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NIBIO is a project driven research institute and collects approximately 100 million NOK annually in project funding from both national and international sources. A lot of activity is carried out through EU and EEA-projects and we also participate in research projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America. NIBIO coordinates several large international projects with a particular focus on food security and climate change. The list of projects is not complete.
Carrot is the main field vegetable in Norway, and it contributes over 461 million NOK per annum. It is stored in cold storages for up to 8 months, but postharvest yield losses reach 40%.
The EU directive 2009/128/EC makes integrated pest management mandatory for growers. This also includes conserving and facilitating important “beneficial organisms” by evaluating needs for actions against pests, limit the use of pesticides and facilitating habitats for these organisms. Pollinating insects is a very important group among these organisms, and in the latter years, more and more studies have shown a decline in pollinating insects.
In this project we study epigenetic modifications involved in defenses priming against pests and pathogens and climatic adaptation in plants. These are novel research questions of great interest, both from a basic scientific perspective and from a climate change and crop protection perspective. Healthy, vigorous plants with flexible phenotypes that are well adapted to shifting environmental conditions provide better yield and more efficient carbon sequestration from the atmosphere, with less pesticide use. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of the epigenetic machinery will help inform how epigenetics may be exploited in plant breeding and crop management practices.
