plant Varieties in Germany takes an additional three years. Here, the candi- Cord Schumann also carries out a very special test: “For each variety, I do a sensory test. That means I walk bare- foot over the different turf plots and feel the density of the turf. Even if my eyes tell me that the turf is dense, I can better determine its quality and density. Furthermore, inno- vative sensor and camera techniques are used for pheno- typic quality determination. These go beyond the possibili- ties of human perception and provide detailed results.” In addition to turf properties, seed yield is also an important parameter for seed production. The seed yield of a variety is significantly influenced by annual weather conditions and is therefore tested over several years in separate seed performance tests. After this extensive testing phase, the most suitable can- didates are selected. About 10 candidates are propagated in the nursery each year. By the time we reach this point in the breeding cycle, twelve years have already passed since the beginning of the single plant system. 12 | Innovation 1/2023

dates are tested for distinctness to already approved turf varieties as well as for homogeneity and consistency over two generations. A candidate only receives the status of variety and thus also the “marketability” if it passes all three tests. In addition to the register test, the variety is tested in a three-year official turf test for various param- eters such as density and regeneration ability. Whether or not it is recommended depends on the results of the turf test. If the results are good enough, the variety is included in the popular recommendations list throughout Europe. Europe’s quality varieties come from DSV Today, 90 DSV turf varieties are approved worldwide. To illustrate the success of this breeding work, it is worth tak- ing a look at the most influential variety recommendation for turf professionals, the English BSPB list (British Society of Plant Breeders Limited). In the sports turf recommen- dation for perennial ryegrass are three DSV varieties in the top 10. One of the best DSV quality varieties in the sports field is EUROPITCH. This variety combines a very dense and fine expression with a high tolerance to wear. Many turf grasses customers throughout Europe trust this » For each variety, I do a sensory test. That means I walk barefoot over the different turf plots and feel the density of the turf that way. « Cord Schumann, DSV Turf grass breeder TURF GRASS 8,000 plots are planted annually. and other qualities – from wholesalers to greenkeepers. Almost 20,000 tons of pure turf grasses leave the DSV production facilities annually for the European market and beyond. Conclusion The breeding of turf grasses is a very complex, long-term and challenging process. With the knowledge of more than 60 years turf grass breeding and the increasingly interna- tionalised distribution of turf grasses, DSV has developed into a Europe-wide turf specialist. This leads to the fact that many DSV varieties can be found in Europe’s most important stadiums today. Benedikt Luster-Haggeney, Product Manager Turf Lena Wegener, Social Media Manager Innovation 1/2023 | 13

OILSEED RAPE Find out more about rapeseed breeding at the DSV here. Modern plant breeding uses a broad repertoire of classical and modern techniques to accelerate the breed- ing process. The aim is to ensure the successful cultivation of oilseed rape in the future through multi-resistant, robust and adaptable oilseed rape varieties that are equipped to with- stand extreme weather and climatic conditions. Important goals of the breeders are precision and time saving OILSEED RAPE – MODERN BREEDING SECURES THE FUTURE 5 tons of oilseed rape per hectare with 50 % oil content was still a dream in 1980. Last year, some farms were able to surpass this limit. The breeding progress in the oilseed rape varieties is clearly measurable. But the future poses new challenges that oilseed rape cultivation must face: Cli- mate change, cost increases, area reduction and resistance breakthroughs are just some of them. The “sustainable in- tensification” of arable farming through a wide variety of approaches is one solution. And here plant breeding has a key position, because it is challenged to develop vari- eties that are adapted to complex, changing conditions. Above all, yield stability and cultivation safety are among the characteristics that need to be anchored in modern va- rieties. Resistance to turnip yellows virus (TuYV), phoma or clubroot plays a major role in this context – they are future “must haves”. But questions about insect resistance are also becoming increasingly urgent from the field, as chemical plant protection is to be further reduced in the future. But how exactly does the development of such trait combinations take place and how are they integrated into the breeding process? Modern analytical techniques of- fer opportunities to increase the efficiency of the lengthy 14 | Innovation 1/2023

OILSEED RAPE FIG. 1: SMART-BREEDING IN PROGRESS 1. 3. 4. Taking a plant sample 2. Leaf piece in test tube Plant DNA is isolated Detection by molecular markers whether desired trait is present “Recycling” on the smallest level To enable SMART breeding for a new trait, pre-breeding comes into play. If a desired new trait, e.g. a certain dis- ease resistance, is not yet available in the existing variety and breeding material, it is searched for in other plant species. These are often closely related wild species, such as wild cabbage in the case of oilseed rape. However, traits can also be found from crosses far be- yond the genus boundary, which can then be stored in varieties via “embryo rescue” – an in vitro procedure for rescuing weak embryos (see box “Good to know”). Such material is available, for example, in gene banks or uni- versity collections. In order to make it usable for variety breeding, the ‘exotic’ genome part – which contains, for example, an undesirably low yield potential in addition to breeding process. Identify and select traits In order to be able to track traits specifically and quickly in the breeding process, the SMART breeding procedure is used. It refers to precision breeding by marker-assisted selection for traits based on one or a few genes. With this high-throughput procedure, up to 10.000 plants per day are tested for specific traits in DSV’s in-house laboratory, even before they are crossed or put into the field. For this purpose, the plant DNA is isolated from small leaf pieces or seeds, specifically amplified by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and made visible by means of imaging pro- cedures. After 48 hours, a statement can be made as to whether the desired trait is present in the cultivated variety (see Fig. 1). The latest state of the art SNP markers (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism), allow the laboratory team to specifically look at individual mutations underlying the desired traits (see Fig. 1 in red). With SMART Breeding, not only traits can be identified very precisely, but the effort in the green- house and in the breeding garden can also be reduced. This saves time and money. The grain yield in winter oilseed rape has increased by an average of 0,44 dt/ha per year since 1985. DSV sets up 65,000 small plots for rapeseed breeding every year. Source: LWK NRW https://www.landwirtschaftskammer.de/landwirtschaft/ackerbau/raps/lsvarchiv/winterraps-sv-2018.htm Innovation 1/2023 | 15

OILSEED RAPE Good to know: The oilseed rape plant Brassica napus is an allopolyploid hybrid, resulting from an accidental cross between turnip rape (Brassica rapa) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea). The genome of oilseed rape consists of 38 chromosomes, of which 20 are from Brassica rapa and 18 from Brassica oleracea. Molecular markers: They can be used to localise short DNA segments in genes. They are used, for example, to detect resistance already in the seedling of candidate varieties. Embryo rescue: Embryo rescue is an important technique for plant breeding. The relatively old (ca. 1890) in vitro technology allows the growth of weak plant embryos resulting from crosses beyond species or genus level. Such embryos would often not be viable and are promoted by Embryo Rescue so that they can develop into complete plants. Rapeseed resynthesis: In the course of quality breeding for low glucosinolate content and freedom from erucic acid, the genetic diversity of rapeseed has been greatly reduced. Resynthesis served to broaden the genetic potential. For this purpose, representatives of the rapeseed parents, i.e. turnip rape (Brassica rapa) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea), were crossed with each other. Rape resyntheses are important sources for resistance breeding, e.g. against stem rot (Phoma lingam), clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) and turnip yellows virus (TuYV). Traits: The term “traits” refers to positive combinations of char- acteristics in varieties that bring added value to the farmer under certain environmental conditions, e.g. resistance to cabbage kidney. the sought-after resistance – must be greatly reduced by backcrossing with a high-performance variety. After all, the aim is to transfer the resistance from the ‘exotics’ and at the same time maintain the agronomic properties and yield potential of the existing varieties. An example of successful pre-breeding is clubroot resistance, which has been incorporated into high-yielding varieties from resyn- thetic rape over the years and no longer has any yield disadvantages. In order to be as quick as possible and independent of the vegetation period, resistance tests under controlled condi- tions (e.g. in climate chambers) are the method of choice. Resistant and susceptible plants are selected from a plant population by means of such tests. The subsequent inves- tigation using modern sequencing methods establishes a relationship between the trait and the underlying chromo- some segment and then allows a molecular marker to be developed for SMART breeding. Never sown yet known Genomic selection has been established to enable tar- geted marker-assisted breeding for complex traits, i.e. traits that are based on many genes. In this process, a large number of molecular markers distributed over the entire genome, e.g. by means of SNP markers, are linked to data from the field by means of sophisticated statisti- cal procedures. Using complex software, the performance of breeding strains that have not yet been in the field can then be estimated solely on the basis of their genetic profile. DSV OILSEED RAPE BREEDING IN A NUTSHELL 1966 Beginning of winter oilseed rape breeding. 1974 Foundation of Rapool-Ring GmbH. Construction of the DSV winter oilseed rape breeding sta- tion in Salzkotten-Thüle (NRW). 1986/87 LIRABON – the best 00-rape variety in Germany. Registration of LIBRAVO in England. 1995 The first DSV breeding activities in Canada began. 1971 Beginning of spring oilseed rape breeding. 1981 LIBRADOR – the first variety with 00 quality. A world novelty. 1990 DSV received the NIAB Variety Cup for LIBRAVO in England. 16 | Innovation 1/2023

TEMPTATION – first variety with TuYV resistance 2018 OILSEED RAPE Together we can achieve more For a medium-sized company like DSV, cooperation is very valuable and important. Within joint research pro- jects, additional knowledge can be generated. A success- ful example of successful joint research is resistance to the turnip yellow virus (TuYV). As a result of this coop- eration, the variety Temptation with TuYV resistance was launched on the market in 2018. A current focus of DSV’s international research activities in oilseed rape is insect tolerance – as an industry partner in international re- search projects, DSV is looking at the cabbage-stem flea beetle and the common pollen beetle, among others. Another milestone in DSV’s successful rapeseed breed- ing is the phoma resistance combination of LepR1 and Rlm7, which is offered by the DRIFTER variety launched in France and Denmark. Conclusion Modern breeding methods help to quickly and specifi- cally adapt plants to changing environmental conditions while keeping yields stable. Only plants that are healthy, efficiently process nitrogen and have stable yields will be able to sustainably feed the world’s population in the future. DSV’s Salzkotten-Thüle (NRW) site uses both » It takes 12 years before a new variety is created! « Dr. Sina Möller-Haferkorn classic and state-of-the-art techniques for oilseed rape breeding. The DSV oilseed rape breeding station is now one of the most important oilseed rape breeding station in Europe. Dr. Sina Möller-Haferkorn, Molecular rape breeder in Salzkotten-Thüle Sebastian Hötte, Product Manager Oilseed Rape 2004/05 OASE – the first variety with an oil content of 50 % at 100 % dry matter. 2016 BENDER – the largest variety in Germany. 2022 DRIFTER – approved for the first time in France. Contained the Phoma- resistance combination LepR1 and RLM7. You can find even more oilseed rape history here: 2002 2013 2018 LIBRETTO – the first MSL hybrid variety was registered. V316OL – the first HOLL hybrid, that achieved high yields TEMPTATION – the first variety with TuYV resistance. Innovation 1/2023 | 17

In demand IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS A BAG OF SEEDS Heiner Busch and Ludger Alpmann, former head of breeding and former product manag- er for winter oilseed rape at Deutsche Saatveredelung AG (DSV), established oilseed rape breeding at DSV and played a key role in bringing oilseed rape to european fields. The editorial team visited the two veterans and retirees and asked them about the beginnings of breeding and milestones in the cultivation of oilseed rape. “I have established a new breeding branch in a compa- ny” – Not everyone can claim that. Heiner Busch and Ludger Alpmann are such pioneers. They have made significant contributions to the success story of oilseed rape as the basis for high-quality vegetable oils. Over decades, they have dedicated themselves to oilseed rape with passion, expert knowledge and a great deal of commitment: from the introduction of the first oil- seed rape varieties into the DSV portfolio, to helping to shape the breakthrough to 00 oilseed rape varieties, to practical optimisation recommendations for oilseed rape cultivation, the two “oilseed rape experts” have done a great job to develop oilseed rape as an impor- tant crop in the fields. In the interview, they talk about » I always wanted to work with flowers. « Heiner Busch 18 | Innovation 1/2023 the beginning of rapeseed cultivation and the mile- stones of DSV in the cultivation of rapeseed. Innovation: When did you start at DSV, in which posi- tion and how long did you work here? Busch: I joined DSV in August 1971, initially as a grass breeder at the former Salzkotten-Wulfstal (NRW) facili- ty. There I was once assigned to tidy up the seed room and found several bags of oilseed rape seeds. That was the beginning of a great passion that was to last for almost 50 years – that’s how long I worked at DSV. In 1973, the breeding station was moved to Salzkot- ten-Thüle (NRW). Today, it is one the most important breeding station of oilseed rape in Europe. Alpmann: My start at DSV began in the classic way with traineeship as an agricultural technical assistant in 1973. Heiner Busch was my supervisor at that time. After graduating, I returned in 1982 as a cultivation advisor for grass seed propagation (until 1985). Later I accompanied the model cultivation for oilseed rape at that time and thus gradually ‘slipped’ into oilseed rape, and became one of the first ‘product managers’ of DSV. Innovation: When you started your work, what was the status of winter oilseed rape in Germany and inter- nationally at that time? Alpmann: In the 1970s, only 40,000 ha of oilseed rape were cultivated in Germany, 90 % of which was in Schle- swig-Holstein. At that time, oilseed rape still contained erucic acid and was not as important for cultivation as it is today. Quality breeding did not exist back then. DSV and Heiner Busch were significantly involved in its de-

velopment. With the conversion to 0-quality in Germany in 1974 (erucic acid-free), the oilseed rape cultivation area increased to about 120,000 ha by 1980. In order to expand sales of oilseed rape meal, the conversion to 00-quality was then made in 1986. To introduce these oilseed rape qualities, the UFOP (Union for the Promo- tion of Oil and Protein Plants) or, at that time, the Rape Promotion Fund carried out the aforementioned model cultivation to accompany farmers in the cultivation of these “new” oilseed rape varieties. This was actually the starting signal for the cultivation of oilseed rape in Ger- many, which has grown to approx. 1.13 million ha today. Innovation: When were the first major successes in oilseed rape breeding and what were the first mile- stones for DSV or the first successful varieties? Busch: Thanks to the intensive research and breeding work described above, oilseed rape has developed from a niche crop into the world’s most important oil plant – with a wide range of uses in animal and human nutri- tion, as a “green” fuel and as an industrial product, e.g. as a substitute for solvents in paint production. A first step was the quality breeding for 0-rapeseed in 1974 and later for 00-quality, which was mainly promoted by the Göttingen Working Group on Oilseed Rape. Five breeding companies were involved in this working group (NPZ, Dippe, DSV, KWS, Lochow Petkus). This was the most important milestone in oilseed rape breeding and the starting signal for this crop to become big. It was then important to cross certain traits for good varietal characteristics into a variety and to do so in a short time. At that time, I collected a lot of plant materi- al, on travels for example, in order to have different dis- ease resistances and traits available that I could cross into new varieties. In 1981, LIBRADOR was approved as the world’s first 00 winter oilseed rape variety for DSV – a milestone in my team’s work for oilseed rape breeding and for DSV. Other successful varieties such as LIRABON, LIBRA- VO and LIRAJET followed. In the mid-1990s, the first winter oilseed rape hybrids were approved. The new hybrids were more robust and offered more yield po- tential than line varieties. The advantage of DSV oilseed rape breeding was and is that it works with two hybrid systems (Ogura and MSL). It is also important that DSV works with strong partners in sales and breeding. For example, RAPOOL-Ring GmbH was founded in 1974, a sales association consisting of four oilseed rape breeder´s at that time (DSV, NPZ, W. v. B. Eckendorf and the Dippe company). RAPOOL has the largest oilseed rape breeding network in Europe. IN DEMAND » In agriculture, oilseed rape is now regarded as a “problem solver” in narrow, cereal crop ro- tation. And we were able to help shape this success story. « Ludger Alpmann Innovation: What fascinates you about oilseed rape and why did you like working with this crop? Busch: I always wanted to work with flowers. In the beginning it was very fascinating to work with a crop that was not very well known. Challenges like, for example, in quality breeding and the development of oilseed rape cultivation. This crop is fascinating and breeding is very diverse and dynamic. There was a lot to learn over time, and that was the most exciting part. In particular, the development of the spring oilseed rape breeding programme in Canada (DL Seeds) was exciting and challenging for me. I was also fascinated by the fact that we always used the latest breeding technologies in oilseed rape to develop high-perform- ing oilseed rape varieties. DSV has been significant- ly involved in research and development for oil- seed rape for decades. This is the best basis for bringing robust and resistant varieties to the market in the future. Alpmann: Oilseed rape is such a diverse crop. I am fascinated by its development since the 1970s. Oilseed rape with poor oil quality has been improved through breeding so that it is now the most popular edible oil in German households and is recommended by nutritional societies worldwide due to its high-quality fatty acid composition. In agriculture, oilseed rape is now regard- ed as a “problem solver” in narrow, cereal-based crop rotations. And we have been able to help shape this success story. When I see the yellow fields in April, I like to think back to that time and that I was and am part of this success. Nadine Lachmann, Product Manager Oilseed Rape. The interview was held by Innovation 1/2023 | 19

CEREALS BREEDING CREATES PERSPECTIVES – WHAT CAN THE CEREALS OF TOMORROW DO? As cereals are the world’s most important source of nutrition, cereal breeding has the central task of securing crop yields and qualities while at the same time conserving resources. Adapting to a changing environ- ment is also becoming increasingly impor- tant. New varieties are the answer to these challenges. Find out more about resistance breeding in cereals here: As a global staple food, cereals are of great importance for feeding the world’s population today and in the fu- ture. And the demand will continue to rise. The world population of 9.7 billion people forecast for 2050 will have to be fed in the face of declining arable land, wors- ening climatic conditions and changing political frame- work conditions. Conditions on cereal cultivation are therefore becoming even more stringent. Among other things, it is a question of yield security and increase, ad- aptation to climate change with reduced use of plant protection products and high, but sustainable produc- tivity. Plant breeders have a great responsibility to de- velop the right varieties for the successful cultivation of tomorrow. In Europe, bread wheat and barley are the most impor- tant. Their breeding is a long-term process in which a large number of variety characteristics have to be com- bined with cultivation and utilisation requirements. The challenge for plant breeders is to predict the market requirements in 10 to 15 years. To do this, the appropri- ate crossing parents must be identified precisely in or- der to create varieties that will meet the requirements in 2033. The future requirements for cereal varieties de- termine the breeding goals: Yield/yield stability In order to be able to react to the increasingly unpre- dictable growing conditions in a region-specific way, a broad variety spectrum is important. This enables the farmer to better stabilise his yield level through target- ed variety selection. In breeding, therefore, ear emer- gence, maturity and vigour of the varieties will become more relevant. In addition, the untreated multi-location yields will become more important as a decision-making aid for yield stability as well as “safety characteristics” such as winter hardiness, stability and special resistance properties of the varieties. Plant protection The availability of plant protection products and ac- tive substances will be further restricted in the future. 20 | Innovation 1/2023

CEREALS options for practical use with specific catch crop and un- dersown mixtures. At the same time, cereal breeding is working on variety characteristics such as fast growth and soil cover. Such characteristics already play a major role in varieties for organic farming and will also gain importance in conventional agriculture in the medium term. Nutrient efficiency/quality Reducing the use of fertilisers requires an improvement in nutrient efficiency in agriculture. The extension of the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones ( NVZs ) (in Germany calles “red areas”) with nitrogen fertilisation requirements leads to an early definition of the realistic target market segment for the cultivation of cereals (focus: quality and quantity). Breeding improvement is a long-term process and will take place gradually but continuously over the next decades. Recovery In terms of quality traits, there is already a softening of the correlation between protein content and baking vol- ume, which enables the production of baking wheat at lower nitrogen levels. Besides the improvement of the marketing-relevant properties (falling number, hectolitre weight and protein content), additional health factors such as very low mycotoxin content will become more important in the long term. Conclusion The aim of plant breeding is to develop innovative varieties that use the available resources as efficiently as possible and are adapted to changing environmental conditions. In addition, they have to meet the quality requirements of utilisation. The multi-location DSV cereal breeding programme and a complex testing system that ensures breeding for broad environmental adaptation is the basis for the development of well-rounded and high-perfor- mance varieties, such as the new winter wheat varieties EXSAL, POLARKAP, DEBIAN and CHAMPION and winter barley varieties ESPRIT and JULIA. Very promising variety candidates are also in trials for the future. Martin Koch, Product Manager Cereals With the CHAMPION, 17.95 t/ha wheat variety were harvested – a new world record in the Guinness Book of Records. Innovation 1/2023 | 21 Accordingly, varieties that are tolerant or resistant to fungal diseases, pests and viruses will play an impor- tant role. The barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) can be mentioned as a successful example of virus resistance in plant breeding. Varieties such as PARADIES, SENSA- TION and FASCINATION with their BYDV resistance al- ready offer potential savings in the use of insecticides. Here the breeding work is complex, because monogenic resistance, i.e. resistance based on one gene, carries a higher “ breakdown risk”, as it can be overcome by a “simple” mutation. In order to rule this out, research is being conducted into further supporting sources of re- sistance. Currently, breeding is working on resistance to wheat dwarf virus (WDV), for example, which will make it possible to save on crop protection. Weed management/cultivation The elimination and reduction of crop protection prod- ucts, as described above, place special demands on weed management. New crop rotations and innovative cultivation systems offer alternatives. DSV has also been working on this for years and offers farmers cultivation

CEREALS ADAPTED BREEDING VARIETIES THAT CHANGE THE WORLD DSV performs cereal breeding in France, Great Britain and Germany. This distribution of locations is the basis for the development of broadly adapted varieties. There are specific and also universal breeding objectives for each country. Breeding site: Wardington (UK) 18 ha breeding nursery area of winter wheat Top 5 breeding goals: 1. grain yield (quality group specific) 2. disease resistance (yellow rust & Septoria tritici) 3. straw strength 4. hectolitre weight 5. medium to late maturity (from Germany point of view) Top varieties: CHAMPION, OXFORD, THEODORE The DSV UK winter wheat breeding programme is fo- cused on breeding high-yielding baking and feed wheat with good disease resistance and shorter growth. The lo- cation of our Wardington breeding station (near Birming- ham) is particularly suitable for selecting varieties for yel- low rust and Septoria tritici. In the summer of 2022, we were able to detect and assess black rust (or stem rust) in our breeding garden for the first time. Whether this will occur more frequently in the future remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the environmental conditions are changing and new diseases and pests will appear. » 2022 was a very successful growing year for our high-yielding wheat CHAMPION. With top yields of over 12 t/ha in the field and a multiplication area of more than 1,300 ha, CHAMPION is an example of the performance of our breeders in the UK. « Sarah Hawthorn, DSV UK 22 | Innovation 1/2023 Breeding location: Leutewitz (DE) 38 ha breeding garden area of winter wheat Top 5 breeding goals: 1. grain yield (quality group specific) 2. disease resistance (Fusarium & rusts) 3. baking quality 4. winter hardiness 5. stability Top varieties: DEBIAN, POLARKAP, ATTRIBUT, EXSAL 28 ha breeding area for winter barley Top 5 breeding goals: 1. grain yield 2. disease resistance (rust, mildew, BYDV) 3. hectolitre weight 4. early to medium maturity 5. straw stability Top varieties: ESPRIT, JULIA, SENSATION

CEREALS With almost 5 million hectares, France is the largest wheat-growing country in the EU and the demands on the varieties are correspondingly broad – from very early to late maturity. The official approval procedure for new wheat varieties is therefore divided into three different regions. The varieties are specifically tested for the regions of northern, central and southern France. » In the young, French DSV wheat breeding programme, the focus is on early-maturing, balanced baking wheat (BPS quality, compa- rable to A-/B quality in DE) with genetically higher protein contents. « Dominique Mauger, DSV FR And also here, disease resistance plays an important role. For France, our breeders are working in particular on the various rust diseases with otherwise balanced resistance properties. Through an index approval with bonus/malus values in the approval procedure as well as through a “crop protection product saving value” (CEPP value), the cultivation of balanced, healthy varieties are promoted politically here in each case. Breeding location: Terminiers (FR) 32 ha breeding garden area of winter wheat Top 5 breeding goals: 1. baking quality 2. grain yield (quality group specific) 3. earliness (from DE point of view) 4. disease resistance (rusts and Septoria tritici) 5. stability Top varieties: KAROQUE, DJANGO The change in weather conditions in many parts of Germany, particularly in the last 10 years, with extremes such as the 2011/2012 winter, followed by high-yielding years in which new yellow rust bread lines appeared, through to dry years with hardly any days of frost days, are causing increasing mul- ti-year and multi-location observations and assessments of variety candidates in practice and in breeding. The selection of new high-yielding and, above all, yield-stable varieties is the goal. » Basically, it shows that cushioning annual weather effects will only be possible by choosing several varieties for a farm. « Dr. Jens Vaupel, DSV, DE Winter hardiness and falling number stability are characteristics that have been in little or no demand in Germany in recent years. Accordingly, it can become critical when such weather conditions occur again. With the help of internation- al trial series and provocation tests, breeding is constantly being carried out to select for these traits. Innovation 1/2023 | 23

SOIL The renowned soil expert Christoph Felgentreu headed the branch of Deutsche Saatveredelung AG (DSV) in Bückwitz, Brandenburg (East Germany), until his retirement in 2019 and was DSV product manager for catch crops and soil fertility. In our interview, he explains why it is becoming increasingly difficult to successfully build up humus. HEALTHY SOIL IS THE BASIS Innovation: You have been working on the importance of soil for agriculture for almost 20 years. Has the relevance of soil fertility changed during this time? Felgentreu: To be honest, I have been dealing with this topic for a lot longer. Actually, since the beginning of my professional career, which is why I would now describe myself as an apprentice in the 53rd year of my apprenticeship. As head of the Bückwitz branch of DSV, I actual- ly became increasingly involved in the areas of biodiversity and catch crops 25 years ago. And yes, the importance has changed during that time. More and more farmers came to our events during that time and took away a lot of knowledge and new ideas. In return, we were able to learn a lot from these farmers. In Brandenburg (East Germany) and the neighbouring federal states, many farms are taking care of their soil – and you can see more and more clearly which farms they are: Their soils simply survive years like 2018 or 2019 better. The differences compared to their neighbours are becoming increasingly clear. The fact is: with the increase in temperature that we are facing – in Brandenburg it is now 1.5 degrees above the long-term average from 1961 to 1990 – it is becoming much more difficult to bring the soil into a biological balance. The higher temperatures cause a faster decomposition of organic mat- ter, so that it becomes more and more difficult to maintain or accumu- late it at the same pace. The whole issue is really becoming necessary for survival. I like to think of the soil as a bank account from which you can withdraw something – but only if you put something into it. Innovation: What can be done in view of the rising temperatures? Felgentreu: In the short term, it is first of all about keeping the soils cool, which can be achieved with permanent cover and minimal inter- vention in the soil. Thinking further, it means restructuring the entire agricultural system. We have to take care of the microclimate as a whole. To do this, agricultural land must become more small-scale! Agroforestry systems, for example, offer many possibilities here, and “syntropic agriculture” – a form of land cultivation oriented towards the rainforest ecosystem – is also a very exciting concept. Many small measures are feasible step by step along this path: for example, one could allow wet spots on the field where there used to be some. Or perhaps the drains could be closed to keep water in the area for a certain time. But once again to the question of importance: the pressure of suffering after the four dry years since 2018 is of course increasing. This has led to an increase in interest, as we can see, for example, in the number of participants in certain formats, whether they are webinars or, for example, the soil days organised by IG Ge- sunder Boden (IG gesunder Boden e. V. is a supra-regional network of practitioners in which knowledge is exchanged with the aim of building healthy, living and humus-rich soils that produce high-quality plants and food). On the other hand, we have to state that even in 2022, the content of agricultural education does not match reality. For me, it reflects the status quo of 20 to 30 years ago in many areas. Young farmers still learn that all you need is salts and crop protection to solve all your problems. And when problems don’t disappear so quickly, we want to save the world with digitalisation. I have nothing at all against mod- ern technologies, but at the same time I observe that many farmers no longer know their land very well. A lot of history has been lost on the fields. This is fatal for the soil with its long-term memory. We took a wrong turn at some point: We increasingly rely on technology rather than knowledge and experience. To put it in a nutshell, that’s what 24 | Innovation 1/2023

SOIL Position paper on healthy soil IG gesunder Boden has established a definition of healthy soil and compiled its characteristics and criteria for assessment. The role of humus and measures to increase humus content are also discussed in this paper. evergreen” and reduction of pesticide and fertiliser application, they see quick successes. Innovation: What do you think of the political efforts, or more precise- ly, the European Farm-to-Fork strategy? Is it in the interest of soil-friend- ly, diverse agriculture? Felgentreu: I don’t believe in penalties and sanctions, but I do be- lieve in clever promotion. In my opinion, the first and second pillars of the CAP (common agricultural policy) offer plenty of sensible tax elements that could be used to promote sensible things. Of course, the right things have to be promoted: Fringing biotopes, biotope networks, soil-conserving farming methods, agroforestry systems, rewetting of land and much more. But not flower strips, which are a lot of nonsense. And, very importantly, farmers should be supported or promoted in the long term. They need planning security. In agriculture, more decisions should be made regionally and together with the farmers. There are already good approaches to this. The interview was conducted by Cathrin Hahn » A healthy soil, properly managed, is inherently resilient to drought, heavy rain or wind. « Christoph Felgentreu Innovation 1/2023 | 25 I’m saying: Even the whole orientation towards the highest possible yield has ultimately brought the farmer nothing. As soon as he har- vests more, the plus is quickly eaten up by other cost blocks. And the farm then lacks investment power. Nothing, certainly not healthy soil, comes for free, so you have to invest wisely. Starting with a proper soil analysis. Innovation: When you say we have taken a wrong turn, are there any international differences? Are there pioneers in terms of soil research? Felgentreu: I see the USA – which historically also has a high level of suffering – and Australia as being far ahead. There is a lot of research going on there and in the meantime a completely different view of the topics of plant nutrition and soil biology. For those interested, I recom- mend the work of James White on the rhizophagy cycle. According to his theory, roots hold onto bacteria like livestock and swallow them to “harvest” the nutrients and release them again so they can “recharge” with nutrients. This fascinating insight into highly complex symbiotic processes puts all our knowledge of soil biology in a new light. In Aus- tria, too, we find great work in practice and science – for example at the State University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (Boku) in Vienna and in the Humus Movement. Innovation: Can you bring all this work down to a simple level? Felgentreu: In soil biology, the focus is increasingly on fungi. However, we tend to practise agriculture that is unfriendly to fungi – with deep tillage and the application of crop protection and fertiliser salts. The many so-called low-input farms prove that there is another way. With their soil- and fungus-friendly measures, e. g. shallow tillage, “system

COVER CROPS For some years now, complex mixtures have be- come very important in cover crop cultivation. The species combinations have many advantages. Experts see great potential here to meet the politi- cal and environmental demands of the future. The change of agriculture towards an ever-green sys- tem is an option. EVERGREEN CROPPING SYSTEMS COVER CROPS TODAY AND TOMORROW Here you can find more exciting articles on the topic of soil and cover crops Legumes were already referred to as fertiliser plants in ancient times. The promotion of soil structure and fermentation as well as improved rooting and humus production became more important in the 20th century and the positive effect of catch crops on this was specifically used (Renius ET AL. 1992). With the increasing production of plant protection products and fertilisers after the Second World War, however, agriculture changed. Crop rotations were increasingly determined by winter cereals and late summer crops. This reduced the cultivation of summer catch crops, which require an early sowing window. Previously unknown – now relevant The issue of biodiversity and cover crops was also politically irrele- vant for a long time, until direct payments were linked to “green- ing” in 2015. An important prerequisite for receiving the greening premium was the provision of ecological priority areas (EFAs), which also included areas cultivated with catch crops. Now in- tercropping has once again become more of a focus for farms. And if the greening premium is abolished with the CAP (common agricultural policy) 2023, it will continue to be of great political and social importance in the course of the implementation of the European Farm-to-Fork Strategy. The main goals of the farm-to-fork strategy are to reduce the use of plant protection products and fertilisers in agriculture. Here, intelligent cover crop mixtures can support practical im- 26 | Innovation 1/2023 » Soil, with its outstanding genetic diversity, offers a multitude of solu- tions for the agronomic challenges of today and tomorrow.“ « Jan Hendrik Schulz

plementation. Species-rich cover crop mixtures in the crop rotation help to stabilise yields with less in- put. Nutrients can be conserved and made available to the subsequent crop. At the same time, the soil is improved and becomes more resilient to weather influences and pests. Plant roots and soil live in a very complex interaction, which can be used as a chance to solve the challenges in the future. Becoming a “soil expert” Soil, with its outstanding genetic diversity, offers a mul- titude of solutions for the agricultural challenges of to- day and tomorrow. To be able to use these, a profound understanding of the soil system is crucial. Not only do animal and plant organisms play an important role in soil biology, but also bacteria and especially fungal soil inhabitants. The basis for all complex processes in the soil is the living, stable soil crumb, which, in addition to nutrients, oxygen and water, naturally also harbours the soil microbiome. Nourish the soil in a diverse way As with humans, a varied, balanced diet has a positive effect on the soil. Species-rich plant combinations cre- ate nutrient and water reservoirs with a high buffering capacity. No technology can produce these processes “ad hoc” – they need time – and the interaction of plants. Over a period of nine years, a project (CATCHY), fund- ed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, has investigated and described precisely this interaction between soil, soil biology and plants with catch crop mixtures. In the meantime, it has been proven that not only the number of soil bacteria increased in different soil layers when a diverse intercrop mixture is cultivat- ed, but also the number of soil fungi. This multitude of bacteria and fungi must be “properly nourished” in the future. The project also showed that different catch crops provide different nutrients for the soil organisms. CATCHY is a cover crop project launched by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in 2015. The main objec- tive is to use catch crops to develop inno- vative farming systems that maintain and improve soil fertility. COVER CROPS How the Landsberger Gemenge got its name: In August 1930, a landowner called DSV in Landsberg and ordered “Landsberger Gemenge” for 25 ha. At first they did not know what was meant until he explained: “I would like to have your Landsberger Gemenge, the mixture of Incarnate Clover, Shaggy Ryegrass and Welsh Ryegrass”. Thus a farmer had created the name for what has since become a classic fodder crop mixture, which has found its way into practice and literature as “Landsberger Gemenge”. The future: the evergreen system In the future, an intercrop alone will not be able to meet the multitude of challenges facing arable and crop pro- duction. Even during the growth of the main crop, the nutritional basis for the microbiome in the soil must be ensured. In addition, erosion control, nutrient conserva- tion, water storage and protection against overheating of the land are also becoming increasingly urgent. The solution to this is the cultivation of under- and side- seeds. The right plant for every situation Up until now, the combination of main crop and side and undersown crops has been rare in German agricul- Innovation 1/2023 | 27

ture. In order to generate practical cultivation recom- mendations, Deutsche Saatveredelung (DSV) is working together with various universities. Research is also be- ing carried out in close cooperation with practitioners at the DSV seed breeding station in Asendorf near Bremen on oilseed rape and potatoes, for example, as well as on the method of sowing cereals in wide rows. For the future, this experience will be used to put together the right plant combination for every situation, so that the main crop and soil are optimally supplied and protected. Evergreen therefore means trying to green the area as diversely as possible in order to create the best possible conditions for sustainably stable yields. Conclusion Intelligent and evergreen plant communities still offer plenty of unexplored potential. The diversity of crop rota- tion offers an opportunity to stabilise yields and thus to achieve sustainable economic production. Jan Hendrik Schulz and Carmen Fiedler, Product Manager Biodiversity COVER CROPS TerraLife®-SolanumPro: Erosion control and biodiversity in potato cultivation. TerraLife® – Your soil is your greatest asset More than 10 years ago, DSV developed intercrop mixtures that have a special effect on soil health and nutrient fixation through species richness. The conviction was that the key to many agronomic challenges can be found in the diversity of the combination of plants. The most important mixture is the TerraLife®-MaisPro TR Greening 50 with 17 components, the cultivation area of which alone amounts to approx. 40,000 ha. In the meantime, TerraLife® is the largest catch crop programme in Germany with a wide range of mixtures for the most diverse needs of farms, regions and crop rotations and is constantly being developed further. The brand’s philosophy that diverse species combinations contribute to the highest biological val- ue for the soil, making it more fertile and healthier, has been proven through various trials and projects. These include the CATCHY project, which has produced significant findings about the function of TerraLife® but also about the entire soil system. These findings have led us to expand TerraLife® from a pure catch crop programme to a greening system. 28 | Innovation 1/2023

SEEDS SEEDS 60,000 TONNES AS A CHALLENGE 100 years ago, farmers founded Deutsche Saatveredelung (DSV) with the aim of producing high-quality forage plant seed. Today, DSV is a major international plant breeder and expert in seed production. Breeding progress boosts land use efficiency. If we can now harvest 100 instead of 40 decitonnes of wheat per hectare, produce healthy rapeseed oil, get more milk from the basic fodder and ultimately feed more peo- ple per hectare, then this is a result of plant breeding and its many years of targeted work. Evidence of this is provided by new, higher-performing, use-adapted and healthier varieties. In order for farmers to benefit from these advantages on their land, these varieties must be propagated from the breeding garden to certified seed. Seed multiplication – also known as seed production – requires a great deal of know-how and intuition and is very time-consuming. DSV is a company that not only breeds varieties, but also produces seed. Depending on the market and sales situation, around 55,000 tonnes of grass, clover and catch crop seed are produced annually on up to 50,000 hectares, plus 5,000 tonnes of hybrid rape seed. In Ger- many, Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands and, since last year, also in Canada, DSV cooperates with specialised multipliers who take over the seed multiplication in close cooperation with the DSV cultivation advisor team. Today, more than 1,600 European and 120 Canadian farmers produce quality seed for DSV under contract. This amounts to more than 200 varieties and 25 species per year. The rest of the process, from seed reception to cleaning, the certification procedure to the ready-to- market product, places high demands on the DSV farms. Planning is the be-all and end-all The various crop types differ considerably in their produc- tion methods. Example hybrid oilseed rape: The work begins with finding suitable multiplication areas that have sufficient distance to other oilseed rape areas to avoid cross-polli- nation. In addition, the selected areas should never have been planted with oilseed rape before. The seeds of oil-rich plants such as oilseed rape, but also of other crucifers, can survive in the soil for many years. To prevent these from becoming a problem in seed production, long breaks in cultivation are needed. Innovation 1/2023 | 29

SEEDS DSV manages 50,000ha of propagation area and 1,600 propagation farms. DSV’s hybrid oilseed rape production is set up throughout Europe. In this way, different climatic zones and also dif- ferent ripening dates of crops are used in order to be able to start harvesting early and to minimise the harvesting and quality risk. In the few weeks between harvesting the multiplication areas and sowing at the customer’s, about 4,000 tonnes of seed have to be processed, officially ap- proved, packed and delivered to the customers. This places extreme demands on all those involved in the supply chain. From the breeder to the multiplier to the DSV farms, every- one has to pull together. The common goal is to supply customers with high-quality seed as quickly as possible, because oilseed rape needs early sowing. Grass propagation as undersowing in cereals DSV was founded 100 years ago with the aim of pro- ducing forage plant seed, which was in short supply at the time. Initially, seed multiplication was concentrated on livestock farms and developed from a combination To ensure a stable supply of seed, far-sighted planning is essential. Here, the propagation com- panies and DSV advisors work hand in hand (left: Joachim Hütter, DSV; right: Jan Henkelmann, DSV propagator) 30 | Innovation 1/2023 of forage plant cultivation and seed production. This has changed in the meantime. Today, forage plants, es- pecially grasses, can be easily integrated into any crop rotation and can thus also be propagated by purely ar- able farms. The propagation areas should be as free as possible from weeds and grasses that are difficult to manage. An interesting option is to sow the grasses to be prop- agated in a young cereal stock (undersowing). After harvesting the grain, the grass plants develop rapidly and their seeds are then harvested as a seed in the fol- lowing year. DSV has been working on the undersowing method for a long time and has now perfected it for different forage plants. As the grasses have more time to develop as under- sown, they can form more organic root mass, which benefits the humus balance of the soil. Per hectare, 35–45 decitonnes of organic root dry matter are added to the soil annually with one-year seed use and 50- 60 decitonnes with two-year and multi-year seed use. This promotes aggregate stability in the crumb area, which means that the surfaces do not silt up so quickly and the soils are easier to work. In addition, there are specific phytosanitary effects that improve the growing conditions of the entire crop rotation. All this makes grass seed multiplication as an undersowing but also as a blank sowing additional particularly attractive for farmers. High seed yields with high qualities are at the top of the list of goals in grass seed cultivation. This is also the basis for the economic success of the propagators. Therefore, the seed yield of grasses is a very important breeding objective. In order to document breeding pro- gress, seed performance tests are performed annually at the breeding gardens on more than 2,500 plots with new variety candidates and evaluated. Own testing – optimised production technology DSV runs its own trials on all questions of production tech- nology. Field trials are conducted annually in the four Euro- pean production countries Germany, Poland, Denmark and the Netherlands, the results of which are transferred into fertilisation and plant protection strategies for practical use. In order to use all the knowledge gained in the field for this purpose, there is an intensive exchange of experi- ence within the international team of advisors. The use of machinery has also been continuously optimised in all propagations (grass seed, clover, hybrid oilseed rape). Today, DSV harvests a large part of the crops in conven- tional and organic seed multiplication using the swathing

SEEDS Good to know No seed without certification All seed production projects registered for propagation are subject to an official field inspection at least once a year, which is carried out according to the criteria of the country-specific variety and seed law. The most important points here are compliance with the legal minimum dis- tances, the assessment of foreign stock and the state of health. Only officially recognised propagation areas may subsequently be harvested as seed. The processed goods are examined by our own quality laboratories for purity, stocking and germination. Here, too, the standards set by law must be achieved so that the seed lot can be certified. We distinguish between dif- ferent stages in seed multiplication: • Pre-stage seed for the production of basic seed. • Basic seed for the production of certified seed. When harvesting grass seed, it is crucial to determine the exact time of harvesting because, depending on the moisture content, goods harvested too wet tend to heat up quickly themselves, which leads to losses in germination capacity. Post-control cultivation method. In this process, the crops are not threshed direct- ly “on the stalk”, but first mown and laid down in rows (swaths) for drying. This promotes the gentle drying of the seeds and thus the quality of the subsequent seed. Conclusion In the ever-changing world of agriculture, the production of fodder plant seed has retained its place and provides agriculture with high-quality seed. Since DSV was found- ed, seed production has been one of the main pillars of economic success and has developed into one of the leading international productions. The consistent further development of high-quality varieties with high seed po- tential as well as production technology continue to se- cure the future of propagation. An important part of this successful development is the good cooperation between the DSV cultivation advisors and the propagators who implement these developments on their farms. We, the team of the entire international field production, would like to take this opportunity to thank the DSV seed multi- pliers for their good and trusting cooperation. Joachim Hütter, Head of Field Production Grasses and Cover crops In order to verify the results of the field and health tests, samples of pre-basic seed from all lots produced are placed in post-control cultivation at the Federal Office of Plant Varieties. In this official control cultivation, it is checked whether the emergence is true to the variety and whether the health requirements are met. In the case of basic seed in Germany, it is up to the federal states and breeders to decide whether lots are to be test- ed in the post-control cultivation. After the successful completion of the field inspection and the quality test, the competent authority issues a certifi- cate of approval for the lot. Only now may the seed be sold as an individual component or further processed for the production of mixtures. Innovation 1/2023 | 31

MAIS MAIZE – A MULTITALENT FOR THE WORLD Maize is one of the most significant crops and one of the world’s most important staple foods. In society, maize has a rather poor reputation, which doesn’t do this multi-talent credit! Particularly, in the context of climate change and the reduction of fertilisers and pesticides, maize is a very attrac- tive crop rotation component. It may be cultivated on practically every continent due to the huge variety of types that have been created via selection and breeding. Explore the DSV maize portfolio: In many places of the world, maize is the most impor- tant staple food for the population and is also an effective choice to feed livestock. In 2021, maize was grown on 196 million hectares of land, which is just little less than the area used to grow wheat.Maize is grown for a varie- ty of purposes. The grains are utilized to provide food for people. They are also utilized as CCM (corn-cob mix) in animal feed. Chopped and ensiled, the entire plant is used as a high-energy feed ingredient in cattle feed. In addition, maize can be used as a renewable raw material to make bioethanol and electricity. Heat waste from biogas plants are utilized to heat homes and buildings. Even the maize spindle can be used as barbecue charcoal or a substitute for salt on the roads. Additionally, residual materials from the manufacture of maize are transformed into furniture panels or insulating materials. The starch from maize can be utilized to make biodegradable polymers. In conclusion, there are numerous potential uses for the crop maize. Superior than its reputation In society, cultivation of maize is frequently criticized and held responsible for environmental issues. How- ever, the maize plant is adapted to the conditions of climate change like no other arable cereal. Even at high temperatures, maize as C4 plant can utilise CO2 more effectively by separating carbon fixation and energy production. As a result, even in warm, dry conditions, C4 plants can produce more biomass than C3 plants like wheat, barley, and rye. In addition to a diverse crop rotation, sustainable maize cultivation is also characterised by the integration of catch crops and undersown crops to maintain soil fertility. One example of this is TerraLife®-SoilProtect. 32 | Innovation 1/2023

MAIS Additionally, maize is a crop with a high productivity per hectare. The international cultivation data for 2020–21 demonstrate this: The yield of grain maize (1,134 million tonnes) is the highest compared to wheat (773 million tonnes) and rice (504 million tonnes), despite the fact that its production area of 196,6 million hectares is less compared to that of wheat (221,9 million hectares) and rice (162,9 million hectares). These statistics decisively illustrate maize’s great crop yield, making it one of the most significant species in the world. Mixed Crops – Three Sisters Native Americans already practiced mixed farming with maize. For instance, the “Three Sisters” – a intercropping system of maize, climbing beans and pumpkins. Every crop fills a unique ecological niche. The maize serves as a climbing aid for the beans to reach the sunlight. The soil is shaded by the pumpkin, which lowers soil evaporation and prevents weed seeds from germinating. Even today, many different species are mixed together, such as maize and sorghum, maize and field or climbing beans, maize and sunflowers, maize and floral mixes, and many others. The interaction of diverse plant species pro- vides distinct benefits, such as atmospheric nitrogen fix- ation by legumes or increased protein content in silage. Under shifting climatic and political conditions, new inter- crops may provide further benefits. In the future, there will be numerous prospects for maize cultivation. Maize is far better than its reputation. Each crop has to be grown in an appropriate crop rotation with adaptive tillage and harvesting techniques to maintain soil fertility. In maize agriculture, undersowing and cover crops protect the soil from erosion and nitrate leaching, help to improve nutrient availability and make the soil more fertile. Modern Varieties – New Ways Today, a diverse range of maize cultivars with differ- ent usage foci are available as a result of precise plant breeding activities. The maize cultivars are classifed in different maturity groups ranging from very-early to very-late. A result of the intensive plant breeding activities is the lat- est segment of ultra-early maize varieties. These maize va- rieties can be integrated flexibly into the crop rotations as second crop or grown in marginal locations. These maize varieties are suitable for grain and biomass production. DSV’s ultra-early variety FLYNT, for example, can be grown well after early threshing barley. Because the hybrid is ready for harvest in fewer than 100 days, it is also conceiv- able to produce winter oilseed rape after this ultra-early maize variety. Statistics number source:: DMK, www.maiskomitee.de/Fakten/Statistik/Welt Maize and sorghum are two excellent mixing partners. In Germany, sorghum is still a relatively unknown crop. Even when compared to maize, the feed and energy crop has fewer soil require- ments and is more resilient to drought. It can absorb water and nutrients more efficiently because of its deep roots, and it continues to develop after a period of drought when precipitation set in. Another benefit of sorghum is that it not attractive to wild boars and pests such as maize rootworm and European corn borer. Finally, it expands crop rotation and boosts biodiversity in the field. Conclusion Maize is an old and globally important crop with high performance potential. It offers a wide range of uses and, as a C4 plant it adapts very well to warmer environmen- tal conditions. Furthermore, maize is a good partner for mixed crops and offers many combination possibilities. Ultra-early varieties can be grown as a second crop and thus make crop rotations more diverse. An optimal and crop rotation with catch crops and the integration of un- dersown crops in maize cultivation maintain both the pro- duction performance and the nutrients in the soil system. Nadja Rinke and Frank Trockels, Product Managers maize Innovation 1/2023 | 33

LUPIN WHITE LUPIN – FROM ZERO TO 30,000 HECTARES You can find a comprehensive guide to growing white lupin here White lupin has returned to agriculture. Newly bred, anthracnose-tolerant varieties have played a significant role in this positive development. Support programmes and the national protein strategy are also helping to bring white lupin back into focus as an interesting additional arable crop for a diverse crop rotation. The white lupine disappeared from our domestic fields for a long time. The reason for this was the fungal dis- ease anthracnose (Colletotrichum lupini). In the 1990s, it brought the cultivation of this grain legume to an almost complete standstill. With the approval of the anthracnose-tolerant DSV varieties FRIEDA and CELINA, the area under white lupin has increased from almost zero to about 30,000 hectares in Germany in the last three years. The call from politicians and society for a stronger protein supply from domestic production is becoming louder and louder – both for vegan and veg- etarian diets for people and for animal feed. The grain legume ‘white lupin’ has many positive properties that are gaining in importance again today: As an alterna- tive domestic protein source that provides high-quality GMO-free protein, it can replace soya. It is of great value in crop rotation because it binds atmospheric nitrogen, loosens the soil deeply and mobilises nutrients. In times of rising commodity prices and thus high input costs, white lupin can be highly interesting as an alternative crop and expand crop rotation. 34 | Innovation 1/2023