Goals and Aims

The Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology and Genomic Resources (LPB) of IVFVC took its present form after September 2001.  It cooperates widely, on contractual basis, with other NAGREF Laboratories responsible for the collection, preservation and evaluation of accessions of cash crops (mostly Cretan endogenous) or of plant pathogenic fungi.  The LPB adopts and applies molecular genetic markers (RAPD, AFLP, SCAR, SSR, SNP) with the following aims:

• Molecular fingerprinting of citrus, olive, grapevine and vegetables for:

          1. Identification, classification, and discovery of phylogenetic relations,

          2. Development of molecular tools for secure commercial release of new  propagation materials in compliance with relevant EU and national regulations,

          3. Development of authentication tools for control of commercially available materials and for safeguarding breeders’ rights, 

              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_breeders%27_rights, 

              http://www.cpvo.europa.eu/main/en/         

• Molecular genetic analysis of populations and gene flow of Cretan endogenous forest trees such as Mediterranean cypress and evergreen plane tree as biodiversity indicators. 
• Establishment of genetic identity and of true-to-typeness of commercially available vegetable hybrids and provision of expert advice on service basis
• Molecular linkage mapping of whole genomes of cash crops or of forest species and discovery of markers linked to resistance or developmental alleles.
• Molecular fingerprinting of plant pathogenic fungi isolated from vegetable and tree species for phylogenetic and epidemiological analysis as well as for development of molecular diagnostics. 

Depending on breeding history, analyzed plant materials include, on occasion, geographic provenances, populations, cultivars, hybrids or clones.