Breeding initiative Lower Elbe [Züchtungsinitiative Niederelbe]

In the year 2002 the breeding initiative Lower Elbe (Zü chtungsinitiative Niederelbe, ZIN) was founded with the aim to establish a private financed breeding program of apple cultivars in North Germany. Members of the breeding initiative are fruit farms, the fruit co-operative Marktgemeinschaft Altes Land and some fruit retailers. Breeding work happens in close cooperation with the nursery firm Carolus (Belgium) and the institutes of fruit growing and nursery of the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück. In the year 2005 selection work in selection step I started. From 2010 12.000 to 14.000 clones will be tested each year. In 2008 the first 24 clones of the selection step II were planted on two locations. Yearly 25 to 50 clones will follow in this selection step. Scientific research projects flank the breeding work. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.