Plant Variety Rights

Earlier this year, CPVO looked at SAPISE from the breeder’s side: research, seed production, supply-chain control and the difficult economics behind bringing a new variety to market. Venere rice offers a chance to follow that story further. Almost three decades after its development, one variety now sits at the centre of a portfolio of 25 food products reaching more than 50 countries.

When CPVO spoke to SAPISE Director General Carlo Minoia in April, one of his observations went to the heart of plant breeding as a business. Agronomic performance alone does not create a successful

Developed by NEIKER for the crisps industry, the purple-skinned variety combines distinctive flesh, frying quality, antioxidant compounds and resistance to two major potato diseases.

Breeding a new potato variety is an exercise in balance. A promising clone may perform well in the field but fail during processing. Another may have an attractive appearance but lack the yield, stability or disease resistance required by farmers and industry.

Atsegiñe was selected because it brings several of these characteristics together. Developed by NEIKER over seven years of crossing,

Creating a new plant variety can take years. It requires significant expertise, investment, and dedication, but the result can contribute to more sustainable agriculture, improved food production, and greater choice for growers and consumers.

The journey following a plant breeder’s process, from selecting parent plants to the emergence of a stable, new variety.

For thousands of years, humans have shaped plants to better meet their needs. What began as the simple selection of plants with desirable traits has evolved into a sophisticated science that helps farmers grow crops that are more productive, resilient, nutritious, and sustainable. This visual serie explores the journey of plant breeding through some of the world's most familiar crops and ornamental plants. By comparing their wild ancestors with the varieties we know today, we can see how generations of selection, innovation, and scientific advances have