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To
remain productive and competitive, modern viticulture
in Europe has to tackle three main concerns : innovation,
quality and environmental protection. We believe that
to address the recent market evolution and trends, grape
growers and wine producers need to have access to diversified
grape genetic resources, in order to be able to innovate
and create new varieties, new tastes, new products and
brands. To face the world market competition, European
growers need also to be able to certify their products
in terms of naming, of quality and of genetic and geographic
origins. Furthermore, the demand on organic products
is raising in Europe, as well as concerns regarding
environmental and health protection ; thus, the researchers
share the objective of using the genetic resources as
a reservoir to create more resistant varieties, allowing
to decrease the use of pesticides and the burden for
the environment.
This project aims to address these concerns, making
available wide and well characterised genetic resources,
some of which are today either forgotten, endangered,
underexploited, poorly classified or even unknown.
We believe that, in turn, this will facilitate the
research of more resistant varieties, the research
on grape and wine quality, and the work on true-to-type
identification, allowing growers to be sure of the
value of their products and facilitating cultivar
registration. This approach will also facilitate consumer
information about the origin of the final products.
Our project will be accomplished in collaboration
with wine growers and professional organisations,
ensuring to take in account their demands in terms
of characterisation and use.
Finally, the work will consist of creating a permanent
network of collection keepers and researchers, with a critical
mass and world influence in the scientific domain of grape
genetic resources.
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