Many stories about SCRI and its research are featured in the national, local and specialised press and media. Below is a selection of some of the recent highlights of SCRI science hitting the headlines. Older stories can be found in the archive.

Investigating plants at night

£4.8m study to show how plants stay alive at night
The Scotsman
27 August 2010
Scottish scientists are investigating how plants instinctively conserve enough energy to stay alive during the night, as part of a study aimed at boosting crop production.

Mysterious survival skills of plants after dark investigated
Scientist Live
26 August 2010
Scientists are investigating how plants instinctively conserve enough energy to stay alive during the night. It is hoped their research could pave the way for improved methods to optimise the production of crops in the future. The universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh; the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie; the John Innes Centre, Norwich; the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam; Eidgenssische Technische Hochschule, Zurich; and the Centre de Recerca en AgriGenmica, Barcelona, are working on the study.

Successful science in Dundee

The formula for a successful science centre
Aberdeen Press and Journal
20 August 2010
Success is the name of the game for Louise Smith, CEO of Dundee science centre Sensation and Aberdeen science centre Satrosphere. This year, Sensation is chairing the Dundee Science Festival Partnership, an event supported by the University of Abertay, University of Dundee, University of St Andrews, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Crop Research Centre.

Potatoes in Practice 2010

Balance costs and risks to keep potatoes disease-free
Farmers Guardian
20 August 2010
Potatoes in Practice (PiP) provides growers with the opportunity to view the latest industry and Government-funded potato crop trials and research. Teresa Rush reports from this year’s event at the Scottish Crop Research Institute’s Balruddery Farm, Invergowrie, Dundee.

Sustaining demand for GB potatoes
Global Potato News
17 August 2010
Potato Council is working hard to sustain demand for British potatoes both at home and abroad, revealed chairman Allan Stevenson to 650 growers and processors at Potatoes in Practice (PiP) at Invergowrie, Dundee on 12 August, 2010.

Potatoes in practice: Soil test tools essential
FarmersWeekly
17 August 2010
Testing soils for pests and diseases prior to planting a potato crop was an essential management tool, according to SCRI's Vivian Blok. Using soil diagnostic tests meant growers could pinpoint soil-borne pests and diseases and take appropriate action early.

Mail on Sunday
15 August 2010
A deadly new strain of potato blight has been discovered for the first time in Scotland, threatening to devastate one of the country's most valuable exports.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
13 August 2010
Controlling potato disease is a case of balancing cost against risk, according to Gerry Saddler, of Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (Sasa), the Scottish Government division responsible for plant health. He was speaking at Potatoes in Practice.

Dundee Courier
13 August 2010
Controlling potato disease is a case of balancing cost against risk, according to Dr Gerry Saddler, of SASA, the Scottish Government division responsible for plant health. He was speaking at Potatoes in Practice.

STV News Tayside
12 August 2010
The UK's top potato farmers have been gathering in Tayside to hear about scientific advances that could help to safeguard the industry. More than 600 people attended 'Potatoes in Practice' at Balruddery farm. Allan Stevenson, Potato Council Chairman comments.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
7 August 2010
Guarding against disease and advice on using diagnostic tests will be two of the subjects covered at next week's Potatoes in Practice event at the Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Record numbers of greenfly

STV News Tayside
10 August 2010
Experts say they recorded the highest numbers in almost three decades. The cold winter is thought to be one of the causes. Staff at the Scottish Crop Research Institute monitor the insects. Brian Fenton, SCRI, comments. Ian Turiff, garden centre owner, comments.

Wet July weather

A wet month throughout Courier country
Dundee Courier
3 August 2010
Last month was Dundee's second wettest July in more than 50 years, statistics have revealed. Figures from the Scottish Crop Research Institute showed 144.3mm of rain fell last month at their Invergowrie base. That's almost three times the average July rainfall.

Dundee Evening Telegraph
2 August 2010
Last month was Dundee's second wettest July in over 50 years, statistics revealed today.

Flooding and chaos follow torrential rain
Dundee Evening Telegraph
21 July 2010
Torrential rain brought chaos to the streets and homes of Tayside and Fife today, causing flooded roads, blocked drains and leaking roofs.

Deluge prompts flood warnings
Dundee Evening Telegraph
15 July 2010
The hot and hazy, sun-kissed days of just a fortnight ago seemed a world away today, as Evening Telegraph readers tumbled out of their homes into chilly temperatures and pouring rain.

New Institute Chief Executive appointed

A Farmer’s View
Dundee Courier
2 August 2010
And so a new chief executive has been appointed to lead Scotland's new land and crop based research institute. However, as with all new ventures there is risk involved and it behoves the farming and landbased based industries to keep a very close eye on what happens next.

Farmers Guardian
30 July 2010
A leading Scottish scientist has been named the chief cxecutive-designate to lead Scotland's new combined crop, food and land use research organisation.

Gordon's 'coming home' to head new research operation
The Scotsman
29 July 2010
Professor Iain Gordon, who is currently working in Australia, has been named as the chief executive designate to lead Scotland's new crop, food and land use research organisation.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
29 July 2010
The man who will lead the merger of two of Scotland's world-renowned agricultural research institutes was named yesterday.

Dundee Courier
29 July 2010
The man who will lead the merger of two of Scotland's world-renowned agricultural research institutes was named yesterday.

Potato advice for farmers

Aberdeen Press and Journal
30 July 2010
New calls have been made for potato growers to join a safe haven scheme designed to keep tattie diseases out of Scotland and to maintain the nation's global reputation for producing clean seed stocks.

Dundee Courier
30 July 2010
New calls have been made for the potato growers to join a safe haven scheme designed to keep tattie diseases out of Scotland and to maintain the nation's global reputation for producing clean seed stocks.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
29 July 2010
Potato producers were yesterday encouraged to make better use of diagnostic tests to check the soil in which they grow their crops for diseases.

Tackling virus in potato crops

Scientists work to tackle rose grain aphid
The Scotsman
20 July 2010
They may not be as visible as locusts and they may not leave such a trail of destruction but the rose grain aphid is increasingly being blamed for spreading virus in potato crops.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
20 July 2010
They may not be as visible as locusts and they may not leave such a trail of destruction, but the rose grain aphid is increasingly being blamed for spreading virus in potato crops.

Dundee Courier
20 July 2010
Some pioneering field trials work being carried out in Fife could lead to a much lower incidence of potato virus disease.

Fruit for the Future 2010

Scotland may soon produce blueberries
www.agra-net.com
16 July 2010
Some blueberry bushes planted 40 years ago at the Scottish Crop Research Institute in Dundee are in production, but new crops may take up to five years to produce large volumes of fruit.

Scotland looking to increase blueberry production
www.freshplaza.com
16 July 2010
Scotland is well known for it's strawberry and raspberry production, now they are looking to add the blueberry to their list.

Take a bigger bite of fruitful blueberry market, Scots growers urged
The Scotsman
16 July 2010
Scotland has had a good reputation for producing soft fruit, largely raspberries and strawberries.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
16 July 2010
Scottish agricultural researchers have launched efforts to dramatically boost the UK production of blueberries - the superfruit rich in health-giving antioxidants.

Dundee Courier
16 July 2010
There is a huge "unmet demand" for UK produced blueberries, according to Susan McCallum of Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI).

Technology Strategy Board funding

The Farmer
1 August 2010
Innovative research and development projects at SCRI that will lead to more sustainable crops and new more resistant varieties of soft fruit, potato and barley have been awarded over £1.8 million funding from the Technology Strategy Board.

G's Marketing and Berry Gardens win Technology Strategy Board funding
Horticulture Week
23 July 2010
Berry Gardens Growers, the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI), and G's Marketing are just some of the big names in horticulture to have been awarded Technology Strategy Board funding.

Scottish Farmer
17 July 2010
SCRI projects to research and develop disease resistant varieties of soft fruit, potatoes and barley have been boosted by a cash injection to the tune of almost £2m.

SCRI wins £1.8m grant for research
The Scotsman
15 July 2010
Scotland's leading rural research station is celebrating success with the award of more than £1.8 million for a number of projects that will lead to more sustainable crops and new more resistant varieties of soft fruit, potatoes and barley.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
10 July 2010
The Scottish Crop Research Institute has won £1.8million for five projects in which it is involved with various businesses, plant breeders and other research partners.

Dundee Courier
10 July 2010
The Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie has been awarded more than £1.8 million in funding to boost its research into improving the yields of the nation's farmers.

Dundee Evening Telegraph
9 July 2010
Invergowrie's Scottish Crop Research Institute has been awarded more than £1.8 million in funding to boost its research into improving the yields of the nation's farmers.

Cereals in Practice 2010

Research aims for winter barley suitable for distilling market
Farmers Weekly
14 July 2010
Researchers at the Scottish Crop Research Institute are attempting to improve the quality of winter malting barley for distilling by transferring some of the improvements seen in spring barley to the winter crop.

Biofuel potential of barley straw could improve competitiveness of crop
Farmers Weekly
14 July 2010
Improving the digestibility of barley straw could increase its potential as a second generation biofuel, said Claire Halpin, professor of plant biology and biotechnology at the University of Dundee.

Dundee Courier
10 July 2010
With a recent firming on world cereal prices, grain growers may be slightly more optimistic than they have been for a couple of years.

Grandaughter visits the North Lilies

GMTV News Scotland Central
6 July 2010
Rare lilies bred 40 years ago at the Scottish Crop Research Institute have reappeared. It was feared they had been lost after the collection was broken up. They were created by Dr Christopher North. Hannah North, Dr North's granddaughter comments.

Blackleg measures

Scottish Farmer
3 July 2010
A high level think tank has met to come up with measures to protect the Scottish potato industry from the threat from the potentially devastation effects of dickeya solani, an aggressibe blackleg strain.

Royal Horticultural Society role for SCRI director

The Scotsman
3 July 2010
The director and chief executive of SCRI, Professor Peter Gregory, has been elected to the council of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Aberdeen Press and Journal
3 July 2010
Scottish Crop Research Institute director Professor Peter Gregory has been appointed to the council of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Dundee Courier
2 July 2010
The director and chief executive of the Scottish Crop Research Institute in Invergowrie has been elected to the council of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Dry June weather

Driest, sunniest June in years
Dundee Courier
2 July 2010
June was the driest in more than 20 years as the "barbecue summer" promised by forecasters last year finally arrived.

The driest June for 22 years
Dundee Evening Telegraph
1 July 2010
Dundee enjoyed the driest June in more than 20 years as the city finally got the "barbecue summer" promised by forecasters last year.