Field updates from Spain
Under RUNFASTER4EU, AGRIES established its first replication field site during Autumn 2025, sowing high-erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR) in early November, safflower in late November, and cardoon in late March 2026.
These trials are expected to provide valuable insights into crop performance under different pedoclimatic conditions. As a next step, AGRIRO will establish its own replication field site in Romania in Spring 2026, further expanding the project’s geographical scope.
Field updates from Serbia
The IFVCNS team has selected suitable sites for replication trials under RUNFASTER4EU, aiming to develop new genotypes of high-erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR, non-food) adapted to marginal land and abiotic stresses, while maintaining high seed and oil yield.
Photos taken 15 days after sowing show encouraging signs, with visible plant emergence and early crop establishment.
Field activities under RUNFASTER4EU continue to advance, with ongoing trials providing valuable insights into the performance of low-input oil crops under challenging conditions.
Site selection and early crop establishment
The IFVCNS team has selected suitable sites for replication trials, aiming to develop new genotypes of high-erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR, non-food) adapted to marginal land and abiotic stresses, while maintaining high seed and oil yield.
Rapeseed: encouraging early signs
Photos taken 15 days after sowing show encouraging results, with visible plant emergence and early crop establishment across the selected sites.
Field updates from Italy
In September, the University of Bologna sowed high-erucic rapeseed as part of RUNFASTER4EU’s rotation trials.
Since then, the crop has shown steady development. To gain a better understanding of its performance under real-life conditions, the team has installed soil moisture probes, enabling continuous monitoring of water availability throughout the growing cycle.
In the first months of the project, Novamont established 65 hectares of high-value safflower in the rural areas of Benevento and Avellino.
Following a farmer engagement campaign carried out in collaboration with Coldiretti, field visits were conducted to assess farm suitability and growing conditions.
Monitoring activities are now ongoing, with data being collected to refine agronomic practices under real farming conditions, combining technical support with farmer agreements to ensure both scalability and strong community engagement.