PROJECTS

The FREEBEAN project aims to rescue, conserve, protect, promote, and utilize five indigenous/native vegetable bean cultivars affected by viral diseases: ‘ZARGANA CHRISOUPOLIS’, ‘ZARGANA KAVALAS’, ‘AISES’, ‘NESTOS’, and ‘LUMINOSA’, the exploitation rights of which are registered to the company ‘CHRISOPOULOS-GEOPONIKA’. These cultivars constitute valuable genetic resources and are closely linked to the cultural heritage and agricultural wealth of Greece. Therefore, the real threat of their loss due to viral infections would signify the disappearance of unique traits and potential for both local and national agricultural production. The principal objective of the project is the comprehensive upgrading of the vegetable bean production chain through the scientifically validated sanitation and utilization of these indigenous cultivars. The sanitation of propagating material from seed-borne viral pathogens is based on the integration of conventional and advanced biotechnological approaches, as well as on the development and implementation of robust diagnostic protocols in both laboratory and field conditions. In addition, the project seeks to enhance the phenotypic uniformity and phytosanitary quality of the genetic material of the selected cultivars and to propagate and stabilize the sanitized material in appropriately designated seed-production fields. The agro-economic and production-oriented objectives of the project focus on the reintroduction of these cultivars into domestic and international markets, providing competitive, high-quality products. Furthermore, the project aims to reduce dependence on imported genetic material, thereby strengthening the self-sufficiency and resilience of the Greek agri-food sector while enhancing national agricultural biosecurity.

The project is expected to generate significant economic, environmental, and societal benefits by enhancing the production and quality of vegetable bean, strengthening the competitiveness and market recognition of indigenous varieties, and improving the sustainability of bean cultivation both in the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace and throughout Greece. The added value arising from the implementation of the project lies in the development and application of an innovative sanitation protocol that improves the phytosanitary quality of propagating material by eliminating viral infections and reducing viral load. This, in turn, is expected to increase both crop productivity and the quality of the final product. The company ‘CHRISOPOULOS-GEOPONIKA’ is expected to benefit commercially and economically through the reintroduction and commercialization of propagating material from these renowned indigenous cultivars. At the same time, the project will promote the cultivation, production, and consumption of vegetable bean varieties characterized by their distinctive agronomic and quality traits. The anticipated outcomes of the project are expected to positively influence the vegetable bean sector through the availability of high-quality and virus-free propagating material and may also have broader international impact.