Continued variety testing in horticultural crops 2026-2029
Project overview
More related research
Short summary
Elitplantstationen has been assigned by SLU Grogrund to establish a long-term national variety testing programme for horticultural crops, with the aim of improving selection processes in Swedish horticultural production and promoting the conditions for increased commercial cultivation in Sweden.
The goal is to develop a variety testing program that enables growers across Sweden to increase the production of vegetables and berries.
We want to make it easier and faster for growers to discover and adopt new varieties.
The ambition is for the program to become increasingly cost-efficient and relevant over time, thereby ensuring its long-term sustainability.
The project’s vision is a thriving professional horticultural sector across the country, where growers make well-informed variety choices that strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of cultivation.
More varieties and better decision-making support for growers
Plant breeding in the vegetable and berry sectors is conducted internationally. When new varieties are introduced, plant breeding contributes to sustainable, productive, and profitable food systems.
By investigating what constitutes the “right variety for the right place,” we gain knowledge about how different varieties of vegetables and berries perform in various parts of Sweden. This knowledge can be used by plant breeders to adapt and further develop horticultural crops, based on existing varieties.
Domestic production of fruits and vegetables for fresh consumption strengthens national crisis preparedness. Improved guidance in variety selection also contributes to more robust and resilient production systems.
The project conducts trials on selected crops that are relevant to professional growers in different parts of the country. In areas where production is already extensive, we generate new knowledge that can help growers increase yields and strengthen profitability. In areas with less established commercial production, the same knowledge can contribute to the development and expansion of production.
Read more about the project at Elitplantstationen's web page (in Swedish).
Project coordinator: Joakim Stefansson, Elitplantstationen
This is a continuation of the SLU Grogrund project Variety testing in horticultural field production, which ran from 2021–2025.
Participating organisations: Elitplantstationen, SLU, LRF Horticulture, SW Horto, Rijk Zwaan Welver GmbH, Bejo Nordic, Olssons Frö, Hazera Seeds, Syngenta Nordics, HIR Skåne.