Annual Report 2010 - Comsats

B. ACTIVITIES OF CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
( FROM COMSATS NEWSLETTER)
Embrapa Agrobiologia, Brazil
th
Embrapa Agrobiologia Marked its 27 Anniversary:
Planting of ten royal palm trees marked the celebrations of
27 years of Embrapa Agrobiologia, 100 years of Rural University, and 52 years of the
founding of IPEACS, who originated the Embrapa Agrobiologia, PSA and the
Experimental Station of PESAGRO Seropédica. The planting ceremony took place
on May 11, 2010.
Research on Sustainable Organic Farming Systems: A research network was
constituted to work for technological development of sustainable organic systems of
farming. This network was
established to implement the project
"Scientific and Technological Basis
for Development of Brazilian
Organic Agriculture". The network,
led by Embrapa Agrobiologia,
comprises 26 other Embrapa
centres with 360 researchers, as
well as 25 partner institutions,
including various NGOs, universities
and extension service providers.
The project aims to obtain products
and processes for organic
agriculture, such as suitable
genotypes of animals and plants and
techniques for soil-conservation and
ecological management of pests.
Research on Mycorrhizal Fungi and Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria: A study was
undertaken by a researcher of Embrapa Agrobiologia, Katia Teixeira, for assessing
the role of bio-diversity of bacterial communities and mycorrhizal fungi as promoters
of growth in plants, such as strawberries. In order to reduce the use of agrochemicals
in the cultivation of strawberries, the Embrapa Agrobiologia team, with support of the
Foundation for Research Support of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), conducted an initial
survey of microorganisms that live attached to strawberry crops in the highlands of
Rio de Janeiro that includes analysis of samples of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and
mycorrhizal fungi found in the strawberry fields of two private estates in Nova
Friburgo.
National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt
Annual Report
2010
Natural Insecticide from Citrus Peel: A research team at NRC
headed by Dr. Sameh Abd El Kader, a professor of Pesticide
Science and Environmental Toxins at NRC, succeeded in producing
organic materials resistant to household insects from citrus peel.
77