BRESOV, a sister project of Liveseed focusing on breeding for resilient, efficient and sustainable organic vegetable production, has recently published a Position Paper “What do bean, broccoli and tomatoes have in common? Breeding for Resilient, Efficient and Sustainable Organic Vegetable production (BRESOV)” European Seed Magazine, edition February 2019 (pp.10-11).
The consumption of organically grown vegetables is increasing to the extent that in the European Union, demand for organic produce currently outstrips supply. Yet, most of the varieties used in organic farming in Europe have not been specifically developed for organic farming systems. Therefore, BRESOV will explore solutions for organic producers to be supplied with specific varieties for organic farming systems.
The 4-year research project started in May 2018 and involves 22 partners from the EU and beyond. It aims at improving the competitiveness of three of the most economically important vegetable crops, brassicas, beans and tomatoes, when grown in an organic production system, and receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. BRESOV will meet the needs of organic producers by fostering research to develop varieties suitable for organic production, considering the specific needs and objectives of organic agriculture such as enhanced genetic diversity, disease resistance or tolerance, and adaptation to diverse local soil and climate conditions.
The paper introducing the project, its aim and objectives is available on the BRESOV website.