Development and cultivation of local plant resources in the Barents region (KO225)
Funded by Kolarctic ENPI 2007-2013

Objective of the project

Increased production of locally produced food and health products based on sustainable natural resources in the Barents region. Strengthen cooperation and social development between institutions and scientists in northern agriculture. Specific objectives: 1. Increase the production of berries and herbs in the Barents region through cultivation, breeding and testing of local varieties of commercial interest and strengthened cooperation between Research and Development institutions and producers within the region. 2. Strengthen the economy in northern agriculture by increasing the focus on adapted plant material and develop new northern fodder grass cultivars yielding regular crops every year. 3. Exchange and transfer knowledge and techniques between the countries in the region.

Main activities

Breeding and multiplication of fodder grasses Production of pre-basic seed of varieties Khibinskaya (timothy) and Valdaiskaya (meadow fescue) have been conducted. Preparations have been made for production of basic and commercial seed. Bilberry Previously established cultivation fields in Northern Norway have been followed in this project. In Finland, different measures to increase production in natural stands have been evaluated. Collection of genetic material has been conducted. Angelica The project has established cultivation fields in Finland (Apukka) and Norway (Svanhovd). At Svanhovd a field is established with in total 720 plants from 4 different origins (Utsjok, Vardø, Persfjord, Pasvik) Collection of genetic material was done at 3 different Norwegian sites, Vardø, Persfjord and Pasvik. Collected seeds are sown in the Svanhovd field and clones are evaluated for selection. Growth parameters as well as chemical composition have been evaluated in fields at Svanhovd and Apukka, where the Norwegian material is compared to previously collected Finnish plant material from Utsjok. Reserch results have been published. Production technologies have been examined in field trials at Apukka. where the focus has been on technology/knowledge for cultivation and harvesting.

Achievements

The project has gained knowledge about increasing the utilisation of existing natural resources in the Barents Region. This contributes to creating new opportunities for natural products in the region by making more natural resources available to producers and consumers. This would increase the production of food and other products based on sustainable natural resources in the Barents Region. The project has had two main focus areas. Partly a development of seed stocks of local grass varieties, timothy and fescue from northern Russia, where the goal was to get the varieties approved to qualify on the official list of Russian seed varieties. The other focus has been on researching the possibilities of cultivation and production of bilberry and angelica.