Accelerating the development of breeding tools for perennial crops, specifically fruits and nuts

The Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-04 aims to accelerate the development of innovative breeding tools for perennial crops, specifically fruits and nuts. It is a Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) offering a lump sum grant model with a total budget of €12 million. The call is set to open on January 14, 2026, with a submission deadline of April 14, 2026. Two grants of €6 million each are expected to be awarded.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, small to large enterprises, and nonprofit organizations from EU member states and associated countries. The program encourages collaborations through consortia, promoting partnerships that can effectively tackle the complex challenges associated with breeding for perennial crops.

The primary focus of funded projects includes developing scalable and accessible tools to enhance breeding efficiency, implement genomic selection models, and validate methods across diverse species. Projects should work towards shortening generation times and improving sustainability traits such as pest and disease resistance and climate adaptability. Proposals must build on previous results from Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe and must include cooperation with ongoing initiatives in the field.

Funding is delivered as a lump sum, minimizing administrative burdens. Proposals may also include financial support for third parties, with a cap of €60,000 per recipient, aimed at activities like cross-testing tools and engaging SMEs for practical validations. The single-stage application process entails evaluation against set criteria, and historical data suggests competitive selection rates ranging between 10% to 39%.

Overall, the initiative is aligned with EU agricultural policies aiming to promote sustainability and resilience in food systems, enhancing the ability of agricultural practices to address environmental challenges. The call invites innovative approaches from a broad range of eligible stakeholders to foster advancements in plant breeding for critical perennial crops.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-04, which aims to accelerate the development of breeding tools for perennial crops, with a focus on fruits and nuts. It is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) with a lump sum grant type (HORIZON-AG-LS). The call is a single-stage process, planned to open on January 14, 2026, with a deadline of April 14, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The budget for this topic is 12,000,000 EUR, and it is expected that around two grants will be awarded.

The expected outcomes of projects funded under this topic include:
Cutting-edge, scalable, and accessible tools and methods to accelerate the breeding of productive, qualitative, climate-smart, and environment-friendly perennial crops, enhancing competitiveness and fostering biodiversity.
Researchers and breeders having access to user-friendly and innovative plant breeding tools for faster enhancement of sustainability traits, including pest and disease resistance, stable yield and quality, water use efficiency, and resistance to abiotic stressors.

The scope of the call focuses on addressing the challenges in traditional breeding methods for woody perennial crops (fruits and nuts) due to their long gestation periods and complex genetics. The goal is to develop user-friendly tools that can be effectively transferred to breeders to improve the efficiency of breeding programs.

Proposals should:
Develop new or improved tools and methods to shorten generation time and the overall breeding cycle in perennial crops, while enhancing sustainability traits.
Assess the scalability and accessibility of the tools and methods and ensure the provision of the required dataset and information for effective implementation.
Implement genomic selection tools and models, considering interactions between genotypes and the environment, into actual breeding schemes for perennial crops. Study the empirical results of these models to determine their accuracy, reliability, and applicability for commercial settings.
Validate the tools across different species or breeding objectives to ensure reliability and replicability. Develop standardized protocols and guidelines for their use in consultation with breeders to facilitate effective adoption and utilization.
Evaluate the newly developed tools and methods for potential trade-offs, unintended outcomes, and potential effects on the environment.

All breeding approaches are within the scope, targeting fruit and/or nut crops, excluding berries, as per the FAO Indicative Crop Classification (ICC).

Proposals may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) for activities such as cross-testing tools in different species and engaging SMEs for testing in commercial settings. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60,000.

Proposals should build on the results of relevant projects funded under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe and ensure collaboration with relevant ongoing projects. They are also encouraged to consider data, expertise, and services offered by European research infrastructure in the environment, biological, and food domains.

The projects are relevant to EU policies related to the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food, promoting plant breeding innovations, including new genomic techniques (NGTs), the Commission communication on Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, and the Life Sciences Strategy.

General conditions for participation include:
Admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligible countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other eligible conditions as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial setup of the grants, with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Specific conditions include details described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information:
Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the standard application form (HE RIA, IA).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).
Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions include a detailed budget table (HE LS) and information on financial support to third parties (HE).

Additional documents include:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants after logging into the Portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions before preparing their application. The Online Manual serves as a guide for procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide provides detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ addresses frequently asked questions. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research and EU Research Framework Programmes. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance and practical assistance. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs. The IT Helpdesk addresses technical questions related to the Funding & Tenders Portal. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks advise on standardisation in project proposals. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outline the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers. Partner Search tools help find partner organizations for proposals.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to modernize and accelerate the breeding of fruit and nut crops by funding research and innovation actions that develop and implement cutting-edge tools and methods. The goal is to enhance the sustainability, productivity, and climate resilience of these crops, contributing to the EU's broader agricultural and food policy objectives. The call encourages collaboration, the involvement of SMEs, and the utilization of European research infrastructure to achieve these goals. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and projects can provide financial support to third parties for specific activities.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The mention of SMEs being engaged for testing in commercial settings suggests their eligibility.

Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is a grant, specifically a lump sum grant under the Horizon Europe Programme. Beneficiaries may also provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) in the form of grants, with a maximum amount of EUR 60,000 per third party.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of the activities, particularly the need to validate tools across different species and breeding objectives, a consortium is highly probable. The partner search functionality on the Funding & Tenders Portal also suggests that consortia are common.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The text mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. This suggests that while the primary focus is on EU and associated countries, some third countries may also be eligible.

Target Sector: The program targets the agriculture and food sector, specifically focusing on plant breeding innovations for woody perennial crops such as fruits and nuts. It also touches on climate, environment, and biotechnology/biomanufacturing.

Mentioned Countries: The text does not explicitly mention any specific countries. However, it refers to EU policies and the Horizon Europe program, implying that EU member states and associated countries are the primary geographic focus. It also mentions "non-EU/non-Associated Countries," indicating that some countries outside the EU may be eligible under specific provisions.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is likely in the development and validation stages. The call aims to develop new or improved tools and methods, assess their scalability and accessibility, implement genomic selection tools, validate tools across different species, and evaluate potential trade-offs. These activities suggest a focus on projects that are beyond the initial research phase and are moving towards practical application and validation.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from EUR 2,000,000 to EUR 14,000,000. The indicative number of grants also varies, with some topics expected to fund one project and others expected to fund two.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant. They may also provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) in the form of grants, up to EUR 60,000 per third party.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, part of the FARM2FORK strategy, aims to accelerate the development of innovative breeding tools for woody perennial crops, specifically fruits and nuts. The goal is to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of breeding programs, making them more resilient to climate change, pests, and diseases. The call encourages proposals that develop and validate new genomic techniques and breeding methods, with a focus on scalability, accessibility, and practical application. Funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and projects may provide financial support to third parties, particularly SMEs, for cross-testing and commercial validation. Eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, and enterprises from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially some third countries. The call is a single-stage open call with a deadline of April 14, 2026. The indicative funding per project ranges from 2 million to 14 million EUR depending on the type of action.