Research & Development
Germinal are thought leaders. We are investing time and resources in consistently improving our knowledge of seed development and our ability to project and plan for the future. We are building unique alliances across the industry, giving us a valuable perspective.
Germinal have short and long term goals to bring benefits to farmers, consumers and the wider global environment.
The world is changing placing demands on today’s livestock farmers. Consumers demand high quality products at competitive pricing, but they and governments want to see improved animal welfare, improvements to animal and human health with reductions to pollutants and emissions from a sustainable agricultural industry.
Germinal works with Government, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK on a comprehensive programme of research projects, alongside partners such as retail supermarkets, the meat and milk levy boards, the British Grassland Society (BGS) and other research organisations.
The projects involve research into disease and pest resistance on grass and clover varieties, greater seed yields, flood prevention and drought resistance, Nitrogen and Phosphate efficiency. Also, invaluable research into improving Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acid content of meat and milk to improve production and animal health, reduce methane emissions and reduce the negative impact of animal products on human health.
All of this is underpinned with new technology and improved facilities. Germinal and IBERS are applying these innovations to grass and clover breeding. This means new traits are introduced faster by the breeding teams into the market. Germinal is currently running unique projects using the BBSRC National Farm Platforms in the UK, the Phenomics centre at IBERS and the farm platform at Rothampsted.
Germinal has developed this successful partnership with IBERS over the last thirty years, implementing world leading technology alongside the core activities of the grass and clover breeding teams.
The work being undertaken by Germinal and IBERS is directly applicable to Irish grass–based production system.
In Ireland, Germinal works alongside the farmer, Teagasc, universities, the Irish Grassland Association, The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and other organisations to deliver increased seasonal DM yield, improve total DM yield, increase quality and persistency and ultimately increase output at farm level.
The value of the Teagasc Pasture Profit Index to Irish grass based production systems is an important step forward in highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of individual varieties. Germinal prides itself on bringing the best varieties to the end user.
We aim to continue to deliver the best varieties to our customers by ensuring our research is focussed on their needs.