The availability of rye varieties in Switzerland is rather modest. On the basis of a variety trial, further varieties are to be tested and included in the variety list.
In conventional agriculture, mainly hybrid varieties are used in rye cultivation, which have a significantly higher yield potential compared to population varieties. In organic farming, only population varieties are allowed and the use of hybrid varieties is controversial. On the basis of several variety trials, the cultivation advantages and disadvantages of population and hybrid varieties are to be determined.
The cereal breeder Peter Kunz has selected three promising population varieties in several years of exact trials. These will be compared with the most common hybrid varieties for further evaluation.
Varietal diversity forms the basis for a site-adapted choice of varieties. Resistance is broken down in the course of time. Therefore, the selection of new varieties by means of variety testing on organic farms forms the basis for established rye cultivation.
