Lajikkeenhoito

Lajikkeenhoito is the systematic care and management of a plant variety to preserve its identity, traits, and performance throughout breeding, propagation, cultivation, and seed production. The concept covers maintaining genetic integrity, uniformity, and stability, as well as ensuring that propagating material remains true to the registered or intended cultivar.

Key elements of lajikkeenhoito include regulatory compliance, varietal purity, and practical field and seed-management practices. Regulated processes often involve varietal registration and protection, including testing for distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) and adherence to seed-certification schemes that certify quality and purity. Isolation and cross-pollination control are essential to prevent off-types and preserve the cultivar’s characteristics; this may entail field isolation distances, controlled pollination, and routine roguing to remove off-types.

Propagation and seed production are central to lajikkeenhoito. For seed propagated crops, producers use certified seed and maintain mother plants or seed-growing pedigrees to safeguard lineage. For clonally propagated crops, maintaining constituent clones and preventing genetic drift are priorities. Documentation and labeling ensure traceability, with detailed records of pedigrees, lot numbers, and year of production.

Storage, handling, and conservation of material are also part of lajikkeenhoito, including appropriate drying, storage conditions, and periodic renewal of materials to prevent degeneration. The practice is supported by national and EU regulations on seed certification, plant variety protection, and breeding rights, and it underpins reliable crop performance, product quality, and breeding program sustainability. Challenges include gene flow, environmental changes, and maintaining purity over time.