ProWeizen - the German Wheat Research and Breeding Alliance

Wheat is one of the most important crops and Germany is an important wheat producer. In Germany, 16 breeding companies are running independent wheat breeding programmes.

The German Wheat Research and Breeding Alliance was founded in 2012 by the German wheat breeders to combine the scientific excellence in wheat research and breeding expertise in Germany. As a public-private partnership, the proWeizen alliance acts to foster wheat breeding and research on a national and international level as well as a platform for communication and coordination. The proWeizen platform is equally open to scientists and companies working in wheat breeding and research.

Currently, 11 research projects, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) as well as the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), are run within the proWeizen alliance and focus on breeding for yield increase and stability, better adaptation to environmental stresses and utilization of heterosis. In these projects, German universities and research institutes are working in close collaboration with wheat breeders who are vital partners and plan to implement project results in their future breeding programmes. 

In addition to support in project management and coordination, proWeizen liases with wheat researchers and breeders and participates in wheat research and breeding on national and international levels, respectively.