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 (www.proweizen.de) is equally open to scientists and companies working in wheat breeding and research.

In total 14 research projects with funding from 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. Breeding for yield increase and stability, better adaptation to environmental stresses, disease resistance and utilization of heterosis represent the main research topics. German universities and research institutes work closely with wheat breeding companies and breeders. Implementing project results into their future breeding programmes will help to continuously develop new wheat varieties adapted to changing environment and growing conditions.

In addition to its general 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. proWeizen also facilitates mobilizing funding opportunities and gaining public interest and awareness of wheat research and breeding. 018825