MATREF
SEED CENTRAL
Brainstorming Session
May 9, 2013
MATREF
MATerial of REFerence
 A national network of reference material (varieties
and strains) for testing varieties for resistance to
pathogens and pests.
 Managed by GEVES – the French regulatory institute
in charge of testing varieties for registration to the
National List or for Plant Breeders’ Rights.
 Created in 2002 for disease resistance tests on
vegetables, performed for official variety
descriptions or for external clients.
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AIM of MATREF
 Provide available and reliable reference material in
order to perform disease resistance tests
 Harmonize the reference material (controls,
differential hosts, pathogens and pests) between
official laboratories and seed companies in order to
optimize the consistency of results for disease
resistance assessment when GEVES-SNES has to
check the resistance claims of seed companies.
 Share tasks and costs between the members of the
network for validation, maintenance and distribution
of seeds and pathogen strains.
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MEMBERS
Public partners
 GEVES - Variety and Seed Study and Control Group
 SNES – Official seed testing station
 INRA - National Institute for Agricultural Research
Private partners
 11 Seed Companies – ASL, Bird, Clause, Gautier, Rijk
Zwaan, Sakata, Monsanto, Syngenta, and Vilmorin
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WHAT IS PROVIDED
Seed Material
 Validated as controls in official tests
 Validated as differential hosts
 Tested for germination by GEVES - SNES or private seed
companies
 Controlled for seed health
 Stored as active bank at 4°C and backup bank at -18°C
 Pathogen Strains
 Validated for aggressiveness and virulence
 Maintained by the official laboratory (GEVES - SNES or INRA)
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DISTRIBUTION
Managed by GEVES
Differential seeds and pathogen cultures are
distributed free for MATREF members
Seeds and pathogens are available to nonmembers for a fee
For non-members, seed quantity is limited but
not pathogen quantities
In the near future, a similar system will be
available for field cultures
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CONTACT
www.service.clients@geves.fr
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Naktuinbouw Netherlands
Activities for the
vegetable seed industry
John van Ruiten,
Director Naktuinbouw
9 May 2013
Naktuinbouw (NL)
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Is the Netherlands independent quality
service for horticultural seeds/plants
Is a Foundation with public tasks only (no
commercial business activities)
Is appointed by the NL Minister of
Agriculture for official controls PRM (plant
reproductive material)and PH (plant health)
Is not subsidised by government, charges
full costprice based tariffs to operators
under control/supervision and services.
Naktuinbouw (NL)
• Carries out (legal) inspections on 3000
registered companies (NL). Obligatory
registration according to NL Seed Law.
• Is responsible for official (phytosanitory)
certification of horticultural seeds/plants
• Works with 60 full time inspectors (public
officers)
• Is responsible in NL for all DUS testing for
PBR/EU-variety registration (2000 varieties
annually)
• Holds an ISTA accredited laboratory.
Naktuinbouw (NL)
• Offers additional (voluntary) services to
the horticultural industry (companies
and organizations in/outside NL)
 Laboratory testing/services
 Added value programs
 Trial field examinations
 Training
• Service activities are in the benefit of
the industry and operated non
commercially, but costprice is charged
Laboratory services (I)
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Pathogen testing in seeds/plants
Diagnostic services
Germination / purity testing
DNA Variety identification
Virus elimination/testing fruit crops
Nematode testing in
seeds/plants/soil
Laboratory services (II)
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Disease resistance testing
Identification pathogens
Isolate identification and validation
Offering inocula for resistance testing
in cooperation with seed companies
NL (a.o. Bremia (lettuce),
Peronospera (spinach), Fusarium
(tomato, melon), various viruses.
Added Value Programs
• NAL® (Naktuinbouw Accredited Laboraties)
for properly protocolized production/testing
seeds by companies)
• Elite® ornamentals, fruit crops, soft fruit
(systems approach and certification for high
graded pathogen free basic material/cutting
plants
• GSPP (Good Seed and Plant Practises, an
industry hygiene standard) auditing
• Select Plant® certification
Other services
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Variety Tracer: assessing (with morphology
and DNA) identity plants/crops, mainly in
relation infringements PBR
ASLN (Accredited Service Laboratories
Naktuinbouw) for labs carrying out testing
with reference to Naktuinbouw-programs
International Plant Variety Protection course
For a full list: www.naktuinbouw.nl
Information : j.v.ruiten@naktuinbouw.nl
SERVICE COMPARISON
Naktuinbouw
MATREF
SNES
GEVES
US
Plant and/or Seed Inspections
X
APHIS
Variety testing for DUS
X
Resistance Screening
X
Seed Health Testing
X
X
X
State Labs, Seed Companie and Private Labs
Seed Health protocol development
X
X
X
Universities, Seed Companies, Private Labs, USDA
Seed Health Protocol validation
X
X
Seed Companies, Private Labs, NSHS
Variety reference samples and
distribution
X
Lab accreditation (for tests)
X
X
Seed Companies and Private Labs
X
Accreditation of a person
X
X
Issues Phytosanitary certificates
X
Pathogen strain maintenance &
distribution
Limited
Germination and Physical Purity
testing
X
Variety Indentification
Good Seed and Plant Practices
(GSPP) auditing
X
Seed Certification
X
Plant patent office
X
X
NSHS, USDA
X
AOSA/SCST
APHIS
X
X
X
X
X
Fed Lab, State Labs, Seed Companies, Private Labs
X
Private Labs, Seed Companies
X
State Crop Improvement Assoc.
X
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