The Institute is an internationally networked organisation and operates from multiple sites, including two main ones in Scotland at Aberdeen and Dundee. It employs more than 500 scientists and support staff, making it one of the biggest research centres in the UK and the first of its type in Europe. The Institute is one of the Scottish Government’s main research providers in environmental, crop and food science and has a major role in the Scottish knowledge economy. The Institute brought together the former Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and the Scottish Crop Research Institute on 1 April 2011.
The James Hutton Institute combines strengths in crops, soils and land use and environmental research, and makes a major contribution to the understanding of key global issues, such as food, energy and environmental security, and developing and promoting effective technological and management solutions to these.
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Farm-PEP aims to bring together all the sources of useful knowledge for Agriculture, whether from academic science, applied research projects, industry trials, farmers own trials or simple on-farm experience. Listed below are useful websites, organisations and websites that we know of. Add any we've missed in the comments box or by adding as new content, or better still, as a new Group.
Soil is an essential natural resource for all farmers. Over recent years many initiatives have sought to provide information and advice on soils and Soil Health, notably AHDB Great Soils.
Nitrogen Efficient Plants for Climate Smart Arable Cropping Systems (NCS) is a four-year £5.9M ambitious research programme involving 200 UK farms and 18 partners. The project is funded by the Defra Farming Innovation Programme, delivered by Innovate UK. The consortium of UK companies, research institutes and farmer networks, led by PGRO, aims to bring about a reduction of 1.5Mt CO₂e per annum or 54% of the maximum potential for UK Agriculture. This will be achieved by increasing pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations to 20% across the UK (currently 5%). In addition, 50% of imported soya meal used in livestock rations will be replaced with home-grown feeds. Both of these ambitious aims will be steered by science and proven by real farm enterprises, with significant benefits for both crop and livestock productivity, including cost savings of over £1bn/yr.
IPM NET is a new initiative which aims to improve the practical understanding and application of integrated pest management (for pests, weeds and diseases) for farmers, and inform policy design promoting IPM strategies.
Farmers taking part in and getting paid for on-farm trials as part of the NCS Project.
The International Barley Hub is an initiative seeking to create a platform for the translation of barley research into economic, social, environmental and commercial impacts for the breeding, farming, malting, brewing, feed, food, health and related industries
The major commodity crops in the UK are wheat, barley, oilseed rape, field beans, sugar beet and potatoes, but around half of agricultural land grows grass.
A transdisciplinary hub looking to provide to bridge the gap between science and policy to achieve Net Zero
Root2Res is short for ‘Root phenotyping and genetic improvement for rotational crops resilient to environmental change'. It is a project that will go beyond the state of the art, developing new tools to evaluate root traits linked to sustainable crops, and measuring heritability and plasticity, that is, the ability to cope with environmental stress while delivering stable production. Working alongside breeders and farmers from areas under the greatest climatic stress, an interdisciplinary team is set to test cereals, tubers and legumes common and novel to European rotational systems.
Share information, knowledge, resources and experience on how we can improve crop perfomance (yield, quality and profitability) whilst reducing reliance on input, reducing impacts and improving environmental performance.
Agricultural research is conducted by a range of organisations, from individual farmers, through advisors, distributors, manufacturers, charities, societies, supply chain companies, levy bodies, universities and research institutes. This page aims to connect across these often disparate sources.
Plant breeding is the science of adapting the genetics of plants to produce more desirable characteristics, in agriculture these typically include improved yield, in-field performance and end use quality.
Physical and online conference at Harper Adams Soil & Water Management Centre on 7th December.
Barley is the fourth most important cereal crop in the world, grown in more than 100 countries and used for animal feed, human food and the production of alcohol.
Scientific paper in Carbon Management, Nov 2022.
To build a socially and environmentally resilient and regenerative food system in a net zero landscape, the Sustainable Farm Networks initiative connects diverse demonstration farm networks across the UK to share experiences, findings and best practice.
Help us collate the knowledge sources, organisations and initiatives out there that are seeking to improve the farmed environment
The Oat Growth Guide outlines growth and development benchmarks for spring and winter oats crops.
This field lab involves growers who are part of an emerging network aiming to re-establish a regenerative textile (particularly linen) supply chain in the UK, with a particular focus in Scotland. The trial’s main objectives are to ascertain how well flax grows in a range of soil types, measured by crop establishment and yield; and to compare the performance of 3 varieties in a range of soil types. The secondary objectives are to explore factors which may influence the retting process (e.g. time retted, number of turnings, weather); and to compare the fibre quality of 3 varieties.
Though peas and beans have long been a trusted part of cropping rotations, it is perhaps only recently that the scope and value of their potential is being realised.
Farmers working with scientists to achieve the best from pulse crops and reduce their carbon emissions.
The trial will evaluate the long-term effects of pulses in an arable rotation, particularly the effect on available N to following crops. Objectives are: To evaluate the effects of winter beans, winter bean/ winter wheat intercrop and spring beans on soil nitrogen supply annually over 5 years. To evaluate the effects of species and species mixtures on GHG emissions. To evaluate impacts on soil structure and health resulting from cropping differences.
Today we’re going to be talking with Lucy Cottingham, Agrii UK digital agronomy development manager, Steve Portas agronomist and Northern technical advisor and Josh Murphy, RHIZA product manager. Agriculture is a very significant emitter of CO2 and today we are going to be talking about an innovative project called Nitrogen Climate Smart, which aims to bring about a reduction of 1.5mt of CO2 emissions per annum. The aim is to increase pulse and legume crops in arable cropping to 20%, the benefits of which to both arable and livestock enterprises could lead to cost savings over £1m per year. Let’s learn more about this innovative project and what it could mean for your farm business.
Presented by Dr Pete Berry (Head of Crop Physiology, ADAS) and Laurie Abel (Agricultural Research Consultant, ADAS)
This landmark conference (January 22, 2025) will explore innovative strategies to increase pulse production and use in livestock diets. Register HERE
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