Innovativer Schweizer Obstbau.

14 nurserymen and experts from the Laimburg Research Centre visited two of the five offices of the research institute Agroscope, the nursery Dickenmann in Ellighausen, and the pilot plant for fruit cultivation Güttingen.
The office of Agroscope in Reckenholz works, among others, with molecular biology and genetics. In this centre, the visitors saw a field trial with cisgenic Gala apples, which were provided with a resistance-gene against fireblight. However, in order to reduce the risk of anti-resistance capacities, not only one but several resistance-genes should be combined.
Another breeding-method is “Early Flowering”. Here, a gene of the birch tree is used to reduce the juvenile phase significantly. “Fast Track Breeding” is another promising breeding method. The juvenile phase of the seedlings is reduced, while the flower formation is triggered to be earlier and the entire breeding process is shortened. The advantage of this method is that no changes of the genetic make-up of the plants are made.
The second office of Agroscope that the nurserymen and experts visited is Wädenswil, where they could observe a nuclear stock for the conservation of fruit trees free of viruses. The nuclear stock is protected against vectors by an insect protection net and a garden foil. Next to the nuclear stock, the visitors were able to see a thermotherapy-system: a room in which the temperature, the humidity and the exposure to light can be controlled. This is important to clear the trees of viruses and phytoplasmas.
At the nursery Dickenmann, one of the largest nurseries in Switzerland, the nurserymen visited parts of the 24 ha used for variety and rootstock testing. The nursery Dickenmann has a strong collaboration with the Institute for experimental botany in Prague. Thus, the nursery conducts trials with the newest cultures from the Czech Republic with different rootstocks.
Finally, the delegation visited the Research and Training Centre Güttingen, situated in Thurgau, the canton with the largest fruit cultivation. Here, more than 100 varieties are tested. In addition, the experts of this centre conduct trials with different cultivation methods, the management of beneficials, methods for the control of fireblight, and methods for the control of pests.

Cisgenetic breeding

In cisgenetics, the genetic material derives from the same class of plants. The advantage of cisgenetics is that it reduces the time span of breeding significantly. Cisgenetic plants are genetically modified organisms. Thus, the experts of Agroscope need to meet very strict security measures in order to prevent the contamination of the environment through pollen.

Publications

Südtiroler Landwirt, Nr. 20, 61-62

Innovativer Schweizer Obstbau Published: 11-11-2016

Documents

Innovativer Schweizer Obstbau () Innovation in the Swiss fruit cultivation

Details

Activity type

Publication in technical journal

Activity work package

Performance of new fruit varieties

Activity number

Laimburg-WP2-A72

Activity contact

Walter Guerra
Laimburg Research Centre
Laimburg 6 - Pfatten
I-39040 Post Auer (BZ), Italy
[email protected]

Activity partner

Laimburg

Activity country

Italy

Last edit

16-08-2017