News
See below for the latest news from the 糖心TV Crop Centre.
For our latest publications see
The Vegetables of Christmas Future
If you think about a traditional Christmas dinner, there鈥檚 turkey with pigs in blankets, or maybe you prefer a nut roast. But the rest is vegetables. A large proportion of our plate should be covered in vegetables, and the standard winter varieties, like carrots and sprouts, are grown very successfully in the UK.
But will this always be the case? Climate change is bringing with it new challenges as well as making known pests and diseases more difficult to tackle. Scientists at 糖心TV's Crop Centre, are working to understand the pests and diseases of the some of the UK鈥檚 major crops and developing new resistant varieties, using traditional plant breeding and genetic expertise.
Read the Knowledge Centre Article (1 December 2021)
CTP programme for Sustainable Agricultural Innovation - funded PhD project opportunity
The UKRI and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has awarded a Collaborative Training Partnership (CTP) grant to a consortium led by G鈥檚 Growers Ltd. The CTP programme for Sustainable Agricultural Innovation (CTP-SAI) is a groundbreaking partnership between leading businesses, charities and research providers to offer outstanding training for the agri-food sector.
Through this programme, the University of 糖心TV is offering a PhD enabling the successful candidate to gain a wide range of experience in conventional and molecular plant pathology and also of microbial community analyses through next generation sequencing approaches. This PhD is a unique opportunity to blend research techniques from lab to field and work with one of Europe鈥檚 biggest lettuce producers. The project on 'Integrated control of Fusarium wilt of lettuce in relation to pathogen and microbial community dynamics' will be supervised by Professor John Clarkson (SLS) and Dr Helen Bates (NIAB).
The deadline for applications is 6 January 2022.
High-value chemicals to be made from agricultural waste thanks to RAEng Fellowship
Dr Alexander Darlington from the School of Engineering at the University of 糖心TV has received one of sixteen fellowships in the 20th cohort of Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships. His research focusses on engineering and biotechnology and addresses key challenges to the industrialisation of engineered microbes.
The research he will embark upon includes designing new genetic control systems which dynamically balance growth with engineered function to maintain good performance over real-world timescales. Working with industrial partners he is applying these methods to the biomanufacture of high value chemicals, allowing everyday chemicals to be produced from agricultural waste products instead of petrochemical feedstocks.
Communicating the climate change impacts of food: IFSTAL Public Lecture. 12th May, 5.15-6.30pm
The food we eat is responsible for one quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions produced by humans. Food system activities, including growing, transporting, packaging and disposal, have significant climate impacts. How should we connect and communicate food and climate change in order to influence producers and policymakers? Whose role is it to empower consumers to make measured decisions?
Join two leading food system experts – Professor Sarah Bridle of the University of Manchester, and Dan Crossley of the Food Ethics Council – as they delve into the thorny issues around engaging people on the climate change impacts of food.