Funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, ECOBREED is a five-year project that aims to develop methods, strategies and infrastructures for organic breeding. It also seeks to develop varieties with improved stress resistance, resource use efficiency and quality and improved methods for the production of high-quality seed.
ECOBREED focuses on four crops, including wheat, potato, soybean and common buckwheat.
The project is coordinated by Agricultural Institute of Slovenia and carried out in collaboration with 24 partner organizations, representing 15 countries: Austria, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.
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.
- Optimize seed production/multiplication by 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 programs in genomic tools/techniques, farmers participatory breeding, use and application of improved phenotyping capabilities.
- Ensure optimum and rapid utilization and exploitation of project deliverables and innovations by relevant industry and other user/stakeholder groups.
