The big picture: using wildflower strips for pest control
They may be beautiful, but these strips prove pretty deadly for every farmer's mortal enemy: aphids
Project Summary
Start date:
1 April 2023
Duration:
5 Years
Project Leader:
Funders:
BBSRC
To understand the trade-offs and co-benefits of delivering healthier agroecosystems using bio-inspired innovations and decision making to improve crop/forage productivity and quality, reduce pest pressures and improve water/air quality via reduced nutrient losses.
Detail
The programme will focus on three main areas:
- Biointeractions: looking at gene function in insects and weeds and biointeractions during cropping transitions
- Soil environments: exploring rhizosphere processes and extending soil phenotypes
- Discovery landscapes: optimising agroecosystems across landscapes and improving health indicators and metrics in agroecosystems
Project Leader
Prof. Martin Broadley
Science Director Sustainable Soils and Crops
Work-Package Leaders
Dr Mike Birkett
Biological/Organic Chemist
Dr Tim Mauchline
Plant and Soil Microbiologist
Dr Alice Milne
Spatial Statistician