Presentation of the GOCITRUS Operational Group at the International Citrus Genetic Improvement Conference

On January 28, the International Conference on Genetic Improvement of Citrus Fruits was held, which took place in the assembly hall of the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA) in Moncada, Valencia.

During the event, the most impactful citrus genetic improvement programs that are being carried out in different international research centers were presented, including the IVIA. All of this with the objective of raising awareness of the materials and strategies that are currently being used to obtain, evaluate and commercially manage new citrus varieties.

The meeting featured the presentation “Genomic approaches for obtaining and managing citrus varieties”, given by IVIA researcher, Manuel Talón. The presentation had a section dedicated to presenting the GOCITRUS Operational Group to the attendees of the day. During it, the objectives of the Operational Group were explained, the impacts that are expected to be achieved during the development of GOCITRUS and the members that make up this Operational Group that has recently begun the execution of its innovative project. This intervention constitutes the first public presentation of the implementation phase of GOCITRUS.

Program of the day:

09:00 a.m. Opening

Mr. David Torres García, General Director of Rural Development
Mr. Enrique Moltó García, IVIA Director

9:15 a.m. Genetic improvement of mandarin trees through biotechnological methods. Achievements and Perspectives.

Pablo Aleza. Department of Citriculture and Plant Production of the IVIA

9:45 a.m. The citrus breeding program at CREA, and new approaches for cultivating release.

Marco Caruso. Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura el´analisi dell´economia agraria, Acireale, Italy

10:15 a.m. Sensory quality of new mandarin varieties. The importance of asking the consumer.

Cristina Besada. IVIA Postharvest Department

10-45 a.m. Genetic progress and prospects for a sustainable Australian citrus industry.

Malcolm W. Smith. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland, Australia

11:15 a.m. Coffee

11:45 a.m. Genomic approaches for obtaining and managing citrus varieties.

Manuel Talon. IVIA Genomics Center

12:15 p.m. Genetic Improvement in Uruguay and new varieties released.

Fernando Rivas. National Citrus Research Program. National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA). Uruguay

12:45 p.m. Citrus Scion Breeding and Commercialization at the University of Florida-CREC: Products and Processes.

Fred G. Gmitter. Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, Florida

1:15 p.m. IVIA citrus rootstocks.

Mª Ángeles Forner. Department of Citriculture and Plant Production of the IVIA

1:45 p.m. Citrus Breeding Program and Achievement in Korea.

Kwan Jeong Song, Jeju National University, Jeju Island, South Korea

2:15 p.m. Closure

Mr. David Torres García, General Director of Rural Development
Mr. Enrique Moltó García, IVIA Director