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EVENT: JIC - The future of food and farming - 20-21 October 2011.

The Centre for Contemporary Agriculture (CCA) is a unique partnership between UEA, Easton College, John Innes Institute, Food Research Institute and NIAB-TAG. It aims to develop agricultural education, training and research to meet future local, national and international needs. As this century progresses our world faces massive challenges to produce sufficient food sustainably and to provide adequate nutrition for all. The Global Food Initiative, within the CCA, seeks to bring together experts and interested individuals from different spheres of activity associated with food to:

NEWS: New style NIAB Descriptive List gives more help to maize growers in selecting varieties (BSPB)

 

Two key changes to the 2012 NIAB Descriptive List for forage maize make it indispensable reading for farmers wanting to choose the best maize varieties for their situation.

The List, launched by BSPB and NIAB at the Dairy Event today, now includes data on cell wall digestibility - an increasingly important factor for farmers feeding high levels of maize silage in the diet.

Dr Tina Barsby on BBCR4 Farming Today

NIAB CEO Dr Tina Barsby was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today yesterday (Monday 29th August) as part of the programme’s feature on the ‘story of seed’ this week. Tina gives a brief overview on why we need plant breeding and seed certification.

The full programme can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b013r3ls with Tina’s interview at 4.32-8.29.  This will be available for the next 6 days.

TRAINING: Identifying grasses and grassland weeds

NIAB TAG is holding a one-day courses in Autumn 2011 on grassland weed identification and management for farmers, crop inspectors, seed producers and agronomists on:

  • 16th November 2011

The course programme includes the theory and practice of grass identification, managing grass crops including variety choice and cultural and chemical weed control and understanding the legislation covering grassland management and seed standards.

NRoSO = 2 CPD points
BASIS = 12 CPD points

NEWS RELEASE: EU approval for UK variety testing

NIAB has been awarded EU approval for its plant variety DUS testing of a range of agricultural species, as part of a European-wide assessment by the European Union Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO).

For an agricultural variety to be added to a National List and be freely marketed in the UK and EU, it must be tested to show it is distinct, uniform and stable (DUS) and have satisfactory value for cultivation and use (VCU).  For a grant of Plant Breeders’ Rights to be awarded to a variety, it must meet the DUS standards for the species.

NEWS RELEASE: UK wheat faces threat of new brown rust race

NIAB TAG is investigating the possibility of at least one new race of brown rust (Puccinia triticina) on UK winter wheat following this year’s severe disease epidemic.

The United Kingdom Cereal Pathogen Virulence Survey (UKCPVS), managed by NIAB TAG and funded by HGCA and Fera, received an unprecedented number of brown rust samples this year. Although it is still very early to assess the epidemic’s impact, most winter wheat varieties were affected by the disease at some level.

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