The kick-off meeting for the “International Harmonization and Validation of a SNP Set for Managing the Lettuce Reference Collection” project was held on Feb. 17 and 18. Validated in late 2024, the project will be supported and financed by the CPVO through 2027.
This initial meeting brought together the four examination offices authorized by the CPVO to conduct DUS studies on lettuce: BSA (Germany), INIA-CSIS (Spain), GEVES (France), and NAKT (Netherlands), along with Euroseeds representing the European seed industry, according to a press release.
Lettuce breeding in Europe is highly dynamic, with over 3,200 protection applications submitted between 1995 and 2022. As collections grow, DUS studies require increasing resources — such as managing and storing collections, describing materials, and conducting larger trials.
The project’s primary goal is to develop a set of molecular markers (SNPs) to enhance the efficiency of DUS tests for lettuce. These studies are vital for registering and protecting new varieties, but the high phenotypic similarity between several varieties makes these tests more complex and costly. SNP markers could streamline the selection of reference varieties for field trials, reducing associated costs.
During the meeting, it was agreed to initially test the markers on a diversified pool of lettuce and a smaller number of plants to identify the most robust and relevant SNPs. In the second phase, these selected markers will be tested on a larger variety set for validation. Harmonization work is also necessary due to varying methods and techniques used across laboratories, with repeatability and reproducibility criteria being assessed.
As NAKT is leading the project for CPVO, these two half-day working sessions took place in the Netherlands. The next step is to compile a list of representative lettuce varieties for an initial round of tests this spring.
