News

FAO handed over € 10,000 worth of inventory to Soil Research and Molecular Marking (DNA) laboratories at the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture

Levan Ujmajuridze, Director of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture and Mamuka Meskhi, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Georgia, visited Soil Research and DNA laboratories and got acquainted with the working specifications of the new equipment.

The Soil Research Laboratory of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture has been a member of the Global Network of Soil Laboratories (GLOSOLAN) since 2018. In 2019, GLOSOLAN conducted inter-laboratory professional testing involving 100 soil research laboratories worldwide. The Georgian Soil Research Laboratory hit 21 laboratories with the best results, as a result of which it was given the opportunity to participate in the FAO grant competition and won. The laboratory obtained the necessary inventory within the framework of the FAO grant project. The Molecular Marking (DNA) Laboratory of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture was also equipped with FAO support.

"Our laboratories, including the particularly active Soil Research Laboratory, are involved in international projects; One of the successes is the victory in the FAO grant project. The assistance received by the laboratories of the Scientific-Research Center within the framework of the grant will make valid studies even more effective,” – said Levan Ujmajuridze.

According to Mamuka Meskhi, FAO Representative in Georgia, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) actively supports the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture in the introduction of innovation and modern technologies.

’’With the help of FAO, a few years ago, a seed material certification laboratory was equipped. Today, the best laboratory equipment has already been handed over to the Soil Research Laboratory, which will further help the center to carry out research activities in accordance with international standards" - said Mamuka Meskhi.

Soil Research Laboratory named after Professor Ivane Sarishvili and Molecular Marking (DNA) Laboratory of the Scientific-Research Center of Agriculture have been operating since 2017. The Soil Research Laboratory conducts a thorough soil study, based on which the soil is evaluated for agricultural activities and its fertility level is determined. In the DNA laboratory, using DNA marking, Georgian rare and less common vine varieties are identified and a database is created, the Caucasian wild vine is studied and its relationship with the cultivated vine gene pool is implemented.