Tom works in NIAB's pathology department and his current research focuses on legumes and pulse crops.
In this short video, as part of NIAB's Meet the scientist series, he explains why he feels lucky to work on legumes, why freedom is best thing about working at NIAB and what the biggest challenges of his role are.
Are you a farmer or agronomist?
Then we need you to take part in a project evaluating shedding patterns of weed seeds across the UK. We'll use samples sent to us to help inform the use of Harvest Weed Seed Control methods.
Register for more information to get sample pack sent to you:
For nearly two years, an industry consortium that has included the AICC and NIAB has worked together and with Defra to establish a viable alternative to the proposed ban on the sale of uninhibited urea fertilisers. Widely reported as Option 4, it involves an industry-led approach to promoting and encouraging best practice for substantially reducing ammonia emissions from agriculture by 2030, particularly from the use of urea and liquid UAN fertilisers.
Elizabeth, who is Head of Farming Systems and Agronomy Research at NIAB, was nominated for her role in establishing a major and important new strand to the support that NIAB can provide to farmers and landowners across the country, with the development and resilience of their farming businesses and systems. This is alongside the more conventional farming systems, soils and agronomy research and knowledge exchange that Elizabeth and her teams already deliver for growers across the arable, potato and forage crop sectors.
First of we headed to NIAB Labtest, here we found Amanda Southwell checking for the detection of Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. Phaseolicola in bean seed.
In the last few years we’ve all become familiar with PCR tests to test for Covid, but today Sofia was using PCR tests to identify if Barley seed has two fungal diseases - net blotch and leaf stripe present.
Legislation to be debated by Peers in the House of Lords over the coming weeks could help unlock the UK’s global leadership in plant genetic science, and encourage additional investment in research to help address the most pressing agricultural challenges of today.
The Barsby Building and The Powell Building, named after Professor Tina Barsby and Professor Wayne Powell, are part of NIAB’s recently redeveloped Park Farm site on the outskirts of Cambridge.
NIAB has announced that Professor Xiangming Xu has become Director of Research.
Formerly Head of Science at NIAB’s horticultural centre at East Malling in Kent, Professor Xu is now responsible for developing and delivering the strategy for research activities across the whole of NIAB. This is in addition to his role in co-ordinating research activities at East Malling.
