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BoostCrop team wins prestigious RSC Horizon Prize
The BoostCrop team, which originated at Warwick and led by Prof. Vasilios Stavros (now University of Birmingham), has been named winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Horizon Prizes, which celebrate discoveries and innovations that push the boundaries of science. Staff involved at Warwick still include: Ed Greenough, James Lloyd-Hughes, Adrian Fowle and Jack Woolley.
The European research collective has won the Faraday Horizon Prize for the development of a library of biocompatible molecules that can on application harness solar UV energy and enhance crop growth.
The group, which is made up of academics and consultants, will receive a trophy, while each team member will also get their own special individual token. To help others learn from their experiences, they will also be the subjects of a special video showcasing the fruits of their labour.
Read more about the research linked to BoostCrop undertaken by Jack and colleagues using the WCUS facilities in these journal articles:
Molecular Heaters: A green route to boosting crop yields
J.M. Woolley et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2025, 27, 7375-7382
Spectroscopic insight on impact of environment on natural photoprotectants
A.L. Whittock et al., Chem. Sci., 14 (2023) 6763
Synergic photoprotection of phenolic compounds present in tomato fruit cuticle: a spectroscopic investigation in solution
A.G. Moreno, J.M. Woolley et al. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 25 (2023) 12791
The BoostCrop team have pioneered the development of a library of biocompatible molecules that harness solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. These molecules are applied onto plants as a water-based foliar spray. They then absorb UV radiation, convert this to heat and provide the crop with supplementary heat thereby encouraging successful crop growth in cooler geographical regions and helping mitigate against sudden daytime frost damage.
After receiving the prize, Professor Vasilios Stavros, who established the BoostCrop team during his time as Professor of Chemistry at University of Warwick, said: “I am delighted that Team BoostCrop has been awarded one of the RSC’s Horizon Prizes. The BoostCrop project has been an incredible journey through which we have demonstrated how blue-skies research can potentially have massive impact on society. It has been a privilege to work this amazing team of researchers.
"Food security is a growing area of concern, with the United Nations listing it as part of their Sustainable Development Initiatives. To improve food security, current harvests must be enhanced.
"Frost damage alone is estimated to cost Europe €3.3 billion per annum in reduced harvests; BoostCrop brought together a multidisciplinary team to tackle this very important problem head on. We believe we have made a small but very important contribution to this sustainable development initiative.”