The activities proposed in this project articulate with former projects such as the European project ResGen CT96-081 (1994-2000), the work of ECP-GR Vitis working group, and the IPGRI’s Caucasus and Black Sea Vitis project. In the scope of the grapeGen06 project, new aspects such as the inventory of wild populations and on-farm analysis of old autochthonous cultivars will also be implemented. The work will be subdivided in two tasks, each divided into several work packages (WP), each coordinated by one partner:

1. Data and material acquisition
   
   WP1. Molecular diversity data (nuclear DNA microsatellites) acquisition on European resources
   WP2. Recording of primary and secondary descriptor data of autochthonous cultivars
   WP3. On-farm evaluation of agronomic features of old, rare or neglected autochthonous grape varieties.
   WP4. Prospecting and studing Vitis sylvestris germplasm, including molecular, morphological and agronomical characteristics.
   
   
2. Management and preservation of genetic resources
   
   WP5. Assessment of the true-to-typeness of the Vitis genetic resources in order to define the extent of diversity in collections and provide unique identification to each cultivar
   WP6. Enlargement and improvement of the Vitis database, entering coded SSR data, morphological and technological data and adding computer facilities such as automated comparison and retrieval.
   WP7. Definition and implementation of a long term conservation strategy (integrating several types of conservation, in-situ, ex-situ, cryopreservation) for the sustainable conservation of European grape genetic resources.