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Development of healthy, high-performance hops with high alpha-acid contents and particular suitability for production in the Elbe-Saale hop growing region (Elbe-Saale Hopfen)
Project
Project code: 31/596, 5681
Contract period: 01.01.2016
- 31.12.2025
Purpose of research: Applied research
Development of high-yielding, high-alpha hop varieties with specific adaptation for their production in the Elbe-Saale region The Elbe-Saale region is the second largest hop producing region in Germany where mainly bitter and high alpha cultivars are grown. Since almost 20 years the Huell high alpha cultivar Hallertauer Magnum has been widely grown on more than 50 % of the acreage. But nowadays this cultivar is outcompeted by the new Huell breed Herkules providing an alpha acid yield of more than 450 kg alpha acid per hectare. Establishing Herkules which is predominantly grown in the Hallertau to substitute Hallertauer Magnum in already existing hop fields is problematic and risky due to the high root rotting susceptibility of Herkules. Thus, in this breeding program the objective is to develop new high-yielding high alpha varieties with broad disease resistance in particular to root rooting fungi which can be produced under the specific growing conditions of the Elbe-Saale region. In this way highly competitive varieties will be brought to registration as new hop cultivars which ensure the competitiveness of the Elbe-Saale hop growing region on the world market in the long term. The Bavarian State Research Center (LfL) will conduct specific crosses using Huell breeding material to create new high alpha varieties well-adapted to the site and to the needs of the brewing industry. Moreover, specific field trials will be carried out in collaboration with the farmers of the Elbe-Saale region testing the performance of already pre-selected breeding lines of the LfL. In these field trials the LfL will be assisted by the Thuringia Research Center for Agriculture.
Section overview
Subjects
- Crop Production
- Specialised crops