News article

Congratulations to Easton and Otley College's Simon Harwood, Anna Murray and George Gay who were finally awarded the Countrywide NIAB Agronomy Cup yesterday (Thursday 30th Jan).

Countrywide's Paul Selby and Alistair Folly, and NIAB's Bill Clark, handed over the Cup and a £400 cheque, which the team have kindly donated to Epilepsy Action, in front of delegates at our Network Results Conference in Norfolk. The team, unfortunately missing James Cunningham on the day, were joined by their lecturer James Trounce.

Wheat growers are advised to check crops for yellow rust, following widespread reports of infection in crops, but be aware that many crops could still develop adult plant resistance.

The HGCA-funded UK Cereal Pathogen Virulence Survey has received many samples of very active wheat yellow rust over the winter. Varieties being tested include Gallant, Horatio, JB Diego, KWS Kielder, KWS Santiago and Solstice.

The National Institute of Agricultural Botany’s new visitor centre in Cambridge has been short-listed for an international ‘green’ construction award.

With a roof covered by living plants and photo-voltaic cells, rainwater harvesting, automatic ventilation, biomass boiler and a zero carbon construction, the Sophi Taylor Building has some of the most outstanding green building credentials in the UK.

Four UK crop science students have each been awarded a £3,000 bursary by NIAB for outstanding achievement in their studies.

Laura Bishop, Charles Garrard, Lauren Hladun and Tom Pope are winners of this year’s ASSET (Agricultural Science Student Education Training) prize, a joint initiative between NIAB and four leading crop science universities; Reading, Harper Adams, Newcastle and Nottingham.

NIAB has appointed Hamish Mulcock as its Technical Manager for Certification within the Agricultural Crop Characterisation team.

A potato modelling system, which forecasts yield and tuber size, has won the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) and Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) Practice with Science Award. Developed by NIAB CUF, the tool can supply valuable data to the entire potato supply chain, to aid both in-field and processing practices as well as reporting. 

Four students studying for a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture at Easton and Otley College have won the 2013 Countrywide NIAB Agronomy Cup competition.

Do you know your apical scur from your lower glume beak? Or whether a ventral furrow hair is present or absent? Due to high demand NIAB has added a second Cereal Crop Inspectors (Part 1) training course from 24th-27th February 2014 at NIAB Cambridge.

Become a qualified crop inspector and book your place now!

Improve your agronomy and crop management skills and knowledge with our classroom-based training courses available at locations across England, with bookings now being taken.

The NIAB National Agronomy Training courses are open to all, including non-members with discounts available for NIAB TAG members, and are suitable for agriculture students, farmers, agronomists and advisors.

The workshops include: