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

History of the budget Initial 2004: total € EU contribution € Submitted 2005: € EU contribution € Granted EU 2006: € * 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