?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Report+on+quality+characteristics+of+varieties+to+be+used+in+organic+farming&rft.creator=Micheloni%2C+C.&rft.creator=Plakolm%2C+G.&rft.subject=Crop+health%2C+quality%2C+protection&rft.subject=+Regulation&rft.subject=+Breeding%2C+genetics+and+propagation&rft.description=The+key+questions+which+will+be+addressed+in+this+report+are%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Which+variety+characteristics+are+important+for+organic+farming+and+are+they+different+from+conventional+farmers+demand%3F%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+What+is+an+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cappropriate%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9C+variety+for+organic+farming%3F%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Is+the+actual+variety+offer+available+to+organic+farmers+satisfactory%3F+Is+it+different+per+crops+type+and%2For+per+geographic+area%3F%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+How+should+variety+trials+be+conducted+in+order+to+supply+the+information+needed+by+organic+operators%3F%0D%0AThe+main+answers+may+be+synthesized+as+follows%3A%0D%0ACharacteristics+of+varieties+to+be+used+in+organic+farming+are+partly+different+from+the+ones+requested+in+conventional+farming.+Main+differences+are+related+to+yield+stability%2C+processing+properties+and+root-system+development%3B%0D%0AThe+definition+of+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cappropriateness%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D%2C+related+to+variety+for+organic+farming%2C+is+not+easy+to+state+as+it+may+involves+different+aspects%2C+depending+on+perspective+(producers%2C+processor%2C+trader+etc.).+A+list+of+characters+that+should+be+considered+within+the+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cappropriateness%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D+concept+is+presented+in+the+report%3B%0D%0AAmong+involved+Members+States+experts+there+is+no+common+evaluation+of+the+actual+variety+availability%3A+in+general+if+for+cereals+there+is+a+reasonably+good+level+of+availability%2C+for+vegetables+and+fodder+crops+mixtures+the+situation+is+never+very+positive+even+if+it+varies+greatly+among+Member+States%3B%0D%0AValuable+guidelines+for+cereal+variety+testing+in+organic+farming+have+been+produced+by+the+COST+860+action+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9CSUSVAR%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D+(Sustainable+low-input+cereal+production%3A+required+variety+characteristics+and+crop+diversity)+and+they+are+summarized+in+the+report%3B%0D%0AGuidelines+for+vegetable+variety+testing+are+difficult+to+identify+as+among+vegetables+species+the+characteristics+and+requirements+are+very+different.+In+the+report+some+indications+are+reported.%0D%0A%0D%0ARecommendation+for+variety+evaluation+and+testing+in+organic+farming%0D%0ASeveral+recommendation+result+from+the+report.+For+clarity+sake+they+have+been+grouped+in+3+parts%2C+depending+on+which+institution+they+are+aimed+to%3A%0D%0ARecommendations+to+EU+and+international+authorities%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+To+implement+the+possibility+offered+by+EU+directives+on+seed+trading+(EEC+Dir.+66%2F4021%3B+EEC+Dir.+66%2F4012+and+EC+Dir.+2002%2F553)+to+run+controls+on+seeds+for+organic+farming+additional+to+the+routine+controls.+This+possibility+may+be+used+to+evaluate+variety+appropriateness+to+organic+farming+conditions+and+consequently+orientate+the+choice+of+varieties+that+seed+companies+offer+to+the+organic+sector.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+To+consider+specific+variety+traits+requested+by+organic+farming+systems+in+the+test+for+variety+inclusion+into+the+registers+of+varieties.%0D%0ARecommendations+to+Member+States%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+To+keep+record+of+the+variety+requested+for+derogation+and+make+it+public.+It+may+be+a+useful+instrument+for+seed+producers%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+orientation.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+To+include+specific+local+(National%2FRegional)+demands+from+organic+farmers+in+the+variety+trials.+It+means+to+include+varieties+that+are+supposed+as+fit+to+organic+conditions+by+farmers+but+also+to+include+specific+characteristics+in+the+evaluation+criteria.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+To+promote+public+breeding+for+organic+farming+and+to+support+spin-off+of+seed+companies+dedicated+to+organic+seed+production.+A+low-cost+option+may+be+participatory+breeding+that+combines+the+advantages+of+introducing+variety+traits+asked+for+by+organic+producers+and+facilitate+dissemination.%0D%0ARecommendations+to+other+stakeholders%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+To+involve+nurseries+in+the+debate+about+organic+variety+choice+as+they+result+to+be+an+important+bottle-neck+for+the+use+of+organic+seeds+in+vegetable+production.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+To+promote+timely+programming+of+variety+used+and+amounts+of+seed+needed+among+producers+in+order+to+facilitate+seed+producers+and+distributors+but+at+the+same+time+to+grand+producers+the+right+variety+choice.&rft.date=2007-06&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F11032%2F1%2F11032.pdf&rft.identifier=Micheloni%2C+C.+and+Plakolm%2C+G.+(2007)+Report+on+quality+characteristics+of+varieties+to+be+used+in+organic+farming.+EEC+2092%2F91+(Organic+Revision+Project+Reports)%2C+D+5.2.&rft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