INCREASE – Intelligent Collections of Food Legumes Genetic Resources for European Agrofood Systems

Stakeholder Consortium

The INCREASE Stakeholder Consortium, composed of 156 members, played a central role in supporting the communication, dissemination, exploitation and long-term sustainability of the project’s results.

Throughout the project, the Consortium actively contributed to both the exploitation and dissemination of INCREASE outputs. A key achievement was the distribution of Single Seed Descent (SSD) genetic resources generated by the project to external stakeholders for research, breeding, educational and other scientific activities. Stakeholders were not only recipients but also active contributors, participating in the multiplication and characterisation of INCREASE genetic resources.

The Stakeholder Consortium members can be found here.

  • Strengthening Breeding and Research Activities

    The dissemination of T-CORE lines across species supported multiple downstream applications:

    Chickpea:

    • 200 T-CORE lines were multiplied in 2024 by two seed companies within the EVA Legume Networks, with field evaluations planned for 2025.
    • Additional chickpea T-CORE lines were used for seed protein characterisation and for the development of Recombinant Inbred Line (RIL) populations.

    Lentil:

    • 100 T-CORE lines were selected in 2024 for seed multiplication in 2025 within EVA networks.
    • Approximately 200 lentil T-CORE lines were used for root architecture characterisation.
    • Lentil material was also used to develop composite cross populations.

    Common bean:

    • Around 100 T-CORE lines were used for seed protein characterisation.
    • T-CORE lines were used to develop MAGIC populations.
    • The NordGen common bean collection was used to develop SSD lines following the INCREASE protocol. These were incorporated into the INCREASE R-CORE and are currently being whole-genome sequenced (WGS).

    Lupin:

    • Selected T-CORE lines were evaluated for breeding purposes.

    These activities demonstrate how the Stakeholder Consortium facilitated the translation of INCREASE genetic resources into breeding tools, advanced populations and trait characterisation efforts, reinforcing links with both breeding companies and research institutions.

  • Integration with European Networks and Projects

    The Consortium strengthened connections with the EVA Legume Networks, ensuring coordinated multiplication and evaluation of chickpea and lentil T-CORE lines. In addition, some INCREASE partners are involved in the EVA Boost project across all five species, further extending the impact of INCREASE resources.

    Strong collaboration with genebanks, particularly NordGen, further enhanced sustainability by aligning INCREASE protocols with existing collections and integrating newly developed SSD material into long-term conservation and sequencing efforts.

  • Dissemination and Community Engagement

    Dissemination activities were structured and continuous throughout the project. Updates were shared through a monthly newsletter (19 issues published), ensuring regular communication with stakeholders. Additionally, an open day was organised alongside each annual meeting, providing a dedicated platform to present project results and showcase stakeholder activities.

  • Overall Contribution

    By combining structured communication, active stakeholder engagement, and the broad distribution and use of genetic resources, the INCREASE Stakeholder Consortium significantly enhanced the exploitation, visibility, and long-term sustainability of project outputs. The collaborative framework established during the project provides a strong foundation for continued use, evaluation and improvement of legume genetic resources beyond the project’s lifetime.

Stakeholder Consortium
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