A multi-environment dataset consisting of official field trials for three major crops in the Nordic countries

Abstract

Climate change will substantially impact agriculture, requiring the development of new crop cultivars adapted for resilience to future stresses. Developing a new crop cultivar is a decades-long process. Therefore climate change considerations must already be incorporated into breeding programs. National breeding programs have typically involved field trials in a single country, which has functioned satisfactorily during periods of stable climate variability. However, it is widely acknowledged that when field trial information across borders is made available, it can significantly aid plant breeding programs. This paper presents a pan-Nordic multi-environment dataset that consolidates national trial data and data from VCU (Value for Cultivation and Use) trials for spring barley, red clover, and potato, during 1970–2024. The dataset harmonizes information on yield across diverse environments, enabling comparative analyses and cross-regional assessments. By providing a unified resource for the Nordic region, this dataset supports the development of more resilient crop varieties and facilitates data-driven breeding strategies under changing climatic conditions.