France
April 1, 2025

The project TEMPO funded by Sofiproteol means ‘Sunflower’s adaptation to new environments with low TEMPerature and Oxygen level’. It brings together 5 partners, including 3 breeders (SOLTIS, RAGT, MAS SEEDS) and aims to establish sunflower crop in earlier springs or in more Northern regions as actually used.

Genetic improvement is needed to acclimate this crop to early sowings or wet soils and so with hypoxia in cold areas.

Lead by Chloé Elmerich (Soltis), the project has started by an online meeting attended by 16 participants including 7 from GEVES staff.

Triple contribution for GEVES:

• Develop a spectral measurement of cold tolerance using NIRS
• Measure thickness of seed pericarp using X-rays microtomography and see its influence on seed vigour
• Phenotype heterotrophic seedling growth in cold conditions

BioGEVES with its biochemical team is in charge of the first point and two laboratories of the French Seed Testing Station are in charge of the rest using tools of the Phenotic platform.

Next steering committee will be hosted in January 2026 by GEVES in Beaucouzé: first results will be presented and next trials discussed.

Website: http://www.geves.fr

Published: April 1, 2025