Why blight sheds light

Gardeners who have felt the pain at finding pests have ravaged their best flowers or that carefully nurtured vegetables have fallen victim to disease, can get help from world-leading UK scientists this summer.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Apr 2010, 15:43 BST
Updated 23rd Apr 2010, 15:43 BST

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the UK's biggest funder of research in food and agriculture, will be exhibiting at the BBC Gardeners' World Live event at the NEC, Birmingham, June 16-20, with a display to explain and engage visitors about the bioscience behind gardening and garden pests and diseases – and BBSRC experts want to see your diseased or pest-riddled carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and dahlias.

As part of the exhibit, BBSRC scientists will be running regular surgeries where visitors can bring plants, vegetables or just questions to receive advice on the science behind the pests and diseases spoiling their efforts and possible ways to tackle problems.

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Scientists from world-renowned BBSRC Institutes, such as Rothamsted Research and the John Innes Centre, and university research groups will be taking part over the five days of the show.

Joining the scientists will be horticultural staff who have the job of providing the perfect plants, crops and flowers for scientific study.

These plants are being used to help understand plant biology and to offer ways of averting a crisis in food security. It is critical those plants are grown in the best way possible and these vital members of the BBSRC team will be on hand to pass on their advice and expertise.

Dr Patrick Middleton, BBSRC Head of Public Engagement, said: "The BBSRC exhibition will engage visitors with the importance of plant science and horticulture research to all of us. From helping gardeners grow their own vegetables to putting safe, nutritious and affordable fruit and vegetables on our tables, bioscience touches our lives

every day.

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"The science going on in your garden or allotment is fascinating.

"We want to help gardeners understand the science that is going on when the fruits of their labour are lost to blight or aphid attack.

"BBSRC is bringing some of the world's best plant scientists to the NEC for BBC Gardeners' World Live in June to help to provide the answers.

"But we need help from the UK's gardeners – if you are losing your fruit, veg or flowers to pests or disease, we need you to bring samples to our surgeries at the show so our scientists can examine them and explain what is going on."

For more information see: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk

YP MAG 24/4/10

Related topics:Birmingham