I teach crop production, plant physiology and biosciences to undergraduates; entomology, horticulture and plant physiology to postgraduates. I am the course manager for the Agricultural Sciences and Production Systems MSc.
My research areas of expertise are in organismal adaptability to environmental stress, in particular water stress working with Professor Peter Kettlewell in the area of antitranspirants. I also conduct research in entomology, particularly aphids, a current project is investigating how new CEA systems affect pest and beneficials performance. I also lead the HAU Urban Farming Group and I am a advisory board member of the UK Urban AgriTech, as well as working within the Policy and Advocacy group.
My other interests are in fresh produce production, urban farming, postharvest quality, in addition to plants as green infrastructure.
Course Manager for the Agricultural Sciences and Production Systems MSc/PgD/PgC
Module Leader:
Other Teaching:
Previous Visiting Lecturer at the University of Birmingham (2015-21), for 'BIO268 Cell and Developmental Biology' on the topic of plant cell development
Previous NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellow in the area of Horticulture (2014-18) - Facilitating knowledge exchange to help the horticultural sector meet global challenges.
Link to the Scientia published summary of the fellowships
Director of Studies:
PhD with Digital Farm awarded by Harper Adams University (Katia Kouloumprouka Zacharaki) 2019 - ongoing - Behaviour of strawberry plants in indoor/vertical production with artificial lighting
PhD studentship currently recruiting with scholarship to a UK home student - please use the following link:
PhD Co-supervisor:
iCASE PhD studentship at the University of Birmingham (David Booth) 2016 - 2020 - Investigation into the agronomic and biological factors affecting postharvest bruising in Pastinaca sativa (Parsnip)
PhD studentship at Harper Adams University (Jie Xiang) 2018 - ongoing - Understanding mitigation of drought damage to rapeseed (Brassica Napus L.) from sprays of film antitranspirants
PhD studentship at Harper Adams University (Wiza Mphande) 2017 - 2021 - The role of Antitranspirants and drought signalling in reproductive developments in Spring Wheat
1) Plant adaption to drought stress and drought mitigation
2) Urban agriculture and future cities
3) Organismal adaptability to the environment in particular insect plasticity to indoor production systems
3) Maximising yield, marketability and storage in fresh produce crops
4) Value of plants with regards to green infrastructure and Health and Wellbeing.
Mphande, W., Farrell, A. D., Grove, I. G., Vickers, L.H. and Kettlewell, P. S. (2021) Metabolic and film antitranspirants both reduce drought damage to wheat yield despite having contrasting effects on leaf ABA Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science
Xiang, J., Hare, M., Vickers, L. and Kettlewell, P. (2021) Estimation of film antitranspirant spray coverage on rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) leaves using titanium dioxide. Crop Protection 105531
Mphande, W., Farrell, A. D., Grove, I.G., Vickers, L.H. and Kettlewell, P.S. (2020) Yield improvement by antitranspirant application in droughted wheat is associated with reduced endogenous abscisic acid concentration Agricultural Water Management, 244.
Beacham, A. M.; Vickers, L. H and Monaghan, J. M. (2019) Vertical Farming: A Summary of Approaches to Growing Skywards Journal of Horticulture Science and Biotechnology In Press
Pritchard, J. and Vickers, L.H. (2017) Chapter 7 Aphids and Stress. Aphids as Crop Pests. Ed: Emden, H van, Harrington, R. CABI
Hunter, P.J.; Atkinson, L.D.; Vickers, L.H.; Lignou, S.; Oruna-Concha, M.J.; Pink, D.A.C.; Hand, P.; Barker, G.; Wagstaff, C. and Monaghan, J.M. (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 (8)
Vickers, L. H. (2016) Gardening sustainably for the future. Living with Environmental Change. Policy in Practice Notes, Note 29 [Accessible here http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/partnerships/ride/lwec/ppn/ppn29/]
Monaghan, J.M.; Vickers, L.H.; Grove, I.G. and Beacham, A.M. (2016) 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
Hossain, M.R., Vickers, L., Sharma, G., Livermore, T., Pritchard, J. and Ford-Lloyd, B.V. (2016) Chapter 22 Salinity Tolerance in Plants: Insights from Transcriptomic Studies. In Managing Salt Tolerance in Plants: Molecular and Genomic Perspectives. Ed Wani, S.H. and Hossain, M.A. CRC Press
Vickers, L.H., Grove, I.G. and Monaghan, J.M. (2015) Irrigation affects postharvest discolouration and yield in iceberg lettuce. Acta Horticulturae 1091, 253-258
Vickers, L.H., Grove, I.G. and Monaghan, J.M. (2015) Soil type and irrigation affects onion yield and storability. Acta Horticulturae, 1091, 245-251
Monaghan, J.M., Daccache, A., Vickers, L.H., Hess, T.M., Weatherhead, K.E., Grove, I.G. and Knox, J. W. (2013) More ‘crop per drop’: constraints and opportunities for precision irrigation in European agriculture. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 93 (5), 977-80
Vickers, L., Moorhouse, E. and Monaghan, J. (2013) FV 413 - A review of the agronomic factors that influence postharvest pinking in lettuce. Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board
UK Urban Agri Tech - Advisory Board member
Member of the Society for Experimental Biology
Academic Department: Agriculture and Environment
Office: JA04 Jubilee Adams, Tudor Lodge and NW Building
Research profile: ORCID
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You can connect or contact me on LinkedIn: Profile Link
You can contact Dr Laura Vickers if you would like to discuss any of the following course modules:
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