The Spanish National Research Council is the largest public institution dedicated to research in Spain with the mission to foster, coordinate, develop and promote scientific and technological research, to advance knowledge and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to train staff and advise public and private entities. Within CSIC, the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS) is a singular and reference center for agricultural research, with the mission of contributing to the development of a productive and environmentally friendly agriculture. 

Facilities from IAS-CSIC comprises 26 laboratories, eight walk-in growth chambers, 6 high-precision growth chambers and greenhouse facilities (one of them being BDII). Specifically the IAS-CSIC group participating in the project has available five laboratories fully equipped for soil sciences, biotechnology, phytopathology and microbiology research.