Article in the Crop Production Magazine: Aside from anecdotal evidence, there are big gaps in research into the pest known as bean seed fly. And with no chemistry available to control it, there’s no other option but to take integrated pest management to the next level, which is just what Becca McGowan, a PhD student at the University of Warwick, has spent the past three and half years researching alongside PGRO.

As part of a monthly series of articles featuring the eight finalists in the 2020 BBC Gardeners World Magazine Gardens of the Year competition, Andy Gladman, a Crop Centre PhD student and one of the finaliists is featured in March's edition with his Leamington Spa ornamental allotment.

The six page article plots his journey, 'driven from a lifelong passion for plants', especially kniphofia, echinops, verbena and buddleias and the set back of living in a top floor north facing flat, in transforming an overgrown allotment plot in 2018 from 'a field of couch grass and bindweed' to an 'astonishingly vibrant and drought tolerant garden'.

With his interest in plant diversity there are 'around 100 cultivars of kniphofia (red hot poker) that he has been trying to accumulate and his plan is to apply for a National Collection status for these and his echinops (globe thistle).

Working on a tight budget and with using materials that otherwise would go to waste as a very important aspect to him,' seed sowing and recycling have been key'. 'The entire path is made up of pavers from a fellow allotmenteer's old driveway' and both greenhouses, furniture in the summer house and one of the greenhouses and water trough are either secondhand or from charity shops.

Many of the plants are a haven for insects and the bees are 'everywhere'. He noted a lot of butterfly diversity when taking part in the Big Butterfly Count 2020 and believes the allotment holders are pleased with the amount of pollinators his garden attracts to the allotments.

More information - Gardeners World Magazine, March 2021, pgs 72-77.
Andy Gladman is a PhD student with Dr Dave Chandler.

New gene data suggests various plant diseases are becoming more infectious, but chemical losses are forcing researchers to think outside the box when looking for new ways of controlling them.

This Science Special article on disease control highlights the following horticultural research projects (that Warwick Crop centre is involved in) to help tackle some of these yield battering diseases:

• The Waitrose Collaborative Training Partnership as part of the academic community that links with leading fresh produce suppliers to find solutions for growers in the three main areas: sustainable crop production, sustainable soil and water, and biodiversity and ecosystems services in agriculture.
• A PhD project study with plant pathologist supervisor Dr John Clarkson examining integrated control of Sclerotinia disease in celery and lettuce with the aim of finding alternative control methods to pesticidies.
  The project is 'looking at the different strains of Sclerotinia in different places because they may be genetically different and may respond to different growing conditions in varying ways' Professor Rosemary Collier
• An AHDB SCEPTREplus research programme which aims to identify new products or adapt the application methods or timing of existing ones to control particulary problematic and high priority pests and diseases.
  'We've been having a lot of problems with bean seed fly because the most effective way of controlling it is with a seed treatment and there just aren't any new alternative available at the moment'...'We're looking at alternative approaches in trying to manage it such as leaving it longer before you sow the crop since the flies are very attracted to newly cultivated soil' Professor Rosemary Collier

Full article