Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

History of the EU GENRES project

on Leafy Vegetables

Ietje Boukema and Loek van Soest

Centre for Genetic Resources the Netherlands

P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Outline presentation

Motives of CGN Aim History of the proposal

Partners Organization of activities Budget

Final proposal Long way to success

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Motives of CGN for a new GenRes

project Brassica project was successfully completed in 2000

Partners suggested to develop another Brassica proposal

CGN was however interested in leafy vegetables Lettuce and spinach priority crops of CGN Leafy Vegetables not included in previously

submitted GenRes programme’s ECP/GR Leafy Vegetables group was about to be

established

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Aim

To speed up activities in genetic resources of leafy vegetables and stimulate their use

Fitting in and complementary to the ECP/GR working group activities

to strengthen European cooperation in leafy vegetables with EU funds

Opportunity to include members of the ECP/GR leafy vegetables working group in some of the meetings

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

History of the development of the

proposal Ideas discussed in the ECP/GR Leafy Vegetables ad hoc meeting: May 2003

Searching partners and defining activities: early 2004

Council Regulation (EC) 870/2004: 24 April 2004 Preparatory meeting with 8 partners at CGN to

discuss the proposal: July 2004 Official Call for proposals: 26 July 2005 Official formats for proposal: 5 August 2005 Finishing proposal and sending to Brussels: 26

September 2005 Deadline: 30 September 2005

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Partners (12) in the initial proposal

CGN, the Netherlands, coordinator HRI, United Kingdom GEVES, Brion, France IPK, Germany Palacky, Czech Republic NGB, Nordic Countries Univ. of Padova, Italy Arche Noah, Austria Pro Specie Rara, Switzerland USOFA, Slovenia HDRA, United Kingdom Plantum NL, the Netherlands

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Partners (13) in the final project

proposal CGN, the Netherlands, coordinator, WP leader, including breeders WHRI, United Kingdom, WP leader GEVES, Brion, France, WP leader, including breeders IPK, Germany, WP leader Palacky, Czech Republic NGB, Nordic Countries INRA Montfavet, France Arche Noah, Austria Pro Specie Rara, Switzerland USOFA, Slovenia HDRA, United Kingdom UNIBO, Italy KIS, Slovenia

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Organisation of activities in the initial

proposal Crop orientated, division in four crops Coordinators

lettuce: HRI spinach: CGN cichory: GEVES minor crops: IPK

Per crop division in the PGR activities: documentation regeneration/characterization evaluation

• pest and diseases• other properties• utilization and marketing

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Organisation of activities in the final

proposal Activities divided in work packages with task leaders per crop (due to the new EU format) WP1: Documentation; database development,

WP leader CGN WP2: Regeneration and characterization, WP

leader IPK WP3: Evaluation for resistances and abiotic

properties, WP leader GEVES WP4: Evaluation for marketing and use, WP

leader WHRI WP5: Coordination and reporting, CGN

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

History of the budget

Initial 2004: total € 1.168.000 EU contribution € 584.000 Submitted 2005: € 1.118.600 EU contribution € 559.300 Granted EU 2006: € 358.846*

reduction of 36% by EU, but no reduction of the tasks!!!!

*Switzerland will not receive EU contribution

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Load of papers ready for submitting to

EU

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

The long way to success

Developing of ideas at CGN: 2001 Discussing ideas ECP/GR LV WG: May 2003 Preparation of the outline of the proposal:

early 2004 Preparatory meeting: July 2004 Submitting the proposal: September 2005 Positive result: June 2006 Start of the project: January 2007

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Implementation of the project

Loek and Ietje, as retired initiators of the project, wish the project coordinator, the WP leaders and the partners a very successful project