This project aims to use image and climatic data, collected by global satellites, to help improve estimates where pests and diseases of agriculture may spread. Changing climates mean that more areas globally are becoming suitable for pests and diseases of agriculture to establish in places that were previously climatically unsuitable. An increase in global trade and new trade pathways increases the risk of biological invasions by agricultural and environmental pests. Bioclimatic models can help those protecting our borders from non-native species to understand and better manage current and emerging pest risks. These bioclimatic models rely upon pest distribution data to infer climatic suitability. The spread of irrigation and protected agriculture (glasshouses and polyhouses) is distorting the relationship between pest distribution and climate suitability, allowing pests to spread to areas that would otherwise be unsuitable due to drought or cold stress. Consequently, models built using data that includes pest locations in these artificial environments substantially distort the projected pest risks. In this project we are developing spatial datasets of irrigation and protected agriculture, allowing bioclimatic modellers to estimate pest risks more accurately. Through this project a new research consortium has been formed of researchers from Australia and the UK.

Bioenergy crops have gained international prominence as fossil fuel prices increase and concerns about climate change grow. Increasing demand for bioenergy crops on international markets might lead to conflict with smallholder food production in the tropics and/or act as a driver of deforestation if large scale forest land conversions are initiated. Alternatively, smallholders might not jeopardise their own food security, and would grow bioenergy crops alongside food crops, incorporating their production into their current land use systems, increasing cash flow and thus permitting them to purchase inputs to intensify food production. The profitability, energy balance, social and ecological impacts will depend on the bioenergy crop used, how it is grown, with which inputs, on what type of land, what, if any, are the alternative uses of that land, and who reaps the benefit. So whether biofuel production is a threat or an opportunity will depend on the specific context. Jatropha curcas is a shrub, native to central America but is cultivated across the tropics. It is being promoted as a bioenergy crop as its seeds contain 20-30% oil, which can be easily extracted and converted to biodiesel. In Mexico, jatropha is traditionally used as a hedge. Large scale plantings were initiated in early 2006. By 2008, 20,000 ha were planted in Chiapas state and it is expected that 150,000 ha will be planted Veracruz state in the next two years. In India, large-scale land conversions to jatropha have been initiated, for example, more than 400,000 hectares of land in Uttar Pradesh state and the Indian government has proposed that biofuels account for 20% of its transportation fuel consumption by 2017, from the present 5%. Yet, despite these ambitious projects, little is known about its yield, pest and disease problems and environmental impact and so in which context it would be advisable to grow jatropha, rather than another bioenergy crop, such as Elaeis guineensis (oil palm). To some extent, ecological ranges of jatropha and oil palm overlap. In India, state governments of Orissa and Tamil Nadu are encouraging farmers to plant oil palm, given that India consumes an estimated 4.2 megatonnes per year. Similarly in Mexico, there are some large scale oil palm initiatives. This project aims to assess profitability, economic, social and environmental impacts of the production of two bioenergy crops, jatropha and oil palm. With data obtained it aims to identify the most suitable areas and conditions for sustainable and profitable yields and the extent of economic, social and environmental production risks. It aims to identify current shortfalls in land tenure systems or law and develop legislation to ensure social sustainability and equity of bioenergy projects.

This project, The UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank (UKCMCB) will establish a total resource of microorganisms and information associated with the microbiome of the UKs major crops. It brings together four leading institutions: Rothamsted Research, CABI, the James Hutton Institute and the John Innes Centre (in association with UEA). Each has a proven track record of working with industry, working at the forefront of pure and applied Agritech research. The plant microbiome mainly consists of fungi, bacteria and viruses that are associated with a plant and includes microbes that can be isolated and cultured and those that currently are currently not amenable to culture. Microbial consortia include members that help the plant host by providing nutrients, help prevent disease or allow a plant to tolerate environmental conditions. Driven by academic research and Agritech industry needs, it will provide a resource to underpin research on the Crop Microbiome, delivering sustainable solutions to improve plant health and crop productivity. The resource will facilitate better understanding of microbial community interactions, including the host plant and other components of the 'Phytobiome', and thereby impact plant health, from improvements in rhizosphere health through to control of biological threats. The resource will comprise: -A publicly available integrated Cryobank collection of samples (rhizoplane material -soils, bacterial and fungal isolates, plant material, and DNA) taken initially from 315 samples from systems significant to the UK Agritech sector. Initial focus will be on 6 crops (barley, oats, oil seed rape, potato, sugar beet and wheat ) from 9 different soil sites from across the UK. This will be supplemented with culturable material from the samples. Samples will be optimally preserved at ultra-low temperature using state-of-the-art technologies. -A curated AgMicrobiome Base of sample information with annotated sequences and meta-data for end-users. This will be the first synchronised resource covering the total microbiome of a variety of crops in identical soil types, supported by a bioinformatics resource, microbiologists, plant and crop health experts, with world class storage facilities. Provision of material will allow research into unexplored cultural biodiversity. - A further work package will be focussed on demonstrating the utility of the UK-CMCB for isolation of plant growth promoting bacteria and synthetic community construction. This will involve characterisation of the culturable microbiota associated with UK crop plants and the generation of crop-associated synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) and testing for positive plant growth traits. The microbes generated through this work package will be added to the CryoBank and made available to the public. The plant culture and microbial isolation work will take place at Rothamsted Research, biological resources will be held and curated in association with national collections at CABI, while JHI & Rothamsted will manage generation of functional data for the sequence resource. JIC in association with UEA will undertake the work on synthetic community construction. Samples will undergo microbial community profiling, and all microbial isolates will undergo phylogenetic characterisation and a subset of these will undergo full genome sequencing. All meta genomes and genomes will be deposited in a freely accessible database resource after sequence annotation, and provide a microbial genome resource for the research community This will result in the creation of a unique, world-leading combined resource of microbiome material, microorganisms, DNA and associated data useful for both academic and commercial research with potential for deployment in sustainable Agriculture

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Pests and diseases cause significant losses of crops around the world and is a significant threat to food security. In China the migratory locust affects over 2 million hectares of agricultural land, while in Laos the yellow spined bamboo locust which is widespread across the 9 districts of Norther Laos and damaged over 5,000 hectares of crops in 2019. A new invasive pest, the Fall Army Worm is becoming prevalent in Southeast Asia and China. It has been found in 22 provinces in China and affected 35,000 hectares of maize in Laos. Experience from Africa shows it can cause almost total crop losses. Managing the damage from pests can be difficult due to lack of detailed information on where risks to crops are greatest, use of inappropriate or ineffective control measures, and build of resistance in pest populations to chemical pesticides. In addition overuse of chemical pesticides causes environmental damage in the form of loss of biodiversity and through chemical residues left in the environment, particularly in waterways. In this project we will use Earth observation and meteorological data to provide information that will help farmers and agricultural authorities manage pest risk more sustainably. Using Earth observation imagery we will prepare risk maps that identify habitats where locusts and fall armyworm are most likely to establish populations. Using satellite data on surface temperature we will develop and run models that predict i) the growth of insect populations and ii) the effectiveness of biological control methods. The models will provide information to help preparedness and to guide the timing of application of biopesticides. The project will build upon work already undertaken in North-East China and apply it in the Southern Chinese province of Hainan, and in Laos. We will provide risk base maps and information products that help chose the method and timing of interventions. We will work with agricultural management authorities in China and Laos, providing training in the use of the information.