HISTORY

The first breeding activity at the SAATZUCHT STEINACH goes back to 1911. That is when on the initiative of Karl August von Schmieder and Ludwig Niggl they started gathering, selecting and propagating suitable fodder grasses (Meadow Fescue, Red Fescue and Golden Oat Grass) to increase the quantity and improve the quality of the grassland yield on the private horse pastures.

They have been systematically breeding seeds there since 1920. Once the first breeding director, Erich Frank, was appointed in 1923, the breeding was expanded by various grass, clover and fodder oilseeds, and in next to no time varieties were available in every species they grew.

In 1950 the spectrum of grass, clover and catch crop species was broadened by grass species for ornamental and sports lawns. Erich Frank was the breeding manager in Steinach for 48 years. His work was carried on from 1971 by Philipp Berner, who continued the uninterrupted successful breeding and production even under a few changes of ownership. Berner set great store by the producibility of the varieties he bred, as he himself was very much hands-on with production and treatment and was familiar with the problems in these areas. After the reunification, under his management parts of the grass-breeding programme were moved to Bornhof and integrated there. Philipp Berner retired in spring 2000 and since Dr. Fred Eickmeyer has been in charge of breeding. In 2009 was another change and Dr. Alexandra Gay has been in charge of breeding since then. Her task is to integrate new techniques and methods into the seed-breeding programmes, to carry on linking the Steinach and Bornhof breeding programmes very closely and to gear breeding to regional, national and international requirements.

The history of the Bornhof/Bocksee breeding station dates back to 1955. Prof. Kress and Dr. Brummund initiated the setting up of a breeding station that was to focus specifically on breeding those species that would thrive on the light sandy soils of Mecklenburg and Brandenburg. The ultimate breeding goal was “low-maintenance” and so a breeding station on this low-yield location is quite unique. The growth of plant breeding at VEG Bornhof was rapid. Prior to the reunification of Germany, alongside Petkus Bornhof was the most important breeding station for light-soil plants with highly developed breeding research. The breeding research was closely coordinated with the Science Academy. From the time the Bornhof breeding station was founded the man responsible for running the breeding station up until one year before the reunification was Dr Brummund, who was simultaneously the Head of the Lupin Breeding Department. He was replaced as the breeding manager in 1989 by Ulrich Schmiechen, who had until then been running the Cereal Breeding Department. Every species grown before 1990 is still in the selection following the acquisition by SAATZUCHT STEINACH in 1992. Some species of fodder plants have been added, though. A sprinkler system for the breeding station surface was installed especially for the new species adopted in Bornhof, which means that these species also have suitable conditions at Bornhof.


STAFF

At total of 16 men and women are employed in breeding some 25 different species at the Steinach and Bornhof breeding location. Peak times are covered by experienced temporary staff from the local area working part time plus pupils and trainees in the holiday periods.









BREEDING LOCATIONS

SAATZUCHT STEINACH’s breeding activities are divided between Steinach and Bornhof. The Ballin site plays a part in the production of preliminary stage seeds and basic seeds as well as its own breeding tribes, particularly of Winter Rye and Blue Lupines.

With its light sandy soils and its summer dryness the Bornhof Nursery is ideally suited for breeding Blue and Yellow Lupines, population Winter Rye and Sheep’s Fescue. Sprinkler systems on most parts of the nursery also make it possible to successfully breed Italian Ryegrass, Annual Ryegrass, Cocksfoot, Slender Creeping Red Fescue and Strong Creeping Red Fescue, as well as Phacelia, Serradella and Bird’s-Foot Trefoil. They also operate the maintenance of a Meadow Red Clover variety here. Since 2001 the entire breeding nursery has had a sprinkler facility, which also guarantees the selection and testing of high-maintenance species.

At the Steinach Nursery on the edge of the Bavarian Forest in the crossing to the Danube Valley they have been growing fodder grasses, fodder legumes and catch crops for almost 100 years now. Species like tall Oat Grass, Golden Oat Grass, Meadow Foxtail, Meadow Fescue, Timothy Grass, Perennial Ryegrass used for fodder and lawns, fodder Red Fescue, Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass, Red Clover, White Mustard, Hybrid Ryegrass, Supina Blue Grass used for lawns, Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass lawns and Chewing Red Fescue are grown here. They also maintain Bent Grass, Oil Radish and Arnica varieties here.

The special geographical and climatic locations coupled with the equipment and facilities enable both breeding nurseries to achieve rapid breeding progress in the key characteristics of the species grown. Characteristics like suitability for boggy soil or winter hardiness in fodder grasses are observed on outdoor practice areas on suitable sites.

SAATZUCHT STEINACH’s spectrum of species makes it probably one of the most diverse private nurseries in the world.


BREEDING AIMS
Fodder plants, cereals, lupins

Besides the traditional breeding aims like yield, spreading of yields, yield stability, health, seed yield, thresh ability and low-maintenance, inner quality characteristics are becoming increasingly important in breeding. In the future, characteristics like digestibility, protein content and protein quality, sugar content, and reduction of toxic contents will be a mainstay in breeding practice. Special production-specific characteristics have been achieved without awns in the Tall Oat Grass and resistance to grain drop out in the Meadow Fescue.




Lawn grasses

The breeding aims for lawn grasses are derived from the various applications in the ornamental lawn, amenity lawn, sports lawn, golf lawn, and landscaped lawn right through to the flower meadow and herb lawn. What is called for in these applications is: thickness and fineness of the sward, durability, low frequency of cutting, low-maintenance, colour, health, tolerability of shade, summer and winter aspect. The Steinach speciality worthy of special mention is the Supina Blue Grass, which was developed into a lawn grass as one of the grasses most tolerant of shade.


Catch Crops

Here the breeding aims to stress are rapid initial growth and therefore soil coverage, a distinctive root system and health. At present there are 75 varieties of the SAATZUCHT STEINACH species mentioned on the German List of Varieties.


Research joint ventures

In the research and development of new plant varieties Steinach Breeding Nursery is far from being out on a limb; it maintains intensive contacts with domestic and foreign breeders. This provides Steinach with access firstly to very interesting material sources and secondly to a highly efficient testing system that enables it to test its own breeding tribes for every key characteristic. In terms of basic research, the Steinach Breeding Nursery is a member of the GFP (Society for the Promotion of Private German Plant Breeding). This organisation initiates and coordinates joint research projects in the pre-competition domain that could not be carried out by the small and medium-sized breeding companies on their own. It also establishes direct contacts with various research institutes at tertiary education colleges and universities of applied science. At this juncture particular reference should be made to the traditionally very good, intensive contacts with the Bavarian State Institute for Soil Cultivation and Plant Cultivation (LBP) in Freising and the State Research Institute for Agriculture (LFA) in Gülzow.