Ontwikkeling van streekeigen Belgische hopvariëteiten (HOPBEL)

Currently, Belgian hop growers mainly grow hop varieties developed abroad. We depend on foreign breeding programs to introduce new varieties in Belgian hop cultivation. The current major breeding programs are located in the USA, Alsace or Czech Republic, making us dependent on the suitability of these varieties for our local conditions or their availability for Belgian growers. In order to be less dependent on foreign breeding efforts and to provide hop growers locally adapted varieties, several parties have joined efforts to set up a Belgian hop breeding program.

In this project we want to take the first steps for a Belgian hop breeding program: 1) collecting a breeding pool with good agricultural and brewing characteristics, 2) carrying out the first crossings, 2) growing and evaluating the seedlings and 4) setting up disease resistance tests. We make the necessary choices together with the hop growers and brewers.

Belgian hop cultivation is mainly situated in the region of Poperinge. The introduction of locally adapted, hop varieties will anchor cultivation locally. By breeding in Belgium, we can focus on the current challenges in Belgian hop cultivation (disease resistance, drought tolerance, ...) and meet the wishes of the local brewery sector regarding quality. A breeding program is a long-term endeavour. In this three-year project, we will create develop awareness and collaboration structures to allow the breeding program to continue independently by a consortium of growers and brewers after the project.