News

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, in conjunction with the Scottish Government, has awarded £3M in research funding to four projects to improve food security for some of the world's most valuable crops.

A team from the University of Warwick and East Malling Research, led by Dr John Clarkson of Warwick Crop Centre, and with the HDC and Nickerson-Zwaan as industry partners, has been awarded one of the grants for a project entitled 'Exploiting next generation sequencing technologies to understand pathogenicity and resistance in Fusarium oxysporum'.

Fusarium oxysporum is a fungus which attacks many plants including onion, the world's second most valuable vegetable crop. It is estimated to cost UK farmers £11M a year in losses.

Using previously identified onion lines with increased F. oxysporum resistance, this work will provide information, tools and resources which will lead to more effective and sustainable control.

HAPI brings academic researchers together with industry in order to deliver bigger yields of better quality fruits and vegetables for the consumer, through more sustainable farming practices.