France
September 10, 2026
At its meeting on 31 July 2026, chaired by Anne Laperche, the CTPS “Rapeseed and other cruciferous crops” section proposed the registration of 25 rapeseed varieties on List A and 14 varieties on List B. Two varieties of fodder radish were also proposed for registration on List A.
An update to the DUS rapeseed protocol
The section has approved the replacement of electrophoresis with SNP genotyping to monitor hybrid combinations, establish a framework for studying distinctiveness by combining phenotypic and genotypic distances, and verify the conformity of new seed lots intended for the renewal of the collection. This protocol will apply from the August 2026 deposits onwards.
At the same time, the European project led by GEVES and funded by the CPVO is continuing with the aim of using SNP genotyping to reduce the size of the reference collection established in the first year of the study.
Continued evaluation of resistance to Sclerotinia in oilseed rape
The initial results from the network dedicated to evaluating the behavioural response of rapeseed varieties to Sclerotinia have been presented. Five trials have been validated and have enabled the identification of initial differences between the varieties. A second year of trials will confirm these trends and establish future guidelines for interpretation.
New technical regulations for winter rapeseed
The section unanimously adopted the new technical regulations for the examination of winter rapeseed. These update and formalise the provisions governing DUS and VSCU studies, in particular the evaluation methods, optional tests, the awarding of classifications and the decision-making rules. They will need to be formally approved by ministerial order.
Finally, regulatory updates concerning new genomic techniques (NGT) and the draft European regulation on plant reproductive material (PRM) were presented.
The section’s next meeting will be held in person on 10 November 2026 in Paris.
Topics
Species
