Robin Walker
01224 711 209
Crop & Soils Systems
SRUC Aberdeen Campus
Craibstone Estate
Aberdeen
AB21 9YA
Biography
Robin is a Research in Agronomic Systems. His research interests include:
- Developing sustainable organic and non-organic cropping systems with an aim to deliver benefits not only to the farmer, but to the wider environment.
- Trial management and provision of data, often for modelling purposes, particularly from long-term rotation trials at Craibstone (SRUC Aberdeen). These include Woodlands field (Old Rotation started in 1922 investigating fertilizer impacts across a 6 year crop rotation; pH Rotation started in 1961 investigating effect of pH gradient (pH4.5 to 7.5) across an eight year crop rotation) and also Tulloch rotation trial started in 1991 investigating the impact of different organically managed rotations (2 stocked; 2 stockless) on crop yield, quality and soil parameters.
- Development of systems incorporating legumes into rotations either as monocrops, but particularly when intercropped, with potential for multi-end use e.g. protein (grain or silage) or as AD feedstock.
- Crop species and variety diversity and its role in crop mixtures, rotations and agricultural ecosystems. This covers pest, weed and disease issues, biodiversity aspects, GHG emissions as well as nutrient use efficiency of the systems (mostly N and P, but also trace elements).
- Crops with non-food uses (energy, industrial, pharmaceutical), as well as energy balance / LCA issues linked to these and the systems discussed.