Hybrid technology: the wheat of the future is already at Saaten-Union.

Transcription

1 Hybrid technology: the wheat of the future is already at Saaten-Union. Breeding for the future

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3 HYBRID TECHNOLOGY The wheat of the future is already at Saaten-Union With its breeding and production expertise, Saaten-Union is the leading hybrid wheat seed producer today. Hybrid wheat offers many advantages over conventional wheat in terms of yield, consistency and quality. The groundbreaking efforts made by the Saaten-Union team ensures the development of new varieties on a regular basis. High yielding and consistent, these new hybrids are also bred with increased consideration for the environment. Hybrid wheat therefore presents itself as an important tool for current and future farming practices. Saaten-Union is convinced that hybrid cereals are of major interest and, armed with its current technological edge, it deploys all of its know-how to explore the paths leading to the hybrids of tomorrow. We invite you to share all this potential progress as from today. Guillaume de Castelbajac Managing Director, Saaten-Union Recherche 3

4 HYBRID WHEAT ADVANTAGES A response to the demands of the Agriculture of Today and Tomorrow Hybrid wheat is produced by crossing two pure lines. It therefore has twofold genetic information: from both the male parent and from the female parent. The hybrid is seen to have a higher agronomic value than its parents: the term used to describe this is hybrid vigour or heterosis. This trait is expressed in the yield potential and consistency and the grain quality. The hybrid wheat therefore highlights economic, agronomic, technological and environmental advantages. Better yields Bordure maritime Nord Nord Picardie Champagne Lorraine Alsace Bourgogne Franche Comté Beauce Brie Nord Bretagne et Pays de Loire Sud Bretagne et Pays de Loire Poitou Charentes Berry Perche Limousin Auvergne Sud Est Sud Ouest ,2 109,8 107,8 108,1 110,4 108,9 113,6 112,2 108,8 110,1 110,1 111,6 110,4 + 8,7 dt/ha Yield (%) HYSTAR regional performances/ap. early market control (trials harvested from 2006 to Saaten-Union database) Although heterosis is weaker in wheat, a self-pollinating plant, than in plants like maize, some hybrid wheats can increase yield by more than 15% when compared to the average of their parents, and even more in stressful conditions. The thousand grain weight (TGW) - higher in hybrid wheat - is the component most responsible for yield gain. The grain filling duration is the same but the grain filling rate is faster for hybrids than for conventional varieties. The hybrid also accumulates more dry matter after flowering. Increased consistency An even greater advantage of hybrid wheats than the yield potential is the consistency: they tolerate difficult conditions better. Hybrid wheats thus secure the yield from one year to the next. They not only enhance performance from difficult fields (drought-prone or waterlogged soils), they also optimise the overall gross margin. This increased consistency is explained by the extraordinary proven compensatory ability of hybrid wheat from crop establishment until very late in the growing season; it demonstrates especially this advantage over self-pollinating wheats during grain filling (with a high TGW). Another explanation lies in the vigour of the hybrid wheat root system: numerous trials have demonstrated that the hybrid develops a far more powerful root system than its parents. Control HYBRID Behaviour in waterlogged soil 4

5 More stable technological value Hybrid wheat has excellent grain filling properties, both for starch which normally means high thousand grain weights and for protein content. Several tests by technical institutes have shown that hybrids have a protein content similar to their parents despite a higher yield. There was therefore no dilution effect. The genes dealing with protein synthesis have additive effects. Experiments have also shown that hybrid wheat is more technologically stable from one year to the next or one place to the next. The hybrid wheat varieties are also proving more tolerant to Fusarium Ear blight that are a known source of mycotoxins potentially affecting the quality of the flour and the grain price the grower receives. Several factors dictate this favourable behaviour, including taller straw keeping the ear away from the soil-borne inoculum. Greater consideration of production-related environmental constraints The hybrid wheat s more powerful root system not only contributes to more consistent yields but also makes better use of the nitrogen in the soil provided by fertilisers or the mineralisation of the organic matter. Overall disease resistance is a major criterion in the Saaten-Union breeding process. Hybrid wheats routinely show a healthy profile and are noted for the little difference between treated and un-treated situations. Hybrid wheats thus facilitate integrated fungicide application as closely as possible to control investment and limit the dispersion of active ingredients into the environment. 1 Transmission of resistance genes from at least one parent 2 Greater distance between ear and soil Ascospores in the soil Improved tolerance to Fusarium Head Blight 5

6 HYBRID WHEAT BREEDING A range of highly-specialised know-how to breed the best varieties Saaten-Union carries out the bulk of its hybrid wheat breeding work on its site at Estrées-Saint- Denis (Oise) in France. Work is also carried out at Boehnshausen (Saxony-Anhalt) in Germany on the later maturing varieties. BREEDING OF ADAPTED PARENT LINES The search for interesting parental lines, either as pollinators or as seed plants (aptitude for sterilisation and cross-fertilisation, seed yield) focuses not only on lines taken from conventional Saaten-Union programmes but also the genetic material from numerous public and private partner plant breeders. Saaten-Union also carries out research centred specifically on breeding parent lines suitable for producing high-performing hybrid wheats. These lines will never be marketed and will be propagated exclusively as hybrid parents. Breeding the highest-performing crosses About two thousand experimental hybrids are created every year. A first choice is made on the quality of the seed production. The hybrids retained are then tested for their agronomic value in the group s European network, one of the largest in Europe, especially in the major wheat-producing countries - France, Germany, England and Poland. Registration Hybrids with a favourable commercial seed yield and with good agronomic and technological value are submitted for listing. Between two and five hybrids are submitted each year. At the same time, the crosses are tested for their ability to produce seed in various French soil and climatic conditions and with various dose rates of the hybridisation agent, CROISOR. 6

7 New varieties help make regular inroads into the market A dozen hybrid varieties are currently propagated and marketed. A fairly low figure compared with the number bred. It is fairly easy to list varieties in the official catalogue given their higher yield compared to the controls, which are self-pollinating varieties. They will only be developed, however, if their seed production is neither too random nor too costly and if they have enough agronomic and technological benefits to justify the high cost of seed to farmers. Total sales of Saaten-Union hybrid wheat seed in 2011 accounted for over units of 750,000 grains, comprising nearly 80% in France and 20% in other countries. These figures have been increasing constantly for several years. Given that an average sowing rate is estimated at between 1.6 and 1.8 units/hectare, about 200,000 ha are cultivated with hybrid wheat, including 170,000 in France. TRENDS IN AREAS SOWN WITH HYBRID WHEAT IN FRANCE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS Hybrid wheat surfaces (ha) Years 7

8 HYBRID WHEAT SEED PRODUCTION Basic principles and large-scale application Hybrid wheat is the result of crossing two lines of wheat: One is male-sterile (it does not produce viable pollen): this is the «female» parent line. The other is the «male» parent: its role is to pollinate the «female» parent. The grain harvested from the female parent forms the hybrid seed. Wheat hybridisation principle The floral biology of the wheat has to be modified to produce the hybrid wheat seed. Wheat is in fact naturally self-pollinating and fertilisation takes place in a self-contained environment made up of husks enclosing the pistils and stamens. Hybridisation is performed manually (removal of stamens then pollination by another wheat) during the breeding process. This is of course impossible in large-scale seed production. The second, which is fairly complex but has numerous advantages, is the use of a Chemical Hybridisation Agent (CHA), similar to a growth regulator, which prevents pollen grains from forming and produces a male-sterile wheat: the «female». In a seed grower s field, the «male» parent and the «female» parent are sown in alternate strips between three to eight metres wide. The female parent is treated with CHA and the flowers of treated plants become male-sterile. These flowers are then fertilised with pollen produced by the plants in the adjacent untreated «male» strips. The grain harvested from the «female» strips forms the hybrid seed. Saaten-Union produces all of its hybrid wheat seed in France using its hybridisation agent CROISOR. Its active ingredient has been registered in Annex 1 therefore securing this product for the forseeable future. October April-May June August Sowing Chemical Hybridisation Agent (CHA) Fertilisation Harvest Pollinator Apache POLLEN Large-scale production techniques There are two potential large-scale techniques: the first is the use of genetic systems combining genetic male sterility and fertility restoration (CMS system cytoplasmic male sterility). This technique is used widely in certain species like sunflower and oilseed rape but is not yet particularly widespread in wheat. Work is continuing in this area, however, including at Saaten- Union. Seed plant Pollinator Seed plant QH 529 Apache QH 529 Croisor CHA Croisor CHA Pollen-free «QH 529» Pollen-free «QH 529» POLLEN HYSTAR HYSTAR 8

9 Organising production Seed production knowhow is crucial to successful commercial development of hybrids. If the hybrid wheat seed is too difficult to produce, its cost becomes prohibitive for the farmer and the risks (during poor production years) too high for anyone producing seed. The failure to develop listed hybrids in the mid-1980s was due to this difficulty in producing seed. Given the production vagaries and therefore the financial risks, it is inconceivable to delegate the production under licence to seed production companies as is normally the case for conventional wheat varieties. In addition, some varieties have to be produced in very precise conditions (for example with irrigation) that are not necessarily prevalent in the regions where the seed will be used. Saaten-Union therefore takes on the production risk by signing sub-contractor contracts at guaranteed prices with partner seed companies located in theoretically favourable areas and by spreading the production of a same variety over several regions to pool the variations in yield. Saaten-Union establishes about eight to ten thousand hectares of contract every year. This represents about four to five thousand hectares of seed with about fifteen organisations and 400 to 600 farmers who propagate hybrid wheat. The highly-demanding production of hybrid wheat seed is a chance for them to showcase their technical expertise. 9

10 ORGAINISING PRODUCTION Technical sophistication and constant concern for quality from the field to the seed station In the field: Technical aspects from sowing to harvest Each organisation has one (or more) registered technician(s) specially trained for the production of hybrid wheat seed having received specific training. This technician trains and advises growers and inspects their cropping systems. The registered technicians are themselves assisted in their task by the Saaten-Union production technicians. The use of CROISOR satisfies stringent requirements of application stage, dose rate and combination with adjuvants. The Saaten-Union production team supervises this intervention closely to optimise its result. Quality control in the field To ensure that the seed-bearing plants have been sterilised properly and therefore the grains they bear do indeed come from cross-fertilisation by the pollinator, anti-pollen cages are placed in the «female» strips after treatment and before flowering. The cages are removed shortly before harvesting and checks are made for any presence of grains (a sign of self-fertilisation) in the ears under the cages: the ears must be empty of grain (5% tolerance, a threshold viewed as necessary to ensure 90% hybrid grains minimum which is the marketing standard). Otherwise, the production is refused and sold as feed wheat. If doubt exists, the genetic identity is checked by electrophoresis on a sample of harvested grains. 10

11 At the seed processing plant: The optical sorter is a real plus for seed quality Hybrid wheat seed is produced by crossing two lines, where one is made male-sterile. The spikelets of this female line are never fertilised 100%, whilst through a longer period of the opening of the glumes the ears are made more sensitive to contamination by ergot ascospores. Ergot is found in all soils, conveyed by grass host plants. It is therefore virtually impossible to prevent this fully in the field (despite mandatory soil cultivation). The optical sorter separates the sclerotia very efficiently. And given the importance of this tool for the quality of the seed obtained, as well as its cost, Saaten-Union helped to finance the optical sorting equipment in hybrid wheat seed processing plants. Virtually all fifteen plants should be equipped with these sorters within the next two years. A coating technology that is moving forward for greater comfort and safety The high genetic value of the hybrid wheat means improving the level of seed processing. The coating agent HybriCoat, a microporous film applied to the surface of the seed, improves coverage and uniformity of the seed treatment as well as grain flow in the drill. This coating is specific for hybrid wheat was adopted as soon as it was launched. The bright, silvery HybriCoat has the additional advantage of tracking the seeds in the furrow. Dosing and choice of coating products are reviewed regularly to optimise seed coverage and limit the risk of dust emissions as much as possible. 11

12 HYBRID WHEAT A SUCCESS STORY Intuition, perseverance and innovation: the hybrid advance Saaten-Union became the leader in hybrid wheat seed when it bought out the relevant activities of the companies HybriTech and Hybrinova between 2000 and But Saaten-Union s interest in this groundbreaking technology is not recent. Origins A federal hybrid wheat programme was launched in the United States in the 1930s in the wake of research into maize. The discovery of the sterilising values of CHA (Chemical Hybridisation Agents) triggered both public and private research programmes. 1963: Research into hybrid wheat starts at INRA, France, focused mainly on breeding : Orsan/Claeys-Luck in France and HybriTech (Monsanto) announce that they are commencing research into wheat using distinctive CHAs created in their own laboratories. 1985: INRA s first hybrid wheat COURTEL is listed in the official French catalogue. No commercial development due to the lack of CHA efficient enough to produce it. 1985: Setting up of HybriTech Europe, whose breeder comes from Nordsaat (member of Saaten-Union). Cooperation commences between Nordsaat and HybriTech, resulting in the creation and listing of several joint hybrids. 1992: Hybrinova established to develop the Hybrid Wheat project initiated by Orsan. A A x B = F1 B First commercial hybrids 1993: The chemical hybridisation agents CROISOR (Hybrinova) and GENESIS (Monsanto) receive provisional marketing authorisation in France. 1994: Listing of first commercially-developed hybrids: HYNO-PRECIA from Hybrinova and DOMINO from HybriTech. 1998: DuPont de Nemours buys out Hybrinova. Listing of MERCURY, a joint HybriTech/Nordsaat (Saaten- Union) new variety, which rapidly becomes the most grown hybrid wheat. 1999: German listing of the first Nordsaat hybrid, HYBNOS 1. Sales of hybrid wheat in France increase steadily and rapidly between 1995 and 2000, up to over 100,000 hectares. 12

13 Saaten-Union, major player 2000: Strategic decision by Monsanto to withdraw from hybrid wheat. Saaten-Union takes over the HybriTech hybrid varieties and signs an agreement with DuPont to use CROISOR under licence given that it is more reliable than GENESIS in the long term. 2006: Listing of HYMACK 2007: Listing of HYSTAR. 2010: Listing of HYBERY 2011: European registration of Sintofen, the active ingredient of CROISOR, ensures the survival of this hybrid wheat seed production technology. 2011: With the registration of HYTECK, Saaten- Union lists a hybrid wheat variety for biscuit-making for the first time. Two other hybrid wheats, HYXTRA and HYXPRESS, are listed at the same time, thereby illustrating the dynamism. Sintofen molecule, active ingredient of CROISOR - CHA. 2002: DuPont also decides to withdraw from hybrid wheat which it deems non-profitable and sells its business to Saaten-Union including CROISOR. The Saaten-Union, HybriTech and Hybrinova expertise and products are grouped within a single company. Saaten-Union becomes the undisputed leader with more than 95% of this market. 2003: Listing of HYSUN : Having restructured the product ranges by setting aside non-profitable varieties and markets, Saaten-Union relaunches the sales of hybrid wheats in France and Germany and introduces them into several European countries. 13

14 SAATEN-UNION RECHERCHE BP Estrées-Saint-Denis - France Tel: Fax: saaten@saaten-union.fr RCS Paris B June