Beetroot and industrial chicory: the CTPS Section reviews trials and the SPAD 2 plan
On Wednesday 22 October, the CTPS “Beetroot and Industrial Chicory” Section met in Paris for its traditional autumn meeting.
On the programme: updating genetic progress graphs, news updates on the CTPS 2025 trial network and preparation for the 2026 trial campaign.
Despite a dry spring and a prevalence of BYV viruses, the results for 2025 look encouraging overall. From 2026 onwards, the yellows platforms will no longer be inoculated virus by virus but will be directly evaluated in co-inoculation with the three main yellows viruses (BChV, BMYV and BYV). The SBR (low-richness syndrome) experiment will continue.
This meeting also provided an opportunity to update the Section’s SPAD 2 plan roadmap. It was decided to focus primarily on the following points:
- Action 11 and strengthening the evaluation of new varieties in relation to pests
- Action 14 and acquiring information on the adaptation of varieties to climatic hazards
- Action 20 and the use of phenotyping tools for variety evaluation
- Action 23 and evaluating the genetic progress of new varieties
Finally, this Section marked the last meeting chaired by Alain Moulinier. President of the CTPS “Beetroot and Industrial Chicory” Section since 2009, he has contributed to many projects and participated in important advances for the sector. Very present and involved in the various committees, the Section wished to thank him warmly over a friendly drink.
The next Section meeting for the examination of varieties will be held on 20 January 2026 in Paris.
