Latest news with #NIAB
The Herald Scotland
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish research institute introduces newest blackberry variety
Nikki Jennings, Soft Fruit Breeder at The Hutton, said: 'Loch Katrine has remarkable characteristics: superb flavour, consistent shape, size and appearance, little reversions after cold storage, it picks easily and is thorn-free.' The Hutton is an internationally renowned research centre whose breeding programme supports the entire Scottish fruit supply chain from growers to marketing organisations and retailers. The soft fruit group works extensively with stakeholders to carry out research proposals to address specific and targeted needs of the sector, using marker-assisted breeding to reduce the time it takes to produce cultivars with the key traits of interest. READ MORE: It addresses challenges facing the industry, including improved means for pest and disease control that are in line with increasing demand for reduced pesticide use in agriculture, resistance to climate change and new cultivars that enable growers to respond quickly to a changing marketplace. Soft fruit production in Scotland represents a small but growing sector within the agricultural landscape, supplying high-value fresh and processing markets throughout the UK. Scottish fruit is at the upper end of the quality market and has considerable potential for economic growth, wealth creation and increased employment. The Hutton will join over 100 product and service providers from the fresh fruit sector and wine making/viticulture connecting with an expected 1,500 visitors to Fruit Focus 2025 on July 9 at the National Institute of Agricultural Biology (NIAB) in East Malling, Kent. Fruit Focus serves the needs of the UK fruit growing industry, bringing together the latest innovations and research and allowing for knowledge exchange and networking. The event will showcase new technology as well as hosting working machinery demonstrations and sharing agronomic advice and business information.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Vet varsity put heads together for identifying the needs of livestock farmers
Ludhiana: Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University organised a one-day workshop on 'Identifying the Needs of Livestock Farmers in Punjab' at the Centre for One Health, in collaboration with the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, under the MILAN initiative. This multi-stakeholder workshop was presided over by Dr J P S Gill, vice-chancellor, who highlighted the evolving role of livestock farmers in Punjab. Dr Gill emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to translate scientific knowledge into practical solutions at the grassroots level. Dr J S Bedi, director, Centre for One Health and organising secretary of the event, welcomed the participants and highlighted the centre's mission to work at the animal-human-environment interface through stakeholder-driven programs. Dr Bedi remarked "Punjab farmers are not just contributors to animal production, they are active partners in science-led progress." Dr Taru Sharma, director, NIAB, shared insights into the objectives of the MILAN programme and stressed the importance of institutional partnerships in addressing regional livestock challenges. The NIAB has a mandate focused on developing a sustainable and globally competitive livestock based economy through innovative science and technology development and entrepreneurship promotion. Dr Taru lauded vet varsity's role in integrating research, field-level engagement, and policy perspectives. The technical sessions included expert lectures by Dr R S Grewal, director of extension education, on modern farm management and Dr Parminder Singh, additional director of extension education, who discussed various challenges in dairy animals and also moderated a panel discussion with the university experts, farmers and veterinarians. Over 100 participants including progressive farmers, veterinary officers, industry representatives and scientists actively engaged in the discussions. The workshop concluded with an open forum to capture grassroots perspectives. The programme served as a robust platform for participatory dialogue and reinforced the role of science-led participatory approaches in advancing Punjab's livestock sector.
Agriland
11-06-2025
- General
- Agriland
New varieties added to grass and clover lists for England and Wales
Two white clover, one red clover, two Italian rye-grass, and eight perennial rye-grass varieties have been added to the Recommended Grass and Clover Lists (RGCL) for England and Wales 2025/26. The new varieties have been granted provisional recommended status after they showed a clear improvement compared with the varieties already on the lists. The varieties were added to the list yesterday (Tuesday, June 10), following over six years of independent and rigorous testing at trial sites across England and Wales. The grass and clover varieties were assessed under a range of conditions, covering both conservation and simulated grazing management systems. These provisionally recommended varieties will be reassessed after five years. If they continue to perform well, they will be recommended for general use and reviewed every four years, until they are outclassed by other varieties. Forage crop specialist at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), Ellie Roberts, who coordinates the RGCL trial programme on behalf of the British Society of Plant Breeders, said: 'The RGCL is a mechanism that challenges breeders to continue developing grass and clover varieties with increased forage yield potential, nutritional quality, and nitrogen use efficiency.' 'With input from seed merchants, the lists can help farmers identify the best varieties and variety mixtures for specific farming systems while considering growing conditions, animal nutritional requirements and economic efficiency.' New grass and clover varieties The new grass and clover varieties are as follows: White clover varieties: Ruru; W140140; Ruru; W140140; Red clover varieties: RGT Javva; RGT Javva; Italian rye-grass varieties: Ascari (diploid); Glacomo (diploid). Ascari (diploid); Glacomo (diploid). Intermediate perennial rye-grass varieties: Bartui (diploid); Castlewellan* (tetraploid). Bartui (diploid); Castlewellan* (tetraploid). Late perennial rye-grass varieties: AberEsk (diploid); Angorat (diploid); Frogmore (diploid); Scartorp (diploid); AberLiffey (diploid); Ardress (tetraploid). Unless stated, all varieties have been granted a provisional general use recommendation. Varieties marked with an asterisk (*) have been granted a provisional specific use recommendation. Due to seed availability, not all new additions will be widely available initially.
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Scientists uncover molecular clue to slow down reproductive aging
Researchers at the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) have made a significant discovery that could pave the way for new strategies to extend female fertility. Led by Prasad Rao from NIAB's Laboratory of Molecular Reproduction and Aging, the team has uncovered a molecular clue that appears to slow down reproductive aging. The scientific team, using both live mouse models and cultured goat ovaries, found that reducing the activity of a cellular protein called 'Cathepsin B' (Cat B) helps preserve the ovarian reserve. This ovarian reserve is the finite pool of egg cells (oocytes) that female mammals are born with. Unlike sperm, these crucial egg cells cannot be regenerated. The findings are important since, unlike sperm, oocytes cannot be regenerated. 'Over time, the quantity and quality of these eggs naturally decline due to factors like oxidative stress, inflammation and general cellular wear. This process accelerates with age. 'Cat B,' a protein-degrading enzyme, seems to be a key driver of this decline. By lowering its levels, we may be able to delay egg loss, effectively extending fertility naturally,' said The scientist team, which includes Aradhana Mohanty, Anjali Kumari, Lava Kumar S., Ajith Kumar, Pravin Birajdar, Rohit Beniwal, Mohd Athar and Kiran Kumar P., pointed out that the implications go far beyond the laboratory. It is because across India's rural heartlands and urban hospitals, fertility is quietly becoming a shared crisis. As both livestock and women age, their ability to reproduce declines, with significant biological and economic consequences, said researchers. In humans, fertility begins to decline in the early 30s, with a sharper drop in the 40s, reducing chances of conception and increasing the risk of miscarriage or chromosomal disorders. While assisted reproductive technologies like IVF provide options, they are often costly, invasive and less effective in older women. A safe, biological method to slow ovarian ageing could revolutionise fertility preservation for millions. For farmers, a simple intervention to extend reproductive lifespan of livestock could improve herd productivity, reduce stray cattle populations, and support the incomes of smallholder farmers who form the backbone of Indian agriculture. This is a rare moment where science serves both the farm and the family. From barns to birthing rooms, this discovery bridges animal science and human medicine, promising a future where age is no longer a barrier to reproduction, said researchers. For a country navigating the twin challenges of rural sustainability and reproductive health, the implications are profound and hopeful, said NIAB director G. Taru Sharma. The research results were published in the latest issue of 'Aging Cell'.
Agriland
06-06-2025
- Health
- Agriland
Tillage: Irish wheat crops and the threat of yellow rust
The jury is still out on whether or not wheat crops grown in Ireland this year have succumbed to a yellow rust genetic breakdown, as seems to have been the case in the UK. According to Teagasc tillage specialist, Shay Phelan: 'The yellow rust issue is being investigated at the present time. 'Whatever the outcome of the work, it seems safe to conclude that the growing of wheat will become a more expensive operation into the future.' Meanwhile, the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) in the UK is advising farmers not to rely on the current yellow rust disease resistance information published in the organisation's recommended list (RL) information sheets. Unusual activity was first seen in late March in an RL fungicide-untreated trial near Sunderland in the north-east of England. At this site, several varieties had yellow rust symptoms despite being classified as resistant to the disease at the young plant stage on the RL (2025/26). Paul Gosling, who manages the RL at AHDB, said: 'Following discussions with plant breeders, we suspected that an important yellow rust resistance gene – Yr15 – had potentially been overcome. 'We subsequently observed similar resistance-breakdown patterns more widely in RL trials, starting in southern Scotland before spreading down the eastern coast of England, down as far as East Anglia.' Trial operators sent diseased leaf samples from the affected RL trial sites near Sunderland and Berwick-upon-Tweed for analysis by the AHDB-funded UK Cereal Pathogen Virulence Survey. The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB)-led service confirmed that Yr15 gene had failed. Pathogen isolates from these samples not only infected a test variety known to carry the Yr15 resistance gene but went on to sporulate profusely. NIAB-funded work using molecular markers also confirmed the presence of the Yr15 gene in several of the varieties impacted at the young-plant stage. The initial tests prioritised testing of varieties with a strong level of adult plant stage resistance (disease rating 8 or 9), according to RL 2025/26. These tests found that the Hard Group 4 varieties KWS Dawsum, LG Typhoon and Champion carry the Yr15 gene. NIAB is currently testing a wider range of varieties, with further genetic screening also being done by the John Innes Centre in Norwich and the Global Rust Reference Centre in Denmark. The Yr15 resistance gene, which was discovered in the 1980s, confers broad-spectrum resistance against genetically diverse yellow rust isolates (from a large worldwide collection of more than 3,000) and was an important line of defence. Gosling added: 'Adult plant resistance has clearly taken a knock, but the full impact will depend on a myriad of other resistance genes, which vary from variety to variety. 'Some varieties appear to be fighting back, whereas others are recording unusually high disease levels.' 'Although we have not seen the unusual symptoms towards the south or the west, it appears to be spreading fast. 'No doubt it will impact on variety choice and disease management across the UK next season.'
