Plant power, 19 May

To kill and to cure, to make and to mend, to bewitch and beware, discover
The Power of Plants
as the Botanic Garden hosts first Fascination of Plants Day on
Saturday 19 May 2012

Plants have a unique talent: the ability to gather energy from the sun’s rays travelling through space to synthesise their own food. This is the foundation of all other life on earth, from the oxygen in our lungs to the medicines that keep us healthy. They’re also some of the most stunning organisms on the planet, and the most varied, adapted to every ecological niche across every continent.

On Saturday 19 May, plant scientists, biochemists, horticulturists and representatives from the plant science industries will gather at the Botanic Garden to share with visitors the power of plants for the first international Fascination of Plants Day. Demonstrations and activities will run from 10.30am: science experiments will include balloons inflated by gases released by fermenting plants, children can dress up as bees to collect nectar from giant flowers to learn about pollination and there’ll be quizzes to match the product to the plant. Plus the chance to test a laser remote sensing system – the latest tool in forest conservation.

The living world is a rich source of chemicals with many medicines, dyes, flavourings and foodstuffs having their origins in compounds produced by plants. Ampika Ltd, an ethical enterprise spinout of the University of Cambridge, will be bringing a display about medicinal plants, including a new anaesthetic gel derived from a plant found in the Peruvian rainforest, which is currently under trial as a pain-relief treatment for toothache. The Botanic Garden and Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre will also be launching a new Chemicals in Plants trail that identifies some of the poisonous, beneficial (and occasionally both!) chemicals produced by plants.

Launched under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation, the Fascination of Plants Day held at the Botanic Garden on 19 May will be a day of interactive plant fun and demos that will also highlight the critical role plant science plays in the social, environmental and economic landscape now and into the future. The event is co-organised by the Cambridge Partnership for Plant Science, a consortium that connects cutting-edge research undertaken in the region with the business community that develops plants for application in food, energy and other material uses.

More information

March news: Funding

BBSRC: Horticulture and Potato Initiative

Outline application deadline: 25 April 2012

As part of its portfolio of activities related to food security, BBSRC are launching a new collaborative funding activity to support excellent quality, industrially relevant research projects on potato and edible horticulture crops.

Up to £7M will be invested through two calls. The Scottish Government and Natural Environment Research Council are also contributing to this initiative. The first call is open and information can be found on the apply for funding page.

Through discussions with companies from the sector BBSRC have identified 6 key areas where research is necessary to help improve food security:

* Changing seasons
* Crop maturity and spoilage
* Soil
* Pests and pathogens
* Seed quality and vigour
* Resource use efficiency

All of these areas are within scope for the first call. Further details can be found in the full call text (download from www.bbsrc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Guidelines/hapi-call-text.pdf).

Two TSB / DEFRA competitions

On 14 March Jim Paice, Food and Farming Minister, launched a £15 million programme to stimulate innovation and growth in the food industry at the Farming, Food and Drink Innovate for Growth Summit. This programme comprises of two funding competitions.

The competitions

* The Technology Strategy Board, in partnership with Defra and BBSRC, will invest up to £15 million in major R&D projects that increase the efficiency, sustainability and competitiveness of the food processing and manufacturing sector, focussing on increasing efficiency and reducing supply chain waste. Applications open in June 2012.

* Defra and the Technology Strategy Board are also launching the Innovate for Growth competition, providing up to twenty £25k grants for innovative SMEs across the farming, food and drink industries. This funding will support the rapid development of an innovative idea and demonstrate its practical feasibility. The competition will open in April, with results announced in the summer.

To access the competition documents, please make sure you are a member of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Innovation Platform group on connect.

Next CPPS sponsored event 19th May

Fascination of plants - Plant power

Cambridge University Botanic gardens – Just turn up on the day.
Launched under the European Plant Sciences Organisation umbrella (www.plantday12.eu): We are joining together with several scientific organisations based in Cambridge to enthuse visitors about plants and the importance of plant science. This open day is interactive and open to a public audience of all ages.

Invitation to nominate speakers for future CPPS Lectures

CPPS Lectures, such as that delivered by Prof Julian Ma in Feb on 'Molecular Pharming', are an excellent way for CPPS from academia and industry to build further links and network. The process for choosing next year’s speakers is under way – all of you are invited to nominate speakers and topics which are of particular interest to you. Please email bgs21@cam.ac.uk with any suggestions in the next few weeks.

NIAB innovation Farm events

NIAB Innovation Farm is a commercial hub linking science and industry. It showcases industry wide plant genetic innovation with the aim of transferring market ready innovations into commercial reality as efficiently as possible. Our events offer a mix of seminars, discussions and a guided tour of NIAB Innovation Farm exhibits, they are designed to connect and assist small businesses, researchers and innovators.

THURSDAY 26th APRIL

Producing quality rapeseed
In this BASF sponsored event we will be exploring the contributions made at each stage of the value chain, from early stage research through to marketing of the grain. This will include an overview from BASF on innovations in canopy management, their Clearfield production system and how these influence the production of quality rapeseed.

SATURDAY 19th MAY

Fascination of plants – Plant power
Cambridge University Botanic gardens – Just turn up on the day.
Launched under the European Plant Sciences Organisation (EPSO) umbrella. We are joining together with several scientific organisations based in Cambridge to enthuse visitors about plants and the importance of plant science. This open day is interactive and open to a public audience of all ages.

TUESDAY 19th JUNE

Cultivating food quality
Demonstrating how the demand for ingredients with a range of end-use properties are driving breeders to explore inherent quality traits such as protein type, starch quality, high milling yield and resistance to pre- harvest sprouting and those effected by environmental factors. In other crops traits are being manipulated through breeding to produce products with improved properties such as Beneforte broccoli that has added nutritional benefits from increased anti-oxidants levels.

TUESDAY 22th JUNE

NIAB Open day – Cambridge
Unlocking the crop genetic potential of plants now and tomorrow. Featuring crop demonstrations, variety interaction plots, NIAB Innovation Farm tour, hog roast and technical seminars from Tina Barsby, Bill Clark and Stuart Knight . Booking is advised see www.niab.com for details.

THURSDAY 28th JUNE

Breakthrough technology: crops for the future
In collaboration with the Cambridge Partnership for Plant Sciences (CPPS) this workshop will explore the contribution of new technology such as hybrids and C4 photosynthesis. The morning session will consist of four presentations and single slide speed pitches from researchers.

THURSDAY 5th JULY

Managing habitats for improved biodiversity
In partnership with the British Ecological Society (BES) this event will focus on how research is influencing the content of environmental margins and how sowing species targeted seed mixes combined with appropriate management will encourage a wider range of wildlife on the farm.

THURSDAY 26th JULY

Diversity into industry
An interactive event focussing on sources of genetic diversity in cereals for exploitation in industry

WEDNESDAY 18th JULY

Fodder and Forage
Highlighting the range of species used within the fodder and forage markets, a review of the limiting factors in sourcing good quality forage and presenting the hybridisation work that is being undertaken at Institute of Biological, environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)

WEDENESDAY 12th SEPTEMBER

GM- Is it time for public good programme?
How GM technology could be used to respond to the challenges facing the agricultural industry and discussions relating to barriers to its adoption, how we move forward and whether we can shape a public good GM programme


To book your place visit http://www.niab.com/shop

For more details visit www.innovationfarm.co.uk or follow us on twitter @innovationfarm1

Vacancies: Plant Breeder, Dundee; UK Plant Sciences Federation Executive Officer

Plant Breeder, Dundee

Up to £45k per annum (plus non-contributory pension)
Mylnefield Research Services Ltd (MRS) www.mrsltd.com a commercial affiliate of the James Hutton Institute www.hutton.ac.uk is looking to recruit a Plant Breeder to support its commercial plant breeding programmes and in particular potato breeding. This is a unique opportunity to translate the latest scientific knowledge into superior plant varieties.

The successful candidate will be working as part of a team developing superior plant varieties through trialling on and off-station. Duties will include developing and implementing breeding strategies and selection methods particularly in potato breeding. As well as liaising with scientists at JHI to integrate and capitalise on its scientific knowledge and technology in plant breeding and managing contracts with commercial partners. The successful candidate must have excellent leadership, motivation, planning, organisational and communication skills. The post will involve travel and working outdoors at certain times of the year eg planting and harvest.

Candidates must possess a first degree in genetics, plant science or agriculture, with some component of the degree consisting of plant breeding and statistics. The successful candidate should also hold a MSc in genetics and/or plant breeding. A PhD and experience of commercial plant breeding is desirable. A full UK driving licence would be advantageous.

Please forward your letter of application together with a CV and names of two referees by 23 March 2012 to HR Office, The James Hutton Institute, Errol Road, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA.

UK Plant Sciences Federation Executive Officer

Reports to: Head of Science Policy
Overall purpose: to manage the UK Plant Sciences Federation1 and its outputs, to
represent the UKPSF at all levels, and to ensure that the UKPSF is an effective and
efficient organisation.

Contract: Full time (Three month probationary period)
Hours: Full-time (35 hours per week with some evening work and travel required)
Salary: £30-35k depending upon experience
Location: Society of Biology’s London Office
Closes: 9th March

Download more information as a pdf

February news: Miscellaneous

Funding secured for NIAB Innovation Farm

NIAB Innovation Farm has been awarded a £2.7 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with additional match-funding coming from industry and academic partners, including CPPS.

The new funding will help develop an interactive commercial hub linking science and industry, highlighting developments in plant research and transferring market ready innovations into commercial reality as rapidly as possible. The project will also benefit from the building of new glasshouse and sustainable low-carbon visitor centre.

The ERDF funding aims to improve productivity in the East of England, by supporting industry, especially small to medium enterprises to move innovation forward in the market place and by improving links between companies which in turn will create and safeguard jobs.

NIAB Innovation Farm will continue to demonstrate the power of plant genetic innovation through field and glasshouse exhibits and a range of events held throughout the year. Visit www.innovationfarm.co.uk for more information.

Bioenergy Research at Cambridge / Rothamsted Research:

Breeding better grasses for food and fuel

Researchers from the BBSRC Sustainable Bioenergy Centre (BSBEC) have discovered a family of genes that are important in the development of the fibrous, woody parts of grasses. This could help us breed grasses with improved properties for diet and bioenergy. The research was carried out by a team from the University of Cambridge and Rothamsted Research headed by Paul Dupree, Biochemistry Cambridge, and Rowan Mitchell, Plant Science RRes. For more information click here.

Invitation to nominate speakers for future CPPS Lectures

CPPS Lectures, such as that delivered by Prof Julian Ma last Thu on ‘Molecular Pharming’, are an excellent way for CPPS members from academia and industry to build further links and network. The process for choosing next year’s speakers is under way – all of you are invited to nominate speakers and topics which are of particular interest to you. Please email bgs21@cam.ac.uk with any suggestions in the next few weeks.

International workshop 2nd May, Edinburgh

The Biosciences KTN is organizing an International Workshop ‘Advanced breeding programmes for suitable crop and livestock production’ which will be held on May 2nd at The Roslin Institute, Edinburgh. This workshop will bring together leading international animal breeding companies and academic scientists to discuss research challenges and recent advances in high-throughput genomic technologies in animal and plant breeding.

Registration for the workshop is now open. For further information please follow this link: http://advanced-breeding-workshop.eventbrite.co.uk.

Five BBSRC Industrial CASE PhD Studentships via Biosciences KTN

Biosciences KTN has secured five CASE studentships to start in academic year 2012/13 which will be allocated out across the Food, Industrial Bioscience and Plants and Crops Sectors. This call is only open to registered members of the Biosciences KTN _connect website. The competition scope encompasses any original research project in the field of bioscience relevant to the BBSRC's strategic priorities.

CASE (Co-operative Awards in Science and Engineering) studentships involve post-graduate students studying for a PhD through research with both an academic institution and a commercial company.

The deadline for applications is Midnight 30th March 2012. Successful applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications by Wednesday 9th May and the student would need to start anytime in the 2012/13 academic year.

How to access the call document on the Biosciences KTN website

Register/log on to the website to access the call documents and application forms by clicking on www.innovateuk.org/biosciencesktn.
Once logged in, go to the "Groups" tab and select the "Biosciences KTN Industrial CASE Awards" group and click "Join this group".
To access the call document, please go to the Document Library.

If you have any events, news or advertisements you would like to see included please email bgs21@cam.ac.uk.

Vacancies at Limagrain

Senior Wheat Breeder

Location: Paris, France
Limagrain Europe is an international agricultural co-operative group specialized in field seeds, vegetable seeds and cereal products. Founded and managed by French farmers, the Group is the largest European seed company and fourth largest seed company in the world. Its Fields Seeds Division operates from over 30 centres, covering 8 crop species. The aim of our research is to breed new varieties and the application of innovative biotechnology. The group is the largest supplier of wheat varieties in France.

Limagrain is seeking a highly qualified Plant Breeder for Wheat, based at Verneuil l’étang, Paris, France. The position requires who understands recent advances in modern genetics and with the skill to apply these in plant breeding. Reporting to the Senior Wheat Breeder in Western Europe, the successful candidate will be responsible for the management of a competitive program aimed principally at developing varieties for the French market.

The core responsibilities of the role are to:

* implement the breeding strategy and manage the selection program
* manage a large team and substantial research resources
* propose and manage the program budget
* contribute strongly to the development of innovative plant breeding tools
* register competitive varieties and support their commercial development.

The preferred candidate profile includes:

* MSc or PhD in a plant science, agronomy, or a similar discipline
* previous experience and success in a managerial capacity
* strong knowledge of genetics and plant breeding
* computing and statistical ability
* the ability to manage a team
* a team worker
* fluency in English and French

Please send a covering letter and CV to limagrain-121@candidatus.com.

SeedQuest reference number: 23028

Senior Wheat Breeder

Location: Woolpit, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Limagrain UK is the local agricultural seeds operating company of Limagrain Europe, the largest plant breeder and seed company in Europe. We breed and market agricultural seeds for the UK market under the established brand LG. Offering the UK’s strongest and widest offer of agricultural and amenity seeds Limagrain UK has extensive portfolios of varieties in cereals, oilseeds, pulses, maize, and grasses and fodder crops.

Limagrain is seeking a highly qualified and motivated manager to work as a Senior Breeder for Wheat, based at Woolpit, Suffolk, UK and responsible for breeding wheat varieties for North West European markets. We require an individual well versed in the recent advances of molecular genetics, with the ability to translate these into the development of varieties and new breeding techniques.

Plant breeding encompasses a wide range of disciplines: agronomy, pathology, analytical chemistry, molecular biology, statistics, mathematical modelling and genetics. The successful applicant will have the ability to manage a team with multiple skills in a logistically complex programme. The position is a senior technical appointment and the successful applicant will be a member of the Limagrain Wheat Research and Development Management Team.

Applicants should have a strong knowledge of plant science and genetics and be able to demonstrate managerial competence. Post Graduate training would be an advantage as would experience of plant breeding.

The position is rewarded with an attractive remuneration and employment package.

Please send a covering letter and CV to limagrain-369@candidatus.com.

SeedQuest reference number: 23027