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Colourful varietal treasures in organic supermarkets from June - more variety in the field and on the plate

In order to safeguard biodiversity, the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE), together with the Humboldt University of Berlin and the Association for the Conservation and Recultivation of Crops in Brandenburg (VERN), has retrieved old vegetable varieties from the gene bank via the ZenPGR research project and brought them back into cultivation in the fields with the help of companies from the SaatGut conservation network in the region. Now the rarities are finding their way into the campaign areas of organic supermarkets. In June, they will be offered for the first time in a marketing campaign at BIO COMPANY.

Round Yellow, Purple Plum or Marner Halanga - these are just a few of the names of the varietal treasures. Almost lost vegetable varieties that have found their way from the seed gene bank to the organic supermarket and can be discovered for the first time at BIO COMPANY in June 2021. The variety treasures are the result of years of breeding and propagation work by over 20 horticultural businesses from Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony - together with the project partners Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Association for the Conservation and Recultivation of Crop Plants in Brandenburg (VERN e.V.) and the HNEE. "Together, we have retrieved old vegetable varieties from the gene bank, processed them, propagated them and finally brought them back to the fields of eastern Germany. Our aim is to safeguard biodiversity. In the case of cultivated plants, this works best by utilising many different varieties. This allows us to react quickly to future challenges in agriculture," says Annika Grabau from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The horticultural businesses from the region that are part of the SaatGut Conservation Network East grow the varietal treasures, market them directly and now, for the first time, also on a promotional area in organic supermarkets. "This also increases the variety of flavours and colours on the shelves and consumers can contribute to the preservation of old varieties," adds Julia Ehrich, research assistant at HNEE in the Department of Policy and Markets in the Agricultural and Food Sector and responsible for the ongoing ZenPGR project project: Breeding development and utilisation of plant genetic resources through on-farm/in-situ conservation and positioning of products in organic food retail.

The SaatGut Conservation Network East currently consists of 23 companies that are in lively dialogue with each other. "The close cooperation between seed growers and vegetable gardeners is particularly valuable in bringing old and endangered vegetable varieties back into cultivation and onto the vegetable shelf. Together, we can increase diversity in the field and on the plate. We look forward to welcoming more committed seed growers and vegetable gardeners who would like to join the network and cultivate old varieties," adds Alexandra Becker from the Association for the Conservation and Recultivation of Crops in Brandenburg (VERN).


SAVE-THE-DATE
In June, there will be the first opportunity to experience the colourful and tasty diversity of the variety treasures in organic supermarkets. In a joint marketing campaign in the BIO COMPANY POPUP store (Yorckstraße 37, 10965 Berlin), radishes and beetroot of the varieties Scarlett Turnip White Tip, Round Yellow, Purple Plum, Crimson Globe, Marner Halanga and Mobile will be offered from 7 to 12 June 2021, between 3 and 7 pm. The colour spectrum of these old vegetable varieties ranges from bright red to yellow and purple, with flavours ranging from pungent to mildly sweet. Both the seeds and the vegetables come from farms in the SaatGut conservation network in the region. The marketing of the variety treasures in the BIO COMPANY POPUP store takes place as part of the ZenPGR research project, which is funded by the Federal Programme for Organic Farming and Other Forms of Sustainable Agriculture (BÖLN). The project is organised by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, BLE).

  • Project duration: 01.12.2017 to 30.11.2022