It is difficult to trace and identify genome-edited food and feed products if relevant information is not made available to competent authorities. This results in major challenges, as genetically modified organism (GMO) regulatory frameworks for food and feed that apply to countries such as the member states of the European Union (EU) require enforcement based on detection. An international anticipatory detection and identification framework for voluntary collaboration and collation of disclosed information on genome-edited plants could be a valuable tool to address these challenges caused by data gaps. Scrutinizing different information sources and establishing a level of information that is sufficient to unambiguously conclude on the application of genome editing in the plant breeding process can support the identification of genome-edited products by complementing the results of analytical detection. International coordination to set up an appropriate state-of-the-art database is recommended to overcome the difficulty caused by the non-harmonized bio-safety regulation requirements of genome-edited food and feed products in various countries. This approach helps to avoid trade disruptions and to facilitate GMO/non-GMO labeling schemes. Implementation of the legal requirements for genome-edited food and feed products in the EU and elsewhere would substantially benefit from such an anticipatory framework.

Effects associated with a changing climate could severely threaten potato production in Europe. Hence, farmers need to take up adaptation measures to safeguard agricultural production. Collecting data from 553 farmers from 22 different European countries, our survey evaluates European potato farmers’ perceptions regarding the influence of climate change on local potato production, and their willingness to implement adaptation strategies. An overwhelming majority of survey respondents had already experienced the effects of climatic changes on their potato production. Specifically, drought and heat were identified as the most significant threats. The planting of an adapted variety was the preferred adaptation strategy, while farmers were also willing to take up changes in agricultural management practices. Survey respondents predominantly considered yield stability as the most important characteristic of an adapted variety, closely followed by heat tolerance, disease resistance, drought tolerance, and yield potential. When choosing a variety, the personal experience of the survey respondents as well as the experience of their peers were identified as the most important sources of information. Our survey gives valuable insights into the challenges European potato farmers are facing in times of climate change. Supplying farmers with better-adapted varieties would be a well-targeted and well-accepted measure to advance climate change adaptation.

Climate change and its extreme heat waves affect agricultural productivity worldwide. In the cultivation of beans, heat stress during the reproductive phase may lead to complete crop failures, as recently was documented for runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) in Austria. Developing better adapted varieties utilizing plant genetic resources is of utmost importance in such conditions. Our study aimed at identifying heat tolerant accessions and developing associated genetic markers for their application in marker assisted selection. For this, we assessed the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of 113 runner bean genotypes (101 of Austrian origin) grown in the glasshouse under heat stress conditions during two years. In particular three accessions showed a higher yield than the reference variety Bonela under heat stress in both years. The phenotypic data complemented with genetic data based on 1190 SNPs revealed high performing pure genotypes that may serve as good candidates to be included in breeding programs. In addition, the genome-wide association analysis resulted in 18 high quality SNPs that were subsequently used for the calculation of an estimated heat tolerance using the MassARRAY^® system. Overall, our study represents first steps towards breeding heat tolerant runner bean to withstand global warming.

The comprehensive EU regulatory framework regarding GMOs aims at preventing damage to human and animal health and the environment, and foresees labelling and traceability. Genome-edited plants and products fall under these EU GMO regulations, which have to be implemented in enforcement control activities. GMO detection methods currently used by enforcement laboratories are based on real-time PCR, where specificity and sensitivity are important performance parameters. Genome editing allows the targeted modification of nucleotide sequences in organisms, including plants, and often produces single nucleotide variants (SNVs), which are the most challenging class of genome edits to detect. The test method must therefore meet advanced requirements regarding specificity, which can be increased by modifying a PCR method. Digital PCR systems achieve a very high sensitivity and have advantages in quantitative measurement. Sequencing methods may also be used to detect DNA modifications caused by genome editing. Whereas most PCR methods can be carried out in an enforcement laboratory with existing technical equipment and staff, the processing of the sequencing data requires additional resources and the appropriate bioinformatic expertise.

Large cities are typically characterized by a mosaic of green spaces that hold a remarkable variety of native and “exotic” plants. Urban beekeeping has gained increasing popularity. In order to characterize the “urban” in the honey, pollen diversity in 50 honey samples from 18 apiary locations in Vienna, Austria, was microscopically analyzed. The relative abundances of each plant taxon were determined by counting out 500 individual pollen grains per sample. In total, 202 taxa could be identified, with a median of 46 per sample. Taxa richness and diversity differed significantly across three years but did not so between urban and suburban apiaries. Despite trees comprising only roughly a quarter of all taxa, the amount of tree pollen was disproportionally high. The invasive Ailanthus altissima was predominant in 15 out of 50 samples. Other important non-native and/or ornamental trees included Sophora japonica, Gleditsia triacanthos, Castanea sativa, Koelreuteria paniculata, and Liriodendron tulipifera. Urban honey from Central Europe may typically comprise pollen taxa from Europe, East Asia, and North America alike. The results of this study show that intentionally planted, managed urban green spaces can support stable foraging resources for pollinators in cities.

Among climate-change related effects, drought, heat, and waterlogging are the most important adversely affecting the production of potatoes in Europe. As climate change progresses, agricultural practices must adapt to maintain potato yields. This study is based on a European-wide survey. It presents potato growers’ perception of climate change, its impact, and possible adaptation strategies, focusing on the results from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Potato growers strongly agreed that climate change had affected their potato production in the last ten years, as indicated by 98% of German and more than 90% of Swiss and Austrian respondents. Drought caused the most severe impact, and to varying extents damage was caused by heat and the occurrence of pests and pathogens. The most preferred adaptation measure was the planting of adapted varieties. In line with the comparably low access to at least partial irrigation that Austrian potato growers reported, Austria appeared to be the country most affected by drought. Other more pronounced challenges were late spring frost, flash floods, and soil erosion. The study highlights and discusses specific differences between the countries, as well as between conventional and organic potato production based on the Austrian responses. The results underline that to successfully develop effective climate change mitigation strategies, country-specific and local challenges and needs should be considered.