Download Ottó Veisz, DSc - Climate change - challenge for training of applied

AGRISAFE
Climate Change: Challenge for training applied plant scientists
FP7-REGPOT-2007-1
RESEARCH POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT
Dr. Ottó Veisz
Head of Project
Deputy Director
Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of
Sciences
CALL IDENTIFIER: FP7-REGPOT-2007-1
Unlocking and developing the research potential in the EU’s
convergence and outermost regions
This programme is designed for research
centres and covers the following points:
Two-way exchange of scientists between EU
countries
Qualitative increase in research staff numbers
(Recruitment of experienced scientists currently working abroad)
Improvements in research infrastructure
Transfer of scientific knowledge (Organisation of
courses, refresher courses and conferences for scientists and breeders)
Wide-ranging dissemination of the results
(Presentation of activities and results to farmers and the general public)
What motivated the institute to
answer this call?

Primary aim: to become a centre
of knowledge for the Central
European region in the given
field of research
Main aim of the planned
developments

Moderation of the probable
unfavourable effects of global climate
change on agriculture
Improvements in the safety of basic food
production in the Central European region
Is it true or
Is this just a cyclic
period of warming
?
Wait for more evidence or
Start to prepare for possible
changes
In the past 140 years:
The atmospheric CO2 level has increased by 100 ppm
The Earth’s surface temperature has increased by
0.6oC
The sea level has risen by about 17 cm
The number of extreme weather events has increased from
13 (in the 50s) to 72 per decade by 1998, and annual
economic losses have increased from 4 to 40 thousand
million USD
There are clear signs that changes
are taking place
What can be done?
1.
Reduction of activities causing
global climate change
2.
Preparation for the possible
effects of changes
(Kyoto Protocol, 1997)
Adaptation
Unfavourable effects of climate
change



Rise in mean temperature
Changes in the distribution of rainfall
over time
Increase in the number of extreme
weather events
Reduction in the stability of agricultural
crop production
Criteria for the success of the grant
application


Climate change is a priority
research field in the EU
The institute has worked on the
effects of climate change on
agriculture for nearly two decades
Agricultural Research Institute
of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Martonvásár
Foundation
Breeding of first maize hybrid
in Europe
Construction of the first hybrid
maize seed processing plant in Europe
Development of the first
Mv wheat variety
Opening of the phytotron
Initiation of biotechnological research
Re-establishment of the Martonvásár cereal gene
bank
Initiation of genomic research
Number of bread wheat varieties
and maize hybrids
1949
1953
1957
1971
1972
1982
1992
1992
79
124
Main research areas of the
Agricultural Research Institute
in Martonvásár
Plant genetics
Plant cell biology
Plant physiology
Cereal Gene Bank
Molecular breeding
Cereal chemistry
Plant stress resistance research
Maize research
Small grain cereal research
Sustainable crop production
Agroecological research
The following aspects of climate change are
currently being investigated at ARI HAS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Determination of stress tolerance using
the tools of cell biology, molecular
genetics and functional genomics
Agroecological research
Long-term experiments on crop production
Phytotron research
Breeding of field crops
Plant protection
Growing area of crop varieties 1 million ha
Registered crop varieties in 12 countries
Value of seed production 20 million euros
Milling wheat total value: 250 million euros
Introduction of high protein wheat production
Development of organic growing
Extension service activity for the sustainable
agricultural systems
What makes the Agricultural Research Institute
of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences a
regional centre?

Complete research chain from basic research
to results exploitable in the national economy
Wide-ranging international contacts (bilateral:

Successful applications for EU FP6 grants

Wide-ranging cooperation with the Hungarian
agrarian sector (small, medium and large

Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Bulgarian, Russian,
Ukrainian, UK, German, French, Italian, US, Mexican,
Chinese, etc.)
companies, private farmers, service companies)

Close contacts with universities (4 university
departments located in the institute, lecturing, work
practice, PhD training)
Strengths of the Agricultural Research
Institute of the Hungarian Academy of
Sciences
The institute possesses the largest
system of artificial plant growth
chambers (phytotron) in Central
Europe, ideal for testing the effect
of climate change
Phytotron
• 50 climatic chambers, 6 chamber types
• Environmental modelling
• Plant x environment interaction
• Physiological studies
• Genomic research
• Molecular breeding
The impact of global climate change
on agricultural production
Studies on cultivated crops under
extreme climatic conditions
 Effect of atmospheric CO2 concentration on
stress resistance and on the quantity and
quality of yield
 Interactions between various CO2
concentrations and major nutrients
 Effect of elevated atmospheric CO2
concentrations and high temperatures (heat
and drought)
 Analysis of elevated CO2 content x biotic
and abiotic resistance interactions
Development targets in the Agricultural
Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy
of Sciences



Increase in the number of highlytrained scientists
Modernisation of the equipment
Further expansion of international
contacts
AGRISAFE - Climate change: challenge for
training applied plant scientists
Structure of the programme:
5 work packages (as outlined in the call)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Invitations to internationally renowned scientists,
further training of young scientists
Recruitment of former staff currently working
abroad
Investments, equipment purchases
Organisation of refresher courses and conferences
for the research staff, and courses on global
warming for farmers
Publication of research results, brochures,
conferences proceedings
Organization of training courses and a
conference related to climate change
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Climate change: facts and fictions (Oct. 27-31 2008)
The high added value of conventional breeding
Climate change: a challenge for crop production
Communication between plants and environment
Drought and yield, the role of high temperature on
plant gametes
Final Conference on climate change: a Challenge for
plant breeding, the way forward
Expected effect of the project
1.
2.
3.
The Agricultural Research Institute of
the Hungarian Academy of Sciences will
become a regional research and training
centre
Intensive international cooperation in
climate change research
In the long term, improvements in the
safety of basic food production
Thank you for your attention
Project website:
www.agrisafe.eu