News: December

The UK Plant Sciences Federation (UKPSF)

is conducting a survey of the UK plant science community to gather views on the major challenges for this sector, and its current capacity for meeting these challenges. Survey participants may be involved in research, industry, education, outreach, policy, or end-users; however they must work in the UK or be associated with a UK-based organisation.
Don’t miss the opportunity to voice your views and help shape UK policy and funding strategy in support of plant sciences: The survey can be completed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UKPlantSci before 18 January 2013.

ADAS new projects:

Members of CPPS may be interested in a number of projects on nutrition of horticultural crops funded by HDC.

The first is to look at the nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition of sweet corn, a high value crop, much of which is grown on the south coast of England. This is a two year project starting in Spring 2013. The work was actually due to start a year earlier, but had to be deferred due to the very wet weather in the spring of 2012. We have also won a project to look at nitrogen nutrition of over wintering leeks, where growers perceive there is demand for this major nutrient by the crops in the winter. Leeks are unusual in that unlike most of the other crops we work with, they accumulate much of their biomass during the winter when days are short and light levels low. These projects build on the success of our recent work on quantifying nitrogen requirements of field vegetable crops, and particularly understanding the factors influencing nitrate accumulation in leafy salad crops. All of these projects have been managed from ADAS Boxworth. Contact for further information: Richard Weightman (Richard.Weightman@adas.co.uk)

Staff changes at ADAS:

Goodbye: To Zoe Rutterford who has worked with ADAS since 2010. Many of you will know Zoe, who formerly being a PhD student with NIAB and the Department of Plant Sciences, is going to return to managing the family farm, from the start of 2013. We wish Zoe all the best in her future career.

And hello: ADAS has recently taken on another round of graduate trainees who will undertake a two year period of training, leading to consultant positions. Key staff based at Boxworth and whose expertise may be of interest to CCPS members include:

• Rebecca Carter; working in the Agriculture and Farming Systems sector. Prior to joining ADAS Becky studied Animal Science with ‘Accreditation in Nutrition’ at the University of Nottingham and was the secretary of the Agricultural Society from 2011-2012.
• Amy Gimson; working in the Sustainable Food and Farming sector. Before joining the graduate scheme, Amy was involved in a HGCA bursary project investigating height and yield genes in winter wheat within the Crop Physiology team. Her degree in Plant Sciences from the University of Cambridge involved a particular focus of the vitamin requirements of various algae for biofuels.
• Tim Boor; joins the Plant Pathology team, having just completed a BSc in Crop Science at the University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington. Although coming to ADAS straight from university, Tim has completed a range of placements, ranging from work in the logistics department of a large seed company based in Lincolnshire, as well as for Sentry Farms.
• Elizabeth Hudson has joined the Crop Physiology team. She comes to ADAS after completing her Natural Sciences Degree in Biology and Chemistry from Durham University. Liz is working on a range of projects looking at crop nutrition, utilisation and use of co-products from the biofuels industry.
• Lizzie Dobson; is part of the Horticulture sector team and is also based at our Boxworth Office. At university she studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, specialising in plant science and taking a particular interest in plant physiology and water relations. Lizzie will be focusing on protected edible crops.
• Sarah Mayne; working as a Crop Pathologist at Boxworth, she has previous experience working for ADAS as part of the Field Team which she enjoyed greatly. Prior to this Sarah carried out conservation work both in the UK and USA dealing with land management & invasive weed removal after graduating from Hertford College, Oxford with a degree in Biological Sciences.

A one-stop-shop for plant science questions:

From today people will be able to question researchers directly on any aspect of plant science that comes up in public discussion, from one simple portal. http://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/plant-science-expert-panel.html

Plant research is central to decisions about future energy, land use, wildlife, environmental protection, pest problems, nutrition and food safety. People care a lot about these subjects but get frustrated by conflicting stories and research reports and find that information is rarely in a form that responds to their questions. Now, leading research institutions and learned societies across the UK have come together to make themselves available in a public panel, where people can put down questions and opinions for response.
Panel members have been nominated by: BBSRC, the Biochemical Society, Genetics Society, James Hutton Institute, John Innes Centre, Rothamsted Research, Society of Biology, Society for Experimental Biology, National Farmers Union, Society for General Microbiology, UK Plant Sciences Federation and Royal Horticultural Society. Questions can be sent via Twitter: @senseaboutsci #plantsci, or email: plantsci@senseaboutscience.org
Contact: Frances Downey, 020 7490 9590 FDowney@senseaboutscience.org.