The 2nd annual meeting of the project took place on 16-17 November 2021

On 16-17 November 2021, the project had its 2nd annual meeting where 173 researchers, breeders as well as representatives from the CPVO and Member States Examination Offices were brought up to speed by the Consortium partners on the developments in different Work Packages (WPs).

Fred van Eeuwijk from Wageningen University (WP4 leader) shared with the members developments on the Predictive modelling of variety performance, adaptation and stability and application in a Decision Support System (DSS) for variety choice.

Scott Chapman then presented the INVITA project whose scope is Innovations in Variety Testing in Australia.

Dissemination and optimization of exploitation of results is an integral part of the INVITE project which is under WP8. Daniel Traon (Arcadia) shared with the participants specific points on communications of the project and its results to target audience with a focus on stakeholder engagement. Euroseeds, represented by Catherine Lang’at, is WP8 co-leader.

WP1 presentation by Maria Jose Aranzana (IRTA) focused on the Crop characterization and bioindicators associated with plant sustainability and DUS criteria.

WP2 leader David Rousseau (Angers University) highlighted to the participants the setting-up of mobile high-throughput phenotyping tools to measure existing and new bioindicators.

Karl-Schmid from Hohenheim University (WP3 leader) brought the participants up to speed on the Genotyping tools to better characterize varieties and their performance.

Juliane Hirte brought to the attention of the members a new H2020 project – MaxRoot C project, highlighting the potential collaborations with the INVITE project. The day was crowned by a workshop on the insights on trial network adequacy from the 1st analysis of historical data and where the project is on data collection and availability.

As for WP9, the Project Manager Nesrine Mezghrani (INRAE) shared with the members the Consortium coordination and project management.

Fiona Doohan shared with the members an update of the INNOVAR project, which was EU funded under the same call with INVITE project. The update included the collaborations in different WPs.
Noemie Bernard Legall (ACTA) clarified to the members the activities so far on database management and data interoperability.

Aurelia Gouleau (GEVES) took the members through WP5 which entails the integration of new methods and tools in advanced variety testing protocols and demonstration in field trials.

WP6 leader Juan Herrera (Agroscope) brought the members up to speed on the improved variety testing networks.

The INVITE is keen on taking into account the views of the Stakeholders. In regard to this, Philippe Lesigne (Bayer), as a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Board, shared with the participants some overall observations on the progress of the project this far.