The BELIS project, in which Spain participates, will work on the genetic improvement of European legume seeds

Ancenis (France) hosts the inaugural meeting of the BELIS project, in which thirty-four partners from eighteen countries participate, and which will last five years. It will contribute “to increasing the competitiveness of the legume genetic improvement sector in Europe and to offering profitable and adapted genetic varieties to European farmers seeking better legume seeds.” The project will focus on seven forage crops (red clover, white clover, annual clovers, alfalfa, sainfoin, lotus and vetch) and seven grain crops (pea, broad bean, soybean, white lupine, lentil, chickpea and bean), that represent the diversity of legume species cultivated in Europe. BELIS aims to “provide scientific advances and technical innovations on key aspects of the improvement process: methods and tools of genotyping and phenotyping, proposals for agronomic and technological characterization of varieties, cross trials in different conditions, and ways to improve and homogenize ...