MATREF SEED CENTRAL Brainstorming Session May 9, 2013

2 MATerial of REFerence  A national network of reference material (varieties and strains) for testing varieties for resistance to pathogens and pests.  Managed by GEVES – the French regulatory institute in charge of testing varieties for registration to the National List or for Plant Breeders’ Rights.  Created in 2002 for disease resistance tests on vegetables, performed for official variety descriptions or for external clients. MATREF

3 AIM of MATREF  Provide available and reliable reference material in order to perform disease resistance tests  Harmonize the reference material (controls, differential hosts, pathogens and pests) between official laboratories and seed companies in order to optimize the consistency of results for disease resistance assessment when GEVES-SNES has to check the resistance claims of seed companies.  Share tasks and costs between the members of the network for validation, maintenance and distribution of seeds and pathogen strains.

4 MEMBERS  Public partners GEVES - Variety and Seed Study and Control Group SNES – Official seed testing station INRA - National Institute for Agricultural Research  Private partners 11 Seed Companies – ASL, Bird, Clause, Gautier, Rijk Zwaan, Sakata, Monsanto, Syngenta, and Vilmorin

5 WHAT IS PROVIDED  Seed Material Validated as controls in official tests Validated as differential hosts Tested for germination by GEVES - SNES or private seed companies Controlled for seed health Stored as active bank at 4°C and backup bank at -18°C  Pathogen Strains Validated for aggressiveness and virulence Maintained by the official laboratory (GEVES - SNES or INRA)

6 DISTRIBUTION  Managed by GEVES  Differential seeds and pathogen cultures are distributed free for MATREF members  Seeds and pathogens are available to non- members for a fee  For non-members, seed quantity is limited but not pathogen quantities  In the near future, a similar system will be available for field cultures

7 CONTACT 

Naktuinbouw Netherlands Activities for the vegetable seed industry John van Ruiten, Director Naktuinbouw 9 May 2013

Naktuinbouw (NL) Is the Netherlands independent quality service for horticultural seeds/plants Is a Foundation with public tasks only (no commercial business activities) Is appointed by the NL Minister of Agriculture for official controls PRM (plant reproductive material)and PH (plant health) Is not subsidised by government, charges full costprice based tariffs to operators under control/supervision and services.

Naktuinbouw (NL) Carries out (legal) inspections on 3000 registered companies (NL). Obligatory registration according to NL Seed Law. Is responsible for official (phytosanitory) certification of horticultural seeds/plants Works with 60 full time inspectors (public officers) Is responsible in NL for all DUS testing for PBR/EU-variety registration (2000 varieties annually) Holds an ISTA accredited laboratory.

Naktuinbouw (NL) Offers additional (voluntary) services to the horticultural industry (companies and organizations in/outside NL)  Laboratory testing/services  Added value programs  Trial field examinations  Training Service activities are in the benefit of the industry and operated non commercially, but costprice is charged

Laboratory services (I) Pathogen testing in seeds/plants Diagnostic services Germination / purity testing DNA Variety identification Virus elimination/testing fruit crops Nematode testing in seeds/plants/soil

Laboratory services (II) Disease resistance testing Identification pathogens Isolate identification and validation Offering inocula for resistance testing in cooperation with seed companies NL (a.o. Bremia (lettuce), Peronospera (spinach), Fusarium (tomato, melon), various viruses.

Added Value Programs NAL® (Naktuinbouw Accredited Laboraties) for properly protocolized production/testing seeds by companies) Elite® ornamentals, fruit crops, soft fruit (systems approach and certification for high graded pathogen free basic material/cutting plants GSPP (Good Seed and Plant Practises, an industry hygiene standard) auditing Select Plant® certification

Other services Variety Tracer: assessing (with morphology and DNA) identity plants/crops, mainly in relation infringements PBR ASLN (Accredited Service Laboratories Naktuinbouw) for labs carrying out testing with reference to Naktuinbouw-programs International Plant Variety Protection course For a full list: Information :

SERVICE COMPARISON NaktuinbouwMATREFSNESGEVESUS Plant and/or Seed InspectionsX APHIS Variety testing for DUS X XPlant patent office Resistance ScreeningX Seed Companies and Private Labs Seed Health Testing X XX State Labs, Seed Companie and Private Labs Seed Health protocol developmentX XX Universities, Seed Companies, Private Labs, USDA Seed Health Protocol validationX X Seed Companies, Private Labs, NSHS Variety reference samples and distribution XX X X Lab accreditation (for tests)X XNSHS, USDA Accreditation of a person X XAOSA/SCST Issues Phytosanitary certificatesX APHIS Pathogen strain maintenance & distributionLimitedX X X Germination and Physical Purity testingX X XFed Lab, State Labs, Seed Companies, Private Labs Variety IndentificationX XPrivate Labs, Seed Companies Good Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP) auditingX Seed Certification X XState Crop Improvement Assoc. 17