Dear followers,

You are welcome to read an article about the organic potato breeding as part of the ECOBREED project, its importance for the competitiveness of local farmers, and its positive impact on the environment, published in Slovenian daily newspaper Dnevnik: https://www.dnevnik.si/1042940219?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jutro20201003.

Dear followers,

On 15th October 2020 you are welcome to join us at the online event HOW ORGANIC BREEDING ADDS VALUE TO THE FOOD CHAIN, organized by FiBL and BÖLW. You will learn about the organic breeding and its importance to the future growth of the organic sector. You can register for the event here: https://www.liveseed.eu/2020/how-organic-breeding-adds-value-to-the-food-chain-online-event/.

Dear followes,

We would like to inform you about the 21st Eucarpia General Congress BREEDING: THE KEY TO INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS that will occur in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on 22-27 September 2021. On this occasion, experts and researchers from all over the world will present and discuss their findings and visions for meeting the great challenges that plant breeding will face in the next decades to integrate the many new technologies, skills and human experience into coherent breeding strategies. More information about the congress is available here: https://www.eucarpia.org/general-congress.html.

Dear followers,

We would like to inform you about the Organic World Congress that will occur in Rennes, France on 6-10 September 2021. More than 2500 ogranic stakeholders, farmers, researchers, and citizens will come together to address questions around resilience, societal transformation, ecosystem regeneration, health, and food sovereignty. More information about the event: https://owc.ifoam.bio/2021/en.

Dear followers,

We would like to inform you about two upcoming events. The first event is the Fam to Folk virtual conference, scheduled on 15 and 16 October 2020 (World Food Day). Registration is open until 9. 10. 2020. More information about the conference is available here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/events/farm-fork-2020-oct-15_en.

The second event is the FOOD2030 conference that will bring together researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, food system stakeholders, and citizens to exchange ideas on how research and innovation can accelerate the transformation of food systems. The event is going to occur on 16 October 2020 (World Food Day). More information about the conference is available here: https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/event/food-2030-%E2%80%93-transforming-food-systems-through.

Dear followers,

From 8th until 10th of March 2021 the International conference BREEDING AND SEED SECTOR INNOVATIONS FOR ORGANIC FOOD SYSTEM will be held in Latvia. The conference is co-organized by Eucarpia, LIVESEED, BREDOV_eu, ECOBREED and FLPP. If you are interested in presenting an abstract, visit this link: https://bit.ly/2YJt2cx. If you want to participate in the event without presentations, click here: https://bit.ly/32MFbyH.

Photo credit: www.eucarpialiveseedconference2021.lv

The ECOBREED project, RGA and dr. Primož Titan in the search for heterotic combinations for buckwheat.

Photo credit: Jernej Iskra on https://twitter.com/IskraJernej

Part of the ECOBREED project is evaluation of the effect of cover crop species on pest and disease in potato.

On the photo: trial evaluation

Photo credit: Paul Bilsborrow on Twitter https://twitter.com/BilsborrowPaul

The wheat was harvest in Germany at SECOBRA Saatzucht GmbH (SEC).

The green southern stink bug (Nezara viridula) has a negative economic impact on the Soybean production in Europe. For this reason it is important to monitor and assess its behaviour. In the photos is experiment set in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Dear followers,

You are welcome to read the latest peer-review article in Agronomy titled Prediction of Soybean Plant Density Using a Machine Learning Model and Vegetation Indices Extracted from RGB Images Taken with a UAV by Ranđelović, P.; Đorđević, V.; Milić, S.; Balešević-Tubić, S.; Petrović, K.; Miladinović, J.; Đukić, V. The article is available on the following link: https://zenodo.org/record/3978167#.XzQZDCgzaUk.

Dear followers,

We are happy to announce the publishing of the book Hyperspectral Remote Sensing. Are you interested in the non-invasive detection of plant parasitic nematodes using hyperspectral and other remote sensing systems? Then check Section V, to which project contributed: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081028940000152.

Genetic variation in buckwheat is being evaluated in ECOBREED project including in Farmer Participatory Trials in north-east England, United Kingdom, in the spring of 2021.

On the photo is Phosphorus uptake trial in Slovenia.

On 22nd July 2020, the first demonstration event on the organic production of potatoes took place in Slovenia. The event was participated by people coming from all around the country (farms, seed merchants and Slovenian advisory services). The number of people was limited to fifty participants.

In July 2020, the buckwheat sowing for phosphorus uptake trial happened in Slovenia.

Dear followers,

You are welcome to check out ECOBREED’s brand new video presenting a short tour of the Farmer Participatory Wheat Trials and organic farming practices used at Smales Organic Seeds, United Kingdom. The video is available on the following link: https://youtu.be/EFMbYcjQB2E.

In recent years, interest in the introduction of cover crops to soybean cropping systems has increased as their potential benefits have become more widely recognized.

The SME Global Seed is working on the improvement of the soybean seed multiplication via the use of cover crops and seed inoculants. More information on the Global Seed company: https://www.globalseed.info/en/about-us.php.

On the organic farm Kozina, near Kranj, Slovenia, fourteen organic potato varieties are grown. Most of the potatoes are being late blight resistant varieties that are suitable for cooking.

Part of the ECOBREED project are wheat trials on the farm of the Newcastle University in England, United Kingdom. Bellow, there are some visible and thermal images.

Czech PROBIO sro (PROBIO) multiplied fourteen wheat varieties:

1. Alessio (Probstdorfer Saatzuch, AT)
2. Arnold (Probstdorfer Saatzuch, AT)
3. Capo (Probstdorfer Saatzuch, AT)
4. Aurelius (Saatbau Linz, AT)
5. Albertus (Saatbau Linz, AT)
6. Wendelin (Secobra Saatzucht GmbH, DE)
7. Purino (Secobra Saatzucht GmbH, DE)
8. Viki (Selgen, CZ)
9. IS Laudis (Istropol Solary, SVK)
10. PS Dobromila (NPPC Viglas-Pstrusa, SVK)
11. Edelmann (Edelhof, DE)
12. Ehogold (Edelhof, DE)
13. Hungary population (MTA, HU)
14. Liocharis population (Dottenfelder Hof, DE)

Today, WP5 group was at Saatzucht Gleisdorf, where they evaluated the the buckwheat working collection using common descriptors.

The collaborative EU-USA buckwheat trials at the WSU Organic Farm in Pullman, USA, are in excellent condition. The WSU Organic Farm is one of the location of a phosphorus uptake efficiency trial that is part of the ECOBREED project.

The first ECOBREED demonstration event is scheduled for tomorrow in Slovenia. The event is going to be focused on organic potato production. The programme is available here: http://ecobreed.eu/media-events/.

In July 2020, RGA research genetics and agrochemistry, Ltd. (RGA) inspected Magic fields in Slovenia just before harvest.

The latest ECOBREED peer-reviewed article has been just published in the Plant Science journal. The merits go the buckwheat group with scientists coming from China, India, Czech Republic and Slovenia. Follow the link to access the article: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.01073/full?&utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field=&journalName=Frontiers_in_Plant_Science&id=536624.

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), SECOBRA and Naturland met in Germany to check the status quo of the wheat trials of SECOBRA, which is one of ECOBREED’s SME partners.

SECOBRA Saatzucht GmbH is the German subsidiary of the French breeder SECOBRA Recherches SAS. Their breeding focus is on wheat and barley varieties for autumn and spring sowing.

Farmers and policymakers visited ECOBREED’s fields in Romania in order to be acquainted with the behavior under severe drought conditions of a varied assortment of organic wheat varieties.

In July 2020, the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad (IFVCNS) measured height, amount of light, canopy cover, and leaf area of soyabeans, and dry weight of the above-ground part of soyabeans. The obtained results were compared with measurement results of weeds. On photos below is visible progress of the soybean fields located in Novi Sad.

Photo credit: Dr. Goran Malidža

The ECOBREED project is one of the Horizon 2020 projects that were presented to the policymakers of the Slovak Republic.

Photo credit: National Agricultural and Food Center (NPPC)

Due to the COVID-19, the Field Days in Martonvásár, Hungary were organized in smaller groups. The organic breeding section was led by Mária Megyeri and Peter Mikó.

Photo credit: Attila Vécsy

The graph above illustrates the relevance of the ECOBREED project. The need for certified organic seed and adapted varieties is steadily increasing. Over 68.000 ha of soybean has been planted in Austria in 2020, around 39% of the total soybean acreage is organic.

In June 2020 Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops (IFVCNS) in Serbia screened soyabean cultivars to diseases.

Today we started with the 2nd Annual Online Meeting of the ECOBREED project that will run for two full days. All partners and members of the Scientific Advisory Group were presented. Some plans for the year three were rearranged due to COVID-19.

An important outcome of the Horizont 2020 projects is the transfer of knowledge.

Potato and wheat trials at the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia were interesting also for fourty Agronomy students from the Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, who joined guided tour.

There followers,

are you working or interested in high-throughput phenotyping for crop improvement and breeding? Then submit a manuscript or follow the special issue that is led by dr. Ankush Prashar from the Newcastle University: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/12725/high-throughput-phenotyping-for-crop-improvement-and-breeding.

On 5th June 2020 project partners held the WP3 Potato online meeting, where the progress of trials in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia was checked.

On 10th June 2020 project partners held the WP5 Buckwheat online meeting, where the progress of work was monitored.

On 11th June 2020 National Agricultural and Food Center (NPPC) held the WP1 “Creation of core collections and seed multiplication” online meeting, where the process of field experiments with the multiplication of wheat, potatoes, soybeans and buckwheat was checked.

The National Agricultural and Food Center (NPPC), in cooperation with IFVC, NARDI, MTA-ATK, SEC, SEL, KIS, RGA, UNEW, UNITUS, BIOMILA, and GEO, evaluate the collection of wheat genetic resources from participating partners (DE, IT, SI, HU, AT, RO, RS, CZ, GR, UK), which are currently popular in organic farming in Europe.

Within ECOBREED project, we performed preliminary trials on wheat genotypes weed competitiveness. Classical and advance phenotyping approaches were used to evaluate and validate the potential to get a fast and more accurate method of screening and selection for crop vigour and competitiveness.

An important outcome of the Horizont 2020 projects is the transfer of knowledge.

Today, Agronomy students from the Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, were guided by Dr. Aleš Kolmanič, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, through wheat and multiplication trials.

In the photo: the canopy cover on wheat trials in Slovenia.

Screening for genetic variation in P-mineralisation buckwheat trail has been set up in Slovenia.

Soybean trials for the season 2020 were set up at WP 4 leader, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad (IFVCNS), Serbia.

Soybean has long been featured as the most versatile agricultural crop in the world. ECOBREED project partners have been identifying the challenges in organic soybean production and aim at providing practical solutions for breeders and farmers.

Today, training activities under the ECOBREED project were discussed and rescheduled on Zoom.

Dear farmers, breeders and processors,

In AgroNotize, online magazine, you can read an article about the progress of the sustainable and genetic improvement of the durum wheat reached by ECOBREED partner Università degli studi della Tuscia – Viterbo. You can read the article here: https://agronotizie.imagelinenetwork.com/vivaismo-e-sementi/2020/05/20/frumento-duro-miglioramento-genetico-sostenibile-e-innovativo/66908?fbclid=IwAR2UCnLjVvCcWVFUZQqBvQGtQn1cEcNxVL7cVJiyJlbHV-3DrwuxYsoyQ8A.

Heading has started in ECOBREED winter wheat trials at partner Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Agricultural Research (MTA-ATK) in Martonvásár.

Part of the ECOBREED project is also production of new potato varieties. For this purpose, we grafted potato onto black nightshade iu. Solanum nigrum in Poland.

Wireworm management in potatoes focused on entomopathogenic fungi utilization, combined with associated strategies, like attraction or repellence, will help the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia to determine which organic measures could be potentially used in production of potato seeds and breeding in organic systems.

As part of the ECOBREED project the Farmer Participatory winter wheat trial occured. The photo is taken by a drone at Smales Organic Seeds, Thornton Mains near Berwick, England, United Kingdom.

Photo credit: Paul Bilsborrow on https://twitter.com/BilsborrowPaul

Mr. Dušan Janovíček, the founder and co-director of BIOMILA, is one of the first eco enthusiasts in The Slovac Republic who transformed his philosophy into his work and extended it beyond borders. You can read an interesting interview with him here: https://index.sme.sk/c/22374246/biomila-ako-eurofondy-pomohli-vyrast-specialistovi-na-biospaldu.html

In Slovenia, the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia set the phenotyping trial of potato working collection.

The project partner from Serbia, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops Novi Sad (IFVCNS), and company Global Seed are active in the field of research on cover crops in soybean production.

Cover crops are one of the valuable tools that soybean farmers can apply. Cover crops contribute to:
– soil quality
– physical and chemical soil characteristics
– enhancement of sustainability and environmental practices.

We are proudly announcing that three out of twenty most Innovative Breeders in the European Seed Sector in 2019 are ECOBREEED partners. For more information, click here: https://european-seed.com/2020/04/20-most-innovative-breeders-in-the-european-seed-sector-in-2019/?fbclid=IwAR280U8HIwwsm43H8m-lc1OjI1mYxdUb0dtIOfV_–MxMcC6D_4V-YqHYiU. Photo credit goes to European Seed.

Austrian partner University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, presented permanent microscope slides with 30 wheat root pieces each for determination of arbuscular mycorrhizal root colonization. The photo credit goes to Karin Hage-Ahmed.

The 2nd preliminary trial with soybeans in Greece is in full swing (with irrigation). The photo shows the plant emergence.

In the Messara Valley in Crete, Greece, Greek partner Nikolaos Volakakis (GEO) carries out his wheat phenotyping trials.

At Newcastle University in England, United Kingdom, twenty potato varieties differing in maturity and late blight resistance were being evaluated for AMF colonisation as part of the ECOBREED project.

Photo credit: Paul Bilsborrow on https://twitter.com/BilsborrowPaul

The latest ECOBREED peer-reviewed article with title Engineered Durum Wheat Germplasm with Multiple Alien Introgressions: Agronomic and Quality Performance has been just published on MDPI. Follow the link to access the article: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/4/486.

On 31st March 2020 researchers at the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia planted 90 varieties of potatoes. Researchers are going to be able to monitor them despite the closure due to Covid-19.

ECOBREED project can’t simply miss being at BIOFACH in Nuremberg, Germany. BIOFACH is the biggest business and congress fair with the focus on organic food in Europe. According to FIBL statistics, organic agricultural land in Europe reached an all-time high with 15.6 million ha and 0.4 million producers; the market exceeded 40.7 million EUR.

This year we are positioned at NATURLAND’s stand in Halle 7a.

Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council, that will be applied from 1 January 2021 on, defines for the first time the terms “organic variety suitable for organic production” and “organic heterogeneous material”. The two new proposed categories for the EU’s organic seed law could help to facilitate the use of seeds that are better adapted to local conditions.

Representatives of Crop Research Institute, SELGEN, and SECOBRA attended a workshop, where the new options and adaptations for DUS and VCU testing of organic varieties were discussed with stakeholders and policymakers. The workshop took place in Brussels on February 4th, 2020 and was organised by H2020 projects LIVESEED and INVITE.

Pavol Hauptvogel and René Hauptvogel, representing the ECOBREED’s partner National and Agricultural Food Centre (NPPC), explained why it is important to save the genetic diversity for agriculture. Watch the Farmárska Revue show for small gardeners, farmers, and breeders that was broadcasted 2 days ago at Slovak television. The genetic diversity of Slovak agriculture, stored in the Gene Bank of the Slovak Republic, is already protected in the global seed vault for failure in natural or human-made disasters in Norway. Among the samples are also wheat varieties examined within the ECOBREED project.

Networking with stakeholders and policymakers is crucial for conveying the message of organic plant breeding.
We keep on doing it, this time at the annual event of Slovene Public Agricultural Advisory Service and in the company of European Innovation Partnership projects that are being executed in Slovenia.

The Austrian Seed Association, a partner of the ECOBREED project, hosted the 70th Plant Breeder’s Meeting in Gumpenstein, Austria, in November 2019 under the motto “Plant breeding for sustainability”. More than 100 scientists and plant breeders discussed the latest research results and future developments. The immense contribution of plant breeding to the security and food supply for the increasing world population was emphasized.

BOKU, MTA-ATK, and Secobra were there, too. Along with colleagues from the LIVESEED project.

Crop Research Institute attended the nationwide action Noc vědců (European Researchers’ Night) under the slogan “Sustainably for the planet”. More than 100 scientific workplaces including universities and research institutes in the Czech Republic took part in this scientific fest. The main aim of this action is to bring science to the general public. Buckwheat organic plant breeding attracted lots of visitors, who choose to visit the National Muzeum of Agriculture in Prague as one of the 15 spots powered by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Ecobreed project is today presented at the first European Conference on Crop Diversification in Budapest 🇭🇺 Coordinator of the project, Dr. Vladimir Meglič is present with the team of the Hungarian partner MTA-ATK.
The conference aims to explore how sustainable agricultural and food systems can be strengthened through diversification while maintaining productivity, ecosystem services, and resource-efficient and sustainable value chains.

More info here.

Prof. Mario A. Pagnotta, together with Prof. Carla Ceoloni and Drs Paola Forte and Ljiljana Kuzmanović from Tuscia University presented the first year ECOBREED results at the 53 Annual Congress of the Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics titled “Science and innovation for sustainable agriculture intensification: the contribution of plant genetics and breeding” (http://www.geneticagraria.it/congress_abstract.asp?a_pag=4&Indice=301&id=63) held in Naples from 10^th to 13^th September 2019.

The two posters presented reported the results on (i) the increasing durum wheat disease resistance, grain quality and yield under Mediterranean rainfed conditions by introgression from useful genes from its relatives (http://www.geneticagraria.it/attachment/SIGA_2019/6_10.pdf) and (ii) the evaluation, run jointly with the ECOBREED partners from BOKU-University and Hungarian Academy of Sciences, of 72 durum wheat lines under organic regime (http://www.geneticagraria.it/attachment/SIGA_2019/6_24.pdf).

The soybean team of the Ecobreed project, lead by Kristina Petrović and her deputy Johann Vollmann attended the Autumn Field Days last Friday at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad, Serbia. They presented the work done on organic plant breeding.

2.000 local and foreign guests attended along with representatives from Serbian national and local government.

More information: here

Dagmar Janovská from the Czech Crop Research Institute and Meiliang Zhou from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences were yesterday presenting how the Ecobreed project will enhance the organic buckwheat breeding at the 14th International Symposium on Buckwheat in Shillong, India. View the program here.

Kristina Petrović from the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops (IFVCNS) and WP Soybean leader had a plenary speech at the 2nd Annual Congress on Plant Science & Biosecurity, which took place in London (the UK) between 11th and 13th of July 2019. The speech was about the current status of Diaporthe species on Soybean in Europe and the USA and their place within the Ecobreed project.

Diaporthe species cause a complex of diseases on soybean including stem canker, pod, and stem blight, black zone lines and seed decay. Since high-quality seeds are crucial for organic farming, it is necessary to use the disease-free certified seeds. ECOBREED project will resolve the structure of Diaporthe population that exists in soybean seed in Europe and try to find a possible source of resistance to them.

WP1 leader, Dr. Heinrich Grausgruber, organised a visit of students and professors from BOKU to partners Saatzucht Gleisdorf GmbH (SZK), RGA d.o.o. (Slovenian SME) and the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia (coordinator KIS).

Maria Bernhart (Saatzucht Gleisdorf) demonstrating the advantage of legume-cereal intercropping under organic conditions:

Primož Titan in a discussion on the topic of perennial wheat and inter-specific crosses:

Peter Dolničar demonstrating the potato breeding work of KIS within the ECOBREED project:

Ales Kolmanič from KIS demonstrates the WP2 multiplication plots at Jablje experimental station:

The Fascination of Plants Day 2019 had been organized for the 4^th time at the premises of the National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC) of the Slovak Republic in Piešťany. In the common stand together with BIOMILA under the slogan “not all wheat varieties are the same” the technological quality of wheat, its convention and organic farming of and various food products of organic wheat were presented. The guests could taste different types of biscuits made of wheat, cereal coffee, as well as noodles prepared out of conventional and organic wheat. The benefits and disadvantages of organic farming were discussed.

Ecobreed project was yesterday presented to more than 50 policy makers at the 5th 🇸🇮 conference of preservation of #plant #genetic #resources

ECOBREED project has been just presented by Dr. Kristina Petrović on Serbian national TV:

For German speaking followers of the Ecobreed project, check out the recent newsletter of BOKU and get a better insight into the project.

https://boku.ac.at/news/newsitem/54174

ECOBREED project was presented today in Bucharest during the meeting of the EUGrainLeg project funded by ECPGR (European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources).

Ecobreed project was presented by our Greek partner Nikos Volakaksi to farmers and consumers during a Festival for traditional varieties at South Crete.

Ecobreed project contribution to the organic plant breeding is presented today at the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia.

Ecobreed, together with Bresov and Liveseed projects have been presented at FiBL stand during the world’s leading trade fair for organic food Biofach, Germany.

Werner Vogt-Kaute (Ecobreed’s partners NATUR) presented the objectives of the projects and its ambitious.

Today Ecobreed project was presented at 14th National Science Conference “Science for breeding and seeding crops”, Zakopane, Poland by Beata Tatrowska (IHAR)
http://zakopane2019.ihar.edu.pl/Program.html

Watch the video and meet our partner #RGA, a Slovenian innovative company in the area of #plantbreeding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=95&v=S8huX9x_uIo

Dr. Peter Dolničar, WP3 deputy leader is attending a conference at the University of Maribor, which aims to map the current challenges for #organicagriculture in Slovenia.

📣Organic + local = ideal

Dr. Vladimir Meglič, Ecobreed coordinator is today live on Radio Ö1 at 7:05pm

https://oe1.orf.at/programm/20190117/540159

Stay tuned 

Go and read the article by Prof.  Mario Pagnotta:

https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8800/1/1/18?fbclid=IwAR2er4PW96fWz88XC4jdFov1vLJ323PmvI31t2tiIN5n64oyovAgCLAM24w

Project coordinator Dr. Vladimir Meglič presented the objectives and vision of the project to the participants from over 35 countries at the 6th International Conference on Organic Agricultural Sciences (ICOAS), held between November 7th and 9th 2018 in Eisenstadt, Austria. The conference was attended by two more project partners: Czech Crop Research Institute (CRI) and Slovak National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC).

NPPC took part in the MSCA European Researchers’ Night disseminating facts and figures on organic spelt and emmer wheat. New varieties of spelt and emmer wheat were presented. As an add on a degustation of spelt bakery products and spelt coffee was offered. Children were happy to observe the plant seeds under a single microscope.

Ecobreed partners are so active recently. Prof. Mario A. Pagnotta from UNITUS is right now attending #FromSeedToPasta conference in Bologna both with a presentation and a poster contributing to the main goal of the conference and namely providing a unique opportunity to learn and debate the latest achievements in durum wheat production and processing and to assess the impact of the durum-value chain on the environment and our health.

The Scientific Fair is a day-long entertainment program for children and youth, as well as for teachers, parents and the general public, that was held on September 14th in Bratislava. The Fair presents different fields of science and research in an interesting and interactive way.

NPPC team introduced to the visitors the aim of the project and presented them the cultivation of wheat in the Slovak Republic and the modern trends in the cultivation of this crop. By using a microscope, visitors could observe different kinds of wheat and different grain color. They also learned about breeding aimed at creating new wheat with higher added value. Children tried how to extract anthocyanins, natural pigments of colored wheat grains and how these substances react to changed pH.

Ecobreed project was a guest at two events during the 56. International Fair of Agriculture and Food in Gornja Radgona #Agra.  The project coordinator, Dr. Vladimir Meglič presenting Ecobreed’s objectives both at the event for the importance of use of certified seed material and to the forum, organised by the Strategic Research and Innovation partnership for Sustainable Food Production in Slovenia.

Our #H2020 project has been featured in #EuropeanSeedMagazine. Nice article about our objectives for the next 5 years: read more …

With the kick-off meeting held from 27 to 28 June 2018 in Ljubljana, the five-year project ECOBREED funded by Horizon 2020 program, has been officially launched. The project is coordinated by Agricultural Institute of Slovenia and carried out in collaboration with 24 partner organisations representing 15 countries: AT, CN, CZ, DE, ES, GR, HU, IT, PL, RO, RS, SI, SK, UK, and the USA. Participants were addressed by the director of the Institute prof. dr. Andrej Simončič and project coordinator Dr. Vladimir Meglič. Special guest was Ms. Tanja Strniša, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Republic of Slovenia for Agriculture, Forestry and Food, who stressed the significance of the project for the development of Slovenian organic farming.

The project will develop (a) methods, strategies and infrastructures for organic breeding, (b) varieties with improved stress resistance, resource use efficiency and quality and (c) improved methods for the production of high-quality organic seed. Activities will focus on four crop species i.e. wheat (both common Triticum aestivum L. and durum Triticum aestivum L., T. durum L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), soybean (Glycine max (L). Merr), and common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.).

During the following 5 years, the project participants will: identify genetic and phenotypic variation in morphological, abiotic/biotic tolerance/resistance and nutritional quality traits that can be used in organic breeding; evaluate the potential of genetic variation for enhanced nutrient acquisition; evaluate the potential for increased weed competitiveness and control; optimise seed production/multiplication via improved agronomic and seed treatment protocols; develop efficient, ready-to-use farmer participatory breeding systems; pre-breed elite varieties for improved agronomic performance, biotic/abiotic stress resistance/tolerance and nutritional quality; develop training programmes in genomic tools/techniques, farmers participatory breeding, use and application of improved phenotyping capabilities; ensure optimum and rapid utilisation and exploitation of project deliverables and innovations by relevant industry and other user/stakeholder groups.

Brussels, 15th of June 2018.

Coordinator of Ecobreed project, dr. Vladimir Meglič, and project manager, dr. Antoaneta G. Kuhar have attended Coordinators Day in Brussels for Societal Challenge 2: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime inland water research and the bioeconomy. Ecobreed project was presented during the cluster session “Organic production”. Synergies, benefits and joint activities were the main drives during the meeting with BRESOV and LIVESEED projects.