Norwegian scientists visited Czech colleagues and discussed strawberry and raspberry viruses

As part of a joint project, researchers from the Czech Republic and Norway are not only looking for new strawberry and raspberry viruses. They are also screening the existing ones, identifying their vectors and developing methods by which it would be possible to obtain and preserve healthy, virus-free seedlings for future generations. These days, Norwegian investigators visited their Czech colleagues to discuss not only the current results of the individual groups, but also to plan future strategy.

The Norwegian researchers first visited the Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology in Holovousy and then they met with other Czech partners at the Biological Centre CAS in České Budějovice, which is the main participant and coordinator of the project. Here, Norwegian scientists discussed not only with virologists and entomologists from the Biological Centre, but also scientists from the Crop Research Institute in Prague, the Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology Holovousy and also breeders from the company Jan Holub, s.r.o. 

The project „Healthy berries in a changing climate: development of new biotechnological procedures for virus diagnostics, vector studies, elimination and safe preservation of strawberry and raspberry“ benefits from a € 1,430,000 grant from Iceland,  Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and Technology agency of the Czech Republic within the KAPPA Programme. The aim of the project is to  increase the production potential of berries in a new and challenging climate by using high-quality virus-tested mother plants, improving virus control approaches, well-study of associated vectors, and better safeguarding of valuable plant germplasm and plant health.