ARI Biennial Review for 2018-2019

by the Agrobiotechnology laboratory on more than 528 animals. In this period, the Animal Production section provided the farmers with 51 bucks, 50 goats, 133 male kids and 99 female kids. All the animals had proposed scrapie-resistant genotypes, in order to decrease the frequency of the assumed scrapie-susceptible N allele in the Cyprus Damascus goat population. For all genotype classes, records on body weight at birth, at weaning and at 120 days from birth, dam prolificacy and milk production have been collected to examine potential associations between genotype and animal production traits. All information is recorded in an extended, continuously updated database, according to standard procedures of the Animal Production section. (G. Hadjipavlou, I.M. Ioannides) Research project on the establishment of a “CYprus AGRIcultural Genomics cENtre” (AGRICYGEN) The European Project AGRICYGEN phase 1 (CYprus AGRIcultural Genomics CENtre) commenced in 2017 and ran until the 31 st of August 2018. The project was funded by the Teaming (Phase 1) call of the Horizon 2020 framework programme and was coordinated by the Agricultural Research Institute. AGRICYGEN aimed at establishing a Center of Excellence in Animal and Plant Production in Cyprus. AGRICYGEN encompassed a pioneering research collaboration between the Agricultural Research Institute, the Cyprus Institute, the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, the Cyprus-based Development Organisation, RTD TALOS LTD, alongside leading research institutions in Europe. Specifically, the Consortium’s Advanced Partners are the University of Edinburgh (UK), the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) (France) and the Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) (Germany), all experts in various fields in Agrigenomics. The advanced partners provided the necessary background and know-how to develop a thorough business plan in order to establish the Center of Excellence in Cyprus. The AGRICYGEN project aims at the establishment of a Center of Excellence in Cyprus, which will take advantage of cutting-edge technologies and expertise in order to facilitate: a) Increased milk production from local sheep and goat breeds b) Increased production of local ruminant feed c) The ecological enrichment of Cyprus soils The project outcomes will have direct impact on the Cyprus economy and society, and will significantly contribute to sustainable development of agriculture and animal production on the island. The initial focus of the project will be on employing research approaches for fulfilling the halloumi cheese PDO requirements in small ruminant milk and feed production, within the harsh and fluctuating environmental and climatic conditions of Cyprus. AGRICYGEN will also aim at further advancing research and innovation activities in various domains connected with the primary production sector. In conjunction with the International Climate Change conference organised in Lefkosia, Cyprus on the 18-19 th May 2018, a pre-conference workshop was organised by the AGRICYGEN project partners and featured some high-level attendances. This workshop took place on the 17 th of May 2018, and had the title: “Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in a Changing Climate”. During the workshop, the AGRICYGEN research activities that aim at addressing and mitigating the climate change effects on agriculture and animal husbandry were presented, along with interesting cutting-edge research results from AGRICYGEN and non-AGRICYGEN scientists in Cyprus and abroad. The presentations covered three thematic areas, linked to the project: a) Genomics and breeding in a changing climate, covering both animals and plants, b) Crop production in a changing environment, and c) Soil microecology and greenhouse gas emissions. 37 ANIMAL PRODUCTION