Native Seed Ecology, Production & Policy - Advancing knowledge and technology in Europe
Name
NASSTEC-Handbook-web.pdf
Description
visibility:open
Size
109.32 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (CRC64NVME)
AAI+l0ZT34M=
Resource type
Research report
Date published
2019
Abstract
This Handbook is a product of the NAtive Seed Science, TEchnology and Conservation
(NASSTEC) Initial Training Network which was part of the EU FP7 People-Work Programme.
The Programme aims to develop and consolidate the European Research Area (ERA) by
strengthening, quantitatively and qualitatively, the human potential of the research and
technology infrastructure, particularly through Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. These
Actions enable researchers in the public and private sectors (SMEs) to work individually and
as a network, thus ensuring the transfer of knowledge between sectors and the development
of intellectual property. In the case of NASSTEC, inter-disciplinary research, training, career
development and knowledge sharing aimed to significantly enhance understanding of the
functional ecology of native seeds and their environment.
NASSTEC has taken a systems-based approach to the restoration of degraded environments
based on the use of native species in environmental mitigation and adaptation strategies to
counteract the negative impacts of land use change (e.g. mining, construction, tourism, etc.) or
natural environmental events (e.g. wild fire). The focus on locally adapted species, rather than
non-native flora, has ensured maximal renewal and sustainability of ecosystem services and
avoided the threat posed by invasiveness.
Industry-academia collaboration supports significant national, native seed/plant trade
markets of more than $ 250 million a year both in the USA and Australia. However, the
European native seed market has remained largely underdeveloped, mainly due to the
existence of only a few small-scale operations that tend to operate independently, are
detached from the academic sector and lacking in baseline knowledge on key species of
interest, ecologically and commercially. Consequently, this European market is less than 2%
of that of the USA and Australia (i.e. few millions Euros). NASSTEC has laid the foundations
for an expansion of the nascent seed production industry, by providing trained technologists
and developing robust quality assurance systems (including seed quality assessment and
certification) through interactions with SMEs. In so doing, NASSTEC has contributed to the
European bio-economy.
Creator (organisation)
NAtive Seed Science, TEchnology and Conservation (NASSTEC) Initial Training Network
Contributor (person)
De Vitis, Marcello
Mondoni, Andrea
Pritchard, Hugh
Laverack, Giles
Bonomi, Costantino
Publisher
MUSE, Museo delle Scienze di Trento
Place of publication
Trento, Italy
Rights statement
In Copyright