News

A major survey into the health of native trees in the Yorkshire and Humberside region is launched this week at a York nature reserve. Volunteers are joining Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) community scientists at the St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve on Thursday, 16 May to learn how to monitor trees for pests and diseases. The regional launch event organised by OPAL scientists based in the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York, is part of a national Tree Health Survey. ... more »

Scientists have demonstrated how improvements in nitrogen fertiliser manufacture and their application could help reduce China’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by around 60%, by 2030, compared to the current business as usual approach. This emissions reduction represents a 2 to 6% reduction in China’s overall greenhouse gas emissions and therefore could be significant in the global battle on climate change. ... more »

Scientists have developed techniques for the genetic improvement of sunflowers using a non-GMO based approach. The new technology platform can harness the plant’s own genes to improve characteristics of sunflower, develop genetic traits, which will improve its role as an important oilseed crop. The work was led by Dr Manash Chatterjee, an Adjunct Faculty member of Botany and Plant Science at NUI Galway, and has been published in the journal BMC Plant Biology.  ... more »

A report released today by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) reveals a drastic shortage in skills across the UK horticultural sector. The RHS surveyed 200 horticultural businesses and found that over 70% cannot fill skilled vacancies. The report, ‘Horticulture Matters’, is being presented to the Government today. ... more »