Development of seed identification guide and database for invasive plants and weedy species (SIG)

Development of seed identification guide and database for invasive plants and weedy species (SIG) Funding Non-competitive funding mechanism. Each funder only pays for the participation of their own national researchers. Total funding € 101 800 Picture 1 Picture 1 Picture 1 Goals Plant species represent one of the most diverse taxonomic groups, with approximately 369,000 flowering species. Seeds from invasive plants and weeds are the main agent for long-distance spreading, often aided by global trade, posing significant threats to agriculture and natural ecosystems. Preventing the spread of weed seeds remains the most effective and cost-efficient strategy for managing invasive species. However, current detection tools and taxonomic resources are limited. Sharing of knowledge for the development of identification features of pest seeds will contribute to building capacity for diagnostic tests related to quarantine species detection for safe trade. Research consortium CFIA (CA), Teagasc (IE), NVWA(NL), VNIIKR (RU) Contact information Project coordinator: Ruojing Wang [email protected] Key outputs and results The main expected project results are: •Seed identification references or tools for a prioritized list of pest plant species that are important for international trade. •Open-access digital platforms, which should be expandable for further development for more species in datasets. Objectives The objectives of the project are: •To prioritize the risky species that have significant impact to most of the partner countries. •To generate reference information that is not available for identification of those prioritized species. •To promote a standard approach for reference data collection or generation. •To develop diagnostic reference materials for identifying invasive or noxious plant species that are prioritized by this project. •To deliver and publish the developed materials from project partners or members in open access media. •To facilitate future collaboration and development of reference materials for invasive species after the project . 04/2023-03/2025