Crop & Environment Research Centre

Sustainable Crop Protection

Global crop losses from weeds, pests, diseases and lodging are enormous. Research into protecting crops from these problems has been an important feature of work at Harper-Adams for many years. This continues with particular emphasis on developing more-sustainable methods of control.

Herbicide resistance

Weeds resistant to herbicides are an increasing problem. Studies on the mechanisms of weed resistance to herbicides have focussed on blackgrass resistance to herbicides from a number of chemical families. A test for this resistance has been developed with funding from the Home-Grown Cereals Authority, and mechanisms of resistance in other grass weeds including wild oats and ryegrass have also been investigated.

Contact: Professor Andy Cobb or Dr John Reade

Nematology and Entomology

Potato cyst nematode is a major limitation on potato production. A large programme of work over several years has concentrated on improving the integrated management of potato cyst nematode. For further information see the pages of the Nematology and Entomology Group.

Contact: Dr Pat Haydock

Slugs

Slugs are a serious pest of many arable crops. A novel method of reducing slug damage is being developed at Harper Adams using intercropped species of plants which attract the slugs away from the crop plants.

Contact: Dr Mitch Crook

Biological control in glasshouses

Biological methods of control are now in widespread use in glasshouse systems. However, there is considerable scope for improving the efficacy of mass-reared natural enemies through manipulation of their behaviour. We are currently addressing this issue by exploiting the role of associative learning in insect host/prey finding.

Hyperparasites

Biocontrol can make use of natural parasites of a pest, but the parasites, in turn, are parasitized by hyperparasites. Research into the chemical interactions between aphids, parasites and hyperparasites is being carried out jointly with Keele University.

Poultry red mite

Red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) is an increasingly important pest of poultry in the UK. Since resistance to pesticides is making it more difficult to control this species by conventional means, alternative methods are being sought, including the use of insect natural enemies and fungal pathogens as biological control agents.

Fusarium seedling disease

Fusarium seedling blight is a major seedborne disease of cereals leading to poor establishment. Recent work has focused on the epidemiology and chemical control of this disease. Issues such as seedborne infections and the effects of soil temperature and water have been investigated under controlled conditions and in the field.

Contacts: Dr Martin Hare

Fusarium ear blight

Fusarium ear blight is caused by a complex of plant pathogens including Fusarium species and Microdochium nivale. The disease occurs on cereals and can result in reduced yield and the contamination of grain with mycotoxins. Detailed studies at Harper Adams have investigated the epidemiology and control of this disease.

Contacts: Dr Martin Hare or Dr Simon Edwards

Crop nutrition and disease

The nutrient nitrogen and strobilurin fungicides are both major controlling factors on the wheat canopy. Research at Harper Adams has shown that strobilurins may influence the uptake of soil nitrogen by wheat and affect nitrogen partitioning within the plant.

Contacts: Dr Martin Hare or Dr Peter Kettlewell

Rhizoctonia diseases of potato

Rhizoctonia solani is a destructive and economically important pathogen of potatoes causing stem and stolon canker. Research at Harper Adams has shown a clear relationship between infestations of the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis and infection of potato stolons by R. solani. A current research project is investigating the epidemiology and significance of R. solani anastomosis groups.

Contact: Matt Back

Disease control agents for organic and low input crops

Earlier work at Harper Adams showed the potential of foliar fertilisers for dual purpose use as nutrients and disease control agents. These studies have been continued by exploring the possibility of using milk to control powdery mildew in wheat.

Contact: Dr Peter Kettlewell

Physiology of strobilurin fungicides

The strobilurin fungicides are a major group of chemicals used in UK cereal production for disease control. Recent work has shown how the strobilurins can also have physiological effects by reducing senescence resulting from environmental stress, including water stress, in wheat plants.

Contact: Professor Andy Cobb or Dr John Reade

Novel naturally-occurring fungicides

Research at Harper Adams into the beneficial effects of green waste compost has led to the discovery of potential control agents in compost extracts. The active ingredients are being identified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry in collaboration with the University of Keele.

Contact: Dr Alan Keeling

Molecular diagnostics

Molecular diagnostics allow the identification of pests and pathogens. These techniques are based on either nucleic acids (DNA or RNA) or antibodies. Such techniques are useful to identify and quantify pathogens that cannot be readily identified using traditional microbiology or when the pathogens occur as components within a disease complex. DNA-based assays are being used at Harper Adams to identify and quantify individual components of wheat disease complexes within fungicide efficacy and variety resistance trials.

Contact: Dr Simon Edwards

Lodging

Lodging research at Harper Adams has been dominated by the need to differentiate root and stem lodging by physical tests. These tests have been used to rank cereal varieties for separate root and stem lodging risk.