Decades of northern Growth

Finnish plant breeding has long traditions. For more than a hundred years, the importance of varieties adapted to our conditions and domestic breeding activities has been recognised for agriculture and food production — supported today by Boreal’s Nordic expertise in breeding for northern conditions. Since 1994, plant breeding has been carried out in Finland under the name Boreal.

1900s: The early stages of Finnish plant breeding

1904: Finnish Seed Association is founded; plant breeding is included from the start.

  • Nord pea 1904: among the first Finnish varieties.

1910s: National awakening

Plant breeding becomes organised, trial farms are established and breeding material is collected. A national awakening is experienced: food security and livestock production must be ensured.

1920s–1930s: Development of food supply

Plant breeding and agriculture carry great responsibility for the food supply of the newly independent nation.

  • From the 1930s onward, two major breeding institutions operate in Finland:
  • The State breeding centre
  • The Hankkija breeding centre
  • Ollin barley 1927: considered one of the world’s earliest barley varieties.

1940s: Wartime and a new role for plant breeding

Wars disrupt breeding work, but after the war, efforts focus especially on bread grains and peas.

After national crises, plant breeding gains new importance — its broad societal value is recognised.

  • Pekka rye and Olympia winter wheat 1941

1950s: Domestic varieties take the lead

New research and varieties emerge in abundance. Finnish plant breeding finds its identity, and Finnish varieties dominate the fields.

  • Pirkka barley 1952: first Finnish malting barley
  • Vakka 1953: winter wheat renowned for its quality

1960s: Period of development

Agriculture and varieties develop rapidly. New varieties enable quick adoption of combine harvesting. A gene bank is established in Jokioinen at the end of the decade.

  • Ruso spring wheat 1967: strong‑strawed wheat enabling mechanised combining

1970s–1980s: First steps toward internationalisation

The Plant Breeding Promotion Act (1977) and international agreements strengthen breeders’ rights.

  • Timo early potato 1975: still widely grown
  • Pokko malting barley 1980: exported as malt to Scotland and South America
  • Helka pea 1985: first semi‑leafless pea in Finland and among the first in the world

1990s: The age of biotechnology begins

Biotechnological methods enter breeding, with doubled haploids from tissue culture first introduced in barley.

  • Kulta turnip rape 1991: Boreal’s first export variety, dominant in Finland, Sweden, Norway and England
  • BotniaBOR barley 1996: first variety bred for Koskenkorva spirit production
  • SaanaBOR barley 1996: widely grown, versatile and adaptable

1994: The founding of Boreal

The merging of MTT’s and Hankkija’s breeding operations brings together the materials, expertise and resources of Finnish plant breeding.

The name Boreal comes from Latin, meaning “northern.”

2000s: New breeding techniques

Boreal is incorporated in 2000. The introduction of the TOS fee broadens the funding base and enables further development.

Demand for Boreal varieties grows in neighbouring export markets. Breeding techniques evolve rapidly — especially biotechnological and DNA‑based tools.

  • JyväBOR 2000: first Boreal variety produced using doubled haploids
  • TuureBOR timothy 2002: digestibility becomes a key quality factor in timothy varieties
  • HarbingerBOR malting barley 2009: first variety of Boreal’s renewed malting barley programme

2010s: Continued growth

International cooperation increases as Boreal deepens collaboration with Limagrain, Europe’s largest plant breeder (2011).

Genomic selection tools adopted 2014, beginning with six‑row barley.

  • AkseliBOR oat 2011: becomes Finland’s most widely grown oat
  • JussiBOR potato 2014: new early potato expected to follow Timo
  • SynthiaBOR spring turnip rape 2016: new type synthetic variety improving yield and stem strength