A plant breeder in a lab with clover plants.
Germinal Horizon

Leading the way

Germinal believes that science can help to deliver a more sustainable food future. Our continued R&D investment in developing forage technologies is key to finding climate smart solutions for a growing global population in the face of climate change.

Innovation in plant breeding

Our forage and science programme

For centuries, plant breeders have focused on improving yield, and they have made significant progress, benefiting both the farmer and consumer. But plant breeders have largely ignored what has been happening underground. Yet we know that it is the plant’s relationship with the soil that ultimately drives the yield and quality of grain and leaf.

Germinal Horizon’s close association with Aberystwyth University has given them access to the National Phenomics Centre, (NPC) based at the Institute of Biological Environmental, and Rural Sciences (IBERS).

The NPC enables the screening of large numbers of plants, such as mapping, breeding and germplasm collections for features of plant growth above and below ground, allowing our team to look closely at the relationship between plant, soil and nutrients. This has led to the development of several new Climate Smart technologies, including DoubleRoot hybrid clover.

    Select a research project
  • Capturing carbon
  • Nutrient efficiency 
  • Reducing emissions
  • Productive homegrown forage 
  • Protein production
Research project 1

Capturing carbon

  • Deeper rooting grasses, clovers and forbs.
  • More resilient grasses and forage legumes.
  • Multi-species and herbal ley species for production and environment.
Climate benefits:
  • Improving soil structure and locking carbon deep within the soil profile.
  • Improved persistence, reducing frequency of ploughing which releases carbon.
  • Long-term carbon storage.
Germinal Horizon

Our locations

Our research

Dr Joanna Matthews at Germinal Horizon Wiltshire, crouching in a grass field among trial plots.
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