TEAGASC

Agriculture and Food Development Authority

Teagasc is the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority and, as such, undertakes national land-use research, teaching and advisory activities. Its mission is to support science-based innovation in the agri-food sector and the broader bioeconomy that will underpin competitiveness and sustainability. Teagasc is internationally recognized for its research programme on Crops, Environment and Land Use and is Ireland’s leading research institute on matters pertaining to the rural environment. More specifically in regard to nutrient efficiency, water quality, gaseous emissions, soil quality, agro-ecology and the impact assessment of GM cultivars.

Role

Teagasc will contribute to WP4 and WP8 by providing research expertise on soil ecology, host-pathogen interactions, crop agronomy and IPM strategies for existing and future GM crops and the impact assessment of GM crops with specific reference to the assessment of GM traits on rhizospheric microbial communities.

Staff members profile

Dr. Ewen Mullins is a senior research officer in the Teagasc crop science department with a specific remit to investigate issues pertaining to the impact assessment of GM crops. He established the Teagasc genetic transformation and risk assessment programme in 2002, with specific emphasis on the impact of disease tolerant and herbicide tolerant GM crops on the Irish agri-environment. He has been appointed to two National GMO advisory committees and has been a scientific evaluator for both the NSF and BBSRC research initiatives. His current research is examining processes to mitigate the impact of novel disease tolerant traits on microbial populations.

 

For more information about Teagasc and its activities within the framework of the AMIGA project, please visit Teagasc website on section “Information on Proposed GM Potato Research”