The acquisition of DNA sequence is central to modern plant science research. The applications of this a key technology at IPK include:

• Acquiring complete plant genome sequences
• Characterising transcriptomes
• Documenting variation in the epigenome
• Characterising the spatial arrangement of DNA within nuclei and chromosomes
• Genotyping germplasm

Many of IPK’s Research Groups, as well as their scientific collaborators, benefit from IPK’s central high throughput sequencing platform, which is affiliated with the “Genomics of Genetic Resources” (GGR) Research Group. The equipment used to acquire sequence includes both second and third generation technology devices (listed below), procured using a combination of the Institute’s internal funds and external grants from the EU’s Regional Development Fund. The DNA sequencing laboratory works closely with the informatics infrastructure unit, and as such forms part of IPK's bio-digital resource centre.