M (Max) Wellens, MSc

My research focuses on developing models and approaches to support breeding for variety mixtures. Compared to the commonly used monocultures, variety mixtures can provide several advantages, including reduced disease pressure, increased yield, and improved yield stability. However, breeding for mixtures is currently hindered by the absence of a clear selection framework and the substantial experimental effort needed to deal with the combinatorial complexity of mixtures. My goal is to develop methods that enable breeders to screen candidate varieties for their complementarity, using information from monoculture performance and/or genetic data. This way I aim to reduce to experimental needs of mixture breeding and provide breeders with a strategy for selection.