Public research institution under the auspices of Ministry of Agriculture
Basic information Founded in 1951 A public research institution under the authority of Ministry of Agriculture Largest institute in the Czech Republic devoted to crop production research and related fields with a staff of 287 people (as of 31 December 2012), 53 % women 134 scientists (53 women, ie. 40%) and 153 technicians and administrative staff Annual budget of 8,4 million Euros (2012)
Cooperation > Scientific collaborations with other research institutions in the Czech Republic as well as abroad Participation in EU projects 7FP (4 projects in 2012, bilateral and multilateral projects (COST, KONTAKT 31 projects in 2012), national projects funded by Ministry of Agriculture (47 projects in 2012), Czech Science Foundation (8 projects in 2012), Technological Agency of the Czech Republic (14 projects in 2012) Coordinator of the 7FP (2013 2018) > Cooperation with private bodies, including farmers in application of research results > Cooperation with Universities - lecturing at University courses and supervision of undergraduate and graduate students
Sources of funding 2012
Our research and field stations
Main Activities Basic and applied research and innovations Cooperation with and teaching at Universities Transfer of research results, including consultations Coordination of the National Programme on Conservation of Genetic Resources of Plants, Microorganisms Maintenance of Long-Term Experiments Coordination of two National Scientific Committees on Phytosanitary and Environment, and Genetically Modified Food and Feedstuffs
Five research areas five divisions: Plant Genetics, Breeding and Product Quality Plant Health (Phytopathology) Agroecology Plant Nutrition Field Experiments
Research Plant Genetics, Breeding and Product Quality
Research Plant Genetics, Breeding and Product Quality development of initial breeding materials with the aim to enhance crop productivity, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and nutritional quality of crops conservation of plant genetic resources studies physiological and molecular aspects of crop resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses studies product quality in relation to agrotechnology especially with respect to the content and quality of proteins and glutens
Research Plant Health
Research Plant Health comprehensive research of crop and crop product protection against pest organisms, and biotic and abiotic contaminants in relation to food and feed safety studies of biological methods of crop protection with the aim to reduce negative impacts on environment and maintain high biodiversity in agricultural systems
Research Plant Nutrition
Research Plant Nutrition studies crop nutrition in relation to crop product quality as well as environment protection investigates processes of organic matter transformation in soils studies nutrient uptake and utilization of nutrients by plants
Research Field Experiments
Research Field Experiments studies factors and indicators of sustainable crop production systems in long-term field experiments
Research Agroecology
Research Agroecology studies sustainable crop production systems aiming at soil fertility conservation and maintenance of biodiversity develops innovative methods of crop protection against weeds develops new biotechnologies of biomass utilization (e.g. for energy production)
Agroecology Research Centre for Revitalization and Sustainable Development of North Bohemia restoration of landscape degraded by ore and open-cast brown coal mining biomass production and the use of biowaste for energy production and biofuel sustainable agriculture production in areas degraded by mining activities monitoring of ecotoxicological risks
Agroecology Centre for Revitalization and Sustainable Development of North Bohemia Current projects: Research Reclamation of sites contaminated with heavy metals and open-cast coal mining sites in the region of Erzgebirge (North-Bohemia and Saxony) through the optimized production of renewable energy sources Production and post-harvest technologies of hemp (Canabis sativa L.) for biomass industrial use
Horizontal activities connected to research interests within the proposed Czech Norwegian cooperation Cooperation of CRI and the Ministry of Environment in promoting restoration of wetlands in agricultural landscape Series of seminars on the topic Wetlands and Agriculture (since 2012) European conference Wetlands in Agricultural Landscape planned for 2015
Research interests within the proposed Czech Norwegian cooperation The overall goal is to restore sustainable agriculture in the landscape degraded by mining and to prevent water pollution (both of surface and ground water) The need to: carry out detailed mapping of main sources of surface and groundwater pollution by toxic compounds identify hydropedological conditions and vegetation cover suitable for sustainable restoration of the area (sites with vegetation cover characterised by high evapotranspiration and plant species that accumulate toxic compounds will be identified) set up a model site to optimize water retention in the landscape and implement close-to-natural treatment of pre-treated acid mine drainage water (with the use of restored wetlands)