Forces et faiblesses de l'amélioration variétale d'espèces oléagineuses de diversification, l'exemple pour la France du soja, du lin et du chanvre

Abstract

Insufficient performance of the available varieties is often considered as a barrier to a larger introduction of alternative crops in the European crop rotation. So as to better understand how is organized the breeding activity of such minor crops and what are the main difficulties they face, the example of three oilseed crops is considered: soybean, linseed and industrial hemp. All of them are grown on small surfaces in France and in the European Union and they benefit from a little breeding activity in France. Specific story, context, organization, objective of the breeding activity, seed market specificity are analyzed for each species. Limited and unstable cropping areas and for some cultivation like soybean low rate of certified seeds used by the farmers lead to restricted and unpredictable markets, discouraging the seed companies to invest in the breeding programs. Weak involvement of the public research on genetic resources conservation and on genetic research and the lack of means avoiding the access to modern genetic tools are found to contribute to relatively low genetic progresses. However, the analyze of the situation for soybean, linseed and hemp show that some actors, often related to the cooperative sectors, continue to breed for different reasons and have now an international gratefulness in their domain. In some cases, original and efficient organization scheme have been set thanks to coordinated involvements along the global production chain. The study demonstrates also that a significant number and a wide range of varieties are released on the market and that significant genetic progresses have been reached on several quality and yield traits. To conclude, breeding is one of crucial points which have to be supported by the public and private actors in coordinated way so as to keep out these promising crops from a "minor status" and to allow their extension in Europe. © 2013 F. Labalette, S. Legros, published by EDP Sciences.