Foto de stock - PRODUCTION - 16 October 2023, Saxony, Wurzen: In the testing station of the Federal Office of Plant Varieties in Wurzen, the head of the testing station Dr. Erik Schulte and master gardener Andreas Zschammer (r-l) compare different pear varieties. The pears are among more than 1,500 fruit varieties grown, tested, registered and preserved for future generations at Germany's largest facility for pome, stone and soft fruits. In addition to the preservation of existing fruit varieties, some of which are centuries old, there has been a sharp increase in the number of new fruit varieties registered for testing for plant variety protection. Every year, up to 75 applications for variety protection for new varieties are received at the Wurzen federal center, where they are examined by the team of experts in accordance with EU regulations for worldwide use. The testing center in Wurzen was founded more than 120 years ago and is now one of the seven locations of the Federal Plant Variety Office responsible for the protection of varieties of fruit, ornamental plants and vines in Germany. Photo: Waltraud Grubitzsch/dpa. - Wurzen/Saxony/Germany