The Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge serves as a key driver of innovation in rural Estonia, generating and sharing knowledge while supporting the sustainable development of rural life and domestic food production. Our research activities are guided by four core pillars: the METK’s statutes, the development plan for 2030, international research evaluation report, and the expectations of the Ministry. Together, these foundations shape the focus and priorities of research and development, as well as partnerships and the principles used to assess results.
Over the past year, the organisational development of the research domain continued, aiming to ensure more focused leadership and stronger coordination with other units of METK. As of 1 January 2026, METK’s research activities are structured into five main areas: plant breeding, agricultural research, plant protection, plant biotechnology, and the gene bank. This structure is designed to support both scientific excellence and practical applications for local producers and society in general, bringing together plant breeding, monitoring, diagnostics, and the management of genetic resources into a cohesive whole.
Funding and Project Activities
In 2025, the budget for research projects amounted to €4.9 million. METK participated in more than fifty projects, both international and local, with nine new projects launched during the year. External funding accounted for approximately €1.5 million, including programmes such as Horizon Europe and Interreg. Funding from the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture amounted to approximately €2.4 million. Projects and programmes with larger funding volumes included, for example, the plant breeding programme; the collection, conservation, and use of genetic resources of agricultural crops.
We are also a partner in two funded projects listed on the Estonian Research Infrastructures Roadmap – TAIM (plant) and TOIT (food).
In cooperation with the Estonian University of Life Sciences and University of Tartu, we continue as a partner in two centres of excellence: Agroecology and new crops in future climates and the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Land Use.
In 2025, the AGROMET2 project KIPPER was launched under the RITA+ programme, co-funded by the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture and the Ministry of Climate. Aim of the project is to integrate and analyse agrometeorological data from multiple sources in order to develop practical decision-support solutions for farmers. The Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge also participated as a cooperation partner in the KAVATECH project led by TFTAK, which focuses on developing new technologies for producing protein powder with improved taste and nutritional value.
We also launched the international Horizon Europe project MultiSoil, which aims to develop farming systems where biodiverse and healthy soils form the foundation of sustainable agriculture in Europe. The MULD2 project continued, analysing the correspondence between Estonian soil classification and the international World Reference Base for Soil Resources system. The goal of this work is to enable a transition to an internationally recognised system, which is necessary for EU reporting, LULUCF, and global scientific cooperation.
In addition, the PÕMU1 project was initiated, providing methodological solutions for assessing greenhouse gas fluxes and changes in soil carbon stocks in both arable land and grassland mineral and peat soils.
Cooperation with the sector continued through the model of three-year joint projects: in 2024, the HaljasSadala project focused on cover crops; in 2025, the Grassland Farming project focused on forage crops; and for 2026, a plant protection study is planned.
Focus Areas and Core Activities
The research activities of the METK focus on areas that have a direct impact on the sustainability of agriculture, the competitiveness of production, and adaptation to climate change. In plant breeding, the emphasis is on developing new varieties, maintenance breeding, and the creation of variety-specific agrotechnologies. In plant protection, research addresses plant pests and diseases, the development of diagnostics, resistance breeding, and issues related to regulatory requirements. Plant biotechnology supports the advancement of breeding, the preservation of tissue cultures, and the characterisation and differentiation of genetic resources. The gene bank ensures the continuous collection, conservation, and use of plant genetic resources.
In agricultural and environmental research, activities include the monitoring and evaluation of environmental measures, determination of liming requirements for agricultural land, assessment of the environmental impact of land use, as well as soil monitoring and mapping of soil properties. Through agrotechnological field trials, monitoring, and forecasting, research is conducted on how weather and climate affect crops and which practices help mitigate risks.
In 2025, more than 20 funding applications were submitted, approximately half of which received positive decisions. Two large-scale Teaming for Excellence initiatives were submitted: DATA-ECBIO (data-driven ecology and biodiversity research) and BIOCONTROL (a centre of excellence in biological control). The expected total budget of each project is €24 million, with the aim of establishing or strengthening centre-of-excellence capacity in fields that support both scientific and applied developments in Estonia.
In 2025, research staff delivered more than 50 presentations and contributed to supervision and academic quality assurance (9 supervisions and 7 opponent reviews).
Research Staff
In 2025, the Centre employed 55 research staff. Comparing the period from 2018 to 2025, the number of research and development personnel increased from 37 to 55, indicating a steady growth in capacity. A particularly positive development is the increase in the number of early-stage researchers: from 1 in 2018 to 15 in 2025. This group includes doctoral candidates studying at several universities, including University of Tartu, Estonian University of Life Sciences, and Tallinn University of Technology, as well as international partner institutions.
In 2025, updates were also made to the research career framework. According to its development plan, the METK aims to increase the number of early-stage researchers to 25 by 2030, ensuring the long-term sustainability of research capacity and the next generation of scientists.
Infrastructure and Research Support
In recent years, the Centre has consistently strengthened its research infrastructure, enabling modern experimental and laboratory work and increasing the applicability of research results. The first breeding centre was completed in 2019, the laboratory building was renovated in 2020, and a universal hall was added in 2023. In 2024, an energy-efficient greenhouse was completed, and a drought experimental area was established and further expanded in 2025.
A major development is the new breeding centre (Breeding Centre II), scheduled for completion in 2026, with a total area of 2,208.5 m². This new infrastructure will create opportunities for developing innovative solutions in agriculture, covering activities from the breeding of vegetable and forage crops to agrotechnology and product development.
Modern infrastructure is essential for high-quality research. This year, the cornerstone was laid for the second building of the Centre’s breeding centre, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. The centre will focus on developing new solutions in agricultural science, ranging from the breeding of vegetables and forage crops to agrotechnology and product development.
Publications and Scientific Output
In 2025, 23 internationally peer-reviewed articles were published in English-language journals, along with approximately 70 lower-category publications, articles, or printed materials. The main co-authors and cooperation partners included the Estonian University of Life Sciences, University of Tartu, and Tallinn University of Technology. As a general trend, the number of higher-quartile publications has doubled over the past three years, indicating growth in both scientific visibility and quality.
Plant Breeding and Genetics
As a result of long-term work, three new varieties were added to the national variety list: the medium-early winter wheat ‘Pärlikee’ with very good winter hardiness; the first hull-less spring barley bred in Estonia, ‘Ilma’; and the mid-season table potato ‘Joosep’ with strong agronomic and quality characteristics.
The Gene Bank can now also distribute material to hobby gardeners, as in 2025 the Plant Propagation and Plant Variety Rights Act entered into force, allowing the marketing of small quantities of seed and propagation material not subject to variety protection. Over the past year, 133 accessions of seeds and microplants were distributed to 28 research and breeding institutions, universities, and museums across 15 countries.
Cooperation and Knowledge Sharing
The past year was marked by the large-scale international rye conference RYEST2025, which focused on the future of rye breeding and genetics. The conference was dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the breeding of the winter rye variety ‘Sangaste’ and the 180th anniversary of its breeder, Friedrich Georg Magnus von Berg. It was organised by METK in cooperation with EUCARPIA in Tartu.
In September, in cooperation with the Estonian Research Council, we organised a roundtable in Brussels titled “Smart Agriculture: Science, Policy and Practice in Dialogue on Climate Adaptation”.
We also continued the doctoral school ÄKE for early-stage researchers. Activities included a summer school, participation in the seminar series “Science on a Plate,” and involvement in a co-creation seminar for researchers. Two early-stage researchers began their doctoral studies.
To ensure that soil does not remain “invisible,” we launched the initiative “Soil Academy” aimed at popularising soil science and raising awareness about soils; six videos were produced during this initiative.
In March, we organised the traditional Seed Festival together with the Jõgevamaa Cooperation Chamber, attracting nearly 1,500 visitors. In July, the Large Field Day, organised with Scandagra, brought more than 500 farmers and agricultural sector representatives to Jõgeva. In September, we co-organised the Estonian Ploughing Championships with the Estonian Ploughing Association. These are just a few of the many events held throughout the year.
