Why genetics needs agronomy
Ongoing developments in cereal genetics require corresponding advances in cereal agronomy, an objective that will be ably served by the proposed merger between The Arable Group (TAG) and The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB).
That was the message to attendees at TAG’s flagship Morley Open Day last week, as Dr Tina Barsby, chief executive of NIAB, outlined the vision to create a national, independent centre for applied crop research and information.
"It is a privilege to be involved in the merger of these two organisations and I’m delighted that we’ve reached this point. Our intention is to establish a new organisation that will offer a better service to industry, when there’s never been a more exciting time to be involved in agriculture."
Dr Barsby reassured TAG members that the ’TAG ethos’ would not be weakened through the merger with NIAB. "Practically, the two organisations have little overlap in their current remit. TAG has its primary strength in the regions; indeed, its current strength is borne out of the amalgamation, merger and combination of several previous organisations.
"TAG will continue to focus on strong local work, and communicating those results to farmers through appropriate knowledge transfer mechanisms," she emphasised.
But the new organisation would also deliver real benefits at a national level, she explained.
"Combining TAG’s strengths in applied agronomy research and farmer communication with NIAB’s core skills in plant pathology, variety evaluation and seed testing will create a unique resource to meet the crop evaluation, research and information needs of UK farmers, allied industries, levy boards, research councils and Government.
"Our vision is to bring together the specialist knowledge, skills and facilities needed to support the development of improved crop varieties, seeds and inputs, and to ensure the benefits of those advances are transferred effectively into practical agriculture," said Dr Barsby.
More information about the shape of the new organisation would emerge later in the year, she added.
More than 400 visitors attended the Open Day, held at TAG’s research base at Morley, Norfolk. The day provides members and non-members with a practical, hands-on opportunity to question at first hand the work carried out by TAG researchers.
Hot topics this year included a continuing appraisal of the factors affecting spring applications of Atlantis, an investigation of the factors affecting nitrogen timing and efficient use of nitrogen in wheat, and further results from the New Farming Systems project – a long-term piece of research which is looking at practical ways to reduce the environmental footprint of conventional farming.
