From the genebank to the dinner table: A journey through research, breeding and conservation
Three days in Denmark gave the NordGen staff an opportunity to lift the gaze from daily routines and gain a broader perspective on Nordic cooperation and innovative approaches to conserving genetic resources.
This year's annual staff trip took NordGen to Flakkebjerg, Aarhus and Randers. By exploring our mission beyond the office walls, we returned to Alnarp and Ås with new contacts, knowledge and inspiration to bring back into our work. Among other things, we saw how our seed samples are put to practical use in promoting sustainable agricultural practices and tasted food prepared from Nordic heritage crops.
No bees, no seeds
During our visit to Aarhus University's Department of Agroecology and the Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics in Flakkebjerg, we gained firsthand insight into research initiatives in plant breeding and plant protection.
Senior researcher Birte Boelt presented both the historical importance of clover in agriculture and the challenges facing modern clover seed production. Red clover has played a central role due to its ability to fix nitrogen and improve soil fertility, while white clover was described as one of the most unpredictable crops to cultivate, with successful seed production depending entirely on pollination. To address these challenges, an EU-funded project is currently investigating how different red clover varieties and pollinators influence seed set, while the Bio4Seed project is developing methods for the biological control of pests in open-field seed crops, with the aim of strengthening more sustainable seed production.
We also learned about the work of the Global Rust Reference Center (GRRC), which focuses on monitoring and research related to wheat yellow rust and stem rust, as well as the development of early warning systems. The centre manages around 30,000 rust samples, including material dating back to the 1950s, and analyses both pathogen characteristics and genetic variation to track disease development and identify emerging threats. The goal is to enable preventive measures before outbreaks gain a stronger foothold.
Future-friendly farming
The role of digitalisation in the agriculture of the future was a recurring theme throughout the visit, both at Aarhus University and at the other study destinations.
We were introduced to precision agriculture with a focus on weeds and crop diseases. Through digital field mapping, so-called spot spraying can reduce the use of plant protection products by enabling more targeted applications. Associate Professor and Section Head René Gislum also outlined some of the key issues currently shaping the Danish agricultural debate, where nitrogen management and the ambition to phase out pesticides are central topics. This transition is closely linked to political regulation, while new fertilisation standards and economic incentives point towards possible pathways for the farming systems of the future.
In Randers, NordGen visited Viking Genetics, where we saw how long-term breeding efforts can contribute to a more competitive and sustainable agricultural sector.
Senior researcher Morten Kargo explained how breeding decisions are guided by the Nordic Total Merit (NTM) index, a comprehensive breeding index that combines around 90 heritable traits related to production, health, fertility, longevity and feed efficiency, among others. The purpose is to strengthen the genetic potential of livestock populations across generations and to combine profitability with functionality by breeding animals that are productive, healthy and resilient. At the same time, it was emphasised that breeding is a long-term endeavour, with the results of today's decisions often becoming visible only three to seven years later.
Taken together, the visit illustrated how genetic research, digital technologies and continued investment in research and development are being used to strengthen both productivity and sustainability in Nordic agriculture.
Conserving through use
One of the final study visits took us to Biosfæren in Randers, an initiative currently under development with the ambition of becoming a national centre for the conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources. Here, we encountered a vision of how research, gene banks and knowledge-sharing can be brought together under one roof to address the ongoing biodiversity crisis. Through plans that include a cryogenic gene bank and new forms of collaboration between researchers, businesses and the public, Biosfæren aims to make conservation a matter that engages far more than just specialists.
A practical example of how this vision can be realised was presented through Origenal. The initiative is built on a simple but powerful idea: what is used and valued is also more likely to be conserved. By creating markets for products derived from traditional livestock breeds and heritage crops, Origenal helps keep genetic resources alive and relevant. Several of the crops used are grown from seed material conserved by NordGen, demonstrating how material from gene banks can find its way back to fields, kitchens and dinner tables.
This year's staff trip revolved around the same central question: how can we conserve genetic resources for the future by actively using them in the present? From plant breeding and animal breeding to biodiversity and food production, the study visits showed that genetic resources form a living link between past, present and future. By conserving, developing and using these resources, we strengthen the foundations for the agriculture and food systems of tomorrow.