PROJECT CONSORTIUM

GEN4OLIVE brings together a wide, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary consortium of 16 partners from 7 different countries, including the international Germplasm Banks of the top 5 olive growing countries to exploit synergies in order to achieve the project objectives.

University of Córdoba (UCO)

Coordinator of the Project

University of Córdoba (UCO)

Coordinator of the Project

The UCO is one of the key agents involved in the World Olive Germplasm Bank of Cordoba (WOGBC), which was established in 1970 and it is currently the largest olive germplasm bank. UCO holds the role of Project Coordinator and, as main responsible for the project, it will provide an academic multidisciplinary profile to the Consortium, being responsible for WPs 1, 3, 4, 10 and 11.

Hellenic Agricultural Organisation “DEMETER” (DEMETER)

Hellenic Agricultural Organisation “DEMETER” (DEMETER)

DEMETER holds the Greek Germplasm Bank. In the framework of the project, DEMETER is responsible for WP5, perfectly aligned with some of their core research lines, such as climate change effects prediction and implementation of Genetic x Environment interaction studies.

The Olive Research Institute (ORI)

The Olive Research Institute (ORI)

ORI is the responsible entity for Turkish Germplasm Bank, so some of their main activities within the project are: a) characterization of cultivars and varieties available in this GB; and b) characterization, authentication of selected ancient olive trees.

Santa Cruz Ingeniería (SCI)

Santa Cruz Ingeniería (SCI)

SCI is a Spanish company focused on agronomic management and R&D activities. It will apply their results from their previous R&D projects and olive breeding in WPs 1, 3 and 6, while carrying out other cross-cutting activities related to results exploitation and communication.

Cambrico Biotech S.L.

Cambrico Biotech S.L.

The biotechnology company Cambrico Biotech develops new technologies, products and services based on genomics and molecular biology. Its main role in the project is the identification of the biomarkers for selecting the progress resilient to Verticillium and Xylella in an early stage (in the first 2-3 months of seedling).

BALAM | AGRICULTURE

BALAM | AGRICULTURE is currently a Spanish leader in olive breeding. It is in charge of WP 9, devoted to communication, dissemination and exploitation of project results and it is also involved in collecting end-users’ needs and engaging them in the project activities.

Hellenic Union of Nurseries (EFE)

Hellenic Union of Nurseries (EFE)

EFE is the largest Greek association of propagating plant material. The main tasks of EFE in the project are as follows: a) to collect the needs of nurseries and their contributions to the project; b) to carry out dissemination and communication actions to transmit the results of the project to the end-users; and c) to collaborate with the consortium in other technical tasks (e.g. definition of the interface).

Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA)

Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA)

CREA is the responsible entity for the Italian Germplasm Bank. In the framework of this project, CREA’s main role is: a) characterisation of cultivars that belong to the Italian GB; b) characterisation of domesticated and wild genotypes, authentication and cataloguing of the varieties available in the Italian GB; c) classification of all olive cultivars (all GBs) regarding the resistance against Xylella; and d) characterisation and authentication of selected ancient olive trees of the Italian area.

FOCOS GbR

FOCOS GbR

FOCOS’ main business line is the strategy consultancy for the food industry. It is responsible for WP8, thus in charge of co-creation and capability-building activities.

Ankara University (ANKU)

Ankara University (ANKU)

The main role of ANKU in the project is: a) the development of techniques to short the juvenile phase of olive plant and consequently to accelerate the breeding process; and b) to provide support in WPs 1, 3, 5 and 6.

University of Granada (UGR)

University of Granada (UGR)

The UGR, through its Ecology Department is responsible for WP 2 focused on the characterization of wild olives and setting up core reference collections of wild material that can then be later incorporated into breeding programs.

University of Jaén (UJA)

University of Jaén (UJA)

UJA is represented in the project by the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation of Mediterranean Vegetation Research Group. Its main tasks are as follows: a) the characterisation of wild olives and setting up core reference collections of wild material that can then be later incorporated into breeding programs; b) the identification of bio-markers for accelerating the breeding process (early selection of the progenies).

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE

INRA is the responsible entity of Morocco GB, so they will carry out the characterization of cultivars that belong to this GB (described in WP1 and in annex file) and then will collaborate with the partners from WP1 to WP6. Some of the main roles of INRA will be: Characterization domesticated and wild genotypes, authentication and cataloguing of the varieties available in the International Germplasm Bank of Morocco. Characterization, authentication of selected ancient olive trees of Moroccan area.

Sapienza University of Rome

Sapienza University of Rome

The Dipartimento di Informatica of Sapienza has been selected by the Italian Ministry of Research and Education as the Department of Excellence 2018-2022. SAPIENZA University is responsible for WP 6. They will develop the GEN4OLIVE interface where all the project findings will be digitalized for the end users and two applications for determining olive varieties and diseases through images.

The National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)

The National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)

The Evolution and Biological Diversity and the Centre for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology will take part in this project. Their main role in the project will be: a) the identification and characterisation of wild and ancient olives (in situ); b) the establishment of a wild olive seed bank network.

Fundación Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía

Fundación Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía

Fundación Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía (CTA) is a regional public-private partnership (PPP) that was created in 2005 as joint effort of Andalusia regional government and a group of key companies to trigger innovation activities performed by the Andalusian private sector and to connect these activities with academia and society, supporting public bodies innovation policy implementation and promoting world-class R&I in a transition region. Currently, CTA is owned by more than 165 companies, 70% of them SMEs, in 7 main European industrial priority sectors: ICT, Aerospace and productive processes, Agri-food, Biotechnology, Building and civil engineering, Energy and Environment, and Leisure and Tourism.