The sixtieth session of the Technical Working Party for Vegetables (TWV) was held in Pacific Grove California, United States of America, from May 18 to 21 2026, drawing some 70 DUS experts, breeders, and technical specialists from UPOV members and observer organizations.
Chaired by Mr. Yoshiyuki Ohno (Japan), the session opened with welcoming remarks from Ms. Ruihong Guo, Deputy Administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service.
Over four days, participants advanced work on a range of tools and approaches to strengthen the examination of vegetable varieties, including the assessment of disease resistance characteristics.
Molecular techniques featured prominently on the agenda, with the 2026 survey on the use of molecular marker techniques presented alongside an update from Naktuinbouw (Netherlands Inspection Service for Horticulture) on progress in using molecular markers to support tomato DUS testing.
The TWV reviewed full draft Test Guidelines for asparagus, garlic, ginger, vegetable marrow/squash, and parsley, and considered partial revisions for cucumber, gherkin and tomato rootstocks.
The session also marked a handover of leadership at the TWV. Current chair Mr. Yoshiyuki Ohno was awarded a UPOV bronze medal for chairing the working party from 2024 to 2026, and Ms. Cécile Marchenay (Kingdom of the Netherlands) was proposed as the next chair for recommendation to the Council.
The sixty-first session of the TWV will be held as an online meeting from April 26 to 29, 2027.
Read the full report.