b'PARTNER CONTENT75 Years of Experience, History and Desire to Develop Czech BreedingBy: V rai icov, head of Hrub ice Breeding StationD o you know where Limagrains robust cereal breedingriessince 1972, varieties such as Ametyst, Favorit, Spartan and program started? Thanks to favorable soil and climaticHeran have been significantly influencing the yield and quality conditions cereal breedingwhich has been evolving forof malting barley production in the former Czechoslovakia for 20 more than 150 yearsbegan in the Han region in Czech Repub- years. lic. At first, the main method of breeding was mass selection. InIn the 1990s, breeding focused on the creation of intensive the 1880s, Emanuel Proskowetz used the method of individual se- varieties for malting and feed purposes. Here I cannot omit the lection and in 1884 the first variety, Proskowetzuv Han pedigre,Tolar etalon varietythe benchmark of quality for Czech beer as was created. It crossed the borders of its region and became thewell as the Malz variety, probably the most successful Czech vari-most cultivated variety in the former Austria-Hungarian Empire.etywhich is still in demand not only in the Czech Republic but The unique conditions and the development of the processingalso abroad. At the end of its decade, the malting varieties Rade-industry were a prerequisite for the systematic breeding of cereals,gast and Bojos were registered, followed in 2013 by another great especially malting barley. Until the middle of the 20th century,variety, Laudis 550. All of them are recommended for the produc-breeding was essentially fragmented into smaller, often non- tion of Czech beer; Bojos has become the most important variety specialized breeding units. The specialization of the stations wasfor the production of classic Czech lagers with the highest quality necessitated by the further development of breeding. and has been the most requested variety of important maltings. But, this story is actually about an important breeding sta- The breeding station in Hrub ice also gave rise to the popular feed tion. Limagrains Plant Select Breeding Station is located in thevarieties Aktiv, Azit and Heris.village of Hrub ice, Czech Republic, near Prost jov, in the heartWe continue to draw on our rich history and experience to of the Han region. Founded in 1948, it is a beet-growing produc- this day. Our varieties have been producing quality beer, baked tion area with fertile humic soils, an altitude of 210 m above seagoods and much more for 75 years. The desire to contribute to level, an average annual temperature of 8.6 C and average annualour society, to keep moving forward, and to deliver the best to our rainfall of 560 mm. The breeding station initially focused oncustomers and partners has motivated us since the beginning and maintenance breeding and breeding of different types of field andwe believe it will continue to do so! garden crops. In 1955, cereal breeding was moved to Hrub ice from the station in Kralice na Han. In the breeding stations long history, many excellent breeders and authors of successful varieties have flourished here. For example, for spring barely, the Diamond Se-JUNE 2023 SEEDWORLD.COM /41'