Unit for the Evaluation of Phenotypic and Production Traits

A total of twenty laboratories operates within the Unit for the Determination of Phenotypic and Production Characteristics, in which the basic and specific analyses are carried out. The basic analyses that are conducted within this framework are a fundamental soil analysis pursuant to the Agricultural Land Act and the Rulebook on the Methodology for Monitoring the Condition of Agricultural Land; microbiological analysis; physiochemical analysis of organic fertilizers, substrates, and improvers; chemical analysis of plant material, blood, meat, wool, hair, eggs, honey, milk, and the like; physiological analysis; morphological‐technological analysis; phenotypic analysis of plant material; and the analysis of soil and plant material pursuant to the applicable Plant Health Act. This Unit is provided with an appropriate number of staffers in charge of the laboratory to timely and appropriately conduct an analysis and with a sufficient number of trained personnel, adequate space, equipment, and material. Also, the Units keeps the records on qualifications, training, experiences, and job descriptions for each individual Professional Associate, Senior Professional Associate, Professional Advisor, Laboratory Technician, or a Technician. The work tasks that have to be performed are defined, with a provision of additional training to the employees to perform them. With its capacities, laboratory equipment, and professional training of its employees, the Unit for the Determination of Phenotypic and Production Traits is a guarantor of quality implementation in all laboratory analyses and of a timely delivery of research results to the end users. A total of twenty laboratories operates within the Unit for the Determination of Phenotypic and Production Traits, in which the basic and specific analyses are carried out.

The basic analyses carried out within this Unit are as follows:

• basic soil analysis pursuant to the Agricultural Land Act and the Rulebook on Methodology for Monitoring the Condition of Agricultural Land
• microbiological analysis
• physiochemical analysis of organic fertilizers, substrates, and improvers
• chemical analysis of plant material
• chemical analysis of animal materials such as blood, meat, wool, hair, eggs, honey, milk, and the like
• physiological analysis
• morphological and technological analyses
• phenotypic analysis of plant material and an analysis of soil and plant material pursuant to the applicable Plant Health Act

The specific analyses carried out by this Unit are as follows:

• specific microbiological analysis
• specific physical and chemical analysis of plant material, soil, organic fertilizers, and improvers
• specific analysis of blood, meat, honey, milk, eggs, wool, and hair
• determination of slaughterhouse‐related and technological quality parameters in domestic animals and animal products
• determination of heavy metals and essential and functional elements
• determination of metabolic activity and osmotic stress
• determination of methane potential, and the like