DECEMBER 2017 SEEDWORLD.COM / 49 meantime, the CPVO, ESA, and the entrusted examination offices in vegetables continued to analyse the matter to try and find a technical solution. Part of this was a questionnaire formulated jointly by the CPVO and ESA, which was subsequently addressed to the ESA vegetable members in order to get their feedback on their experiences with the 127 disease and insect resistance characteristics. There was also a review of each of the 33 aster- isked disease and insect resistance characteristics to see if these were necessary. The main proposal emanating from the consulta- tion process was to establish a running-in phase in the adoption of new asterisked disease and insect resistance characteristics in CPVO vegetable protocols. This allows breeders to develop their breeding activity in that area over a period of time, as well as per- mitting examination authorities to establish or build-up the nec- essary testing facilities. The CPVO Administrative Council agreed in 2015 to adopt the principle of a normal five-year phasing-in period for each new asterisked insect or disease resistance aster- isked characteristic, although the length of time could be varied according to the complexity of each characteristic. The phasing- in principle has been well received by all CPVO stakeholders, and more thought is now given on the necessity of an asterisk as well as how long stakeholders require in order to adjust until the asterisk becomes obligatory. The principle was first implemented in 2016 with partial revisions of the CPVO lettuce and spinach protocols, with a 3-year phasing-in period for several Bremia lactucae races in lettuce and several Peronospora farinosa races in spinach. Since the phasing-in period seems to work well so far, it is foreseen that there will be further implementation into CPVO vegetable protocols in the coming years. ES: In your view, what other improvements could be made to DUS examination? SFS: In relation to disease and insect resistance characteristics, the CPVO has co-financed a series of R&D projects entitled “Harmonisation of resistance tests for DUS testing (Harmores)”. These are collaborative projects between the CPVO’s entrusted examination offices in vegetables — which are coordinated at the technical/scientific level by GEVES, the French examination office — seek to establish harmonised testing protocols amongst examination offices and seed companies. The participation of numerous ESA vegetable members in the R&D projects is invalu- able, since the tests need to be done in the same way by all the stakeholders in order to be able to interpret the results correctly and utilise them for registration, protection and commercialisa- tion purposes. Two Harmores projects have been finalised so far, and the improvements in the resulting methodology for numer- ous disease and insect resistance characteristics have been integrated in partial revisions to the CPVO DUS test protocols for tomato, French bean, pea and pepper. A third Harmores project is currently ongoing for improving the testing methodologies to Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum race 0 and 1 in tomato, Erysiphe pisi in pea, and Podosphera xanthii, Fusarium oxysporum races 1.2 and 2 in melon. The current project is foreseen to conclude in 2019. We are also seeing more use of biomolecular tools as an alternative to the laboratory test for disease and insect resistant characteristics in DUS test protocols. The marker technique is useful as long as a specific gene confer- ring the resistance is present in the candidate variety, and if so, this can lead to efficiency gains in the DUS test. If the gene is not present though, or the results of the biomolecular test are inconclusive, then the regular laboratory test must be utilised. It is to be noted that the EU is usually at the forefront in the use and implementation of disease and insect resistance characteristics in DUS testing, and fortunately a high level of harmonisation has been achieved on this matter via the CPVO vegetable protocols. The EU delegations subsequently make such proposal at UPOV via its Technical Working Party Vegetables (TWV), with the aim that these disease and insect characteristics can then be imple- mented into UPOV test guidelines. However, reaching agree- ment at the EU level is one thing, doing so at a worldwide level is quite another; thus whilst there is quite a high adoption rate, understandably there are a fewer number of disease and insect resistance characteristics (in particular asterisked ones) in UPOV vegetable test guidelines. SW Disease resistance testing of tomato in growth chambers. PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY SERGIO SEMON.