The project has made significant progress across its work packages during the reporting period.
In-situ characterisation of CWRs for their better conservation (WP1): The work undertaken so far has consisted of data collection. Occurrence maps have been created using high-quality records of the 19 project-prioritised species from the three investigated crops. New samplings were performed in France, Israel and Turkey. Leaf samples from different populations were obtained for DNA extraction. Experiments were set up to capture the diversity of root-associated microbiota. These data form the basis for identifying the best sites for establishing genetic reserves, for assessing population structure, functional traits and ferality (the fact to return to a wild state) in Brassica wild relatives, for assessing populations’ vulnerability to climate change, to characterise the evolution of species with soil microbiota interactions and to describe the diversity related to disease resistance genes.
Ex-situ conservation of CWRs for enhanced utilisation in pre-breeding (WP2): Genebanks were contacted across the continent in a collaborative effort to investigate the conservation status of the project-prioritised species, relatives of sugar beet, wheat, and rapeseed. The methodology for choosing accessions was developed, and global core collections were then drafted to maximise the evaluated genetic diversity, a key resource that is now entering in phenotypic evaluation under abiotic and biotic stresses. For each accession within the three gene pool collections, a clear plan (timeline and actions needed) for its conservation improvement is listed. An online tool was developed, facilitating data exploration and visualisation at the accession-, species-, and country-level, including conservation-status patterns and map views with exact or estimated GPS locations. Together, delivering a comprehensive assessment and visualisation tool of Europe ex-situ CWR diversity holdings.
Exploiting CWRs to increase crop diversity (WP3): The consortium focused on establishing the foundational genetic material for the project's duration. Populations resulting from crosses between cultivated species and their wild relatives have been created, multiplied, and their characterisation has begun. Screening experiments for both biotic and abiotic stresses were initiated, identifying genotypes with resistance to major diseases and establishing new protocols to evaluate drought tolerance. Furthermore, the evaluation of wheat grain nutritional quality has begun. By involving farmers and stakeholders through a multi-actor approach, the project ensures these resilient, high-quality crops are tailored for the real-world agricultural challenges.
