The optimisation of yield, quality and stability of the production remain a primary aim of the Institute.
Sugar beet: the use of hybrid cultivars (mainly triploids) has directed selection mainly towards the finding and induction of new male-sterile hybrids and the relative maintainers and towards tetraploid impollinators.
Potato: a breeding program is currently being carried out to set up suitable varieties, in particular, in the south for the production of early potatoes and bisextile potatoes.
Sunflower: an assessment is being made of the materials set up and the high oil content objectives are being updated, the test crosses are being extended for the identification of genotypes with a greater combination traits.
Tomato: genotypes have been set up with multiple resistance to Fusarium oxysporum, Verticillium dahliae, Pseudomonas tomato and Meloydogine incognita. With a view to exploiting the typical southern production, a collection is currently being made of the "small tomato" ecotypes for the processing industry.
Ricinus: gynoic and impollinating lines have been selected, with and without dwarf internodes, with good combination traits.
Bean: improvements are focussed on "borlotto" and "cannellino" producing beans suitable for freezing. The Institute has a leading position, having bred cultivars which are highly appreciated by growers and the processing industry.
Protein-rich pea: Plants have been obtained which are competitive with the best commercial standards, specifically designed to take advantage of the southern areas with autumn sowing (resistant to low temperatures) and with a production stability (resistance to Ascochyta and to Fusarium).
Minor species (process peas, rape and crambe); measures are being taken to improve their adaptability to the various growing conditions.
New varieties of sugar beet, potato, tomato, ricinus, sunflower, bean and crambe have been set up and released to the growers who appreciate the quality and the production potential.
In the future, the breeding programs, with new objectives and methods, will remain a primary instrument for setting up cultivars with qualities required by the growers, the processing industry and the consumer.