In Europe, research efforts are underway to develop strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries that are more resilient to the challenges posed by climate change. With rising temperatures and extreme weather conditions affecting crop yields, the need for more adaptable berry varieties has become increasingly apparent. The European Union has initiated the BreedingValue project, aiming to enhance genetic diversity among berry crops and improve their survival rates under adverse conditions.
Professor Bruno Mezzetti, the project coordinator and a renowned expert in fruit-crop breeding and biotechnology at Marche Polytechnic University in Italy, highlighted the project's objectives. "The aim is to identify the best genetic sources, particularly for disease resistance, water resistance, resilience, adaptability, sugar, and aroma," Mezzetti stated. By examining both wild species and cultivated plants, the project seeks to pinpoint desirable traits for new cultivars that exhibit enhanced resilience and sensory qualities.
Dr. Tuuli Haikonen, a participant in the research, emphasized the potential of leveraging old cultivars or crop wild relatives to introduce resilient and sensory traits into new "superberry" species. Concurrently, the EU-funded FRIETS project is exploring innovative dehydration techniques for berries, aiming to produce healthy snacks without the addition of salts or sugars, thereby reducing food waste and preserving the nutritional and therapeutic values of the berries.
Source: thecooldown.com
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