NPZ HQ, Hohenlieth, Germany

NPZ Lembke has a long run of success over the years.  As one example, Fuego - the leading spring bean variety in the UK - is actually a Lembke variety that Nickerson markets under previous agreements.  But the newly PGRO-listed spring bean variety Fury will be marketed by LSPB direct.

 We will increasingly see the results of the huge investment that NPZ Lembke have put into their breeding programme.  While they have kept their offices in the historic, traditional north German farm at their base in Hohenleith, north Germany, round the corner is a brand new, state-of-the-art €8 million seed facility. 

This typifies Lembke’s philosophy of keeping the best of a traditional approach – while investing in the latest technology - and that is seen in personal dedication to their varieties. 

This approach to breeding surely comes from the fact that, as a family-owned company, they are unusual in a world of breeders owned and run by multi-nationals.   However, they are not disadvantaged by this and have a network of international relationships in over 30 countries in Europe and beyond.  This gives access to new germplasm, techniques and different climatic condition to test new breeding material.

 

In addition to classical plant breeding, Lembke are involved with a range of techniques across the various crop groups.  For example, in vitro-tissue culture-techniques, marker-assisted selection and in-vitro analysis of resistance are integrated into the breeding process.

Plant breeding today does not really differ in its essentials from the plant breeding of the past. It is still a time-intensive process requiring patience and, while technology supports ambitious objectives and plays a huge part in optimising the efficiency of the process, the basic process is that breeding objectives are determined and then patiently followed over the course of many years - often over a decade - until the resulting high performing varieties are available to growers.

There many more promising varieties in the system, ranging from those about to enter official trials this year to others that are still tiny seedlings in the breeder’s glasshouse.  But, in summary, growers can look forward to a continuing stream of varieties with improved yield, agronomy and end market outlets.