UPOV BMT Working Group on Biochemical and Molecular Techniques: 6-10 November 2017
GEVES and its BioGEVES laboratory were delighted to host the 16th UPOV Working Group on Biochemical and Molecular Techniques (BMT) from 6-10 November in La Rochelle, France.
For this meeting, 75 participants from 23 countries came together to discuss biochemical and molecular techniques. In particular, the exchanges focused on how to apply molecular techniques in relation to variety testing (DUS) and variety identification, including developments in UPOV, new breeding techniques and their impact on DUS testing, and databases containing molecular data.
During the session, the different members and participants, from both the private sector and public offices, presented their research projects and initiatives using molecular techniques in variety testing. There were lively discussions around the possible use of molecular markers as a criteria to facilitate DUS testing. The group also made decisions on improving the UPOV models on this matter which will lead to the modification of the associated UPOV reference document. A new initiative was launched in order to facilitate cooperation between institutes and countries working on the same species with a molecular approach.
GEVES would like to thank all the participants for their contributions and fruitful discussions, and looks forward to further collaboration with the BMT working group. The next meeting will be held at Montevideo (Uruguay) in September 2018.
For more information, you can find all the documentation for this meeting at http://www.upov.int/meetings/fr/details.jsp?meeting_id=43772
