Exhibition stand to show research on protecting future of crops
Visitors to a major exhibition for the UK’s farming industry are to find out how University of Nottingham researchers are helping to protect the future of the world’s crops, fuel and the environment.
Academic staff will be on hand at Cereals 2011, being held in Lincolnshire on Wednesday June 15 and Thursday June 16, to showcase a number of the innovative projects currently in progress in the University’s School of Biosciences.
Dr Stephen Ramsden said: "The two day event covers all aspects of crop production and the Nottingham stand demonstrates how our fundamental and applied approach to research is identifying ways in which we can meet our food security concerns while reducing the impact of agriculture on the environment."
Among the research on display will be:
• Work investigating disease in winter wheat to forecast potential yield losses
• Improving the efficiency of crops in absorbing phosphorous and nitrogen —essential for healthy growth — to reduce the use of fertilisers
• Producing biofuel in the form of bio-ethanol from straw
• Modelling greenhouse emissions associated with growing crops for bio-ethanol production
• Identifying genetic markers for increasing the number of grains in wheat plants
• Undergraduate research, addressing the interactions between agriculture and the environment
Staff on the stand will also be promoting new undergraduate degree courses in Agricultural and Environmental Science and Agricultural and Crop Science.
The work taking place within the School of Biosciences is at the heart of the University’s research priorities, particularly in the area of food security — identifying ways of making more effective use of scarce resources, finding out how we can increase crop yields and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels by developing more sustainable alternatives.
Cereals 2011 is the UK’s leading exhibition for the country’s arable industry. Taking place over two days at Boothby Heath, Lincs, the event features more than 64 hectares of stands and live demonstrations and expects to welcome in the region of 23,500 visitors.
