Soil and crops

Crop Updates: November 2024

Our regular round up of the issues affecting crops around Scotland, summarises how crops are developing and what weather and other issues are affecting them. The update provides information on the…

SAC Consulting
03/12/2024

New net zero project focuses on grasslands

Jeff Aiken, outgoing Texel Sheep Society Chair (left) presenting Prof Joanne Conington with her award. Scottish researchers are playing a key role in a UK-wide project aimed at transforming grasslands…

SRUC
27/11/2024

Crop Updates: October 2024

Our regular round up of the issues affecting crops around Scotland, summarises how crops are developing and what weather and other issues are affecting them.…

SAC Consulting
28/10/2024

Crop Updates: 26 September 2024

Our regular round up of the issues affecting crops around Scotland, summarises how crops are developing and what weather and other issues are affecting them. The update provides information on the progress with key field work activities as well as news on the pest, weed and disease problems being noted in crops.…

SAC Consulting
08/10/2024

Harnessing nature for more resilient agriculture

Healthy ecosystems that support a diversity of species are more effective at recycling nutrients, at providing pollination services, and at regulating pests. In arable systems, focus is typically on actions to improve soil health; cover crops, livestock integration, reduced tillage, incorporating organic matter and reducing synthetic inputs.…

Lorna Cole
17/06/2024

SRUC joins new centre tackling food security and climate change

Scientists from SRUC will carry out research into plant breeding and animal nutrition to increase productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of a new centre announced by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.…

SRUC
21/11/2023

Construction of world-leading UK Cryobank now complete

The construction of the UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank (UK-CMCB) – the first publicly available resource of its kind anywhere in the world – is now complete after three years of painstaking research involving SRUC.…

SRUC
31/10/2023

Cloud innovation launches Scotland’s carbon calculator into next generation

The award-winning farm carbon calculator, Agrecalc, will be launching its state-of-the-art version of the platform – Agrecalc Cloud – at this year’s Royal Highland Show.…

SRUC
21/06/2023

Is growing potatoes sustainable and profitable?

Potatoes are an amazingly versatile food and an important part of our culture in Scotland. But is growing potatoes sustainable and profitable?…

Dr Phil Burgess
23/01/2023

Potato conference seeks to boost growers’ confidence amid global challenges

The ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine and the pressure of reducing carbon footprints will be on the agenda when Scotland’s biggest potato conference returns in the new year.…

SRUC
19/12/2022

Graze Debate 2022

The Graze Debate theme aims to facilitate discussion between pasture-based farmers, researchers and advisors in the pursuit of a sustainable beef and sheep sector in Scotland. …

Poppy Frater
01/11/2022

Pollination is key for fruitful oilseed rape crop

When oilseed rape experiences a lack of pollination it allocates more resources to plant growth and flowering – producing less robust plants – new research has found.…

SRUC
31/08/2022