ÌÇÐÄTV

Dr Max Newbert has recently secured a position with Syngenta as a Field Technical Manager. Max will take up his new position in August, when his current IAS and BBSRC Fellowships end in July. His role will involve co-ordinating Syngenta’s R&D for the North European Territory (including the UK) and educating the work force/industry about current and potential threats to agriculture. Max’s previous work with the Plant-Virus Interactions Group, led by Professor John Walsh, focused on the genetic diversity of plant viruses, helping to identify potentially durable virus-resistant plant lines. His PhD was funded by BBSRC’s Crop Improvement Research Club (CIRC) that included major industry partners which he engaged with during the course of his research.

Royal Horticultural Society scientists are working with ÌÇÐÄTV Crop Centre entomologists on methods of controlling carrot fly in gardens and allotments. A trial at RHS Wisley is testing different barriers to see whether they stop the flies reaching the plants to lay eggs.

ÌÇÐÄTV Crop Centre researchers John Clarkson and Rob Lillywhite will be speaking at Narcissus Grower Workshops in and later this month.

The final reports for two ÌÇÐÄTV Crop Centre projects have just been published on the AHDB website. They are:

giving the results of our work on application of treatments in modules, cabbage root fly activity and control in the south-west, and the use of mesh on swedes

gives up to date action points for control of these pests and the effect of chemical treatments on aphids, carrot fly and virus levels in the crop.