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INVITE · Project

Better Crop Variety Testing Tools So Farmers Pick the Right Seeds Faster

foodTestedTRL 6
h2020-invite.eu

Imagine you're a farmer trying to choose which wheat or potato variety to plant next year — but the official testing reports don't tell you how each variety handles drought, disease, or organic farming conditions. INVITE rebuilt the entire European system for testing new crop varieties, covering 10 major species. They created digital tools, low-cost cameras, and prediction models that tell you how a variety will actually perform on your farm, not just in a lab. The result is a decision support system that helps everyone from seed companies to farmers make smarter variety choices.

By the numbers
10
crop species covered in variety testing
38
consortium partners
13
European countries represented
40
total project deliverables produced
9
SMEs involved in the consortium
7
industrial partners in the consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

Farmers and seed companies across Europe lack reliable, comparable data on how new crop varieties perform under real-world conditions — drought, disease, organic farming, or changing climates. Current official variety testing is slow, expensive, and doesn't cover the sustainability and resilience traits that markets increasingly demand. This means wrong variety choices, wasted seasons, and missed revenue for everyone from breeders to growers.

The solution

What was built

INVITE produced a European database with user-friendly interface and API for variety performance data, RGB low-cost phenotyping tools demonstrated for field applicability, prediction models for variety performance under varying conditions, and a Decision Support System for Variety Choice. In total, 40 deliverables were completed across 10 crop species.

Audience

Who needs this

Seed breeding companies developing varieties for European marketsAgTech firms building farm management or variety recommendation platformsNational and EU variety examination offices (including CPVO)Agricultural cooperatives advising farmers on variety selectionOrganic farming organizations needing resilience-tested variety data
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Seed breeding and seed companies
mid-size
Target: Seed companies developing new crop varieties for European markets

If you are a seed company spending years and millions developing new varieties — this project built phenotyping tools and prediction models that can speed up variety testing. With data from 38 partners across 13 countries and 10 crop species, the INVITE platform lets you benchmark your varieties against sustainability and resilience criteria before they even reach official trials. This means faster time-to-market and better-targeted breeding programs.

Agricultural technology and precision farming
SME
Target: AgTech companies building farm management or variety recommendation software

If you are an AgTech company building decision support tools for farmers — INVITE developed a Decision Support System for Variety Choice backed by a European database with a user-friendly API. You could integrate their variety performance predictions into your own platform, giving your users data-driven recommendations on which varieties perform best under specific local conditions and management practices. The API-ready database across 10 species is built for exactly this kind of integration.

Crop examination and certification offices
any
Target: National or regional variety testing offices and post-registration organizations

If you are a variety examination office struggling with costly, slow field trials — INVITE developed RGB low-cost phenotyping tools and statistical models that improve accuracy of DUS and performance testing. With 40 deliverables including guidelines for harmonizing testing across the EU, these tools let you evaluate more varieties with fewer resources while adding sustainability criteria that regulators increasingly demand.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt these variety testing tools?

The project developed low-cost RGB phenotyping tools specifically designed for affordability and practical field use. The European database and API were built with open dissemination in mind. Exact licensing or subscription costs are not specified in the available project data, so direct contact with the consortium would be needed for pricing.

Can these tools work at industrial scale across multiple countries?

Yes — the consortium itself spans 13 countries with 38 partners, and the tools were tested across 10 crop species representing major European agriculture. The prediction models are designed to work across a range of environments and crop management practices, making them inherently scalable across geographies.

What is the IP situation — can I license or use these tools?

INVITE was funded as a Research and Innovation Action with an explicit open dissemination policy. The Decision Support System and European database with API were built to be available to all relevant users. Specific IP arrangements for commercial integration would need to be discussed with the coordinator INRAE in France.

How does this fit with current EU seed regulation?

INVITE directly addressed EU-level DUS and VCU harmonization, and produced guidelines for policy makers on including new traits like sustainability and resilience in official testing. The project also covers testing of heterogeneous plant reproductive material, which aligns with recent EU regulatory changes on organic and diverse seed material.

How long before these tools are ready for my operations?

The project ran from 2019 to 2024 and is now closed, meaning all 40 deliverables including the database API and phenotyping tools have been completed. The tools were demonstrated in working environments across the consortium. Integration timelines would depend on your specific use case and the format of data exchange.

Can I integrate the variety database into my existing software?

The project specifically built a European database with a user-friendly interface and API, designed for external integration. This was one of only two designated demo deliverables, suggesting it was built with third-party access in mind. Technical specifications should be available through the project website.

Consortium

Who built it

The INVITE consortium is large and research-heavy: 38 partners across 13 European countries, with 17 research organizations forming the core. The 7 industrial partners and 9 SMEs (18% industry ratio) suggest the project was primarily driven by public research institutions and examination offices rather than commercial companies. This is typical for a field where government-run variety testing offices are the main users. The coordinator, INRAE (France's national agriculture research institute), is one of Europe's top agricultural research bodies. For a business looking to adopt these tools, the research depth is strong, but commercialization would likely require a technology transfer partner or direct collaboration with the consortium's industrial members.

How to reach the team

INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement), France — search for INVITE project coordinator on INRAE's website or ResearchGate

Order a report on this consortiumSee INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENT profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the INVITE team to explore licensing the variety database API or phenotyping tools? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and help you evaluate the business fit.

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