Practical application of the biological progress in agriculture in conditions of the market economy

Edward Gacek

e.gacek@coboru.gov.pl
Centralny Ośrodek Badania Odmian Roślin Uprawnych, Słupia Wielka k. Poznania (Poland)

Marcin Behnke

Centralny Ośrodek Badania Odmian Roślin Uprawnych, Słupia Wielka k. Poznania (Poland)

Abstract

The Research Centre for Cultivar Testing (COBORU) in Słupia Wielka has been adapting cultivar testing and assessments to the market-oriented economy and the EU norms and standards. Within these activities COBORU has developed a new nation-wide cultivar testing system, called post-registration cultivar testing (PDO). Program PDO is officially accepted (Seed Act, 2003) and presently implemented in all administrative units (Voivodeships) in Poland. The main aim of PDO is to provide agricultural community with objective and updated information about Value for cultivation and use (VCU) of cultivars of the agricultural plant species from the National Register of Cultivars (KR) and from Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species (CCA), which exist on seed market in Poland. PDO system is developed on the basis of COBORU experimental network (testing stations) and another experimental units existing in our country. COBORU is legally responsible for the coordination of all activities in this system in cooperation with Voivodeship Self-Governments and Agriculture Chambers. On the basis of the results of PDO trials “The lists of recommended cultivars for cultivation within territory of the voivodeship” are published. Within the structure of PDO, “The National PDO Coordinating Council” was appointed, as a consultative body of COBORU Director General for PDO affairs. “PDO Coordinating Stations” were designated and “The Voivodeship PDO Councils” were nominated in each voivodeship. These bodies are responsible for PDO conducting on the territories of voivodeships. Benefits from the PDO: more effective use of the biological progress in agriculture and regular collecting of the reliable data on cultivars performance under different growing conditions, easier choosing by farmers the most suitable varieties for their farming conditions, both from KR and/or from CCA.

Keywords:

ost-registration Cultivar Testing system, The lists of recommended cultivars for cultivation within territory of the voivodeship, The National PDO Coordinating Council, The Voivodeship PDO Council, The PDO Coordinating Station