Crop Centre REF 2021 Case Studies
Of the six case studies the School of Life Sciences has submitted to REF 2021, three are from the Warwick Crop Centre demonstrating the excellence and impact of our research. Our current activities are underpinned by more than 70 years of research on the campus at Wellesbourne.
Case study summaries below with links to more information.
Integrated Pest Management
Economically and environmentally sustainable crop protection
How can farmers avoid damaging the environment when growing vegetables and salads to the high standards expected by consumers? Professor Rosemary Collier and Dr David Chandler have researched the tools and methods needed to deliver Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Their work has combined new insecticides with non-chemical forms of pest control. As a result, growers have been able to make their operations both more economical and more environmentally friendly. More information
The Warwick Crop Centre
Improving the sustainability of vegetable production
Warwick Crop Centre (WCC) and the UK Vegetable Gene Bank (UKVGB) provide global seed companies with germplasm, training and resources for increasing the sustainability of vegetable crops through genetic improvement. Research into the genetic diversity of crops and the identification of disease resistance genes has enabled companies to breed better crop varieties, reducing wastage and saving growers substantial financial losses. Improved selections of globally important crops such as carrots, lettuces, parsnips and onions, have benefitted breeders and breeding companies across the world. More information
The Cream of the Crop
Genetic improvement of vegetable crops
The Warwick Crop Centre provides global seed companies with research on the genetic diversity of vegetable crops. Our research has enabled the identification and development of vital resistance genes to combat viruses that significantly impact on crop production, and the livelihoods that rely upon them, worldwide. Professor John Walsh’s research into Turnip Mosaic Virus (TuMV) and Turnip Yellow Virus (TuYV), which results in losses of between £67 - £180 million each year in UK and mainland Europe, identified recessive genes that could be introduced into production lines to breed resistance. Working with global companies such as Syngenta and Limagrain, Professor Walsh’s research has changed their understanding of the severity of the virus, informed their breeding programmes and raised their customers’ awareness of the way viruses impact on crop production. More information