Some remarks on the breeding of field crops in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands the home-bred varieties are developed almost entirely by private establishments. The Government institutes (Institute of Agricultural Plant Breeding and Foundation for Agricultural Plant Breeding) at Wageningen give advice to the breeders of field crops. The private plant breeders are informed of the results obtained and the working methods. They receive plant material for their breeding programme. The List of Varieties is the reference guide not only for the farmers but also to the plant breeders and the seedsmen. In the case of field crops it forms the basis for the seed inspection. A close connection exists between the breeding, variety-list and seed inspection.