// Latest Posts

Researching the future of wheat: An interview with Manpartik Gill

Manpartik Gill is the recipient of a UoN-RRes PhD studentship. Their project is titled: Novel brassinosteriod dwarfing genes as alternatives for improved wheat grain yields. Their supervisors are Dr Stephen Thomas (RRes), Assoc Prof John Foulkes (UoN), and Emeritus Prof Peter Hedden (RRes). Why did you decide to do a PhD? What were you doing …

Solving micronutrient deficiencies in staple crops: an interview with Mesfin Kebebe

Mesfin Kebebe is a UoN-RRes PhD studentship recipient. Their project is titled: Optimization and efficiency of soil geochemistry at national scale for improved human nutrition. Their supervisors are Dr Stephan Haefele (RRes), Prof. Martin Broadley (UoN), Dr Kirsty Hassall (RRes), Dr Samel Gameda (CIMMYT-Ethiopia) and Dr Tilahun Amede (ICRISAT-Ethiopia). Tell us about how you came …

Predicting micronutrients in the soil: an interview with Christopher Chagumaira

Christopher Chagumaira is a UoN-RRes PhD studentship recipient. His project is titled: Geospatial modelling of soil geochemistry at national scale for improved human nutrition and he is supervised by Prof Murray Lark (UoN), Prof Martin Broadley (UoN), Dr Alice Milne (RRes), Prof Patson Nalivata (LUANAR)and Dr Joseph Chimungu (LUANAR). Why did you decide to do …

Breeding rice for higher temperatures: an interview with Tanvir Ahammed

Md Tanvir Ahammed is a UoN Rothamsted Research PhD studentship recipient. Their project is titled ‘Exploring genetic diversity in rice for better nitrogen recycling and reduced ammonia emission under stress’ and they are supervised by Dr Sigrid Heuer (RRes), Dr Erik Murchie (UoN), and Dr Kazuki Saito (AfricaRice).   Why did you decide to do …

The importance of zinc in cereal crops: An interview with Veronica Guwela

Veronica Guwela is a UoN-Rothamsted PhD student recipient. Their project is titled: ‘High zinc wheat for sub-Saharan Africa’ and they are supervised by Prof Julie King (UoN), Dr Malcolm Hawkesford (RRes), Prof Martin Broadley (UoN) and Prof Moses Maliro (LUANAR) . Why did you decide to do a PhD? What were you doing before? I decided …

Giving voice to farmers and producers: An interview with Associate Prof Anne Touboulic

Associate Prof Anne Touboulic researches sustainable supply chains from a social sciences perspective. She is based in the Business School and is a member of the Future Food Beacon leadership team. Dr Touboulic works often with rural food producers to co-create research to develop better food systems. In this interview, she talks with Lexi Earl about …

Redefining pearl millet: Dr Ndjido Kane

Dr Ndjido Kane is a plant geneticist and molecular biologist, based at Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles. Dr Kane directs CERAAS, part of the Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA). CERAAS specialises in drought adaptation of plants in West and Central Africa. In this interview, Ndjido talks to Lexi Earl about his research on pearl …

Measuring carbon and water cycles in crop resource-use efficiency research

This post is written by Erik Murchie, Lorna McAusland, and Georgina Barratt Plants are active day and night, performing myriad processes in metabolism, conducting environmental sensing and responding to stimuli. The processes that draw carbon and water from the environment and into the plant and  that shift oxygen and water out of the plant (photosynthesis, …

Using narratives to understanding eating disorders: an interview with Associate Professor Heike Bartel

Associate Professor Heike Bartel is a scholar in German Literature, based in the School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies at the University of Nottingham. Dr Bartel’s work explores the narratives of food, health and illness. She is a member of the Future Food Beacon Leadership team. In this interview, Dr Bartel talks to Lexi Earl …