Crop & Soil Systems

The aim of the Crop and Soil Systems research programme is 'to develop systems of crop production which minimise the use of agrochemicals and maximise the efficiency of the plants own natural defence mechanisms'.

Research within the Group is intended to underpin the development of resilient and sustainable systems of crop production that are economically viable, but also environmentally and socially acceptable.  This is achieved through a combination of systems research at the farm level, and specific research with emphasis on the control of crop diseases, phenotype analysis, nutrient cycling and use and GHG emissions.

Dissemination of the results of research is facilitated by an Applied Practice Team which takes key messages from the research to inform key stakeholder groups and also acts to be a source of intelligence to drive future research.