The crucial research contributing to our security of food supply has been highlighted at a conference in Edinburgh.

Scottish Government-funded research on the science underpinning crop breeding and crop disease featured at the event organised by SCRI - the Scottish Crop Research Institute. SCRI is Scotland’s world-leading centre for crop technology based at Invergowrie near Dundee.

SCRI is a major contributor to the Scottish Government’s ‘Programme One’ research which focuses on profitable and sustainable arable agriculture. SCRI’s science is world class and in some areas, including soft fruit genetics, the institute is the only centre in the world pursuing such cutting-edge research.

The event, at Surgeons' Hall in Edinburgh, was attended by a wide range of Programme One stakeholders from government, farming, industry and science.

The session featured the latest research outputs at SCRI, Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS), the Macaulay Institute and the Scottish Agricultural College. The crops under discussion included barley, potatoes and soft fruit.

David Thomson, Head of Food Industry Division, Scottish Government, told the gathering that science and research was ‘fundamental’ because Scotland was facing challenging decisions for the future that had to be backed by good science and good research.

Another major area for discussion was the work being done on sustainable farming methods. SCRI recently inaugurated the Centre for Sustainable Cropping at Balruddery Farm on the outskirts of Dundee.

Another keynote speaker, the NFU Scotland President, Jim McLaren, reminded the audience of the demands facing the farming industry: the need to produce 50% more food on less land with less water using less energy, fertiliser and pesticides by 2030...AND while reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

He told the delegates: “Agriculture is part of the solution and not part of the problem.”

Later in the day the delegates spent time considering the next research programme being commissioned by the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate (RERAD). It is expected that tenders for research will be sought next year for the programme that will run from 2011 to 2016.

Earlier this year SCRI and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen announced they had agreed in principle to unite to form a new research institute. The new institute will come into being in early 2011 and is expected to undertake major aspects of the next research programme.

Notes to editors

The Programme One stakeholder event was held in Edinburgh today (Tuesday December 15) and featured an invited audience made up of all the principle stakeholders in the Programme One research. Presentations given at the event are available on the Programme 1 website.

More information from:

Phil Taylor, Head of Communications, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560044 (direct line), Mobile: 07810 860 701 or

Lorraine Wakefield, Information and Online Service Officer, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560047 (direct line) or 562731 (switchboard).