NEIKER

NEIKER is a non-profit research organisation depending on the Basque Government in Northern Spain (http://www.neiker.net). The institute consists of four departments carrying out basic and applied research in agriculture (plants and animals).

Between 120 to 140 scientists, technical assistants and other staff members, including undergraduate and graduate students are active in the four departments and administration. In the Department of Plant Production and Protection field trials in many different crops are performed routinely and evaluated for different proposes using statistical designs. Professional Breeding activities are performed in different crops including Pinus, vegetables (beans, tomato, pepper, salad) and particularly potatoes leading to releases of many different cultivars.

One of the main research areas of the Department of Biotechnology is the application of DNA marker technology including biodiversity analyses, linkage mapping, and QTL analyses to different crop species. Molecular techniques are well established at the institute. Within other national and EC projects different biotechnological techniques were developed and are optimised continuously for different species. Particularly, NEIKER participates in several genomic projects in potato, oil palm, Pinus and guava from which the technical and practical know how (incl. Software) is available to manage this project.

Since December 2006 NEIKER is also one of the seven members of “Tecnalia”, an international Technology Corporation of the Basque Country with over 1000 researchers. Tecnalia is an internationally representative agent in the Technological Innovation world whose aim is to contribute to economic and social development, through the development and dissemination of Research (See http://www.tecnalia.info/ingles/index.jsp  for details).

NEIKER – Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario
Centro de Arkaute
Dr. Enrique Ritter
Apartado 46, E-01080 Vitoria-Gasteiz
SPAIN

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