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Funding for the studentships, awarded to the Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP), South Coast Biosciences (SoCoBio), which comprises of the universities of Southampton, Kent, Sussex, Portsmouth and the horticultural and agricultural research institute NIAB-EMR, is part of a £170m boost to fund 1,700 PhD researchers over five annual cohorts at academic institutions nationwide. The University of Southampton consortium is one of just 12 successful bids across the UK.

The Advanced Technology Horticultural Zone will comprise new science buildings including the multi-million pound development of four state-of-the-art glasshouses, an energy centre and other related facilities and infrastructure.

The glasshouses will incorporate high-tech imaging, robotics, precision irrigation rigs, research-standard LED lighting and CO2 systems to help scientists make advances in horticultural agronomy.

Water and fertiliser use in horticulture could be reduced, without lowering yields, by using biostimulants such as seaweed extract and beneficial microbes, says UK research organisation NIAB EMR.

Book your place at the Food and Farming Futures conference on 25-26 November

Rt Hon Robert Goodwill MP, Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, launched two new strawberry varieties from the East Malling Strawberry Breeding Programme (EMSBC) based at NIAB EMR at the 2019 Fruit Focus event.

All three rusts (yellow rust, leaf rust and stem rust) are being reported by collaborators in the H2020 EU RustWatch project, which NIAB is a partner in, with severe yellow and leaf rust attacks reported in Spain, Belgium, Northern France, UK and Denmark. The following is from the RustWatch team:

The Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation is a resource for UK plant scientists to apply for their genes to be transformed into wheat or rice free of charge, funded by the BBSRC’s Biological and Bioinformatic Resources fund (BBR).

The current round of the application process is open until 24th June 2019, for transformation slots in the autumn. See the application form for more information and to apply.

The past, present and future of plant science takes centre stage at the NIAB stand at the 2019 Cereals Event, on 12th and 13th June in Lincolnshire, with nearly 120 different crop and variety plots celebrating the organisation’s centenary year.

As part of its Centenary celebrations this year, NIAB will be announcing a ‘once in a lifetime’ winner of its prestigious Cereals Cup at the 2019 Cereals Event.

For 2019 the NIAB Cereals Cup will be awarded to the most outstanding UK cereal variety from the past 100 years.

NIAB EMR has been awarded £50,000 in funding from the UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund to develop a full business case for the Growing Kent & Medway innovation cluster.