Mike Birkett

Mike Birkett is Deputy Lead of the Translating Biotic Interactions science team and co-leads the Growing Health Institute Strategic Programme. With more than 30 years' experience in chemical ecology, he works to help farmers protect crops from insects, diseases and weeds while reducing reliance on chemical inputs and building more sustainable, resilient farming systems.

His research focuses on understanding how plants, insects, microbes and weeds communicate using natural chemical signals. These invisible interactions influence crop health, food production and biodiversity. By uncovering how these biological relationships work, Mike helps develop new approaches that improve crop protection, support food security and reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture.

As Principal Chemical Ecologist at Rothamsted Research, Mike leads a multidisciplinary team that combines field studies with advanced laboratory science to understand how crops and their associated pests, pathogens and beneficial organisms interact. His team uses cutting-edge analytical technologies to identify important chemical signals and translate discoveries into practical applications for agriculture.

His current research includes developing and testing novel crop protection products and technologies, understanding how crop microbiomes influence plant health and pest pressure, linking chemical signals to crop and pest genetics, and creating new tools that reveal how plants and other organisms communicate. The ultimate goal is to deliver innovative, nature-inspired solutions that help farmers produce healthy crops more sustainably.

Mike welcomes opportunities to collaborate with researchers, industry partners and policymakers who share an interest in developing the next generation of sustainable agricultural technologies.

Key topics:

• Chemical ecology
• Sustainable crop protection
• Plant-insect interactions
• Plant-microbe interactions
• Crop microbiomes
• Pest and disease detection
• Semiochemicals and natural signalling compounds
• Integrated pest management (IPM)
• Agricultural biosensors
• Sustainable agriculture
• Nature-based solutions
• Translational research and innovation