AFBI is a non-departmental public institution. More than 800 experienced and internationally trained scientists are engaged in basic, applied and strategic research on plant and animal sciences with focus on low-input and organic arable crop production to minimise the use of mineral fertilizer and crop protection agents.
Tasks : The core competencies of the research group led by Prof. Sharma are rapid compositional analyses of plant materials and monitoring of signalling factors ( WP03 ) bio-stimulant formulation efficiency testing of the products ( WP01 ). Special emphasis is placed on the development and function of combination products based on seaweed extracts and microbial bio-effectors for improving cold tolerance of wheat ( WP02 , WP04 ) in close cooperation with the SME partners BIOATLANTIS, AGRIGES and ABITEP. As a member of the International Field Testing Network ( WP08 ), the group provides field testing sites for; assessing the agronomic effectiveness and economic value of the developed bio-effector strategies under the climatic conditions of Northern Europe.
Team Members:
Dr. Gary Lyons
Dr. Colin Fleming
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institut Belfast (Northern Ireland UK)
BIOFECTOR 2012-2017 funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Programme | Grant Agmt. No. 312117
