Partner 0, UCLM (Spain)

Duties -Project coordination (WP-07), management of SCG (WP-01), and participation in CCG (WP-02), MCG (WP-04), CEGA and CEGC (WP-05, coordination), and AG (WP-06).-Exploration and collection of corms in the saffron cultivation area under the appellation of origin “Azafrán de La Mancha ” (EC Reg. 464/2001) that includes part of the Spanish provinces of Albacete, Cuenca, Ciudad Real and Toledo.-Collection of saffron corms from India (Kashmir) by agreement with the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (Dr. F.A. Nehvi), and from Switzerland (Dr. Jürgen Rohmeder).-Exploration in the W Iberian Peninsula and collection of seeds and/or corms of Crocus taxa (see WP-02). -Application of in vitro conservation techniques to endangered and threatened taxa and populations of Crocus (WP-04)-Molecular characterization.-Evaluation of the accessions assessing the susceptibility to different pathogenic fungi, especially Fusarium spp. causing corm rot of saffron.-Assessment of valuable germplasm for saffron breeding.

Team : Dr. J.-A. Fernández, Professor of Genetics and Biotechnology; Dr. M. Roldán, Senior Officer for International R&D Projects at the UCLM . Dr. L. Gómez-Gómez, Research Scientist; Dr. M. Álvarez-Ortí, Lecturer in Biochemistry; and Dr. A. Rubio, Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Partner 1, JCCM (Spain)

Duties - Management of MCG (WP-04) and CEGA (WP-05) and participation in DG (WP-03), AG (WP-06) and PMC (WP-07).-Conservation and multiplication of the collection in the CIA de Albaladejito (Cuenca , Spain). Documentation and management of the collection.-Characterization of the material on the field (farm): morphology, phenology, agronomy.

Team : Dr. M. De-Los-Mozos-Pascual, Research Scientist; Dr. M.-F. Rodríguez-Conde, Research Scientist; Dr. M.-J. Giménez-Alvear, Research Scientist , and Dr. R. Sánchez-Vioque, Research Scientist.

Partner 2, AUA (Greece)

Duties - Management of CEGC (WP-05) and participation in PMC (WP-07).

-Chemical characterization of Crocus stigmata using chromatographic (GC/MS, HPLC/MS) and spectroscopic (IR, Raman, UV-Vis etc) techniques.

Team: Dr. M. Polissiou, Professor of Instrumental Analysis and Organic Chemistry; Dr. P. A. Tarantilis, Lecturer in Instrumental Analysis of Plants; and Dr. D. Daferera, Research Scientist .

Partner 3, AUTH (Greece)

Duties -Participation in CEGC (WP-05) and AG (WP-06). -Evaluation of the colouring strength in stigmas of the different saffron accessions as a phenotypic performance character intrinsically associated to the quality of the spice. -Assessment of valuable germplasm for saffron breeding.

Team: Dr. M. Tsimidou, Associate Professor of Food Chemistry; Dr. A. Tsaftaris, Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding; Dr. A. Polidoras-Polidoros, Associate Researcher; Dr. M. Fani, Lecturer of Chemistry; Dr. N. Nenadis, Researcher; K. Pasentis, Technician; and K. Apostolos, PhD student.

Partner 4, UPVLC (Spain)

Duties -Management of DG (WP-03) and participation in SCG (WP-01), CCG (WP-02), CEGA (WP-05) and PMC (WP-07). -Exploration and collection of corms in the saffron cultivation area of Teruel (Spain). -Exploration in E Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands and collection of Crocus taxa (see WP-02). -Phenological and physiological characterisation of saffron.

Team: Dr. J.-L. Guardiola, Professor of Plant Biology and Physiology; Dr. A. García-Luis, Professor of Plant Biology; and Dr. R.-V. Molina-Romero, Professor of Plant Biology.

Partner 5, GU (Turkey)

Duties -Participation in SCG (WP-01), CCG (WP-02), DG (WP-03) and CEGA (WP-05). -Exploration and collection of corms in the saffron cultivation areas of Turkey , e.g. Istanbul , Adana , Safranbolu (Ak Ogulveren and Davutobasi) , and Bilecik. -Exploration in Turkey and collection of a wide number of Crocus taxa (see WP-02).

Team: Dr. H. Vurdu, Professor of Forest Biology; Dr. K. Güney, Assistant Professor of Botany; and E. Türkyilmaz, Research Assistant.

Partner 6, TJMT (France)

Duties -Participation in SCG (WP-01) and CEGC (WP-05).

-Exploration and collection of corms in the saffron cultivation areas of Gâtinais (France), Morocco , and Iran . -Sensorial and organoleptic characterisation of saffron varieties (commercial characterisation). -Advice on saffron commercial varieties, qualities, historical aspects of the crop, movement of genetic resources through different areas, saffron market and socio-economical features.

Team: J.-M. Thiercelin, President of Tradimpex JM Thiercelin SA, one of the most reputed world-wide saffron experts.

Partner 7, DOFATA-UC (Italy)

Duties -Participation in SCG (WP-01), CCG (WP-02), MCG (WP-04) and CEGA (WP-05). -Exploration and collection of corms in the saffron cultivation areas of Aquila, Sardegna, and Cascia (Italy). -Exploration and collection in Italy of Crocus taxa (see WP-02). - Morphological characterisation. Evaluation for abiotic stress factors (WP-05).

Team : Dr. F. Branca, Researcher Scientist and national representant in ECP/GR Brassica Working Group, curator of DOFATA germplasm collection; and Dr. R. Antonino is Associate Professor.

Partner 8, UD (Hungary)

Duties -Participation in SCG (WP-01), CCG (WP-02) and CEGC (WP-05).-Exploration and collection of genuine relictic Hungarian C. sativus corms (WP-01). -Exploration in Hungary and The Carpathian Basin and collection of seeds and corms of Crocus taxa (see WP-02).-Molecular characterization of the accessions (WP-05).

Team : Dr. G. Borbély, Professor of Botany; Dr. G. Surányi, Senior Lecturer of Botany; Dr. A. Molnár, Senior Researcher of Botany; Dr. G. Vasas, Senior Lecturer of Botany; and Á. Zubor, PhD student.

Partner 9, INPT (France)

Duties -Participation in SCG (WP-01), CCG (WP-02) and CEGC (WP-05). -Exploration and collection of corms in the saffron cultivation areas of Quercy (France) and Tasmania (Australia). -Exploration in France and collection of Crocus taxa (see WP-02). -Chemical characterization of the different genotypes, especially based on the aromatic and dying features.

Team : Dr. T. Talou, Manager of the Aromas&Sensory Metrology Group of the Agro-Industrial Laboratory; Dr. C. Raynaud, Research Scientist ; and M. Bergoin, PhD Student.

Partner 10, ULEIST (United Kingdom)

Duties -Management of AG (WP-06) and participation in CCG (WP-02), DG (WP-03), CEGA/CEGC (WP-05), and PMC (WP-07). -Characterization of accessions by cytogenetic and molecular techniques. -Advice on genomics, systematics and evolutionary relationships on the genus Crocus , based on the previous experience of this group with Crocus spp chromosomal and molecular analysis. -Providing of seed and samples of Crocus spp from private collections (The Crocus Group). -Guidance and supervision of the taxonomy, culture conditions and primary characterization of the accessions by Crocus experts. -Establishment of a network of collaboration between Crocus growers and the bank of germplasm.

Team : Dr. P. Heslop-Harrison, Professor of Molecular Cytogenetics and Cell Biology; and Dr. T. Schwarzacher, Lecturer at the Department of Biology.

Partner 11, NAGREF (Greece)

Duties -Management of CCG (WP-02) and participation in SCG (WP-01) and PMC (WP-07). -Exploration and collection of corms in the saffron cultivation area controlled by the cooperative “Krokos Kozanis” (EC Reg. 378/1999) in Kozani (Greece). -Exploration in Greece and Cyprus and collection of Crocus taxa (see WP-02).

Team: Dr. E. Maloupa, Senior Researcher; Dr. P.V. Mylona, Research Scientist; Dr. G. Tsoktourdiris, Postdoctoral Researcher; and Dr. K. Nikolaos, Postdoctoral Researcher.

Partner 12, ANAS (Azerbaijan)

Duties -Participation in SCG (WP-01), CCG (WP-02), and CEGC (WP-05). -Exploration and collection of genuine Azerbaijan C. sativus corms -Exploration in The Caucasus and collection of seeds and corms of Crocus taxa (see WP-02) . -Chemical characterization of biologically active substances present in the accessions (WP-05).

Team (ANAS members): Dr. K. Kasumov; Dr. R. Babaev; Dr. F. Kasimov; Dr. E. Novruzov; Dr. A. Mammadov; Dr. N. Mustafayev; Dr. T. Karagezov; and Dr. M. L. Ahad and Dr. F.I. Abdullaev.

Partner 13, NRC (Egypt)

Participation in CCG and CEGA groups. -Exploration in the Middle East area and collection of seeds and corms of the Crocus taxa (see WP-02) . -Chemical characterization of biologically active substances present in the Crocus spp. accessions (WP-05).

Team: Dr. M. A. Sharaf-Eldin, Research Scientist; Dr. G. S. Riad, Research Scientist; Dr. S. A. Mahfouz, Research Scientist; and M. M. Elghareeb, farm advisor.