Located in the eastern part of Europe, Lithuanian climate conditions and natural soil productivity are generally favourable for crop production. Consequently, more than 50% of its land area is used for agricultural purposes. Main crops are cereals, vegetables, potatoes and berry plantations. Although the land structure is changing since the past land reform, agricultural production is still dominated by the small semi-subsistence farms.

Although, plant breeding activities in Lithuania have traditions for more than 80 years, some particular circumstances have limited their development. Indeed, after gaining independence in 1991, Lithuania has experienced dramatic political, social and economic changes (economic recession, hyperinflation and high unemployment). Only in 2002 the economy started to recover – domestic consumption started to increase, and unemployment decreased. Nowadays the main agricultural research is carried out in 2 universities and 2 state institutes. Lithuania has a strong plant breeding scientific school with high level breeders. The Plant Gene Bank with coordination centres of plant groups was established 2004.

Main crops included in the national breeding programmes in Lithuania are fruits and vegetables, cereals and forages (grasses), which are closely related to the whole structure of crop production in Lithuania. Breeding of crops is highly oriented to grower demands: breeding for resistance to abiotic or biotic stress, breeding for quality and for response to favourable environments.

The lack of financial resources to carry out field and laboratory experiments and the inadequate availability of laboratory infrastructure to carry out experiments using advanced plant breeding techniques are the main limiting aspects for the success of the crop breeding programmes.

Research and education institutes with activities in plant breeding

Public Institute

	Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture Website available in Lithuanian LIA has a long tradition in plant breeding and allocates more than one third of its budget to this activity. The main activities consist of making crosses, and evaluating segregating populations and fixed lines. They focus on grasses, wheat, and other small grains.
	Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture Website available in Lithuanian and English LIH is an important fruit and vegetable breeding centre on a national scale. Breeding priorities are basically oriented to breeding for favourable environments and for resistance/tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Resource allocation to line development dominates in these crops, and there has been an increasing trend to increase investments in plant biotechnology.
	Institute of Botany Website available in Lithuanian and English The Institute of Botany leads the research on plants, fungi and microorganisms in Lithuania. Its scientists conduct studies in botany, mycology, virology, phytopathology, biodeterioration and bioremediation, phytosociology, vegetation science and vegetation mapping, plant physiology and genetics.

Private Institutes

	Lithuanian Forest Research Institute Website available in English LFRI is a state institute, established in 1950. It is the main forest research organisation in Lithuania. The main goals of the Institute are: fundamental and applied forest research to obtain new knowledge with the purpose of social, ecological and economical country development; the dissemination of scientific and technical information about forests and the environment; and education of PhD students in forest and environmental sciences.
	Lithuanian University of Agriculture (LUA) Website available in Lithuanian and English Plant breeding activities are carried out at the Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, under the Faculty of Agronomy. The main fields of research are: plant breeding methods and biotechnology, improvement of crop growing technologies, biological potential of horticultural plants, ecological and sustainable agriculture, weed management, plant nutrition and soil fertility, agroecology, microbiology.
	Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University Website available in Lithuanian and English This breeding centre is mainly oriented to blueberry, cranberry, actinide, medicinal and ornamental breeding, where five plant breeders were employed. Making crosses, evaluating segregating populations and evaluating fixed lines developed by the breeding programme are the main breeding activities.
	Botanic Garden of Vilnius University Website available in Lithuanian, Russian, English and Polish The Botanic Garden of Vilnius University (VU) was founded in 1781. This modern botanic garden is not only the largest in Lithuania (the total area of 199 hectares) but also has the richest collections of plants. There are about 10,000 taxa of plants belonging to 190 families, 886 genera. Richest and most impressive collections are rhododendrons, lilacs, lianas, peonies, dahlias and bulb flowers.

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Information by Zita Duchovskiene (2008) - Information based on the Lithuania's full report from the PBBC survey. Last revised 15-03-2010, GIPB.