IPK Gatersleben

The Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) is a member of the Leibniz Association. It is organised as a non-profit foundation under public law. The IPK is one of the world's leading international institutions in the field of plant genetics and crop plant research and holds the German Federal ex situ Gene Bank for Agricultural and Horticultural Crop Species, the largest in EU27. IPK comprises four scientific departments (genebank, breeding, molecular genetics, physiology and cell biology) and employs about 180 academics and 320 technical/administration staff. IPKs research programme and services contribute to conserving, exploring and exploiting plant genetic resources. Its research goals are driven by the need to ensure an efficient and sustainable supply of food, energy and raw materials, thereby addressing a major global ecological challenge of sustainable agriculture under the aggravating conditions of climate change. IPK seeks innovative solutions in the fields of scientifically-based crop plant germplasm conservation and exploitation, aiming to improve resource use efficiency and enhance the sustainability of plant-based production.