CTPS Fruit Section: between regulatory changes and varietal innovations

The agenda for the latest meeting of the CTPS Fruit Species Section on 12 March 2026 was particularly packed. In addition to approving the application for registration of nine varieties (7 peach varieties, 1 walnut rootstock and 1 Prunus rootstock), working groups were tasked with reviewing the current directive on the management of fruit propagating material production (certified and CAC), with the aim of providing suggestions for amendments to the European Commission regarding the drafting of secondary legislation for the future PRM Regulation.

Furthermore, the review of the Section’s roadmap for the SPAD 2 plan showed that significant progress had been made in terms of collecting and sharing information on variety performance, thanks to the introduction of lists of varieties that enable savings on plant protection products within the framework of Operational Programmes.

To conclude the meeting, Jean-Marc Audergon (INRAE project officer) presented to the assembly the initial findings of a project jointly led by InnOBreed (a Horizon Europe project) and GIS Fruit, aimed at establishing the ideotype for the fruit varieties of the future and assessing the resources required to achieve this. The result of consultations with all stakeholders in the French sector, this compilation of information will enable the establishment, at both French and European level, of research and experimental objectives that the CTPS Section can support.