Research Summary

The Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding is a research driven network aimed to deliver both knowledge and outputs in direct support for agricultural research progress. The objectives of the CoE include:

(1) Increase of benefits arising out of use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture

(2) Identification of key plant traits through field experiments and laboratory analysis and optimize protocols for phenotyping,

(3) Optimalization of genotyping protocols introducing common standardized lab analysis procedures

(4) Implementation of novel statistical methodology.

The research will be conducted in eight model species chosen to represent economically most important as well as the most promising crops in Croatia: maize, wheat, soybean, grape vine, olive, Brassicas, common bean and Dalmatian pyrethrum. The main aim is to promote cooperation and synergy among all Croatian universities and research institutes dedicated to research and development of agriculture in order to establish the novel research platform that will incorporate recent scientific and technological advancements to cope with and respond to impending challenges in plant breeding sector.