Tomato Enthusiasts on Different Levels: New TomGEM Interview Series
Horizon 2020 project TomGEM aims to improve tomato quality in the face of climate change
As management and dissemination partner in TomGEM, we were lucky enough to join the Horizon 2020 consortium for their 3rd progress meeting in beautiful Old Windsor, UK, to accompany the production of a series of partner interviews. For us at Eurice, it was a pleasure to meet such enthusiastic scientists and we do hope this becomes visible in the final interviews which have now been published on the TomGEM website and on YouTube.
Launched in 2016, TomGEM aims to design new tomato varieties as well as innovative breeding and management practices which deliver high yields and good fruit quality under elevated temperature. To this end, the researchers consider all developmental factors contributing to yield - genotypes, environmental conditions and breeding practices – as well as the interactions between them. Hence, TomGEM offers holistic solutions to the challenge of increasing food quality and productivity in the face of climate change.
The short interview clips illustrate the objectives, activities and results of the multi-national, interdisciplinary consortium working together in this four-year research initiative. The partners highlight their personal motivation and the different expertise they bring into the project, while addressing some key challenges that need to be overcome towards the ultimate goal to foster breeding of new tomato cultivars with improved yield under suboptimal temperature conditions.
TomGEM is a global research alliance bringing together 18 partner institutions from three continents comprising expert academic researchers, private actors and tomato producers sharing resources, information and experience. Together, they translate scientific insights into practical strategies for a better understanding and handling of interactions between genotypes, environmental conditions and breeding practices. The project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 679796.
To watch the interviews, click here.