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.
This year’s programme aims to address many of the challenges facing UK agriculture on the theme ‘Providing policy and regulatory support for multi-functional UK agriculture’.
As ever there will be an array of technical and informative sessions targeted at regulators, industry and academia who work in the crop protection and crop production industry. High class and informed speakers will take an in-depth look at the current challenges facing UK agriculture and provide some solutions and insight into the way forward.
Since its foundation by a Deed of Trust in 1919, NIAB has been honoured to have Royal support and is immensely proud that The Queen was our Patron for the past 70 years.
The initiative is part of the new £32 million Defra-funded Future Farming Resilience Fund programme, helping farmers prepare for the Agricultural Transition, which will see direct support payments reduce to zero by 2027. From October 2022 until March 2025, farmers will be able to access free advice and support to help their business adapt to the challenges caused by food supply chain pressures, rising input costs, extreme weather events and the changes to agricultural support.
