8th INTERNATIONAL WHEAT CONFERENCE

PRofICIeNCy – The NeW eC PRogRAm foR deVeLoPINg
ReSeARCh PoTeNTIAL
Wieslaw Oleszek & Anna Stochmal
Department of Biochemistry and Crop Quality, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation,
State Research Institute, ul. Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Pulawy, Poland
E-mail Address of presenting author: wo@iung.pulawy.pl
European Community implemented in 2009 the program “Unlocking and developing the
research potential of research entities in the EU´s convergence regions and outermost regions
- REGPOT-2009-1”. Under this program Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, Pulawy
received financing for the program: “Managing the Production of Food and Feedstuff,
their Safety and Quality under Global Climatic Change”. The overall goal of the program is
to increase material and human capacities as well as partnership strengthening and initiation
of networking with European Research Area (visit: www.iung.pulawy.pl).
The program has been divided into four horizontal topics that include:
Soil Environment. There is a strong enhancement of the interest in the EC activities
towards soil environment. After air and water, soil receives now much attention. This is
confirmed by the recent EC documents (Towards Soil Thematic Strategy, 2002). Identifying
and combating soil degradation (e.g. evaluation of soil contamination, ecological
and ecotoxicological tests), eenlarging the research area to problems related to processes
underlying soil functions as well as new technologies for soil protection and restoration
are the core topics.
Land use. Two parameters influence dramatically land use: urban and industrial extension
at the expense of some high quality agricultural areas, and global climate changes.
Assessing climate change scenarios, identifying new management systems for agriculture
including tillage, cropping systems, water management and retention facilities, identifying
possibilities of biomass production and reduction of CO 2 emission, identifying of
new instruments and policies allowing adaptation and mitigation of foreseen impacts are
the main topics.
Production systems and techniques. Better understanding of biological bases of plant
productivity that include the selection criteria for plant species and varieties of cultivated
plants, the modification of agrotechnique as a result of changing precipitation, agrophag
occurrence and weeds, the economic consequences of climatic changes: irrigation necessity,
changes in animal performance and systems of animal feeding are of major focus.
Plant Product Quality and Safety. The Commission’s guiding principle, primarily set
out in its White Paper on Food Safety, is to apply an integrated approach from farm to
table covering all sectors of the food chain, including feed production, primary production,
food processing, storage, transport and retail sale. New plant species and varieties
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