Silvana Moreno nails her thesis on a wall.
Silvana Moreno nails her thesis on variation in timothy – knowledge that benefits future plant breeding. Photo: Lisa Beste

Research School

Page reviewed:  10/06/2025

Our research school provides a foundation for doctoral education in plant breeding and food related disciplines through joint training activities and relevant information.

Welcome to the SLU Grogrund research school!

The SLU Grogrund Research School aims to promote doctoral education in plant breeding and food-related disciplines. This is achieved through various activities, including joint courses with other research schools and information about relevant courses and events.

PhD students funded by SLU Grogrund are automatically enrolled in the research school. Other SLU doctoral students with interests related to plant breeding and food are also welcome to participate in most of the activities.

SLU Grogrund focuses on securing Sweden’s future food supply, where plant breeding - through collaboration between academia, industry, and society - plays a key role.

Postgraduate education is essential for developing the expertise needed in the plant breeding sector. The research school also offers valuable opportunities for networking, supporting future career development.

Here you find information about PhD courses relevant for plant breeding, at SLU or elsewhere.

Global policies and legal frameworks for research and innovation for plant genetic resources (code P00126). 15-19 September, 2025 at SLU Alnarp. Registration by 15 August 2025.

NOVA course in plant breeding: Breeding for Extreme Environments. 5-10 October 2025 at Agricultural University of Iceland. Premeeting online 16 September. Registration by 1 July 2025.

Workshop series III - Methods in Modern Plant Breeding (code P000124). 1.5 credits.Theme: Patent. Three online workshops 17 October, 24 October and 7 November, 2025. Registration by 10 October, 2025. Contact: salla.marttila@slu.se

SLU courses in statistics. SLU´s PhD courses in statistics have strong data analysis components. The statistical software used is R. On completion of the course the participants should be able to conduct statistical analysis on their own data independently or with limited help from our consultants.

Here we gather information about relevant activities, events and calls.

Agri4D 2025, a conference by SLU, SIANI and Sida with the main theme: Nurturing regenerative food systems in a changing climate. The conference will take place in Uppsala. Some of the sessions will be held online. 23-25 September 2025.

Lantbruksforskningsdagen, on this day, results from research funded by Swedish farmers through the Swedish farmers’ foundation for agricultural research, Stiftelsen Lantbruksforskning, will be presented. Place: Vreta Kluster, near Linköping. 6 November, 2025. Register by 29 October.

The Swedish National Plant Protection Conference 2025, held 12-13 November at Alnarp. This year's theme is "Forestry, horticulture and agriculture in a changing climate - innovative thinking for a sustainable future". Register by 22 October. The conference is held mostly in Swedish.

PlantLink Day, on 4 December 2025, from 12:00 to 16:30, at Lund University, Ecology Building, Blå Hallen. The theme will be centred around plant blindness and crop resilience.

Education coordinator

Salla Marttila, PhD

Department of Plant Protection Biology, SLU Alnarp

salla.marttila@slu.se

Reference group

Eva Johansson, SLU Grogrund programme director, chairperson

Åsa Lankinen, Vicedean for research education, LTV faculty

Johan Meijer, Vicedean for research education, NJ faculty

Bo Gertsson, Lantmännen, representative from industry

Li-Hua Zhu, Department of Plant Breeding

Pär Ingvarsson, Department of Plant​ Biology 

Silvana Moreno, PhD student

Yousef Rahimi, PhD student

The reference group meets once or twice a year in order to support the education coordinator. 

Here you find the doctoral theses published within SLU Grogrund

Contact