Speed breeding tools to improve red clover """"
- Reference number
- SM25-0041
- Project leader
- Abreha, kibrom Berhe
- Start and end dates
- 260101-271231
- Amount granted
- 585 320 SEK
- Administrative organization
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Research area
- Life Sciences
Summary
Developing improved red clover varieties, one of the most important fodder crops in Sweden and globally, using conventional breeding takes longer than 18 years. This project is aimed to speed up the breeding process to ensure access to high-yielding, climate-resilient, and nutritious red clover varieties by developing: (1) efficient emasculation and crossing method to improve hybrid seed production, 2) cloning methods to multiply superior genotypes, (3) speed breeding protocols to shorten life cycle of red clover genotypes, and (4) integrating these methods developed into genomics-led and conventional red clover breeding schemes. To achieve this, selected genotypes of red clover will be crossed using different emasculation-crossing techniques under various growth chamber conditions. Hybrid seeds from the crossing will be harvested and tested for germination and success of the hybridization will be confirmed by DNA sequencing. Hybrids will grow in speed breeding conditions and selected genotypes will be cloned to increase seed production. We will design a red clover breeding scheme involving the speed breeding, crossing, and cloning methods developed in this project. Among the expected out comes are shortening the time and resources required to develop varieties, increased success of hybridization between selected genotypes, enhanced seed production for testing desirable traits, improved genetic gain including adaptation, productivity, and fodder quality.
Popular science description
Forage crops and legumes are the principal source of nutrition for most livestock. Developing high-yielding, nutritious, and climate-resilient of forage crops can increase the availability and affordability of livestock products as well as reduce pressure on increasingly scarce land resources. But developing these improved varieties takes a long time and resources. For example, developing new varieties of red clover adapted to the Swedish and Nordic condition takes longer than 18 years. Red clover is a forage legume providing protein-rich feed for animals and plays crucial for ecosystem functioning as it can form useful association with bacteria that can convert atmospheric nitrogen to eco-friendly fertilizer. We should be able to develop improved varieties of this forage crop that can cope with the changing climate. Considering the importance of this fodder crop, in the current project we will develop innovative and efficient methods that will significantly reduce the time needed to develop the improved varieties and make them available for growers in Sweden, Nordic regions, and globally. Hence, in collaborative research between Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Lantmännen, breeding tools including efficient crossing and cloning techniques will be developed to increase seed production, we will shorten the life cycle of the plant in climate chamber conditions, and integrate these new methods to the current breeding practices at Lantmännen. This academy-industry partnership and the findings from this project will increase competitiveness of the Swedish industry, agricultural production, and contribute to self-suffiency.