News

The fifty-ninth session of the Technical Working Party for Vegetables (TWV) was held virtually from May 5 to 8, 2025. Participants from various countries discussed key issues related to improving procedures for testing plant varieties for distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS), as well as reviewed existing and proposed Test Guidelines for a wide range of vegetable crops.

   One of the main topics of the session was the assessment of new characteristics that could be used during DUS testing. Particular attention was given to disease resistance characteristics. It was noted that UPOV member states have different capacities for assessing such traits, which presents challenges for international harmonization. Participants agreed that sharing experience and developing common approaches is necessary to overcome this issue.

   The use of molecular markers in DUS testing was also discussed. Experts from the Netherlands presented draft guidelines for the validation of molecular marker assessment methods, while Japanese representatives shared their experience in incorporating DNA information into the plant variety protection system. It was acknowledged that, provided confidentiality is maintained, molecular data could significantly enhance the reliability of variety identification.

   A range of revisions and updates to Test Guidelines for specific crops was reviewed, including for tomato, eggplant, garlic, ginger, lettuce, cauliflower, maize, pumpkin, and others. Many of these included proposed new characteristics, particularly related to disease resistance. Importantly, most of the proposed changes were based on the practical experience of member states and the recommendations of scientific experts.

   A significant part of the discussion focused on improving the format and structure of Test Guidelines. Suggestions included greater use of illustrations and diagrams, as well as the creation of standardized formats for characteristic explanations to support easier machine translation. These measures are expected to simplify the drafting process and improve clarity across countries.

   Overall, the outcomes of the session confirmed the essential role of the TWV as an international platform for sharing experience, scientific approaches, and harmonizing procedures in the field of vegetable variety testing. The TWV continues to play an active role in improving the quality and reliability of plant variety protection systems worldwide.

   Participants from UIPVE (on-line): Maryna TAGANTSOVA, Olena SVYNARCHUK, Ludmila BALITSKA, Tetiana DUDKA, Yana ILCHENKO, Nataliya SYMONENKO,  Nadiia LYNCHAK.