1
Resistant varieties
- We identify resistance components that are complementary in their mechanism and genetics that, when combined using molecular markers, together produce durable resistance. Read more...
- We carry out work to understand the importance of asymptomatic infection and the triggers that lead to symptom development (disease). Read more...
2
Crop deployment
- We mix varieties in different proportions, complexity and patchiness to exploit epidemiological factors and complementarity to reduce disease and increase resource-use efficiency. Read more...
- We study the impact of mixing crop species, particularly cereal-legume mixtures, on yield, resource-use efficiency and disease. This includes the use of cover crops or under-sowing and the impact on weeds.
3
Crop protection
- We develop the use of resistance elicitors that enhance the efficacy of the crop’s own resistance mechanisms as components of crop protection programmes with conventional fungicides. Read more...
- We study the interaction of different resistance elicitors, their complementarity, pleiotrophic effects (/trade-offs) and interaction with different varieties. Elicitors represent commercially-available products as well as potential actives. Read more...
4
Rotation and tillage
- We investigate the impact of tillage system on variety performance in terms of yield and disease. We also study the impact of increasing organic matter.
- We assess the impact of different rotations together with reduced and targeted inputs on overall disease risk and impact with respect to economic, environmental and social assessments.
