On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, an Open Field Day on Organic Wheat Varieties was held at the University of Thessaly Farm in Velestino, near Volos, Greece. The event was organized by AEGILOPS in collaboration with the University of Thessaly (Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, Laboratory of Agronomy and Applied Crop Physiology) as a Living Lab activity under the Horizon Europe project LIVESEEDING (Organic Seed and Organic Breeding to Accelerate Sustainable and Diverse Food Systems in Europe).
In the experimental field, established in 2025, two organic soft wheat varieties and one organic durum wheat variety are being cultivated for the final assessment of the registration protocol for Organic Varieties (OVs) of wheat and for seed multiplication purposes.
The Field Day was attended by researchers, breeders, and scientists from the Hellenic Agricultural Research Organization ELGO-DIMITRA and the University of Thessaly, as well as organic farmers, agronomists, and organic farming consultants. The event included a participatory evaluation of the varieties and their comparison with reference (check) varieties, leading to an interesting and fruitful discussion on organic breeding methodologies and selection criteria, the value of organic varieties, and the potential of the organic seed market.
We would like to express our warmest thanks to the Laboratory of Agronomy and Applied Crop Physiology of the Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment at the University of Thessaly for hosting the experimental field. Particular thanks are due to Associate Professor Kyriakos Giannoulis and Dr. Dimitris Bartzialis (Member of the Special Teaching and Research Staff) for their excellent cooperation, as well as to the scientific and technical staff of the University Farm for their invaluable assistance in the preparation, establishment, and maintenance of the experimental field throughout the year.
Finally, we would like to thank all participants in the Field Day for their valuable comments and suggestions, which contribute to the development of the organic seed sector in our country.
