Podcast appearances and mentions of John Innes Centre

Gene-editing technology which makes pigs immune to a highly infectious virus, developed at Edinburgh University's Roslin Institute, has been approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration. The virus causes a disease called PRRS or Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, which causes premature births in pigs as well as other painful symptoms and costs the pig industry billions. Current legislation doesn't permit its use in the UK. We speak to one of the scientists who's been working on the project for more than seven years.All week we've been taking a closer look at pulses, the dried seeds of crops like beans, lentils and peas, for both human and animal food. In the UK the peas we eat are generally frozen or fresh but dried peas are a major source of protein to millions of people around the world. Scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have been working with researchers in China, the USA and France to uncover the genome of 700 different varieties of pea, from many different countries, to help develop better commercial varieties.The sudden suspension of England's biggest environmental scheme, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, earlier this year was met with horror and disbelief by farmers and environmentalists alike - we preview a special documentary which charts the transition of agricultural policy from the old EU farm subsidy system and the Common Agricultural Policy to the new 'public money for public goods' approach that we have in England today. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

This week's episode features an insightful discussion with Roz Bird (Anglia Innovation Partnership) and Dr. Nicola Hancock (University of East Anglia) on the cutting-edge research, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem at Norwich Research Park.“We have more microbiologists here than anywhere else in the UK—possibly the world. That's a testament to the depth of expertise we're building.” – Roz BirdKey takeaways:A Hub for Science & Startups – The park hosts top-tier institutions, including the John Innes Centre, Quadram Institute, and the Earlham Institute, alongside the University of East Anglia and a thriving community of startups.From Lab to Market – Norwich Research Park fosters commercialisation through the ICURE programme, which helps scientists explore market applications for their research, and a £200,000 pre-seed fund supporting early-stage spinouts.Bridging the Talent Gap – The university and research institutes play a critical role in supplying skilled graduates and researchers to the growing tech and biotech companies in the region.A Future Accelerator – Plans are underway to launch a venture builder programme in 2025, offering targeted support to high-growth startups in biotech, #agritech, and #medtech.We were also joined by two standout startups who shared their journeys: Sophie Vaud, Head of Microbial Engineering at Colorifix and Rory Hornby, Cofounder of Alora.This episode is a must-listen for tech founders, investors, and anyone interested in #deeptech and #biotech innovation.Produced by Cambridge TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Animal products from Germany were still getting into the UK days after the Government banned imports in response to cases of Foot and Mouth there. That's according to evidence given to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee of MPs as they started a new enquiry into animal and plant diseases. We have the latest from the first session.The future of councils farms in England is being thrown into uncertainty by the proposed reorganisation of local authorities - according to one Devon councillor. It comes after many rural councils facing financial problems have chosen to sell some, or all, of their farms. And scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have discovered a special genetic signal, which allows crops to take up more nutrients from soil, without needing so much chemical fertiliser.Presented by Anna Hill Produced by Heather Simons

In this week's episode, Andrew is joined by Ben, Webby and Josh.They start by discussing the forthcoming Dewing Grain seminar. It is taking place at the John Innes Centre on the 3rd of February and will feature a handful of guest speakers ranging from farmers to scientists.Next, they move on to discuss the fundamentals of the current market conditions. Webby mentions one of his many fetishes. Any guesses what it is?The boys talk about Elon Musk's interesting behaviour at Trumps inauguration and Webby wonders if he should start taking the same performance enhancing drugs while he works. To come full circle, Josh talks about the things farmers could be doing to demonstrate that the governments scientific approach to the effect farming has on the climate is flawed and skewed. The team, who have done extensive research into the topic, argue that farmers are actually a crucial part of the fight against climate change and they need to make it clear to everyone through scientific proof. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By 2030, Africa will account for 53 per cent of the world's population living in hunger, primarily due to climate change and worsening food shortages, the UN warns.In this episode of Africa Science Focus, reporter Michael Kaloki investigates how scientists are tackling the region's food crisis by exploring gene editing to develop climate-resilient crops, particularly wheat. Cristobal Uauy, a project leader in crop genetics at the John Innes Centre in the UK, tells us how gene editing can be used to strengthen wheat's resistance to diseases and increase its nutritional value.Godwin Macharia, centre director for the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), says gene editing can improve yields amid a 16 per cent decline in wheat production between 2022 and 2023.Anna Backhaus, a cereal pre-breeder at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), says gene editing requires robust policies to prevent exploitation.And Richard Shaw, director of the UK-CGIAR Centre, stresses the importance of international collaboration among organisations and countries to advance gene editing.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This episode was supported by the UK-CGIAR Centre. The UK-CGIAR Centre, hosted at CABI (CAB International, the parent organization of SciDev.Net), aims to support global food security by bringing together scientists from the UK and CGIAR to form impact-focused research collaborations. This project is funded by UK International Development.Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at podcast@scidev.netDo you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at podcast@scidev.net

Today, you'll learn about the part of the brain that keeps us focused on our goals - even when it would be better to quit, a massive discovery of lost wheat genes that could help feed a crowded planet, and the new wearable technology that could diagnose disease by monitoring your sweat. Sunk Cost Fallacy “The neuroscience behind the sunk cost fallacy: Key brain region identified.” by Eric W. Dolan. 2024. “Goal commitment is supported by vmPFC through selective attention.” by Eleanor Holton, et al. 2024. Wheat Genes “Hidden genetic treasure: wheat discovery could sustainably feed global population.” University of Bristol. 2024. “The A.E. Watkins landrace collection of bread wheat: Who was AE Watkins?” John Innes Centre. 2024. “Harnessing landrace diversity empowers wheat breeding.” by Shifeng Cheng, et al. 2024. Sweat Monitor “Sweat health monitor measures levels of disease markers.” by Tina Hilding. 2024. “3D-Printed Flexible Microfluidic Health Monitor for In Situ Sweat Analysis and Biomarker Detection.” by Chuchu Chen, et al. 2024. Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Calli and Nate — for free! Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 240th Royal Highland Show is taking place just outside Edinburgh, and more than 200,000 people expected to attend over the 4 days of the show. We hear from some of the breeders showing cattle at the show.In 2022, the UK grew 162,000 tonnes of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet peppers and celery - worth more than 200 million pounds. This time of year is normally peak salad season, but the months of rain and below average temperatures have been bad news for the country's salad growers. We find out what that means for both field crops and those grown in glasshouses.An e-coli outbreak across the UK has been traced back to some salad leaves, which were used in a wide range of food, including sandwiches and wraps. The Food Standards Agency has not been able to say whether those leaves came from UK farms, or were imported. We ask what it means for farmers.And could the plant breeding achievements of the Green Revolution be started again from scratch? That's the hope of scientists at the John Innes Centre, who say modern commercial varieties of wheat used by farmers could be replaced with better ones, using wheat lines collected a century ago. Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Could the plant breeding achievements of the Green Revolution be started again from scratch? That's the hope of scientists at the John Innes Centre, who say modern commercial varieties of wheat used by farmers could be replaced with better ones, using wheat lines collected a century ago. Back in the 1920s, an enterprising plant scientist named Arthur Earnest Watkins sent out letters to other Brits around the world, asking them to collect locally grown wheat, hoping the traits in those local cultivars would come in useful in the future. That original Watkins Collection is now based at the John Innes Centre in Norwich - but a massive 60 percent of the genetic diversity held within it, has never been looked at.The Landworkers' Alliance is one of the smaller groups. It speaks for regenerative and sustainable agriculture, but with an emphasis on local production, and getting more people involved in growing food. We hear what they want from the next Government.And we visit a new "Centre of Excellence" in glasshouse growing at Hadlow College. It's been set up with Thanet Earth - the biggest greenhouse complex in the UK, growing salad veg. Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The tiny sap-sucking aphid, at just a few millimetres long, is the scourge of many gardeners and crop-growers worldwide, spreading astonishingly rapidly and inflicting huge damage as it seeks to outwit many host plants' natural defences. With insights and guidance from aphid expert George Seddon-Roberts at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, some delicate dissecting tools, and a state of the art microscope, Professor Ben Garrod and Dr Jess French delve inside this herbivorous insect to unravel the anatomy and physiology that's secured its extraordinary reproductive success, whilst offering new clues as to how we could curtail its damaging impact in the future.Co-Presenters: Ben Garrod and Jess French Executive Producer: Adrian Washbourne Producer: Ella Hubber Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

In between the rain, farmers have planted crops many of which are now battling for growth in saturated ground. Waterlogged soil is a poor growing medium, and it also means farmers can't bring machinery onto their land to give the plants fertilisers or pesticides to help them grow. Some are now turning to drones to deliver preparations instead, so at least the soil is not disturbed. But, if the ground is still draining, does that mean more danger of pollution from nutrient rich water running off the fields?A new project's been launched by farmers and scientists, to uncover special traits found in heritage wheats, which could boost productivity in modern commercial varieties. Scientists at the John Innes Centre have been working with the Watkins Collection of heritage wheats gathered in the 1930s from 32 countries. Unlike modern wheat, some of these ancient varieties can interact with bacteria in the soil to allow them access to more nutrients. And, it's lambing time - we visit a smallholding in North Yorkshire where all the ewes are pregnant with either triplets or quads!Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

The plant Rafflesia has the world's largest flowers and gives off one of the worst scents; it's also something of a biological enigma, a leafless parasite that lives off forest vines. For the botanist Chris Thorogood, an expert in parasitic and carnivorous plants at the Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum, Rafflesia is also an obsession. In his book, Pathless Forest, he goes in search of this mysterious plant in some of the last wildernesses in South East Asia. Dr Kelsey Byers is an evolutionary chemical ecologist who specialises in floral scent and its influence on the evolution of flowering plants. In her laboratory at the John Innes Centre in Norwich she studies how flowers use different smells to attract their pollinator of choice. From sweet aromas to the stink of rotting flesh, she explores how plants use con-artistry and sexual deception to thrive.The ethnobotanist William Milliken from Kew Gardens has spent much of his career working with indigenous people in the Amazon to preserve traditional plant knowledge. Now he's focused on collecting folklore about the use of plants to treat ailments in animals in Britain. From wild garlic treating mastitis in cows, to cabbage for flatulence in dogs, he hopes to uncover a cornucopia of plant-based veterinary medicines.Producer: Katy Hickman

I fiori hanno spesso petali e corolle organizzati nello spazio in maniera simmetrica, si può vedere ad occhio nudo. Laila Moubayidin, ricercatrice al John Innes Centre di Norwich in genetica e biologia molecolare, studia una simmetria più nascosta, quella presente negli organi riproduttivi femminili delle piante. Che, ci spiega, incide sulla loro sterilità.

After a Westminster debate, prompted by an online petition with more than 110 thousand signatures, the farming minister has said the government's due to publish its new regulations on fairness in the dairy supply chain before Easter. The debate called for a fairer power balance between farmers and supermarkets and a change to the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.The National Farmers Union and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board have agreed to commission an independent review of farming assurance schemes - they say 'to ensure the schemes are fit for purpose'. The two groups acknowledge that the Red Tractor Scheme will be part of the review, and say that 25 years after its creation it is now time to re-assess it. Neonicotinoid pesticides were approved last week for emergency use, that's an exemption to a ban that's been in place in the UK and the EU since 2013. The chemicals are coated onto sugar beet seeds to make them resistant to a crop virus spread by aphids, called virus yellows. Environmental campaigners say they harm plants and insects and shouldn't be allowed. Now, scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich are using techniques similar to the Covid vaccines, to kill the sugar beet yellow virus directly in the plant, without interfering with the aphids that spread it, or having an impact on the wider environment. They've managed to create an anti-viral which binds itself to the RNA in the cell, which cleans out the disease.All week we're looking at family farms. Today we visit County Londonderry in Northern Ireland where hairdresser Kerry Glass stepped up to help run the farm after her father-in-law lost his sight.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Wildlife police officers are sometimes choosing not to investigate suspected bird of prey crimes because of a fear of complaints and online abuse. That's according to Chief Inspector Kevin Kell, head of the UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit. The issue of tackling crimes against birds of prey can get tied up with the debate around legal game shooting, and Chief Inspector Kelly says the animosity surrounding the debate, puts some officers off getting involved. All week we're taking stock of avian flu. Since 2021 the disease has hit wild and farmed birds very hard and it's still at large. The situation so far this year is better than last year, and research carried out by a consortium of British universities and the Animal and Plant Health Agency under the FluMap Project, revealed that the virus doesn't spread between poultry farms in the air, and that spread from farm to farm has been very rare. We ask Professor Ian Brown, Scientific Services Director at the APHA, what the group is looking at next. Scientists are developing peas which will be at least ten times higher in iron, so vegetarian and vegan consumers can increase the iron in their diets, without eating meat. The research was started more than 30 years ago, but with the sequencing of the pea genome in 2019 and the arrival of gene editing, scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have been able to find out how to make peas more iron-rich without damaging the plant itself. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Frosty mornings and bright sunlight can be damaging for crops in the field. Now, scientists have discovered that crops which face those conditions have a special gene to repair the damage, but it's only switched on by the plant's own circadian clock, which recognises night and day. Researchers at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have been working in a special light-restricted laboratory and their findings could lead to precision breeding crops which will cope better in northerly latitudes. He has millions of followers on social media, but manages to get up at the crack of dawn to help with lambing: Will Young, also known as Farmer Will on ITV's Love Island. He's now back in Buckinghamshire on the family farm, and he's also been joined by his TV partner, Jessie. Engineers have developed a unique burrowing robot which ‘swims' through grain stores to ensure the seeds are kept properly. The t-shaped robot has been launched by an agritech developer at Scotland's National Robotarium, based at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh. It's designed to help farmers look after their grain more efficiently, without having to carry out labour-intensive checks. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Welcome to this special episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast – the Farmers Weekly Question Time event at the John Innes Centre, Norwich.Recorded in front of a live studio audience, farmers, students and other guests quiz industry leaders on topical agricultural issues.Our panel is:Shadow Labour Defra farm minister Daniel Zeichner MPConservative MP for Broadland Norfolk Jerome MayhewRed Tractor Assurance chair Christine Tacon CBEJohn Innes wheat geneticist Dr Simon GriffithsNational Pig Association chairman and Norfolk farmer Rob MutimerSponsored by Lloyds Bank and AB Agri, this Question Time event was recorded on Thursday, 20 April 2023.Hosted by Farmers Weekly Podcast editor Johann Tasker. To attend future FW Question Time events, visit fwi.co.uk/questiontime.

Welcome to this special episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast – the Farmers Weekly Question Time event at the John Innes Centre, Norwich.Recorded in front of a live studio audience, farmers, students and other guests quiz industry leaders on topical agricultural issues.Our panel is:Shadow Labour Defra farm minister Daniel Zeichner MPConservative MP for Broadland Norfolk Jerome MayhewRed Tractor Assurance chair Christine Tacon CBEJohn Innes wheat geneticist Dr Simon GriffithsNational Pig Association chairman and Norfolk farmer Rob MutimerSponsored by Lloyds Bank and AB Agri, this Question Time event was recorded on Thursday, 20 April 2023.Hosted by Farmers Weekly Podcast editor Johann Tasker. To attend future FW Question Time events, visit fwi.co.uk/questiontime.

In the latest episode of the Hop Forward Podcast, we are thrilled to have Toby from RedWillow Brewery as our special guest. RedWillow Brewery is a small independent brewery based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK, that has been making exceptional beers since 2010.During our conversation, founder Toby McKenzie shares with us the story behind their renowned Heritage Porter and how they incorporate heritage malts to create unique and complex flavours.  We also dive into their approach to brewing different beer styles and how they stay true to their ethos of producing modern cask beer.We explore the importance of creativity in the brewhouse and how something has been lost in translation from the early days of the craft beer boom when people were making a wide variety of beer styles, in comparison to today where Hazy IPAs rule the roost.We also speak to Mike Benson from Crisp Malting Group at SIBA Beer X, discussing the application of their range of heritage malts.---THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Crisp Malting GroupAt Crisp Malt we have lived and breathed malting since 1870. With our passion and expertise, we produce and supply the finest UK malt to the brewing and distilling industry across the globe.We combine traditional and modern malting techniques at our sites in England and Scotland to create an impressive range of malted and non-malted products, including several unique and exclusive barley malts; such as Chevallier Heritage Malt.The process of discovery is often a happy accident. In the case of Chevallier barley, a combination of an itchy toe, some good soil and a keen eye, turned a single ear of barley into a worldwide phenomenon and established the flavour of English beer for a century.It's with similar serendipity that our heritage malt range came about. Our friends at the John Innes Centre were searching for an old variety that could combat the disease, fusarium head blight and happened on Chevallier. Not only did it successfully resist this disease but the malt it produced made for a beer laced with a richness of flavour we hadn't encountered before in modern varieties. From just a handful of seeds, we have spent the past decade re-discovering the flavours of Chevallier and have been spurred on to uncover the stories and flavours of two more barleys that made brewing history, alongside our beloved Maris Otter.Visit https://crispmalt.com/our-malts/heritage to discover more!---Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.Follow Hop Forward on social media at:Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramLike the Hop Forward Podcast...?Leave us a review and give us some stars on Apple Music.

On this week's show: Earth's youngest impact craters could be vastly underestimated in size, and remaking a plant's process for a creating a complex compound   First up this week, have we been measuring asteroid impact craters wrong? Staff Writer Paul Voosen talks with host Sarah Crespi about new approaches to measuring the diameter of impact craters. They discuss the new measurements which, if confirmed, might require us to rethink just how often Earth gets hit with large asteroids. Paul also shares more news from the recent Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas.   Next up, pulling together all the enzymes used by a plant to make a vaccine adjuvant—a compound used to boost the efficacy of vaccines—in the lab. Anne Osbourn, a group leader and professor of biology at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, England, talks about why plants are so much better at making complex molecules, and an approach that allows scientists to copy their methods.   This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy.   About the Science Podcast   [Image: NASA/JPL; Music: Jeffrey Cook]   [alt: Itturalde crater in Bolivia with podcast overlay]   Authors: Sarah Crespi; Paul Voosen   Episode page: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adh9195See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's show: Earth's youngest impact craters could be vastly underestimated in size, and remaking a plant's process for a creating a complex compound   First up this week, have we been measuring asteroid impact craters wrong? Staff Writer Paul Voosen talks with host Sarah Crespi about new approaches to measuring the diameter of impact craters. They discuss the new measurements which, if confirmed, might require us to rethink just how often Earth gets hit with large asteroids. Paul also shares more news from the recent Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas.   Next up, pulling together all the enzymes used by a plant to make a vaccine adjuvant—a compound used to boost the efficacy of vaccines—in the lab. Anne Osbourn, a group leader and professor of biology at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, England, talks about why plants are so much better at making complex molecules, and an approach that allows scientists to copy their methods.   This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy.   About the Science Podcast   [Image: NASA/JPL; Music: Jeffrey Cook]   [alt: Itturalde crater in Bolivia with podcast overlay]   Authors: Sarah Crespi; Paul Voosen   Episode page: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adh9195See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major players in international food chains are meeting this week at the World Agri-Tech summit in London to discuss how new innovations such as satellite imaging, precision farming, and biotechnology can help feed a growing world population with less environmental damage. So what does that mean for companies which produce fertilisers and pesticides? Anna Hill speaks to Jeremy Williams from Bayer Crop Science. All this week we're talking about the cost of living, and how it impacts on people living in rural communities. For some who are not connected to the mains electricity grid, it can mean even higher costs. We hear from a couple who live off grid, and the campaign to get people like them more help to get connected. And scientists from the John Innes Centre in Norwich have discovered why some oil seed rape crops do poorly in warmer winters. It has to do with the tiny flower buds which form under the ground. Now the researchers are breeding to select varieties which can still do well, even in warmer winters. Presented by Anna Hill Produced in Bristol by Natalie Donovan

For decades, there has been a fiery debate around Genetic Modification.   It's seen by many as a solution to some of the world's biggest food problems, but by others as a reckless scientific gamble, endangering human health and the environment.   Those of us with memories of the 1990s and 2000s will remember GM trial crops in East Anglia being trashed by protesters, with farmers defending them using tractors as battering rams. Genetically modified crops are effectively banned across Europe and the same applies to gene edited crops. And it's gene editing we're interested in because the UK Government is trying to pass a new law which could lead to these crops being grown commercially in England. Researchers hope gene editing might help solve global food and health problems, and be more palatable to the public than GM. So, will it be a game changer? To discuss its potential, we are joined by Professor Cathie Martin from the John Innes Centre, where she is leading a research project creating tomatoes which boost the body's vitamin D. And former Chief Scientific Adviser to the Food Standards Agency, Professor Guy Poppy. Cathie Martin, group leader at the John Innes Centre and Professor at the University of East Anglia Cathie researches the relationship between diet and health and how crops can be fortified to improve diets and address the global challenge of escalating chronic disease.  This work has involved linking leading clinical and epidemiological researchers with plant breeders and metabolic engineers to develop scientific understanding of how diet can help to maintain health, promote healthy ageing and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Cathie has recently initiated collaborative research in China to research on Chinese Medicinal Plants, particularly those producing anti-cancer metabolites used for complementary therapies. Cathie was Editor-in-Chief of The Plant Cell (2008-2014) and is now an Associate Editor for Molecular Horticulture. She is a member of EMBO, AAAS, a Fellow of the Royal Society, in 2014 she was awarded an MBE for services to Plant Biotechnology, in 2019 she was elected Janniki Ammal Chair of the Indian Academy of Sciences for outstanding women in science and in 2022 she will receive the Rank Prize for outstanding contributions to research on nutrition. Professor Guy Poppy, former Chief Scientific Adviser to the Food Standards Agency, Professor Guy Poppy served as the FSA's Chief Scientific Adviser from 2014 to 2020. His research on food systems and food security at the University of Southampton, is interdisciplinary and he has twice served as Associate Vice President for Interdisciplinary research. He was appointed Companion of the Order of Bath (CB) in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2021 and made a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2022. Professor Poppy has significant research experience in food systems and food security and has advised governments around the world on these issues. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers including a number of highly cited articles on risk assessment, risk analysis and risk communication. He was a member of the Research Excellence Framework (REF2014 and REF2021) panel assessing the quality of agriculture, food and veterinary science in the UK. A graduate of Imperial College and Oxford University, Professor Poppy previously worked at Rothamsted Research, becoming Principal Scientific Officer. He left in 2001 to join the University of Southampton. As the FSA's Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Poppy provided expert scientific advice to the UK government and played a critical role in helping to understand how scientific developments will shape the work of the FSA as well as the strategic implications of any possible changes. His series of CSA reports have reached a very wide audience and have had impact on issues ranging from AMR to Big data and Whole Genome Sequencing through to the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS). He has focused on connecting science to those using it and has pushed for scientists to be intelligent providers to intelligent customers of science within the FSA and beyond. After completing his term of six years at the FSA, Professor Poppy became the Programme Director for the SPF Transforming the UK Food systems programme. This £47.5 million interdisciplinary research programme is supported by UKRI's Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) and brings together researchers from almost 40 research organisations and over 200 private and public sector organisations including almost 20 Government Departments/Agencies.

The Government is presenting its Genetic Technology Bill to Parliament this week, which will allow the commercial growing of gene-edited crops in England. Speeding up approval for research into gene-editing has already been happening. Scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have developed a Gene Edited (or GE) tomato which can produce pro-vitamin D3 in the fruit and the leaves - and when grown outdoors this could be converted into actual Vitamin D in the plant. The diet of many dairy cows is supplemented with palm acid oil (a by-product of palm oil production). Scientists at the University of Nottingham have been working to find home-grown oil alternatives, in an effort to cut the carbon footprint of dairy production. And Norfolk Lavender near Hunstanton has been operating for nearly a century. The lavender is distilled and sold on site as an essential oil, but a growing part of the business is as a tourist destination! Presented by Anna Hill Produced for BBC Audio Wales & West of England by Heather Simons

This is a fab east of England meets west of England episode as I chat with Norwich-based photographic artist, Holly Sandiford. It's great to learn more about Holly's practice and her passion for experimental photography. She's keen to stay connected to her natural environment and her work relating to soil health helps her (literally) stay hands-on with the earth beneath our feet. And it's brilliant to hear about how science and art can collide, with reference to Winogradsky columns and more. But it's not just her MA and personal practice she is passionate about as Holly is also an educator and runs a community arts project, Arts at Work Norwich, too. As with other podcast guests, learning about what motivates Holly is fascinating, including how it's important to her that her work remains accessible and can be found in spaces other than the gallery. You can find out more on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holly.sandiford/ And visit https://artatwork.co.uk/ too as there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. If you'd like to learn about the John Innes Centre, head to https://www.jic.ac.uk/ To enter the Art at Work and Original Magazine competition, visit https://www.originalmagazine.uk/home/pause-for-thought-norwich If you would like to share your eco-conscious photography on the Photopocene podcast, let me know via https://www.josiepurcellphotography.com/contact

El 66º episodio de Experimiento Demente cuenta con la participación de Alejandro Carrión, estudiante de doctorado en microbiología del John Innes Centre, con quien hablamos de la fuga de cerebros. El rincón aleatorio de Bayesana trata sobre el uso de la estadística en la epidemiología. Además, te hablamos de la exposición artística de Rachel Sussman sobre los organismos vivos más antiguos y varios niños y niñas nos definen qué son los cuidados para ellos. Dirigen y presentan Lara Sánchez, Guido Santos y Emilio Verche.

Biotechnology is a powerful tool that is starting to be used for enhancing the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables. One of the first of these new generation crops is the genetically modified purple tomato, improved for higher levels of anthocyanins, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory compound that protects against various forms of chronic, diet-related human diseases. Join the developer of the purple tomato, Prof. Cathie Martin of the John Innes Centre, as we discuss the science and motivation behind GM purple tomatoes. Nathan Pumplin of Norfolk Plant Sciences and Eric Ward, president of AgBiome, will discuss the regulatory status and market perspectives of this product, especially with regard to the pending US Department of Agriculture decision on purple tomatoes. Modesta Abugu, a doctoral student in horticultural sciences at North Carolina State University and 2015 Alliance for Science Global Leadership Fellow, will serve as moderator.

Today we mark BBC Radio 4's Day of the Scientist with an in-depth look at how collaboration between agricultural and human health scientists will bring about long-term change in a post-pandemic world. Anna Hill visits the The Research Park in Norwich, where scientific institutions have gathered so their work together becomes much more than their research in individual labs. The science here goes from seed, to field, to food, to human, to health, and the scientists come from the John Innes Centre, The Sainsbury Lab, The Earlham Institute, The Quadram Centre, the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Trust. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Andrew Fuller chats to Clare Stevenson Senior scientist at the John Innes Centre about her background, role in the technician commitment and how she moved from industry to academia.

Ray Dixon is a microbiologist at the John Innes Centre in the UK. He's currently the Co-Director JIC-CAS Centre of Excellence in Plant and Microbial Science. Dixon has been working to understand the unique relationships between agricultural crops and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These special bacteria live in the soil, converting nitrogen existing in the atmosphere into a form that can be taken up by plants. Legume crops, like alfalfa, clover, beans, lentils, and even leguminous trees like locust, have the ability to create a symbiotic relationship with these bacteria if they are present in the soil, a benefit that both small and large scale farmers across the world have been utilizing for millennia. If the symbiosis between legumes and nitrogen fixing bacteria could be engineered to work with other crops like cereals, it could provide farmers, consumers, and the environment with huge positive benefits. However, the exact functions that allow this process to happen are incredibly complex and scientists don't know everything about them. Researchers like Ray Dixon and his team at the John Innes Center are working hard to characterize the bacteria and their processes in hopes that specialized plants and associated nitrogen fixing bacteria could be co-developed, giving farmers high-yielding crops that preserve and restore soil health without requiring costly and potentially polluting synthetic fertilizers.

Genetically modified crops were introduced in the US in the 1990s. They're not grown commercially in the UK at the moment, but the government is currently holding a consultation on whether gene editing should be allowed. Professor Wendy Harwood leads the ‘Crop Transformation Group’ at the John Innes Centre and explains the difference between gene editing and genetic modification. Planting trees is a central part of our efforts to capture carbon and slow climate change. But millions of trees also means millions of plastic tree guards. Gary Hurlston, whose father invented one of the biggest selling plastic tree shelters, has created a bio-degradable version which uses wool. Farmers are teaming up with a supermarket and food charity to give surplus food to families who need it. Veg grower George Read from Lincolnshire is working with Waitrose and Fare Share to get sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage, that would have gone to waste, to vulnerable households. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Professor Dale Sanders has spent much of his life studying plants, seeking to understand why some thrive in a particular environment while others struggle. His ground breaking research on their molecular machinery showed how plants extract nutrients from the soil and store essential elements. Since plants can’t move, their survival depends on these responses. In 2020, after 27 years at the University of York, he became the Director of the John Innes Centre in Norwich, one of the premier plant research institutions in the world. Meeting the food needs of a growing global population as the climate changes is a major challenge. And, Dale says, it’s not only about maximising yields. We need crops that are more resilient and more nutritious. Drought resistant crop varieties, for example. And zinc-rich white rice. Dale talks to Jim about how plant science is helping to feed the world in a sustainable way and why plant scientists don’t always get the recognition they deserve. Producer: Anna Buckley

In the new EU-UK deal, the UK is to be an associate member of the latest EU research funding round, known as Horizon Europe. costing around £2bn to take part, what can UK scientists now do and what has changed? UKRI CEO Otteline Leyser and the Wellcome Trust EU specialist Beth Thompson discuss ways in which UK researchers are breathing a sigh of relief. Of all the things the UK can now diverge from the EU, DEFRA is currently holding an open consultation on whether to tweak the current GMO regulations so as not to include CRISPR style Genetic Editing. The EU is coincidentally looking at the same issue. John Innes Centre's Janneke Balk works on making strains of wheat that have a higher level of iron for nutrituiional fortification. Interim head of the Roslin Institute in Scotland Bruce Whitelaw thinks developing disease resistance in farm animals is potentially profitable area. Both agree the GMO regulations should be more tightly specified to bring clarity and opportunity for innovation. In Iceland, Kari Stefansson's company Decode Genetics analyse the genetic codes of most of the population of Iceland. This has allowed them to look at the parents, siblings, and offspring of identical twins, and identify how early genetic differences between them develop. And it's very early indeed. Given that identical twins studies are so often used to address issues surrounding the so-called Nature-vs Nurture debate, the findings, published in the Journal Nature, are striking. Presenter by Marnie Chesterton Produced by Alex Mansfield Made in association with the Open University.

Jack grew up in Norwich. At school, he really enjoyed the science subjects and went on to study chemistry, biology, and maths at A-level before specialising in chemistry at Sheffield University. He found his transition to university tough but also a part of his life where he grew up and learned to stand on his own two feet. University life made him realise he thrives under pressure to get a job done.Following university, Jack spent a successful 18 months working in crop genetics at the John Innes Centre in Norwich as a laboratory researcher. From here, he moved to Dupont to work in their disinfectants and cleaners business before making another move to EDF Energy as a commercial graduate on a two-year programme. After successful completion of this, Jack transferred to their Sizewell C project working as part of a team looking at how the project will be financed and seek approval. It’s working here that Jack has discovered his passion for a low-carbon energy mix.To find out more visit: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jack-raven-a5430676

Cristóbal Uauy, Investigador del John Innes Centre de UK Fabrice Lambert, Investigador de Centro de Ciencia del Clima y Resiliencia

Professor Dale Sanders has spent much of his life studying plants, seeking to understand why some thrive in a particular environment while others struggle. His ground breaking research on their molecular machinery showed how plants extract nutrients from the soil and store essential elements. Since plants can't move, their survival depends on these responses. In 2020, after 27 years at the University of York, he became the Director of the John Innes Centre in Norwich, one of the premier plant research institutions in the world. Meeting the food needs of a growing global population as the climate changes is a major challenge. And, Dale says, it's not only about maximising yields. We need crops that are more resilient and more nutritious. Drought resistant crop varieties, for example. And zinc-rich white rice. Dale talks to Jim about how plant science is helping to feed the world in a sustainable way and why plant scientists don't always get the recognition they deserve. Producer: Anna Buckley

This week, I’m speaking to esteemed entomologist Dr Ian Bedford about accepting the insects in your garden and learning to accept their vital role in the wider ecosystem. We talk about the how gardens can work alongside public spaces to provide habitats for beleaguered bugs, how we can reconcile growing food with welcoming bugs and whether reports of Insectageddon are justified. About Dr Ian Bedford: “I have been fascinated by insects and other invertebrates for most of my life. Starting out as an Amateur Entomologist, studying and conserving butterflies on the South Downs, I went on to pursue a professional career as a Research Entomologist and ran the Entomology Department at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, until my recent retirement after 42 years. I can now follow my passion for all things Entomological at a more leisurely pace.  Following retirement I am continuing to visit Garden and Horticultural Societies to give talks on various insect - related subjects. In addition, I'm attending event days for Garden Centres, giving talks and arranging a Plant Pest Clinic for visitors and customers. I'm also invited to talk at a number of Garden Shows around the country. I also speak on a number of radio shows and currently have the great honour of being the resident 'Go To' Entomologist for BBC Radio Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire. I also record a bug-related story each week for Toby Buckland's Sunday morning  show on BBC Radio Devon 'An Entomologist Entertains’.  I've also featured on BBC Gardeners Question Time and appeared on TV shows such as BBC Gardeners' World, Inside Out, Tonight, Horizon, BBC Breakfast, A to Z of TV Gardening, The Great British Garden Revival and even  Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule!”.  What We Discuss: The species that most need our help at the moment Some of the best and worst habits us gardeners have that either help or hinder insects Plants that are fairly common but do little or nothing to provide a food source or habitat  Public and private landowners collaborating in order to establish a network of habitats The ecosystems of our gardens and our region-specific species Are all pesticides a no-no? How can we reconcile the need for wilder areas in our gardens and landscapes with the desire to grow food plants? Insectageddon - exaggerated or as bad as reported?  Links: Dr Ian Bedford’s Website  Get in touch: Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall  Instagram @rootsandallpod  Help me keep the podcast free & independent! Support me on Patreon   Or donate as much or as little as you like at GoFundMe 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock discusses Dexamethasone the drug which has proved life-saving for Coronavirus. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Former Conservative Party Leader and Former Work and Pensions Secretary on the NHS's ability to provide care after coronavirus. Julia is also joined by Professor George Lomonossoff, Virologist at John Innes Centre. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, drought fears grow as lack of rain hits crops and grass growth across much of the UK – farm leaders call for action.We look at the weather prospects for the June – and towards harvest.MP Julian Sturdy and Professor Cristobal Uauy from the John Innes Centre explain how they believe gene-editing could benefit UK farmers.Suffolk farmer Brian Barker explains how he uses keeps track of farm inputs and we examine the prospects for new season lamb prices.We preview all the latest arable news ahead of the AHDB's Strategic Farm Week 2020 and we find out why Jersey Royal potato growers are going green.This episode co-hosted by Farmers Weekly chief reporter Johann Tasker and Surrey farmer Hugh Broom, with Farmers Weekly deputy business editor Andrew Meredith.

Ever wondered why the leaves of your houseplants are different in shape? Professor Enrico Coen of the John Innes Centre joins to me to explain. I co-opt Stephen of the Plant Daddy podcast to help me answer a question about a Nepenthes, and we meet listener Mikaela. For full show notes visit https://www.janeperrone.com/on-the-ledge/2020/5/29/episode-142-leaf-botany-part-one-shape

Andre Kuhn works with Lars Ostergaard at the John Innes Centre and discusses a recent Elife paper entitled ‘Direct ETTIN-auxin interaction controls chromatin states in gynoecium development‘. We discuss a new paradigm for auxin perception in the control gene expression. The post Andre Kuhn discusses a new auxin receptor with GARNet appeared first on Weeding the Gems.

Please meet my new friend Dr Sandra McCutcheon, or Sands, as Dr Marry calls her. Sandra is someone I have known of nearly as long as I have known Dr Marry because they did their PhDs together at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, England. He has always spoken highly of her, so when she reached out while we were doing our addiction/sobriety series, I was keen to get to know her for myself. Take a listen. Besides her dreamy accent, her work around mindfulness will restore you and get you ready to better face the day. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Complacency is now the biggest threat in the battle against coronavirus - Health Minister Robin Swann. Stephen spoke to Professor George Lomonossoff, a virologist at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, News Letter political editor Sam McBride, and commentators Phil Kelly, Fionola Meredith and Tom Kelly. Also on the podcast, should there be increased restrictions and checks on travel into NI to combat coronavirus? Stephen spoke to TUV leader Jim Allister.

Chris Morgan who works at the John Innes Centre discusses a recent PNAS paper entitled ‘Derived alleles of two axis proteins affect meiotic traits in autotetraploid Arabidopsis arenosa‘. We discuss the technical challenges of this research as well as the difficulties working from home (or not) with a super-resolution microscope! The post Chris Morgan talks to GARNet appeared first on Weeding the Gems.

Rea Antoniou-Kourounioti works with Martin Howard and Caroline Dean at the John Innes Centre and we discuss a recent paper in Genes and Development entitled ‘Noncoding SNPs influence a distinct phase of Polycomb silencing to destabilize long-term epigenetic memory at Arabidopsis FLC‘. It’s the latest episode in exciting saga that seeks to explain the regulation[...] The post GARNet Community podcast w Rea Antoniou-Kourounioti appeared first on Weeding the Gems.

We start our first episode of the new year looking at future trends in policy and research with host Joel Goldberg and several Science News writers. Jeffrey Mervis discusses upcoming policy changes, Kelly Servick gives a rundown of areas to watch in the life sciences, and Ann Gibbons talks about potential advances in ancient proteins and DNA. In research news, host Meagan Cantwell talks with Beatriz Pinto-Goncalves, a post-doctoral researcher at the John Innes Centre, about carnivorous plant traps. Through understanding the mechanisms that create these traps, Pinto-Goncalves and colleagues elucidate what this could mean for how they emerged in the evolutionary history of plants. This week's episode was edited by Podigy. Ads on this week's show: KiwiCo Listen to previous podcasts About the Science Podcast [Image: Eleanor/Flickr] ++ Authors: Joel Goldberg, Jeffrey Mervis, Kelly Servick, Ann Gibbons, Meagan Cantwell

We start our first episode of the new year looking at future trends in policy and research with host Joel Goldberg and several Science News writers. Jeffrey Mervis discusses upcoming policy changes, Kelly Servick gives a rundown of areas to watch in the life sciences, and Ann Gibbons talks about potential advances in ancient proteins and DNA. In research news, host Meagan Cantwell talks with Beatriz Pinto-Goncalves, a post-doctoral researcher at the John Innes Centre, about carnivorous plant traps. Through understanding the mechanisms that create these traps, Pinto-Goncalves and colleagues elucidate what this could mean for how they emerged in the evolutionary history of plants. This week's episode was edited by Podigy. Ads on this week's show: KiwiCo Listen to previous podcasts About the Science Podcast [Image: Eleanor/Flickr] ++ Authors: Joel Goldberg, Jeffrey Mervis, Kelly Servick, Ann Gibbons, Meagan Cantwell See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We start our first episode of the new year looking at future trends in policy and research with host Joel Goldberg and several Science News writers. Jeffrey Mervis discusses upcoming policy changes, Kelly Servick gives a rundown of areas to watch in the life sciences, and Ann Gibbons talks about potential advances in ancient proteins and DNA. In research news, host Meagan Cantwell talks with Beatriz Pinto-Goncalves, a postdoctoral researcher at the John Innes Centre, about carnivorous plant traps. Through understanding the mechanisms that create these traps, Pinto-Goncalves and colleagues elucidate what this could mean for how they emerged in the evolutionary history of plants. This week’s episode was edited by Podigy. Ads on this week’s show: KiwiCo Download a transcript (PDF) Listen to previous podcasts. About the Science Podcast  

Storytelling facilitated both the emergence of the scientific discipline and the evolution of human intelligence. At least, that's what Prof. Enrico Coen argues. A former President of the genetics society, Prof. Coen, from the John Innes Centre, has two articles in the recent Heredity Special issue commemorating 100 years of The Genetics Society. In the first, he creatively recounts the rise of Homo geneticus, and in the second he delves into the history and importance of human storytelling. Tune in to hear a grand tale of genetics and discover how your research could benefit from a little more storytelling. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week producer Claire heads down to the John Innes Centre to meet Dr Laura Dixon. She has uncovered new evidence about the agriculturally important process of vernalisation in a development that could help farmers deal with financially damaging weather fluctuations. Vernalisation is the process by which plants require a prolonged exposure to cold temperature before they transition from the vegetative state to flower. Laura explains that they have discovered vernalisation is influenced by warm conditions as well as cold, and a much wider temperature range than previously thought.    The market report for week commencing 29th April 2019 tells you all you need to know, whilst in Farmchat Andrew is joined by Josh and producer Claire to talk about recent environmental news including Chris Packham's ban on shooting crows, the Extinction Rebellion protests and Greta Thunberg.  Thanks to our sponsors this week:  Crush Foods - oils, dressing and granola. Local, healthy, delicious. www.crush-foods.com The Dewing Grain Podcast is co-produced by www.eastcoastdesignstudio.co.uk and www.tinshedproductions.co.uk Dewing Grain - Independent grain trader for Norfolk & Suffolk 01263 731550 - www.dewinggrain.co.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

上海辰山植物园/中国科学院上海辰山植物科学研究中心，中国科学院分子植物科学卓越创新中心/植物生理生态研究所及英国John Innes Centre等单位的中英科学家团队成功完成了唇形科植物黄芩全基因组测序，并分析了黄芩中活性成分的进化机制，进而完整阐明了抗癌活性物质汉黄芩素的合成机制。

Replay of The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener Radio Show from 4-20-19 Heard on 860AM WNOV & W293cx 106.5FM Milwaukee, WI Saturday mornings 9-10AM CST Heard on WAAM 1600 AM Ann Arbor, MI Sundays 7-8AM est Heard on WWDB 860 AM Philadelphia, PA Sundays 7-8AM est Heard on KMET 1490 AM Tuesdays 9 - 10 AM pst Banning, CA listen here during show hours for your station: WNOV https://tinyurl.com/y8lwd922 WWDB: https://wwdbam.com/ WAAM https://tinyurl.com/p68cvft Check out https://thewisconsinvegetablegardener.com/ Contact Joey and Holly: Email them at TWVGshow@gmail.com Reach the show anytime through the Instant access text hotline 414-368-9311 Thank you for listening and downloading the show. In segment 2 Joey and Holly talk about how bad garden tips on Social media. Mounting little planters, vertical strawberry, rain gutters, etc - little soil Potato box Planting in egg shells/egg cartons Seeds that seem too good to be true Companion plantings Volcano mulching Stop slugs having a ball The tip Copper is reputed to repel slugs, so take an old bowling ball (you’ve got one of those lying around, right?), glue pennies (or 2p pieces) to it, so they cover the surface, and use it as a decorative garden object that doubles as a slug barrier. (And if you want it to shine, soak the coins in cola first.) The catch Not only is it debatable how decorative this actually looks, it’s also hard to be convinced by its efficacy as an anti-slug device. These days, British 1p and 2p “coppers” are made from copper-plated steel, plus there is at best only patchy evidence that copper repels slugs in the first place. Dr Ian Bedford, head of entomology at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, has lab-tested copper slug repellers and found no evidence that they work. And even if copper did dissuade slugs, you’d need a whole bowling alley’s worth of coin-covered balls to have any meaningful effect. As Bedford points out, “You put a bowling ball in the middle of your lawn, but what’s to stop them eating the plants in your border?” Advertisement The alternative Go ahead and make your ball; just don’t expect it to deter slugs. For that, use a biological control such as Nemaslug or a nightly slug patrol. Nail those blue hydrangeas The tip Gather up those rusty nails from the back of the shed and put them in the ground around hydrangeas to correct an iron deficiency, increase acidity in the soil and, in the process, turn their blooms from pink to blue. The catch None of it works. Here’s a mini-science lesson from Guy Barter, the RHS’s chief horticultural adviser: “Almost all soils contain a lot of iron, but it becomes unavailable to plants – especially ericaceous ones such as rhododendrons – in alkaline soils,” he says. “Adding iron nails to alkaline soil merely slowly adds a very small amount of iron to the pool of chemically locked-up iron in the soil. It is soil aluminium that influences hydrangea flower colour, and aluminium is most available to plants in the acid soils associated with blue hydrangeas.” The alternative Add sulphur dust, not nails, to soil to increase acidity. Aluminium sulphate, often sold as hydrangea-blueing compound, is the best product to change flower colour in hydrangeas – try Vitax’s Hydrangea Colourant. Plants with iron deficiency suffer yellowing patches between the veins. Barter recommends treating them with chelated iron, an organic compound that prevents lock-up in the soil, allowing plants to absorb the iron they need. Dish it out to the weeds The tip Kill weeds by spraying them with a homemade brew of vinegar, epsom salts and washing-up liquid mixed with water. This mix of ingredients commonly found in our homes is touted as safer for pets and children than shop-bought weed treatments. The catch Home remedies such as this are often billed as “all-natural”, but have you looked at the ingredients of washing-up liquid recently? Plus, it’s illegal under EU law to concoct homemade weedkillers from household ingredients (what happens after Brexit is a moot point). Linda Chalker-Scott, associate professor at Washington State University’s department of horticulture, spends her life arguing against such poor gardening advice. She points out that household products aren’t formulated for this kind of use: “You have a concoction that will strip away the protective layers of plants and associated organisms, which is not a sustainable way to approach weed control,” she says. The alternative If you choose not to garden organically, buy a proprietary weedkiller and follow the instructions to the letter. Organic gardeners can control weeds with hoeing, mulching and hand-pulling. To remove weeds between paving slabs and other tricky-to-treat areas, Garden Organic recommends a flame weeder that uses propane or paraffin to kill weed plants and seeds. check out highlights of past show podcast and video https://thewisconsinvegetablegardener.com/video-series/highlights-podcast/ Tweet us at #twvg or @twvgshow The show runs March - Oct Check out the following sponsors that make the radio show possible: Thank you Power Planter of www.powerplanter.com IV Organics of www.ivorganics.com Dr. Earth of www.drearth.com organic Root maker of www.rootmaker.com Flame Engineering Inc. of www.flameengineering.com Use coupon code WVG19 to get free shipping. Pomona Universal Pectin of www.pomonapectin.com Bobbex of www.Bobbex.com: Beans & Barley of www.beansandbarley.com MIgardener of www.MIgardener.com Outpost Natural Foods Co-op of www.outpost.coop Root Assassin of www.rootassassinshovel.com . 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Replay of The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener Radio Show from 4-20-19 Heard on 860AM WNOV & W293cx 106.5FM Milwaukee, WI Saturday mornings 9-10AM CST Heard on WAAM 1600 AM Ann Arbor, MI Sundays 7-8AM est Heard on WWDB 860 AM Philadelphia, PA Sundays 7-8AM est Heard on KMET 1490 AM Tuesdays 9 - 10 AM pst Banning, CA listen here during show hours for your station: WNOV https://tinyurl.com/y8lwd922 WWDB: https://wwdbam.com/ WAAM https://tinyurl.com/p68cvft Check out https://thewisconsinvegetablegardener.com/ Contact Joey and Holly: Email them at TWVGshow@gmail.com Reach the show anytime through the Instant access text hotline 414-368-9311 Thank you for listening and downloading the show. Topics: Joey and Holly talks Talk about in segment 1 - vegetable and herbs you can grow in Partial shade. Plants you can grow in partial shade Mint Mint is probably a best choice for shaded position. If you think to plant it in your shady backyard, just grow it in a confined space. Otherwise it will spread like a weed. Malabar Spinach Malabar spinach is a climbing spinach grows in tropics. It grows in part shade and moist soil, you can grow this green leafy vegetable in shade year round if your climate is frost free, otherwise grow it as annual Pak choi/bok choy/ asian greens Pak choi or bak choi is also called Chinese cabbage, a diverse plant you can grow from spring to fall. It likes cool weather, you can grow it in shade easily. Cherry tomatoes Arugul Asparagus Beets Bok Choi Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chinese Cabbage Garlic Horseradish Kale Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Mizuna Mustard Greens Parsnip Peas Potatoes Radish Rhubarb Rutabaga Scallions Spinach Swiss Chard Turnip Tips for Growing Vegetables in Shade: Use Good Soil: If you are going to challenge your shade-tolerant crops to grow in partial shade, provide them with good-quality soil with plenty of nutritious compost. If tree roots are a problem, consider using a raised bed or growing vegetables in containers. Moisture Requirements: The watering needs of your shade garden will be different than a garden in full sun. Moisture doesn’t evaporate as quickly in shade so you may not need to water as often. However, if your shade garden is near trees, you may need to water more frequently since your plants will be competing with trees for moisture. Also the leafy canopy can prevent rain from reaching your plants. Water when the soil feels dry and mulch to conserve moisture. Watch for Pests: Shady and cool areas are very welcoming to slugs and snails. Consider using a border of crushed eggshells to deter slugs or provide a hospitable living area to Attract Frogs and Toads to Your Garden. Maturation Times: Vegetables that prefer more sunlight but can grow in shade will grow slower. Expect to wait for a little longer for the plants to mature than what is indicated on the seed package to make up for the less than ideal growing conditions. Start Seedlings Indoors: Start your own transplants from seed indoors and plant them in your shade garden when space opens up with these 10 Steps to Starting Seedlings Indoors. Direct Sow Seeds in Your Garden: Some crops are easy to grow from seeds planted directly in your garden. Here are 13 Easy Vegetables to Direct Sow Succession Planting: Keep your garden beds producing throughout your growing season with these 3 Succession Planting Tips to Maximize Your Harvest. Experiment with a small shade garden and see which vegetables succeed. Also try growing in containers that can be moved to different locations. Knowing the type of vegetables that grow in shade will help you make the most out of your gardening space. White walls If possible white wash your walls and use other light colors around the plants. As a result, the light will reflect back better and your plants will get more indirect light. Reflective Mulching Do reflective mulching for the plants grown in part shade. It will reflect the light and heat on plants. Moisture In the shade you need to be careful as moisture quickly develops all kinds of diseases. Provide good ventilation and drainage to plants and do not place them too close together. Patience Patience is must when you are growing plants in shade. Generally plants grow weaker in shade except those who love shade naturally. It is normal that they will grow little more slowly. Darker and Bigger Leaves Plants in shady areas tend to have darker and bigger leaves than those that grow in the sun and there is nothing to worry about this. In segment 2 Joey and Holly talk about how bad garden tips on Social media. Mounting little planters, vertical strawberry, rain gutters, etc - little soil Potato box Planting in egg shells/egg cartons Seeds that seem too good to be true Companion plantings Volcano mulching Stop slugs having a ball The tip Copper is reputed to repel slugs, so take an old bowling ball (you’ve got one of those lying around, right?), glue pennies (or 2p pieces) to it, so they cover the surface, and use it as a decorative garden object that doubles as a slug barrier. (And if you want it to shine, soak the coins in cola first.) The catch Not only is it debatable how decorative this actually looks, it’s also hard to be convinced by its efficacy as an anti-slug device. These days, British 1p and 2p “coppers” are made from copper-plated steel, plus there is at best only patchy evidence that copper repels slugs in the first place. Dr Ian Bedford, head of entomology at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, has lab-tested copper slug repellers and found no evidence that they work. And even if copper did dissuade slugs, you’d need a whole bowling alley’s worth of coin-covered balls to have any meaningful effect. As Bedford points out, “You put a bowling ball in the middle of your lawn, but what’s to stop them eating the plants in your border?” Advertisement The alternative Go ahead and make your ball; just don’t expect it to deter slugs. For that, use a biological control such as Nemaslug or a nightly slug patrol. Nail those blue hydrangeas The tip Gather up those rusty nails from the back of the shed and put them in the ground around hydrangeas to correct an iron deficiency, increase acidity in the soil and, in the process, turn their blooms from pink to blue. The catch None of it works. Here’s a mini-science lesson from Guy Barter, the RHS’s chief horticultural adviser: “Almost all soils contain a lot of iron, but it becomes unavailable to plants – especially ericaceous ones such as rhododendrons – in alkaline soils,” he says. “Adding iron nails to alkaline soil merely slowly adds a very small amount of iron to the pool of chemically locked-up iron in the soil. It is soil aluminium that influences hydrangea flower colour, and aluminium is most available to plants in the acid soils associated with blue hydrangeas.” The alternative Add sulphur dust, not nails, to soil to increase acidity. Aluminium sulphate, often sold as hydrangea-blueing compound, is the best product to change flower colour in hydrangeas – try Vitax’s Hydrangea Colourant. Plants with iron deficiency suffer yellowing patches between the veins. Barter recommends treating them with chelated iron, an organic compound that prevents lock-up in the soil, allowing plants to absorb the iron they need. Dish it out to the weeds The tip Kill weeds by spraying them with a homemade brew of vinegar, epsom salts and washing-up liquid mixed with water. This mix of ingredients commonly found in our homes is touted as safer for pets and children than shop-bought weed treatments. The catch Home remedies such as this are often billed as “all-natural”, but have you looked at the ingredients of washing-up liquid recently? Plus, it’s illegal under EU law to concoct homemade weedkillers from household ingredients (what happens after Brexit is a moot point). Linda Chalker-Scott, associate professor at Washington State University’s department of horticulture, spends her life arguing against such poor gardening advice. She points out that household products aren’t formulated for this kind of use: “You have a concoction that will strip away the protective layers of plants and associated organisms, which is not a sustainable way to approach weed control,” she says. The alternative If you choose not to garden organically, buy a proprietary weedkiller and follow the instructions to the letter. Organic gardeners can control weeds with hoeing, mulching and hand-pulling. To remove weeds between paving slabs and other tricky-to-treat areas, Garden Organic recommends a flame weeder that uses propane or paraffin to kill weed plants and seeds. In Segment 3 Joey and Holly welcome their guest Author Ellen Zachos of https://www.backyardforager.com/ Ellen Zachos is passionate about foraging, plants and food. She wants to share that passion with you. Are you curious about foraging? Are you passionate about food? Are you nervous about getting started? Ellen is willing to show you and teach you how to do it right here new book She had wrote a number of great book including Backyard Foraging The Wildcrafted Cocktail,Growing Healthy Houseplants to name a few she also has online courses videos and podcast to learn from. Here website is www.backyardforager.com 1.It sounds like a simple question but what is foraging and how did you get into the are of foraging ? 2.I will loop myself (Joey) into this category when I hear the term foraging I think about walking way back in the woods and looking to wild edibles. But that is not so much the case you can look at the plants you have growing around your home or street. What are some overlooked items we can forage for that are very close to us (hostas and daylilies milkweed) , 3. What is the best way to be 100% sure of identification of the plants you are foraging for? We are talking with Ellen Zachos author podcaster garden speaker foragor 4. Let talk about Orchids for a moment you have wrote a Orchid Growing for Wimps: Techniques for the "Wish I Could Do That" Gardener. We have heard the Orchid are very hard to grow how true or untrue is that statement 5. Where can we find more about you get your books podcast online courses at? Segment 4 Joey and Holly answer gardeners questions Q:So I just transplanted my starts about 3 days ago. They all now look sad. Will it just take a few days for them to perk back up after roots set? Also after transplanting they take up a lot more room, this in turn has them spread out a bit more then what i think my grow lights cover. im in zone 5a with a last frost of may 11th roughly. Is there a way to test the light at my plants to make sure they get enough? if not when can i start hardening them off and taking them out to my unheated greenhouse? A: Typically yes they will look sad for a few days after transplanting do to rood shock just keep them watered and warm and they should come back if you did not damage the roots. There are light meter they can be bought to test the light strengths. You can also put your tomato plants the farthest away from the lights because if they do get leggy you can just plant deeper. I would not take plants out to the greenhouse until the night temps are 50F steady in the greenhouse they maybe enough warm gathered during the day to keep it that at night but also day time temps may get very hot too. Q: Newbie here! My hubby and I are experimenting (me with soil/him with hydro)We built a raised bed 4'x4'x16" and filled with garden soil from a local nursery and topped with compost from horse/cow barn. I plan to put 4-5 Early Girl tomato seedlings in it soon. Would it be too much to add some summer squash zucchini plants between them? I have a house rabbit and will have plenty of season long pellets to add if needed Just worried about crowding roots. Q:Johnny I'm confused about sometimes hearing that there are things that can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked...I live here in southeastern Wisconsin as well and I have everything prepped for planting and ground is thawed...Can I sow radish and beet seeds right now even though seed package says after danger of frost ? Thanks A:Yes you can radish and beets as Colder temperatures (26-31 degrees F.) may burn foliage but will not kill broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, mustard, onion, radish, and turnip. The real cold weather champs are beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, collards, kale, parsley, and spinach.and beets Q: Kim ask Another indoor seed starting question--plants are coming up and are under grow lights. Do they still need the warming pads or can I use the warming pads to start some more seeds? A: once the seeds have come up you do not need the heating mat anymore check out highlights of past show podcast and video https://thewisconsinvegetablegardener.com/video-series/highlights-podcast/ Tweet us at #twvg or @twvgshow The show runs March - Oct Check out the following sponsors that make the radio show possible: Thank you Power Planter of www.powerplanter.com IV Organics of www.ivorganics.com Dr. Earth of www.drearth.com organic Root maker of www.rootmaker.com Flame Engineering Inc. of www.flameengineering.com Use coupon code WVG19 to get free shipping. Pomona Universal Pectin of www.pomonapectin.com Bobbex of www.Bobbex.com: Beans & Barley of www.beansandbarley.com MIgardener of www.MIgardener.com Outpost Natural Foods Co-op of www.outpost.coop Root Assassin of www.rootassassinshovel.com . 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In this week's feature producer Claire went down to the John Innes Centre to meet up with Brande Wulff to hear about his latest discovery - speed cloning. This new technique is about recruiting resistance genes from wild relatives of crops to make modern crops more resistant to disease and less reliant on pesticides. Claire and Brande manage to find an analogy that involves a donkey's whiskers and a race horse that enables Claire to get her head round this tricky technology that will mean researchers can use laboratory techniques to clone the genes and introduce them into elite varieties of domestic crops to protect them against pathogens and pests such as rusts, powdery mildew and Hessian fly. Brande even gives his take on how Brexit might impact the British wheat supply and how his science might be able to help us.  As Andrew's away, the market report for week commencing 1st April 2019 is presented by Josh and in Farmchat Josh and Ben consider the striking similarities between some of our MPs and famous football managers.   Thanks to our sponsors this week:  Crush Foods - oils, dressing and granola. Local, healthy, delicious. www.crush-foods.com The Dewing Grain Podcast is co-produced by www.eastcoastdesignstudio.co.uk and www.tinshedproductions.co.uk Dewing Grain - Independent grain trader for Norfolk & Suffolk 01263 731550 - www.dewinggrain.co.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

IFE Grand Challenge Lecture, recorded 1 November 2018 at QUT

IFE Grand Challenge Lecture, recorded 1 November 2018 at QUT

In this week's feature, Claire goes back to The John Innes Centre to meet Dr Brande Wulff. Dr Wulff sheds light on how he's achieving speed breeding by using exactly the right kind of light and for prolonged periods in green houses there - achieving much faster breeding of wheat. He also talks about GM crops as he believes wheat is being left behind and that could be big mistake in the race to produce enough food.  The Dewing Grain market report for week commencing 10/12/18 gives you Andrew's latest insights into the markets. In Farmchat Andrew and Webby decipher trade sayings - those turns of phrases that you only know if you're in the business - washed down with a drop of Jeffery Hudson Bitter from Oakham Ales.  To be in with a chance of winning a Christmas hamper worth £500 from Bakers and Larners of Holt head over to our Twitter page (search @DewingGrain). The winner will be announced on the podcast on 17th December. Good luck! 'Now The Dust Has Settled' Episode Sponsors Ben Burgess - East Anglia's premier agricultural, construction & grounds care equipment retailer. www.benburgess.co.uk The Dewing Grain Podcast is co-produced by www.eastcoastproduction.co.uk and www.tinshedproductions.co.uk Dewing Grain - independent grain trader for Norfolk & Suffolk01263 731550 - www.dewinggrain.co.uk  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Claire heads down to the John Innes Centre, our local world-renowned agricultural science centre, to meet Professor Cristobal Uauy to find out all about the wheat genome which after 13 years of work by scientists across the globe was finally published this summer. Professor Uauy tells Claire all about how this incredible detailed mapping of all the genes in wheat will impact farmers and what a beautiful genetically adaptable plant wheat is - which is one of the reasons why it accounts for almost 20% of the total calories and protein consumed by humans worldwide, more than any other single food source. The Dewing Grain market report for week commencing 08/10/2018 gives Andrew’s latest insights into the markets and in Farmchat Andrew and Dewing Grain trader Ian Webster talk Brexit over a pint of Bullards No. 1 Pale Ale in the Recruiting Sergeant. Science Series: Gene Genie Episode Sponsors RTK Farming - the UK's number one RTK correction signal... by farmers, for farmers www.rtkfarming.co.uk Crush Foods - oils, dressings and granola which are local, healthy and delicious www.crush-foods.comThe Dewing Grain Podcast is co-produced by www.eastcoastproduction.co.uk and www.tinshedproductions.co.uk Dewing Grain - independent grain trader for Norfolk & Suffolk  01263 731550 www.dewinggrain.co.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we return to our science series.  Our producer Claire Mutimer meets Dr Chris Ridout from the John Innes Centre to find out about heritage barley, how it’s helping to breed resistance into modern crops and finding an unexpected new lease of life through craft breweries. Andrew’s back in the hot seat to give the market report for week commencing 12/11/2018 and in Farmchat Andrew and Webby talk about Ian’s mastery of the French language during his recent trip to Rouen, as well as the recent USDA report.  To ease proceedings along they enjoy a drop of Barsham Oaks 3.6% from Barsham Brewery. Thanks to our sponsors this week: Barsham Brewery - A North Norfolk craft brewery with deep roots in the heritage and richness of the land it is built on. https://www.barshambrewery.co.uk/ Crush Foods - oils, dressings and granola. Local, healthy, delicious. www.crush-foods.com  The Dewing Grain Podcast is co-produced by www.eastcoastproduction.co.uk and www.tinshedproductions.co.uk Dewing Grain - independent grain trader for Norfolk & Suffolk: 01263 731550 www.dewinggrain.co.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Adam Rutherford speaks to Dr Tamsin Edwards, a lecturer in Physical Geography at Kings College London and a lead author for the latest IPCC report. Dr Edwards describes what happens in the making of the report, including the summarising of the wealth of scientific literature available into an understandable document for the policy makers. Cairngorms National Park in Scotland is part of an ambitious project to restore the habitat to its former natural state. Four organisations have joined together as the 'Cairngorms Connect’ project – Scottish Natural Heritage, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Wildland Limited and Forest Enterprise Scotland. Graeme Prest of Forest Enterprise Scotland explains how the project team will start to restore the habitat. The grass pea is a resilient and highly nutritious legume but it contains varying level of toxins. Marnie Chesterton visits the John Innes Centre in Norwich to meet the researchers working on making the grass pea less poisonous, which could aid food security, particularly in sub-Saharan. The Sun is technically a G-type main sequence star, which means it’s a giant continuous nuclear fusion reaction plasma, spewing out extremely dangerous matter and energy in every direction, and when it hits the Earth, this can cause all sorts of problems. Adam visits the Science Museum in London to meet Harry Cliff, a physicist and curator of a new exhibition: ‘The Sun: Living With Our Star’, which explores our relationship with the closest star to earth. Adam also finds out from Professor Chris Scott of Reading University about a citizen science project called Protect our Planet from Solar Storms.

Philip Ball tells the science story of German chemist Friedrich Wöhler’s creation of urea, an organic substance previously thought only to be produced by living creatures. Yet in 1828 Wöhler created urea from decidedly non-living substances. It was exciting because the accidental transformation seemed to cross a boundary: from inorganic to organic, from inert matter to a product of life. It’s a key moment in the history of chemistry but like many scientific advances, this one has also been turned into something of a myth. To read some accounts, this humble act of chemical synthesis sounds almost akin to the 'vital spark of being' described by Mary Shelley in her book published ten years previously, when Victor Frankenstein brought dead flesh back to life. Philip Ball sorts out fact from fiction in what Wohler really achieved in conversation with Peter Ramberg of Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, and finds out about chemical synthesis of natural products today from Professor Sarah O’Connor of the John Innes Centre. Producer: Erika Wright (Image: Friedrich Wohler, c 1850. Photogravure after a drawing by Hoffman, c 1850. From a collection of portraits of scientists published by Photographische Gesellschaft, Berlin, c 1910. Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

Reporting from our recent Student and Early Career Scientists Conference 2018, RMetS Chief Executive Prof Liz Bentley is joined by Dr Felicity Perry, Head of Communication and Engagement at the John Innes Centre, to talk about the importance of communicating science and the best ways that scientists can 'get their message out'. Our membership is open to everyone and anyone with an interest in weather and climate, whether that be as a science, profession or interest. We have over 3,300 members from more than 50 countries that includes academics, scientists and professional meteorologists as well as students and keen weather enthusiasts. The Society's programmes are broad and diverse, with many activities accessible not only to members but also to the general public and the wider meteorological and climate community. For more information on our charitable activities and events visit our website at www.rmets.org. Thank you for listening! Comments and ideas for future topics are always welcomed so please get in touch at jo.bayliss@rmets.org. Twitter - @rmets Instagram - @rmets_

Reporting from our recent Student and Early Career Scientists Conference 2018, RMetS Chief Executive Prof Liz Bentley is joined by Dr Felicity Perry, Head of Communication and Engagement at the John Innes Centre, to talk about the importance of communicating science and the best ways that scientists can 'get their message out'. Our membership is open to everyone and anyone with an interest in weather and climate, whether that be as a science, profession or interest. We have over 3,300 members from more than 50 countries that includes academics, scientists and professional meteorologists as well as students and keen weather enthusiasts. The Society's programmes are broad and diverse, with many activities accessible not only to members but also to the general public and the wider meteorological and climate community. For more information on our charitable activities and events visit our website at www.rmets.org. Thank you for listening! Comments and ideas for future topics are always welcomed so please get in touch at jo.bayliss@rmets.org. Twitter - @rmets Instagram - @rmets_

Philip Ball tells the story of German chemist Friedrich Wöhler's creation of urea, an organic substance previously thought only to be produced by living creatures. Yet in 1828 Wöhler created urea from decidedly non-living substances. It was exciting because the accidental transformation seemed to cross a boundary: from inorganic to organic, from inert matter to a product of life. It's a key moment in the history of chemistry but like many scientific advances, this one has also been turned into something of a myth. To read some accounts, this humble act of chemical synthesis sounds almost akin to the 'vital spark of being' described by Mary Shelley in her book published ten years previously, when Victor Frankenstein brought dead flesh back to life. Philip Ball sorts out fact from fiction in what Wöhler really achieved in conversation with Peter Ramberg of Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, and he finds out about chemical synthesis of natural products today from Professor Sarah O'Connor of the John Innes Centre in Norwich. Producer: Erika Wright.

As a girl, Caroline Dean would watch the cherry trees in her childhood garden unfurl their pink and white blossom and wonder how it was that they all flowered at exactly the same time. She tells Jim Al-Khalili that the flowering synchronicity she observed was to spark a life-long fascination with the timing mechanisms of plant reproduction, in particular with a process called vernalisation - how plants respond to extreme cold. Professor Dame Caroline Dean of the John Innes Centre in Norwich has focussed right down to the molecular level, homing in on the individual cells and genes that flip the flowering switch. For thirty years running her own lab Caroline has been asking (and answering) questions like why some plants need a period of cold before they can flower the following Spring, how plants know that the cold winter is really over and it's safe to flower and, when winter is so different around the globe, how do plants adapt? Her team focused in on one gene - with the snappy title of Flowering Locus C or FLC - and by delving into the world of epigenetic regulation, they uncovered the processes by which this gene was slowly turned off over winter, enabling the plant to flower the following spring. These ground-breaking discoveries have profound implications for human health and for food security. As Caroline tells Jim, the cellular memory system behind a plant gene flicked to the "off" position, is very similar to the switching and expression of genes that cause diseases like cancer in the human body. And as the climate warms and fluctuating temperatures affect our seasons, her work will deepen understanding of the molecular basis for flowering times - vital for farmers and plant breeders to adapt and protect our food supply. Producer: Fiona Hill.

Research in Nature this week shows that lost memories in mice can be rescued by reactivating a group of memory cells in the brain called 'engram' cells. The team suggests that their research might prove useful for Alzheimer's patients in the future. Professor John Hardy, neuroscientist at University College London and Dr Prerana Shrestha from the Center for Neural Science at New York University discuss the work with Tracey. The migrating white stork is well-known in folklore as the bringer of babies. In recent years, large numbers of them have decided to stop flying to Africa for winter, and live all year round, feasting on food from landfills in Portugal. Dr Aldina Franco from the University of East Anglia has been studying these birds and talks to Tracey about these adapting birds. A scientist at Royal Holloway University in London has discovered the oldest-known fossil of a pine tree. Howard Falcon-Lang discovered the fossils in Nova Scotia, Canada, and brought some back to his office. 5 years later, he dissolved a sample of what looked like charcoal in acid and discovered charred pine twigs. These date back 140 million years to a time when fires raged across large tracts of land. Reporter Roland Pease visits his lab to look at the samples close up. The research suggests the tree's evolution was shaped in the fiery landscape of the Cretaceous, where oxygen levels were much higher than today, fuelling intense and frequent wildfires. UK Gardeners may have noticed summer flowers blooming at unusual times this winter. Tracey meets up with seed scientist Steve Penfield and crop geneticist Judith Irwin in a greenhouse at the John Innes Centre. They explain how seeds and flowering times are affected temperature changes.

Nitrogen-based fertilisers have banished hunger in the rich world and ushered in an era of abundance. But they are a double-edged sword - the glut of food also comes with a glut of nitrogenous pollution that threatens to destroy our rivers and oceans. In our latest programme about the elements of the periodic table, Professor Andrea Sella of University College London tells presenter Justin Rowlatt why exactly our crops - and we humans - could not survive without nitrogen.The BBC's Washington correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan sees - and smells - first-hand the denitrification of raw sewage, and hears from water scientist Dr Beth McGee of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation about the eutrophication of America's largest river estuary.And, Justin travels to Norwich to meet Giles Oldroyd of the John Innes Centre, who is seeking to genetically engineer cereal crops that can fix nitrogen from the air. He also meets farmer David Hill, who explains the hi-tech lengths he goes to in order to squeeze the maximum yield out of his fertiliser.

School Report on Fracking This week, Inside Science is taken over by BBC School Reporters and Melissa Hogenboom eavesdrops on a school in Lancashire, preparing their report on fracking. They discuss the issues very local to them, as well as the wider international angles and how best to present the story.Purple GM tomatoes The chemical that gives blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and some red grape varieties their distinctive purple colour is Anthocyanin. It's been shown to have some possible anti-cancer properties as well as some protection against cardiovascular disease. So scientists at the John Innes Centre have inserted the ‘purple gene' into tomatoes to try and boost their health-giving properties. This step is relatively easy, compared to navigating the rules and regulations of getting to the stage of producing purple ketchup. Gareth Mitchell asks the School reporters what they think about Genetic Modification of food crops.Artificial humans With progress in 3D printing of organs, brain-machine interfaces and even artificial skin. Materials scientist at University College London, Professor Mark Miodownik, thinks that the future really could be bionic. Would the School Reporters want to become half human, half machine? And would these technological advances just be used for repairing people who have been injured or really need it, or will it mean that those with enough money could enhance themselves to superhuman states? Shark Attacks Potentially dangerous sharks are being culled off the coast of Western Australia. The government claim it's as a result of a rise in the number of deaths by shark attack. Many people are outraged by the killings. Shark attacks are still really rare compared to car accidents or even deaths from bee stings – so do the School Reporters think this is a good idea? Or do they think listening to what the scientists studying shark behaviour and developing shark deterrents say, is a better way to go?

It's official: the UK has a slug problem. This week, researchers from the John Innes Centre in Norwich asked the public for help to help them track down the Spanish slug, a rapidly reproducing invasive species that eats crops and is not deterred by slug pellets. Here's your quick fire science on invasive species, with Matt Burnett and Simon Bishop. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the cell, the fundamental building block of life. First observed by Robert Hooke in 1665, cells occur in nature in a bewildering variety of forms. Every organism alive today consists of one or more cells: a single human body contains up to a hundred trillion of them. The first life on Earth was a single-celled organism which is thought to have appeared around three and a half billion years ago. That simple cell resembled today's bacteria. But eventually these microscopic entities evolved into something far more complex, and single-celled life gave rise to much larger, complex multicellular organisms. But how did the first cell appear, and how did that prototype evolve into the sophisticated, highly specialised cells of the human body?With:Steve Jones Professor of Genetics at University College LondonNick Lane Senior Lecturer in the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College LondonCathie Martin Group Leader at the John Innes Centre and Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of East AngliaProducer: Thomas Morris.

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the cell, the fundamental building block of life. First observed by Robert Hooke in 1665, cells occur in nature in a bewildering variety of forms. Every organism alive today consists of one or more cells: a single human body contains up to a hundred trillion of them. The first life on Earth was a single-celled organism which is thought to have appeared around three and a half billion years ago. That simple cell resembled today's bacteria. But eventually these microscopic entities evolved into something far more complex, and single-celled life gave rise to much larger, complex multicellular organisms. But how did the first cell appear, and how did that prototype evolve into the sophisticated, highly specialised cells of the human body? With: Steve Jones Professor of Genetics at University College London Nick Lane Senior Lecturer in the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London Cathie Martin Group Leader at the John Innes Centre and Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia Producer: Thomas Morris.

George Lomonossoff, Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre of Norfolk, Norwich, UK speaks on "A virus-based platform for production of vaccines, antibodies and nanoparticles in plants". This seminar has been recorded by ICGEB Trieste