Published on 27 March 2026 | Updated on 27 March 2026

Plant Breeding: SELEOPRO’s 2026 Call for Proposals Is Now Open

Automatically generated translation

Terres Inovia, Terres Univia, the financial institution Sofiprotéol, and the Union Française des Semenciers have launched the SELEOPRO 2026 call for projects, dedicated to supporting research on rapeseed and sunflower seeds. The deadline is May 11.

Improving crop performance, competitiveness, and adaptability

The SELEOPRO program, which supports research projects on rapeseed and sunflowers, has launched its 2026 call for proposals. 
The goal? To improve the performance, competitiveness, and adaptability of these crops in the context of sustainable agriculture and climate change by developing knowledge, methods, and tools relevant to breeding in order to accelerate the creation of new rapeseed and sunflower varieties.
 

Academic projects or private seed companies

The 2026 Call for Projects funds two types of initiatives: academic projects that generate shareable knowledge, which can be funded up to 100%, as well as seed projects focused on rapid applications, funded up to 50%.
 

It is funded by Sofiprotéol, manager of the Strategic Action Fund for Oilseeds and Protein Crops (FASO), by Terres Univia and by Terres Inovia through interprofessional funds derived from Mandatory Voluntary Contributions (CVO), and also by the UFS.
  

The total budget for the call for projects is €450,000. Projects must have a maximum duration of 3 years.

Four areas of research

Four priority areas have been identified:
• pest control •
adaptation to climate change
• changes in crop rotation
• improvement of seed quality.
 

Applications must be submitted by May 11, 2026, with work scheduled to begin as early as January 2027.

Contact: camille.jouan@sofiproteol.com
 

Le rôle de Terres Inovia : Martine Leflon, responsable du département génétique et protection des cultures de Terres Inovia

"En plus d’être co-financeur du dispositif, Terres Inovia participe au comité scientifique, qui sélectionne les projets dans le cadre de ses appels à projets. Le rôle de l'institut est aussi d’encourager les échanges entre les équipes de recherche publique et les sélectionneurs pour créer des communautés de recherche sur ces deux cultures : nous animons au sein de Séléopro une commission colza et une commission tournesol, auxquelles ne participent que des volontaires, privés ou publics, pour partager des visions sur les travaux à mener ou des informations sur des actions en cours. Nous organisons chaque année les carrefours de la sélection (colza et tournesol) qui permettent via du partage d’informations et des échanges informels, de créer et de maintenir une réelle communauté de recherche sur ces cultures, avec à la clé de nouvelles idées et de nouvelles collaborations".