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Crop production in Scotland faces many threats. Varieties that withstand the many challenges’ growers face are essential. We are using novel plant populations and tools that examine behaviour under complex stresses and plants’ genetic content to develop high quality resilient crops, reduce inputs and allow the Scottish population to locally source more fruit and vegetables.
Changing policy, market and environmental conditions necessitate diversification in Scotland’s agricultural systems. This project identifies barriers to the adoption of novel crops and cropping systems, develop innovative technical solutions and explore the consequences of change amongst rural and wider society.
We explore the biological consequences and potential practical applications of natural genetic variation found in the primary barley genepool to address future priorities in low carbon cereal agriculture. This is a contemporary barley genetics, genomics and informatics research project focused on scientific discovery and impactful translational biology.
This project generates new insights on how the antimicrobial resitance bacteria and genes flow between farm and environment and the risk of different farms practices in the spreading of antimicrobial resistance to humans via the food chain. We analyse antibiotic and heavy metal residues for its role in antimicrobial resistance selection in soil samples. The data is informing the development of a risk model to help assess the impact of different farm management approaches.
We are working with Holstein cows from representative genetic lines and typical feeding systems to investigate relationships between milk production, efficiency and the ability to withstand the effects of climate change on feed supply and composition. We are developing new measures of feed variability, describe it for typical feeding systems and investigate effects on milk production and cow health. This is done with diets designed to reduce C footprints. Our aim is to develop optimal breeding and management strategies for climate smart production, climate resilience and enhanced biodiversity.
This project is providing baseline measurements of greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage for various of Scotland’s food and drink production, as well as manufacturing processes. We are also developing a case study for the malting industry and providing datasets and tools to show how these processes can be optimised to reduce the environmental impact of producing and manufacturing food and drink products.
The aim of this project is to produce a composite breed of hill sheep that is capable of surviving and being productive under ongoing challenges from climate change. More sustainable feeding and management strategies will be developed, including taking the maintenance of biodiversity into account.
The project is creating new understandings of persistent and emerging challenges/opportunities in rural and island communities. Combining evidence from citizen science, secondary data analysis, qualitative work with stakeholders and communities, policy reviews, and international learning, recommendations are being made for policy that ensures sustainable, inclusive and just futures for rural and island communities.
Use of precision livestock farming tools is increasing globally. When exploited fully, these can aid farm-level management, improve animal health, welfare and productivity, monitor or reduce emissions, and improve traceability. This project explores current and new digital innovations, key barriers to adoption and solutions, and provide a robust evidence base demonstrating benefits of integrated data use within beef, sheep and dairy systems.
This project uses experimental and national farm data to develop new analytical methods to create new predictions, alerts and management tools for dairy cow, herd and supply efficiency, health and sustainability.