ACTIVITIES

Activities

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION, 19 EGIALIAS & CHALEPA, 151 25 MAROUSSI, HELLAS, TEL. +30 210 8175410, FAX +30 210 6846700

Activities of the National Agricultural Research Foundation

The objectives of the National Agricultural Research Foundation (NAGREF) per field of research are as follows:

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT

Improvement of tools for increasing farm income and reducing the production and marketing risks facing producers.
Financial and social impacts of agricultural policy, environmental sustainability and the requirements for safe/quality products in agricultural, fiber and food supply chains.
Organization, financing and competitiveness of the agricultural, fiber and food supply chains.
Management of technology and innovations, and business opportunities.
Financial and social ties between the food production, tourism and rural areas.

FISHERY

Fish stock assessment and management.
Artificial reefs.
Impact of pollution in the marine environment and the exploited populations.
Management of coastal ecosystems.
Study of pelagic and estuarine migratory species.
Study of the North Aegean Sea ecosystem in relation to the Black Sea.
Marine Biodiversity.

FISH PROCESSING

Preservation and processing of fishery products.
Traceability and authenticity of seafood and fishery products.

INTERNAL WATERS

Fisheries exploitation of lagoοns and lakes.
Enrichment of inland waters fish populations.
Inland waters fish fauna biodiversity.
Restoration of wetlands fish fauna.
Ecological Quality of surface waters.
Εcotοpe Μapping & Restoration.
Phytoremediation technologies with Algae.
Environmental and fishery monitoring and modeling of inland aquatic systems.

AQUACULTURE

Nutrition in well-being, growth and pathology of farmed marine species.
Closed and semi-closed aquaculture systems.
Development and improvement of mechanical systems and automation: Introduction of renewable energy sources.
Introduction of new species in Greek fin-fish aquaculture.
Production of invertebrate marine organisms (e.g. shell-fish, cephalopods, crustacean).
Biological-aquaculture.

FOREST ECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL ENVIROMENTAL

Functions and dynamics of forest ecosystems (change of climate, carbon sequestration, biogeochemical and hydrological cycles, plant ecophysiology, phytosociology).
Silvicultural treatments, forest site classification, regeneration, reforestations, nursery and seed operation.
Forest sustainable management (forest inventory and management methods, forest growth and yield, multifunctionality).
Rangeland ecology and management (understanding of the ecological process by which rangelands and grazed ecosystems are sustained and produce a wide variety of goods and services desired by society).
Ecology and management of wildlife, with an emphasis on mammals and birds -Related human activities.
Forest genetics and breeding of forest and rangeland species.
Conservation and enhancement of landscape biodiversity.
Protection of forest ecosystems against abiotic and biotic agents.
Watershed management (understanding of forest and rangeland management effects and related human distributions on watersheds).
Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded and disturbed areas - Natural landscapes, protected areas, recreational forests and urban forestry.
Forest plantations (fast growing species, valuable broadleaved species and energy-producing woody plants).
Utilization and technology of forest products – Ergonomics and human health.
Socioeconomic dimension of forestry ecosystems.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Soil degradation and restoration.
Sustainable soil management.
Water resources management.
Protection and restoration of water resources.
Waste management.
Wetlands.
Biodiversity management and protection.
Atmospheric pollution.
Agrometeorology.
Management of renewable sources of energy.

ANIMAL PRODUCTION

Development of conventional breeding methods and promotion of alternative organic systems.
Management of breeding operations.
Assessment and development of yield control systems.
Promotion and utilization of local breeds of farmed animals for ensuring the sustainable production of quality products.
Modern systems used for breeding game Animals.
Modern systems used for breeding rabbits and fur animals.
Beekeeping – Sericulture.
Adaptability of raised breeds.
Genetic improvement schemes for farmed animals.
Animal farming constructions and well-being of farm animals.
Physiology of Reproduction.
Biotechnology in Reproduction – Gene technology.
Milk production physiology (hormone processes, mammary gland, milking, mechanical milking).
Farmed animal feeding physiology.
Comparative feeding of farmed animals raised based on conventional or organic animal farming methods.
Utilization of aromatic plants for improving the characteristics of animal products.
Assessment of the nutritional value of locally produced protein-containing raw materials used in animal feed.
Effect of oil-containing seeds on the characteristics of animal products and especially on the profile of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (ω3, ω6 in eggs and CLA in sheep and goat milk).
Biotechnology in animal feeding.
Optimization of grazing as part of farmed animal feeding.
The economic and social dimension of farming animals.
Development and improvement of mechanical systems and automations.

TECHNOLOGY, QUALITY AND SAFETY OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND FOODS

Food quality (food hygiene, food safety, nutritional value, etc.).
Development and improvement of preservation methods used for fresh agricultural products and foods.
Development and improvement of processing – transforming methods used for agricultural products and foods.
Food biotechnology.
Methods used for utilizing food industry byproducts.
Environmental technology of agricultural industry.
Development of functional foods.

ANIMAL HEALTH – ZOONOSES

Animal Health

Animal diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. in food producing animals.
Development of epidemiological models to ensure a reasonabl disease approach and management to improve animal breading.
Development of improved new, sensitive and reliable diagnostic methods to ensure safer diagnosis of infectious and parasitic diseases.
Production of high biotechnological products, such as vaccines, autovaccines, anticerums, toxins and diagnostic systems to prevent and manage of animal infectious diseases.
System development, monitoring and supervision for identifying new and recurrent pathogenic microorganisms.
Genetic technology and animal health.
Management toxic and chemicals, pharmaceutical, and environmental pollutants in animals and food of animal origin.
Reproduction pathology.
Reproduction biotechnology.

Zoonoses

Epidemiology and management of diseases transmitted from animals to humans.
Identification and comparison, of pathogenic agents transmitted from animals to humans using of molecular techniques.

PLANT PRODUCTION

Forage plants breeding for resistance to abiotic stresses and for low input agriculture.
Abiotic factors and cultivation techniques affecting quality and yield of forage plants.
New cultivated forage plant species.
Development of new energy crop varieties.
Adaptation, protection and cultivation techniques of energy crops.
Adaptation and composition of aromatic and pharmaceutical plants.
Protection and cultivation techniques of aromatic and pharmaceutical plants.
Abiotic and biotic factors affecting quality and yield of table and wine-producing grapevine varieties.
Restructuring of grapevine varieties for increased competitiveness.
New vegetable varieties better suited to evolving consumer demands.
New vegetable species and varieties.
Assess efficiency of employing self-sown plants as decorative.
Assess efficiency of cultivating floriculture plants for import reduction.
Assess efficiency of hydroponic cultures for reduced environmental effects.
Promotion of light greenhouse structures featuring automation systems.
Cotton breeding for resistance to abiotic stress compatible with low input agriculture.
Development of new cotton varieties based on quality and yield.
Cereal breeding for human food supplements.
Development of new cereal varieties for resistance to abiotic stress to ensure quality and yield.
Restructuring of fruit-trees to improve the competitiveness of produced products.
Factors affecting products of fruit-trees.
Olive tree protection.
Quality of olive oil and table olives.
Application of biotechnology and molecular marker approaches for plant breeding.
Coexistence of genetically engineered with conventional crops. Control of genetically engineered organisms.
Integrated Pest Management of cultivated plants.
Fate of Agrochemicals.
Certified agricultural production systems (organic farming, integrated production management).
Plant genetic resources; study - protection of self-sown progentitors of cultivated plants.
Development and improvement of mechanical systems and automations.
Identification of unique varieties of tobacco (Basmades and Katerini).

Services offered

Analyses of soil, water and plant tissue samples.
Experimenting and assessment of plant protective preparations and fertilizers.
Assessment of varieties and hybrids.
Microbiological and other laboratory tests on dairy products, flours and other foods of plant and animal origin.
Production and distribution of healthy reproduction material from varieties and hybrids owned by NAGREF.
Assessment of new machinery and equipment in the farming field and performance of tests.
Microbiological tests on the discharges of waste processing plants.
Research on the fertility of soil and the nutritional state of orchards. Provision of instructions on the rational use of fertilizers.
Performance of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide tests on cigarettes available in the Greek market.

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