Organic Variety Testing - Qualitative content analysis approach to assess organic variety testing, case study of Germany

This research work will contribute to a better understanding of variety testing as a potential barrier to release of organic varieties. The German system of organic registration and post-registration testing of agricultural plant and vegetable species is compared to other systems in EU Member States. Expert interviews with the Federal Plant Variety Office, three coordinators of post-registration trials of Federal State Offices, and seven breeders throughout Germany are qualitatively analysed in order to identify advantages and disadvantages of the existing testing system. Within this context, the following hypotheses are examined: (1) The definition of “organic varieties suitable for organic production”, in the new organic regulation (EU) 2018/848, represents a restriction of varieties available to organic farmers; (2) Variety testing under organic conditions is necessary to identify organic agricultural plant and vegetable species suitable for organic agriculture (OA); (3) Current DUS (distinctness, uniformity, stability) and VCU (value for cultivation and use) protocols are inadequate for assessing organic varieties. Testing criteria need to be adapted to the needs of the organic sector; and (4) EU Member States should strive for harmonised implementation and standardised methods to expand the variety assortment for the organic sector. (1) The definition for “organic varieties suitable for organic production” leaves freedom for interpretation, and thus, hampers with its uniform implementation throughout the EU. (2) Variety testing under organic conditions is necessary to identify certain traits in agricultural crops and vegetables which are important for OA. However, unclarity exists regarding the design of organic variety testing and whether organic and conventional trials can be combined in order to more efficiently reach the same conclusion. (3) Current DUS and VCU protocols are designed for crops with major economic importance and inadequate for minor crops. Alternative registration options are regarded as restrictive and do not offer the possibility of variety protection. Thus, a need is identified to adapt DUS and VCU protocols. Disagreement exists in regard to the way of adaptation. (4) Throughout the EU, variety testing takes place at different levels of organisational structure and trial design. Standardisation of organic variety testing can improve the quality of testing, and thereby, increasing the volume of organic seeds and adapted varieties. Governmental support of organic breeding and organic variety testing is crucial