The CSC is run by the James Hutton Institute and is the largest field-scale experiment at the institute, extending over 42 hectares and growing a variety of crops. It will also be the longest running experiment, since we aim to maintain the site for a minimum of 3 rotations (18+ years) to get a better understanding of the long-term impact of changes in how our crops are managed.
Established health schemes to control Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) on Scottish farms and subsequently underpinned the rationale for cost-effective control strategies that have been adopted in health schemes around the UK. The farm-level savings to the industry from future eradication are estimated by Scottish Government to be ÂŁ50-ÂŁ80m.
SEFARI scientists are engaged in long term research into the detection and management of anthelmintic (wormer) resistance and the development of practical strategies to help slow its spread. We are making significant progress towards developing a vaccine that will reduce reliance upon chemical treatments and are offering innovative ways of explaining resistance to farmers to encourage best practice.
We used the next generation of genomic approaches to sequence the DNA of barley to improve our understanding of this cereal’s wide-ranging adaptiveness. These findings have substantial implications for informing ongoing breading of barley to make it more resilient to future environmental fluctuations caused by climate change.
This is the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Highland Show, taking place over 22nd-25th June at Ingliston Showground, is undoubtedly one of Scotland’s iconic events. Over the four days, the Show attracts nearly 200,000 visitors from across the world, each with a different background but with a common interest in all things farming and rural – just like us!
World Environment Day, on 5 June 2017, is designated as “the United Nations’ most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment”. The theme for 2017 is connecting people to nature, and the UN is urging individuals to do something to take care of the Earth, or become an agent of change.
Roots are rarely seen, but they are important and SEFARI research delves below the surface. Roots hold plants upright and soils in place. They acquire the water and nutrients plants need to grow and, thereby, underpin terrestrial food chains and the nutrition of humans and livestock. They can also be beautiful.
SEFARI has a crucial role in ensuring that the right research and expertise gets to the right people, at the right time and in the right format. This model has to deliver for policy makers, commercial interests and individuals alike – such challenges are shared the world over in the space between research and decision taking. SEFARI also has a role to better internationalise Scottish Government funded research on environment, food, agriculture and land.