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Staff Directory

Professor Jim Monaghan

BSc, PhD

Professor of Crop Science / Director of the Fresh Produce Research Centre

Teaching Duties

  • Fresh produce production
  • Post harvest technology
  • Horticultural production systems
  • Food safety in the production of fresh produce
  • QA systems and their role in the supply chain

Sustainable School of Food and Farming

I am lead contact for the areas of fresh produce and potato crops at HAU.  In this role I co-ordinate interaction between relevant academics and commercial growers involved in the network School of Sustainable Food and Farming

Research projects

My research work is carried out at the Fresh Produce Research Centre:

My work is in the area of phenotyping and crop production systems, both pre and post harvest.

  • Vegetable Genetic Improvement Network - VEGIN (Defra funding)

This work is joint with University of Warwick and is identifying genetic traits that are linked to stress resilience in leafy and root vegetables. The work at HAU focussing on abiotic stress resilience is being done by Dr Olivia Cousins. 

  •  Tuberscan (Innovate funding)

This is a project led by B-Hive Innovations, to develop ground penetrating radar, underground scans and AI to monitor potato crops and identify when they are ready to harvest.  

  • Automation harvesting of whole-head iceberg lettuce (Innovate funding).

This project is lead by Grimme UK and involves the AgriEpicentre, UWE, IDS imaging, PDM and G's and is developing a prototype system for automated harvesting of wholehead lettuce.

  • Commercial trials

I have recently managed commercial trials for a number of companies including PepsiCo and G's.

PhD Students

(Director of Studies)

Realising the environmental benefits of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) via optimised nutrition and nitrogen fixation. Tamana Jithesh CTP studentship in collaboration with PGRO and James Hutton Institute

Rapid rooting vegetables for a challenging environment – molecular and physiological analysis of rapid rooting traits in lettuce. Cara Wharton MIBTP CASE studentship in collaboration with University of Warwick and Syngenta.

Breeding for Climate Change Resilience in Brassicas – Discovering Novel Traits for Resilience to Stressful Growing Conditions. Tallula Smithson  MIBTP studentship in collaboration University of Warwick and Syngenta.

The role of agronomy and genotype in tissue integrity and associated sugar losses during storage of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris). Paul Chunga. BBRO studentship 

(Supervisory team)

Uncovering the physiological and genetic control of the disorder brown heart in Swede. To be appointed. MIBTP CASE studentship in collaboration with University of Warwick and Elsoms seeds (DoS Dr Laura Vickers - HAU).

Optimising beetroot quality Frances Hirst. Joint studentship with University of Reading (DoS Prof Carol Wagstaff - Reading University)

Optimising growing environments for vertical farming of strawberries Katia Zacharaki. (DoS Dr Laura Vickers - HAU)

Control of lettuce discoloration. Joint studentship with Warwick University Yao Lu. (DoS Dr Guy Barker - Warwick University)

 

Professional Memberships

  • Member of the Association of Applied Biologists
  • Member of the International Society of Horticultural Science
  • Member of Eucarpia
  • Member of the Technical Board of the British Beet Research Organisation
  • Associate Editor Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
  • Member of AAB Plant Physiology and Crop Improvement group

  • Member of Management Board UKRI-BBSRC Quality and Food Loss Network in Horticulture and Potatoes

Academic Department: Agriculture and Environment

Tel: +44 (0)1952 815425

Fax: +44 (0)1952 814783

Twitter: @vegprof

Office: N6 Jubilee Adams, Tudor Lodge and NW Building

Research profile: ORCID

Publications

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Other publications

  • Lockley RA, Beacham AM, Grove IG, Monaghan JM. (2021) Post-harvest temperature and water status influence post-harvest splitting susceptibility in summer radish (Raphanus sativus L.) J. Sci. Food Ag. 101(2):536-541
  • Mhango JK, Harris EW, Green R, Monaghan JM (2021) Mapping Potato Plant Density Variation Using Deep Learning and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Precision Agriculture. Remote Sensing 13(14): 2705
  • Mhango JK, Grove IG, Hartley W, Harris EW, Monaghan JM (2021) Applying Colour-Based Feature Extraction and Transfer Learning to Develop a High Throughput Inference System for Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Stems with Images from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles after Canopy Consolidation. Precision Agriculture 1-27
  • Mhango, J.K., Harris, W.E. and Monaghan, J.M., (2021) Relationships between the Spatio-Temporal Variation in Reflectance Data from the Sentinel-2 Satellite and Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Yield and Stem Density. Remote Sensing 13(21), p.4371
  • Paul J. Hunter PJ, Chadwick M, Hand P, Lignou S, Oruna-Concha MJ, Pink D, Wagstaff C, Barker G, Monaghan JM (2021) Elucidation of the biochemical pathways involved in two distinct cut-surface discolouration phenotypes of lettuce. Postharvest Biology and Technology 183:111753.
  • J. K. Mhango, W. Hartley, W. E. Harris, J. M. Monaghan (2021) Comparison of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber size distribution fitting methods and evaluation of the relationship between soil properties and estimated distribution parameters Journal of Agricultural Science 1-15
  • Roberts J, Broadley MR, Pink D Hand P, Lynn J, Monaghan JM (2020) Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) linked with root growth in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seedlings. Mol Breeding 40:8-12
  • Roberts JM, Bruce TJA, Monaghan JM, Pope TW, Leather SR, Beacham AM (2020) Vertical farming systems bring new considerations for pest and disease management. Annals of Applied Biology 176(3):226-232
  • Manning L., Monaghan J. (2019) Integrity in the fresh produce supply chain: solutions and approaches to an emerging issue Journal of Horticulture Science and Biotechnology 94(4):413-421
  • Beacham AM, Vickers LH, Monaghan JM (2019) (2019) Vertical farming: a summary of approaches to growing skywards. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 94(3):277-283
  • Glowacz M, Reade J, Monaghan J and Mogren L (2018) Hot water treatment after harvest preserves nutritional quality of spinach during storage. Acta Horticulturae 1209:123-127
  • Mogren L, Reade JPH, Monaghan JM (2018) Assessment of the vitamin C content in selected baby leaf species over the season. Acta Horticulturae 1209:27-33
  • Beacham AM, Hand P, Barker GC, Denby KJ, Teakle GR, Walley PG, Monaghan JM. (2018) Addressing the threat of climate change to agriculture requires improving crop resilience to short-term abiotic stress. Outlook on Agriculture 25:1-7
  • Smith A, Moorhouse E, Monaghan J, Taylor C and Singleton I. (2018) Sources and survival of Listeria monocytogenes on fresh, leafy produce. Journal of applied microbiology 125(4):930-942
  • J.M. Monaghan, J.C. Augustin, J. Bassett, R. Betts, B. Pourkomailian, M.H. Zwietering. (2017) Risk assessment or assessment of risk? Developing an evidence based approach for primary producers of leafy vegetables to assess and manage microbial risks Journal of Food Protection 80(5):725-733
  • Monaghan JM, Vickers LV, Grove IG, Beacham AM (2017) Deficit Irrigation Reduces Postharvest Rib Pinking in Wholehead Iceberg Lettuce, but at the Expense of Head Fresh Weight Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 97(5):1524–1528
  • Monaghan JM, Beacham AM. (2017) Salad Vegetable Crops. In Brian Thomas, Brian G Murray and Denis J Murphy (Editors in Chief), Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences, Vol 3, Waltham, MA: Academic Press, 2017, pp. 262–267.
  • Beacham AM, Monaghan JM, Aguiar LK, Eastham J (2017) Alternative production systems: moving away from farming the land Contemporary issues in food supply chain management. Eds J Eastham, LK Aguiar, S Thelwell p145-166
  • Hutchison, M.L., Harrison, D., Heath, J.F. and Monaghan, J.M. (2017) Fate of Escherichia coli O145 present naturally in bovine slurry applied to vegetables before harvest, after washing and simulated wholesale and retail distribution. J Appl Microbiol 123: 1597–1606.
  • Beacham AM, Hand P, Pink DA, Monaghan JM. (2017) Analysis of Brassica oleracea early stage abiotic stress responses reveals tolerance in multiple crop types and for multiple sources of stress. J Sci Food Ag 97:5271-5277
  • Hunter PJ, Atkinson LD, Vickers L, Lignou S, Oruna-Concha MJ, Pink D, Hand P, Barker G, Wagstaff C, Monaghan JM. (2017) Oxidative discolouration in whole-head and cut lettuce: Biochemical and environmental influences on a complex phenotype and potential breeding strategies to improve shelf-life. Euphytica 213:180-196
  • Monaghan JM (2017) FSA/FSS Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice - Watercress
  • Boubou T, Grove IG & Monaghan JM (2017) Spatial variation in iceberg lettuce as influenced by soil physiochemical properties in organic soil: Can mapping be a tool for targeted solutions? Aspects of Applied Biology 135. Precision Systems in Agriculture and Horticultural production. Pp. 59 - 64.
  • Hunter PJ, Pink D, Hand P, Heath J, Barker G, Hambidge A, Lignou S, Oruna-Concha M-J, Radha B, Wagstaff C, Monaghan JM. (2017) A genetic approach to improving postharvest quality in lettuce. Acta Horticulturae IN PRESS
  • Mogren LM, Beacham AM, Reade JPH and Monaghan JM (2016) Moderate water stress prevents the postharvest decline of ascorbic acid in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) but not in spinach beet (Beta vulgaris L.). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 96: 2976–2980
  • Monaghan JM and Hutchison ML (2016) Ineffective hand washing and the contamination of carrots after using a field latrine Letters in Applied Microbiology 62: 299–303
  • Lockley RA, Grove IG, Monaghan JM (2016) Minimising losses in radish (Raphanus sativus) at harvest due to splitting by manipulation of water availability during growth. Acta Horticulturae 1118, 157-162
  • McIntyre L, Monaghan JM (2016) Chapter 4: Microbiological Outbreak in Sprouted Seeds In: JM Soon, L Manning and CA Wallace. Eds. Foodborne Diseases: Case Studies of Outbreaks in the Agri-Food Industries. CRC Press. Pp 37-62.
  • Lockley RA, Grove IG, Monaghan JM (2016) Investigating factors affecting postharvest splitting in radish (Raphanus sativus). Acta Horticulturae 1118, 171-174
  • Beacham AM, Monaghan JM, Kettlewell PS (2015) Culinary herb growth and appearance in response to high salinity, high pH drench and foliar spray treatments in substrate-based and substrate-free conditions. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 90(2): 164-170
  • Kondhare KR, Kettlewell PS, Farrell AD, Hedden P, Monaghan JM (2015) Pre-maturity alpha-amylase in wheat: the role of abscisic acid and gibberellins. Journal of Cereal Science 63: 95-108
  • Glowacz M, Mogren LM, Reade JPH, Cobb AH, Monaghan JM (2015) High- but not low-intensity light leads to oxidative stress and quality loss of cold-stored baby leaf spinach. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 95:1821-1829
  • Allende A, Monaghan J. (2015) Irrigation Water Quality for Leafy Crops: A Perspective of Risks and Potential Solutions Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 12(7):7457-7477
  • Vickers LH, Grove IG, Monaghan JM (2015) Soil type and irrigation affect onion yield and storability Acta Horticulturae 1091:245-251
  • Vickers LH, Grove IG, Monaghan JM (2015) Irrigation affects postharvest discolouration and yield in iceberg lettuce Acta Horticulturae 1091:253-258
  • Lockley RA, Grove IG, Monaghan JM (2015) Splitting in radish - Does preharvest environment influence the response to postharvest handling? Acta Horticulturae 1091:231-238
  • Kondhare KR, Kettlewell PS, Hedden P, Farrell AD, Monaghan JM (2014) Use of the hormone-biosynthesis inhibitors fluridone and paclobutrazol to determine the effects of altered abscisic acid and gibberellin levels on pre-maturity ?-amylase formation in wheat grains. Journal of Cereal Science 60:210-216
  • Monaghan JM (2014) Chapter 14: Fresh Produce Crops (In: H.J.S. Finch, A.M. Samuel and G.P.F. Lane. ed. Lockhart and Wiseman's Crop Husbandry 9th Edition. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing. pp. 396-430. )
  • Graceson A, Monaghan J, Hall N, Hare M. (2014) Plant growth responses to different growing media for green roofs. Ecological Engineering 69:196-200
  • Graceson A, Hare M, Hall N, & Monaghan J (2014) Use of inorganic substrates and composted green waste in growing media for green roofs. Biosystems Engineering 124:1-7
  • Kondhare KR, Hedden P, Kettlewell PS,Farrell AD, Monaghan JM. (2014) Quantifying the impact of exogenous abscisic acid and gibberellins on pre-maturity ?-amylase formation in developing wheat grains. Scientific reports 4
  • Monaghan JM, Daccache A, Vickers L, Hess TM, Weatherhead EK, Grove IG, Knox JW. (2013) More ‘crop per drop’ – constraints and opportunities for precision irrigation in European agriculture. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 93:97-80
  • Glowacz M, Mogren LM, Reade JPH, Cobb AH, Monaghan JM. (2013) Can hot water treatments enhance or maintain postharvest quality of spinach leaves? Postharvest Biology and Technology 81:23-28
  • Kondhare KR, Kettlewell PS, Hedden P, Farrell AD, Monaghan JM (2013) The role of sensitivity to abscisic acid and gibberellin in pre-maturity ?-amylase formation in wheat grains. Journal of Cereal Science 58(3):472–478
  • Graceson A, Hare M, Monaghan J, Hall N (2013) The water retention capabilities of growing media for green roofs Ecological Engineering 61(Part A):328–334
  • Graceson A, Hall N, Hare M, Monaghan J (2013) Spatial arrangements and physical properties of granular mineral materials and composted green waste in green roof growing media. Acta Horticulturae 1013:147-152 ( )
  • Mogren L, Reade JPH, Monaghan JM (2012) Effects of Environmental Stress on Ascorbic Acid Content in Baby Leaf Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) Acta Horticulturae 939:205-208
  • Kondhare KR, Kettlewell PS, Farrell AD, Hedden P and Monaghan JM (2012) Effects of exogenous abscisic acid and gibberellic acid on pre-maturity alpha-amylase formation in wheat grains. Euphytica 188:51-60
  • Monaghan JM, Hutchison ML (2012) Distribution and decline of human pathogenic bacteria in soil after application in irrigation water and the potential for soil splash mediated dispersal on to fresh produce Journal of Applied Microbiology 112:1007-1019
  • Monaghan J M, Thomas D J I, Hutchison M L, Goodburn K (2012) An overview of current UK fresh produce farming practices that minimise the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with ready to eat fresh produce Acta Horticulturae 936: 19-26
  • Monaghan J M, Chiramba T, Mogren L M (2012) Effect of pre and postharvest factors on splitting in Radish (Raphanus sativus) Acta Horticulturae 934:1347-1352
  • Monaghan J M, Hutchison M L (2011) Simplified web-based risk assessments for managing microbial contamination risk in fresh produce production. Symposium SciCom FASFC 2011: Applications of Microbiological Risk Assessment InThe Food Chain pp24-26
  • Mwebaze, P., Monaghan, J., Spence, N., MacLeod, A., Hare, M. and Revell, B (2010)  Modelling the risks associated with the increased importation of fresh produce from emerging supply sources outside the EU to the UK. Journal of Agricultural Economics 61(1) 97-121
  • Monaghan J M, Rahn C R, Hilton H W, Wood M (2010) Improved efficiency of nutrient and water use for high quality field vegetable production using fertigation. Acta Horticulturae 852:145-151 (Toward Ekologically Sound Fertilization of field vegetables)
  • Hutchison, M. L., Avery, S. M. and Monaghan J. M. (2008) The air-borne distribution of zoonotic agents from livestock waste spreading and microbiological risk to fresh produce from contaminated irrigation sources. Journal of Applied Microbiology 105:848-857
  • Pettitt T R, Monaghan J M and Crawford M A (2008)  Assessment of the control of Phytophthora root rot disease spread by Spin Out®-treated fabrics in container-grown hardy nursery-stock.  Crop Protection 27(2):198-207
  • Monaghan J M (2008) The drivers for traceability in the retail supply chain for fresh produce. Aspects of Applied Biology 87:39-40
  • Monaghan J M (2005) United Kingdom and European Approach to Fresh Produce Food Safety and Security. HortTechnology 16 (4):9-12
  • Monaghan J.M., Wurr D.C.E. and Fellows J.R. (2004) The effects of temperature and lighting on flowering in Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'). Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 79 (5): 811-817
  • Monaghan J.M., Snape J.W.S., Chojecki J. and Kettlewell P.S. (2001) The use of grain protein deviation for identifying wheat cultivars with high grain protein concentration and yield. Euphytica. 122: 309-3 17
  • Monaghan J.M., Scrimgeour C.M., Stein W M, Zhao F.J. and Evans E.J. (1999) Sulphur accumulation and re-distribution in wheat (Triticum aestivum): a study using stable sulphur isotope ratios as a tracer system.  Plant Cell and Environment. 22:831-839
  • Zhao F.J., Salmon S.E., Withers P.J.A., Evans B.J., Monaghan J.M., Shewry P.R. and McGrath S. (1999) Responses of breadmaking quality to sulphur in three wheat varieties.  Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 79:1865-1874
  • Zhao F.J., Salmon S.E., Withers P.J.A., Monaghan J.M., Evans E.J., Shewry P.R. and McGrath S. (1999) Variations in the bread making quality and rheological properties of wheat in relation to sulphur nutrition under field conditions.  Journal of Cereal Science. 30(1): 19-31
  • Zhao F.J., Withers P.J.A., Evans E.J., Monaghan J.M., Salmon S.B., Shewry P.R. and McGrath S. (1997) Sulfur nutrition: An important factor for the quality of wheat and rape seed. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 43:1137-1142

Research projects

Modules

You can contact Professor Jim Monaghan if you would like to discuss any of the following course modules:

Documents

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