Projects

Aside from our breeding program in ultra early maize, we work on integrating crops in sustainable breeding systems and concepts. Because of this, we are involved with public-private programs (PPS) and projects of among others Louis Bolk Institute, Wageningen University & Research and LTO-Noord. These projects are with Nordic Maize breeding either as a project partner, leader or initiator.

Stimulating CO2 reducing crop rotation by double cropping in livestock farming - VI19IK030

In the current livestock farming roughage (such as grass or maize) are being bred in mono cropping while a big proportion of the protiën in the livestock nutrition, such as soy, are being imported from countries like South America. One of the consequences of mono cropping is reducing the formation of organic matter in the soil and capturing CO2. Import of (high in protiën) livestock feeds forms a significant CO2 footprint on livestock farming. In this project crops and varieties are developed in favour of breeding systems, creating more organic matter, capturing CO2 in the soil and reducing import of necessary livestock feeds. Producing these livestock feeds regionally decreases the CO2 footprint on livestock farming.

Stimulating and developing protiën and fodder concentrate crops for Northern Netherlands - VI20I001

Livestock farming in the north of the Netherlands is strongly depending on import of fodder concentrates from abroad. Alternative fodder concentrate crops such as grain maize and protiën crops are under the current climatic conditions in the Northern Netherlands, not or limited suitable for regional breeding as an alternative fodder concentrate. In this project genetic sources of alternative concentrate crops are tested in order to develop robust and adapted prototypes for the Northern Netherlands.