Focus crops: Bread wheat, durum wheat, and potato

Map with SolACE project partners and experiments. Map: Philippe Hinsinger, INRA

Bread wheat. Photo: Photo: Matthias Klaiss, FiBL — Wheat is more and more exposed to water and nitrogen deficits in the context of present-day European agriculture. Photo: Matthias Klaiss FiBL

Trial fields with wheat — Durum wheat trials in the South of Italy. Photo: Nicola Pecchioni, CREA

The choice of the SolACE focus crops - bread wheat, durum wheat, and potato - is based on their economic importance in Europe and for food security at a global level.

Wheat (bread and durum) represents almost 50 % of the European harvested cereal area and production (121 million hectares; 528 million tons), while
Potato is the largest non-cereal crop (5.6 million hectares) produced in Europe according to FAOSTAT.

These crops also represent different production systems, with contrasting biology (especially below-ground), agri-food targets (grain versus tuber crop) and responses to abiotic stresses:

Wheat is increasingly exposed to water and nitrogen deficits in European agriculture. This is especially at stake for durum wheat in Mediterranean regions, while
Potato production is sensitive to reduced inputs of nitogen and phophorous fertilizers.

Water limitation will affect nutrient availability and acquisition in general.

Different strategies and tools are being developed in SolACE for breeding and managing these diverse crops in order to improve their water and nutrient use efficiency, in the context of conventional, organic and conservation agriculture systems.

The novel solutions developed in SolACE serve as models for developing similar approaches in other important crops.

More information

FAO.org: Crops