b'Not So Frequently Asked QuestionsPart 2ALL YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN EUROPE.BY: MARCEL BRUINSS ome time ago, I moderated the Workshop on Potentialities and Challenges of Breeding for the Vegetable Organic Systems in Almeria, Spain. Organic agriculture is a fast-growing sector in Europe covering 13.4 million hectares of agricultural land in the EU-28 (2018). With a steady growth in demand and a recent update to the EU Regulation on Organic Production, it was time for European Seed to dive into this sector. And rather than posing a few standard questions about organic breeding and organic agriculture I confronted the Workshop speakers with some deliberately thought-provok-ing statements which are often used by critics to undermine the organic sector. I wanted to allow the various presenters to provide their own answers to such criticism, so I spoke with Jaime Prohens, Director at the Institute for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agro-diversity (COMAV) at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) in Spain, Teodoro Cardi, Director of the Research Centre for Vegetables and Ornamental Crops in Italy, and with Csar Gonzalez, Manager Public Affairs at Euroseeds in Brussels, Belgium.ES: WOULD YOU AGREE THAT HETEROGENEOUS VARIETIES ARE BEST SUITABLE FOR THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE GROWER HAS LITTLE TO NO CONTROLTomato plants grown in the organic experimental farm in Monsampolo del Tronto, Italy, in the framework of the Bresov project.OVER BIOTIC OR ABIOTIC STRESSES? Photo courtesy of Dr. G. Campanelli.Yes, heterogeneous varieties and in general more genetically diverse agricultural systems provide stability in the production when conditions involve the presence of stresses, particularlyES: ONE COULD ARGUE THAT A HIGH LEVEL OF when they are unpredictable, says Prohens. UNIFORMITY MAKES A VARIETY VERY SUITABLE FOR Maybe yes, maybe not, says Gonzalez. Heterogeneity mayORGANIC FARMING BECAUSE IT WOULD BE EASIER TO entail agronomic benefits in cultivation under certain sub-opti- CARRY OUT MECHANISED WEED CONTROL, LEAD TO mal conditions. For instance, restrictions in the use of pesticidesA REDUCED TIME FOR HARVEST & PACKAGING AND and fertilizers lead to lower potential yields, as it is the case inRESULT IN REDUCED CO2 EMISSIONS. WHAT IS YOUR organic farming, he adds. In this case, organic heterogeneousTAKE ON THIS?material can become a buffer against environmental hazardsI think it would be good to separate and understand that and loss of production. organic and sustainable are not synonyms, says Gonzalez, indi-In some other cases, heterogeneous material may also rep- cating that organic farming has brought conventional agricul-resent a higher plant health risk due to earlier breakthroughs ofture some very positive things to improve sustainability but the resistance or higher pest and disease pressure on the field (i.e.same should be true the other way around. More uniformity Phytophthora in potatoes). He shares that other disadvantagesand higher performance per hectare lead to less CO2 emissions linked to the use of heterogeneous material in agriculture are(and other GHG) which, therefore, serves sustainability. Both different growth rates, crop cycles, maturity index, ripeningorganic and conventional farming have a duty to fulfil to achieve season, etc. sustainability. Cardi says that it is probably true. While heterogeneity isWhile Cardi thinks that it is generally true, Prohens mentions good for genes/alleles related to resistance/tolerance to stresses,that phenotypic uniformity does not mean genetic uniformity. it can be detrimental when it applies to harvesting time, fruitThere are landraces and other improved materials that, despite quality, etc, especially if you think to industrial processingdisplaying high levels of genetic diversity, are very uniform in their Cardi says. characteristics. Also, use of mixtures of crops, such as cereals with 24IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'