Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Is the most important of the leafy vegetable crops, which in total cover 18.1% of the fresh vegetable production area. Especially the open-field production suffers from increased exposure to high temperatures and drought, and limitations regarding N and P fertilisation.
Lead by WUR
Lettuce Flagship crops News
15 – How genomics can help to unlock wild genetic potential for crop improvment
Modern crops have lost valuable genetic diversity through domestication, while crop wild relatives (CWRs) retain traits important for resilience and adaptation. The COUSIN Project provides high-quality genomic resources and maps for multiple CWR species, enabling the identification of beneficial genes and supporting their targeted introgression into modern crops to accelerate breeding for improved performance and resistance.
14 – Using Crop Wild Relatives in innovative food products – Translating crop diversity into practical food application
Crop wild relatives (CWRs) and CWR-derived materials from barley, wheat, pea and lettuce offer underused potential for innovative food product development. The COUSIN Project demonstrates how these resources can be incorporated into a range of food applications, supporting the creation of more diverse, nutritious and sustainable food systems.
Three days of activities and synergies for the third annual project meeting
The third COUSIN Annual Meeting took place from 25 to 27 May in Scandicci, Italy, and was hosted by the project partner Rete Semi Rurali. The event brought together representatives from across the consortium to review project achievements, exchange knowledge, and...
Building crop resilience using prickly lettuce, a wild relative of lettuce
Environmental pressures and limited natural resources are forcing agriculture to produce higher yields while using less water and fertilizer. Although lettuce has been extensively bred for taste, texture, and yield, this process has left it vulnerable to nutrient...
Cultivating Biodiversity: Educational Garden Planting at San Martín School with APRISCO
COUSIN partner Aprisco planted this academic year’s educational garden at San Martín School (Garganta la Olla), a partner in the “Farmland biodiversity for rural wellbeing” living lab. The same approach was followed as last year's garden, focusing on legumes and their...
10 – Boosting lettuce stress resilience – Exploiting Lactuca serriola genetic diversity for more resilient and sustainable crops
Lactuca serriola, a crop wild relative, shows valuable traits for phosphorus use efficiency under nutrient stress. The COUSIN Project identifies genetic markers linked to improved photosynthesis and nutrient uptake, enabling breeders to develop resilient lettuce varieties with lower fertiliser needs.
Unlocking the potential of Wild Crops: new progress in the COUSIN Project
Crop Wild Relatives (CWRs) carry genetic traits for resilience, productivity, and nutrition and could play a key role in the agroecological transition of European food systems. In its first 18 months, the COUSIN project is making strong progress towards understanding...
