'Smart' cereals for management of stemborer pests in staple cereals in Africa
Lead Research Organisation:
Rothamsted Research
Department Name: Biological Chemistry & Crop Protection
Abstract
Stemborers are devastating insect pests of important food crops, maize and sorghum, in sub-Saharan Africa. They damage these crops by burrowing inside the stem causing the plants to collapse and die. Stemborer pests undermine smallholder cereal cultivation and threaten food security of the very high crop losses they cause. In previous research, we demonstrated that these losses can be prevented by changing the plant odours surrounding the crop. We used companion plants to release smells that repel the pest and attract natural enemy insects that attack the pest. The companion cropping system known as "push-pull" or "Sukuma-Vuta" in Swahili is very popular with smallholder farmers but this would be improved if the crop itself could release the appropriate odours when infested with pest insects. Recently we have found that certain farmer selected varieties of maize have a valuable defence trait not present in commercial hybrid maize. The trait involves release of odours, called semiochemicals, which are attractive to natural enemies of the pest after the stemborer lays her eggs on the plant. The semiochemicals released are the same ones released by companion plants in the push-pull system. The crop varieties with this trait, however, are lacking in other important agronomic traits, particularly yield and quality. To deliver this natural pest resistance to the farmer, breeding programmes are needed to move the trait from into improved crop varieties. This is a difficult process but would be greatly facilitated if genetic markers linked closely to the stemborer resistance trait could be identified. The goal of this project is to define genetic markers associated with the semiochemical production trait. We will achieve this by a comprehensive programme of experiments in which the semiochemicals emitted by different crop varieties after insect egg laying will be identified, insect responses to them measured and the underpinning genes associated with induced semiochemical emission mapped. We will use a state-of-the-art semiochemical identification platform available at Rothamsted Research (UK) and resources for genetic analyses at the Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa hub (BECA, Kenya) with a link to the Cornell University sequencing facility. Crops will be grown and trialled at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe, Kenya) which has a proven track record of doing research that is relevant to the needs of smallholder farmers in Africa and makes a difference to their livelihoods.
Technical Summary
Stemborers are devastating pests of staple cereals in sub-Saharan Africa that reduce yields by up to 80%. Recently we have discovered that certain landraces of maize have an inducible indirect defence trait, not present in commercial hybrids, that involves release of semiochemicals attractive to natural enemies of the stemborer after eggs are laid on the plant. The same semiochemicals are released by companion plants in the push-pull companion cropping system. If this novel defence trait could be bred into cereal cultivars with other favourable agronomic characteristics, crop losses could be saved without having to grow companion plants to release semiochemicals. This project will develop molecular markers for the defence trait that will allow breeders to introgress it into improved lines of maize and sorghum. The project will start by growing many different lines of maize and sorghum from which headspace samples of volatiles will be collected and samples of DNA taken. Volatile profiles will be compared between plants with and without stemborer pest eggs and semiochemicals identified by GC-MS and GC linked to electrophysiology. Lines that show induction of semiochemicals after stemborer oviposition will be tested in bioassays with stemborer parasitoids (key natural enemies) and will be grown in field plot trials to assess stemborer infestation levels. Genotyping by sequencing and subsequent association mapping will be used to map the trait to the genes responsible. SSR and SNP molecular markers associated with semiochemical emission will be defined and used to screen germplasm. Gene sequences encoding synthases for the semiochemicals will be searched using bioinformatics. We also expect to identify genes involved in regulating the expression levels of the synthase genes following stemborer oviposition. We will also use bioinformatics approaches to search for orthologous genes associated with the trait between maize and sorghum genomes.
Planned Impact
The project will have a clear role in increasing and sustaining yields of staple cereals in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the IMF poverty reduction strategy reports, growth in the agricultural sector in SSA countries is essential to reduce poverty and ensure food security; this will benefit mainly poor cereal-livestock smallholders (about 80% of producers). Agricultural growth is achievable by reducing major constraints to productivity such as insect pests. These constraints, already cause high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty, and are responsible for SSA cereal crop productivity being the lowest in the world (around 1t/ha compared with 2.4t/ha in South Asia, 3.2t/ha in Latin America and 4.5t/ha in East Asia and Pacific). They are expected to increase during the next few decades as agriculture intensifies to meet the extra food demand from a growing population and as a result of climate change.
Scientific impact will be made in terms of publications in good journals and all three partners have a good track record in this. We also have considerable experience in translation of our scientific research into farmer practice from the Push-pull project (push-pull is now used by more than 40,000 smallholders). This project will create strong linkages and collaborations among stakeholders - farmers, plant breeders and seed suppliers - at an early stage as a key condition for efficient technology adaptation and its wider dissemination to smallholder farmers in the target areas later in the project (e.g. please see letter of support from Western seeds). We will use farmer-to-farmer technology dissemination methods because they are cost-effectiveness in reaching large numbers of farmers. This is particularly relevant where public extension is either insufficient or ineffective as is the case in SSA, and serves a shared information and learning function of achieving economies of scale in technology diffusion and system financial sustainability. Here, farmers are expected to influence fellow farmers to adopt new technologies and practices. We will optimize the use of field days, farmer teachers and farmer field schools, in which we shall train farmers through the participating NARIs and NGOs, and provide them with both technology information and technical backstopping. The project will also produce and distribute dissemination brochures, some of which will be translated into local languages, by NARIs and other stakeholders. Additionally, stakeholder workshops, meetings and farmer exchange visits will be organized and more farmers exposed to the technology. The overall aim of these activities is to create nuclei of farmers adopting the technology to allow a horizontal transfer and uptake of the technology in the target areas. In all cases, adoption of a technology within a community can start off with a few individuals. Indeed, experience from the current push-pull project shows that small groups of individuals in a community pioneering adoption of a technology constitute very effective nuclei for its horizontal transmission.
Scientific impact will be made in terms of publications in good journals and all three partners have a good track record in this. We also have considerable experience in translation of our scientific research into farmer practice from the Push-pull project (push-pull is now used by more than 40,000 smallholders). This project will create strong linkages and collaborations among stakeholders - farmers, plant breeders and seed suppliers - at an early stage as a key condition for efficient technology adaptation and its wider dissemination to smallholder farmers in the target areas later in the project (e.g. please see letter of support from Western seeds). We will use farmer-to-farmer technology dissemination methods because they are cost-effectiveness in reaching large numbers of farmers. This is particularly relevant where public extension is either insufficient or ineffective as is the case in SSA, and serves a shared information and learning function of achieving economies of scale in technology diffusion and system financial sustainability. Here, farmers are expected to influence fellow farmers to adopt new technologies and practices. We will optimize the use of field days, farmer teachers and farmer field schools, in which we shall train farmers through the participating NARIs and NGOs, and provide them with both technology information and technical backstopping. The project will also produce and distribute dissemination brochures, some of which will be translated into local languages, by NARIs and other stakeholders. Additionally, stakeholder workshops, meetings and farmer exchange visits will be organized and more farmers exposed to the technology. The overall aim of these activities is to create nuclei of farmers adopting the technology to allow a horizontal transfer and uptake of the technology in the target areas. In all cases, adoption of a technology within a community can start off with a few individuals. Indeed, experience from the current push-pull project shows that small groups of individuals in a community pioneering adoption of a technology constitute very effective nuclei for its horizontal transmission.
Organisations
- Rothamsted Research (Lead Research Organisation)
- Dept for International Development DFID (Co-funder)
- Kenya Seed Company (Collaboration)
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) (Collaboration)
- Seed Co (Collaboration)
- International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) (Collaboration)
- Western Seeds (Collaboration)
Publications



Birkett MA
(2014)
Prospects of genetic engineering for robust insect resistance.
in Current opinion in plant biology

Bruce T
(2019)
Editorial
in Physiological Entomology

Bruce TJ
(2014)
Variation in plant responsiveness to defense elicitors caused by genotype and environment.
in Frontiers in plant science

Chidawanyika F
(2014)
Oviposition acceptance and larval development of C hilo partellus stemborers in drought-stressed wild and cultivated grasses of E ast A frica
in Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata

Henlay J. O. Magara
(2021)
Edible Crickets (Orthoptera) Around the World: Distribution, Nutritional Value, and Other Benefits-A Review

Henlay J. O. Magara
(2021)
Edible Crickets (Orthoptera) Around the World: Distribution, Nutritional Value, and Other Benefits-A Review

Khan ZR
(2014)
Achieving food security for one million sub-Saharan African poor through push-pull innovation by 2020.
in Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences

Lamb A
(2016)
The potential for land sparing to offset greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture
in Nature Climate Change
Description | Stemborers are serious pests of staple cereals in sub-Saharan Africa causing very substantial yield losses. Any crop with better defence against stemborer would have good market potential, especially with smallholder farmers who do not have access to pesticides but who are responsible for the majority agricultural production in the region. The 'Smart Cereals' project, based in Kenya and involving icipe, ICRISAT and Rothamsted Research, is designed to provide leads for genetic improvement of maize and sorghum for defence against stemborer pests. Specifically, we are investigating an indirect defence mechanism occurring at the very earliest stage of stemborer attack - when the pest lays her eggs on the crop. Certain plants start releasing smells that attract enemies of the pest as soon as eggs are laid on them. We originally discovered this trait in maize landraces but are now: 1. screening improved lines for the trait and 2. developing molecular markers for the trait that will allow MAS (marker assisted selection). We have so far screened about 20 landraces and more than 60 improved hybrids. We have found the trait in South American landraces C-2101 (Cuba), H-2034 (Haiti) and B-3016 (Brazil) and African landraces OPV landraces 'Nyamula' and 'Jowi'. The trait is very rare in improved varieties. So far we have only found it in SC-Duma and the CIMMYT variety CKIR12001. All three parental lines of CKIR12001 have the trait (graph above). The parental lines are CML312, CML442 and CKSBL10027. Good progress is being made towards developing molecular markers. Samples of DNA from all the plants being screened is being sent to Cornell University for genotyping by sequencing. We now have begun Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify SNP markers that are significantly associated with the trait. We have a few candidates already but need to verify them. |
Exploitation Route | Three maize inbred lines with the egg induced defence trait have been discovered, in addition to our previous finding in the landraces. This has confirmed a real prospect of moving the trait into improved maize varieties and availing improved plants with the trait to female and male farmers in a short time. Female farmers will especially benefit from seeds better adapted to their agricultural needs. The molecular markers developed through this research project will be employed to track the defence trait in OPVs and introgress the trait into improved lines of maize and sorghum. The outputs from the current study address an urgent need in most of rural Africa for crop varieties which can naturally defend themselves against pest attack where smallholder farmers cannot afford chemical pesticides to protect their crops. Moreover, the technology could provide an economical feasible and ecologically sound pest management approach which exploits induced plant volatile semiochemicals to prevent yield losses by crop pests and hence boost production. Will learn more about this in the field trials we have planned. Increasing production and productivity of maize crop as a result of our research outputs will contribute towards ensuring food security for millions of African smallholder farmers, who depend on maize as a staple food and cash crop. This will directly benefit farmers through provision of adequate nutrition available to their household and generation of further income from the sale of surplus maize harvest. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Communities and Social Services/Policy Environment Security and Diplomacy |
Description | We have met plant breeding organisations and made them aware of the benefits they will obtain from the project. Seed Co is particularly interested, especially as one of their varieties already has the egg-induced defense trait. We have identified one commercial hybrid line (from SeedCo, marketed as SC Duma 43 in Kenya and as SC407 in other African countries) which possesses the trait and is available immediately for farmers. Organisations such as icipe and seed suppliers are communicating this information to farmers. We have also identified a number of breeding lines with the trait which will allow development of further improved lines possessing it. The molecular markers we have identified will allow it to be bred into a larger proportion of the improved maize germplasm. |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Creative Economy,Environment,Retail,Security and Diplomacy |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | contributed to UNEP-IFAD report on smallholder agriculture |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Impact | Improved food security |
Description | Enhancing crop diversity and ecosystem services to promote biological control of fall armyworm in smallholder cropping systems |
Amount | £1,104,432 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/R020795/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2018 |
End | 06/2021 |
Title | QTLs for stemborer egg induced indirect defence in maize |
Description | The 'Smart Cereals' SCPRID project, based in Kenya and involving icipe, ICRISAT and Rothamsted Research, was designed to provide leads for genetic improvement of maize and sorghum for defence against stemborer pests. Specifically, we investigated an indirect defence mechanism occurring at the very earliest stage of stemborer attack - when the pest lays her eggs on the crop. Certain plants start releasing smells that attract enemies of the pest as soon as eggs are laid on them. In field trials we have found a significant two-fold to four-fold increase in parasitism of stem borers in maize lines with the trait. When a moth lays eggs on a plant it starts releasing smells that attract parasitic wasps. These wasps are important natural enemies of the pest and kill the stemborers by parasitizing them. We have found very strong attraction under laboratory conditions which has now been confirmed in field evaluation.We originally discovered this trait in a limited number of maize landraces (Tamiru et al., 2011) but have now: 1. screened 173 lines for the trait at icipe and 2. developed molecular markers for the trait that will allow MAS (marker assisted selection). Molecular markers were identified through a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) at ICRISAT using the Buckler Lab GBS platform (Cornell University). |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Breeding companies have access to the information for breeding maize with better indirect defences. Seed Co (http://www.seedcogroup.com) is particularly interested in making use of the QTLs in maize breeding. We have identified one commercial hybrid line (from SeedCo, marketed as SC Duma 43 in Kenya and as SC407 in other African countries) which possesses the trait and is available immediately for farmers. Organisations such as icipe and seed suppliers are communicating this information to farmers. We have also identified a number of breeding lines with the trait which will allow development of further improved lines possessing it. The molecular markers we have identified will allow it to be bred into a larger proportion of the improved maize germplasm. |
URL | https://sites.google.com/site/tobyjabruce/home/scprid-bb-j011371-1 |
Title | Phenotyping and genotyping of diverse maize lines for indirect defence against stemborers |
Description | Information about volatile emission profile and insect response to a large number of maize lines coupled with genotype data available for individual plants as well as lines. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | It will enable development of molecular markers for the indirect defence trait to allow marker assisted selection for it. Info on maize lines with the trait has already proven of interest to maize breeders |
Description | Collaboration with Seed Co |
Organisation | Seed Co |
Country | Zimbabwe |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | During the reporting period we initiated a new collaboration with SeedCo. This looks to be a very promising collaboration because they are a dynamic company particularly geared towards the African smallholder farmer market. They operate in 15 different African countries and the interaction with them will form an important part of our pathway to impact. Damaris Odeny, Rajneesh Paliwal, Amanuel Tamiru and Toby Bruce visited their base in Nairobi and discussed collaboration with Joseph Mito in Sept 2014. Further to that, we invited their Senior Maize Breeder, Dr Lenin Musindire, to the SCPRID workshop in Windsor in April 2015. There are opportunities for SeedCo to exploit outputs from the current SCPRID project ie. molecular markers for the egg induced volatile release trait and information about maize lines and varieties with the trait (this includes their hybrid, SC Duma, the only hybrid currently known to have the trait). There are also opportunities for collaboration in a related EU-project with icipe on companion planting with desmodium to suppress striga weed - this would be in terms of upscaling desmodium seed production. |
Collaborator Contribution | To use outputs from our research |
Impact | We are about to start a new AgriTech project with SeedCo |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | ICIPE |
Organisation | International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) |
Country | Kenya |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Analysis of chemical samples, electrophysiological recordings from insect antennae, sharing of expertise. |
Collaborator Contribution | Insect bioassays and field trials, sharing of expertise. |
Impact | Ongoing scientific collaboration |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | Links to plant breeding organisations and companies |
Organisation | International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) |
Country | Mexico |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Evaluation of maize lines for stemborer (insect pest) resistance via indirect defence (attraction of natural enemies). Development of molecular markers to allow marker assisted selection (MAS) for this trait |
Collaborator Contribution | Sharing information about requirements. CIMMYT has provided us with maize seeds. |
Impact | We have so far screened about 20 landraces and more than 60 improved hybrids. We have found the trait in South American landraces C-2101 (Cuba), H-2034 (Haiti) and B-3016 (Brazil) and African landraces OPV landraces 'Nyamula' and 'Jowi'. The trait is very rare in improved varieties. So far we have only found it in SC-Duma and the CIMMYT variety CKIR12001. All three parental lines of CKIR12001 have the trait. The parental lines are CML312, CML442 and CKSBL10027. Good progress is being made towards developing molecular markers. Samples of DNA from all the plants being screened is being sent to Cornell University for genotyping by sequencing. We now have begun Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify SNP markers that are significantly associated with the trait. We have a few candidates already but need to verify them. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Links to plant breeding organisations and companies |
Organisation | Kenya Seed Company |
Country | Kenya |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Evaluation of maize lines for stemborer (insect pest) resistance via indirect defence (attraction of natural enemies). Development of molecular markers to allow marker assisted selection (MAS) for this trait |
Collaborator Contribution | Sharing information about requirements. CIMMYT has provided us with maize seeds. |
Impact | We have so far screened about 20 landraces and more than 60 improved hybrids. We have found the trait in South American landraces C-2101 (Cuba), H-2034 (Haiti) and B-3016 (Brazil) and African landraces OPV landraces 'Nyamula' and 'Jowi'. The trait is very rare in improved varieties. So far we have only found it in SC-Duma and the CIMMYT variety CKIR12001. All three parental lines of CKIR12001 have the trait. The parental lines are CML312, CML442 and CKSBL10027. Good progress is being made towards developing molecular markers. Samples of DNA from all the plants being screened is being sent to Cornell University for genotyping by sequencing. We now have begun Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify SNP markers that are significantly associated with the trait. We have a few candidates already but need to verify them. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Links to plant breeding organisations and companies |
Organisation | Seed Co |
Country | Zimbabwe |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Evaluation of maize lines for stemborer (insect pest) resistance via indirect defence (attraction of natural enemies). Development of molecular markers to allow marker assisted selection (MAS) for this trait |
Collaborator Contribution | Sharing information about requirements. CIMMYT has provided us with maize seeds. |
Impact | We have so far screened about 20 landraces and more than 60 improved hybrids. We have found the trait in South American landraces C-2101 (Cuba), H-2034 (Haiti) and B-3016 (Brazil) and African landraces OPV landraces 'Nyamula' and 'Jowi'. The trait is very rare in improved varieties. So far we have only found it in SC-Duma and the CIMMYT variety CKIR12001. All three parental lines of CKIR12001 have the trait. The parental lines are CML312, CML442 and CKSBL10027. Good progress is being made towards developing molecular markers. Samples of DNA from all the plants being screened is being sent to Cornell University for genotyping by sequencing. We now have begun Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify SNP markers that are significantly associated with the trait. We have a few candidates already but need to verify them. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Links to plant breeding organisations and companies |
Organisation | Western Seeds |
Country | Kenya |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Evaluation of maize lines for stemborer (insect pest) resistance via indirect defence (attraction of natural enemies). Development of molecular markers to allow marker assisted selection (MAS) for this trait |
Collaborator Contribution | Sharing information about requirements. CIMMYT has provided us with maize seeds. |
Impact | We have so far screened about 20 landraces and more than 60 improved hybrids. We have found the trait in South American landraces C-2101 (Cuba), H-2034 (Haiti) and B-3016 (Brazil) and African landraces OPV landraces 'Nyamula' and 'Jowi'. The trait is very rare in improved varieties. So far we have only found it in SC-Duma and the CIMMYT variety CKIR12001. All three parental lines of CKIR12001 have the trait. The parental lines are CML312, CML442 and CKSBL10027. Good progress is being made towards developing molecular markers. Samples of DNA from all the plants being screened is being sent to Cornell University for genotyping by sequencing. We now have begun Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify SNP markers that are significantly associated with the trait. We have a few candidates already but need to verify them. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | AAB conference - Bringing Biocontrol and IPM to Market |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Over the last decade, the AAB "Advances in Biocontrol and IPM" Conference has become a popular fixture in the national calendar of events. The overall objective has been to create an annual gathering of the IPM community at which policy makers, experienced researchers, early career scientists and practitioners can detach themselves from their usual day-to-day pressures and become totally immersed in this important subject. To broaden its appeal still further, we will continue with a hybrid format to enable both in-person delegates at our regular conference venue and those who prefer to join us online. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.aab.org.uk/event/bringing-biocontrol-and-ipm-to-market/ |
Description | AAB conference - Knowledge exchange: from research to the food supply chain |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce gave two talks - one about IPM in Africa and one about the CROPROTECT system |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.aab.org.uk/images/knowledge_exchange_pro.pdf |
Description | AAB: Advances in IPM 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce - gave a talk, chaired a session and helped to organise the Association of Applied Biologists (AAB) Advances in IPM 2016 conference |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.aab.org.uk/contentok.php?id=194&basket=wwsshowconfdets |
Description | AGRInet conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce - lecture at the AgriNet conference, 13 May 2017 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.agri-net.net/events/agri-net-5th-international-plant-chemical-biology-conference |
Description | AgriTech REAP conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce attended conference and took part in discussion |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.agritech-east.co.uk/reap-2015-roundup/ |
Description | Agricology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce - serving on steering committee of Agricology, "Practical, sustainable farming regardless of labels". This is an important initiative to bridge the divide between organic and conventional farming and an opportunity to develop more evidence based approaches to sustainable agriculture. Toby is responsible for discussions relating to crop protection. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Agricology blog |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce - Blog post - TACKLING THE FOOTPRINT OF PESTS, WEEDS & DISEASES IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.agricology.co.uk/tackling-footprint-pests-weeds-diseases-our-food-system |
Description | Association of Applied Biologists: Advances in IPM conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Organised and chaired Association of Applied Biologists: Advances in IPM conference Organised and chaired |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Association of Applied Biologists: IPM the 10 year plan |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce gave a talk, "Current state of the agricultural research community in the UK and its ability to deliver new and novel techniques to the production industry" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.aab.org.uk/images/ipm_2015_pro.pdf |
Description | Biopesticide Summit, Swansea, 2-3 July 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Gave a keynote, invited talk: "The role of science and technology in addressing challenges to food security and biodiversity" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://biopesticidesummit.com |
Description | CPM magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce featured as the "On farm innovator" in Crop Production Magazine, April 2016 issue |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/2016/04/11/on-farm-innovator-crowd-sourced-science/ |
Description | Chemical Ecology Postgraduate Course |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Course of lectures in chemical ecology together with brainstorming future research, and student activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Chinese Delegation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Two lectures on Crop Protection to a high level panel of Chinese academics and government policy advisers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Ecomodernism launch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I was invited by Owen Patterson MP and Mark Lynas to attend the Ecomodernism launch. It was an interesting event and I took part in the discussion. It was about environmentalism making use of technology. I agreed that technology could be useful but not that we can fully decouple from nature. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.uk2020.org.uk/events/eco-modernism-restoring-science-environment-policy/ |
Description | Farmers Weekly Ag Careers Live event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce - presented research and careers in agricultural research at a Careers Fair in Birmingham |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.fwi.co.uk/ms/events/ag-careers-live/ |
Description | GFS workshop - Alternatives to Pesticides |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce attended GFS (Global Food Security) workshop - Alternatives to Pesticides organised by Tim Benton (former GFS Champion). Toby gave a talk and participated in discusssions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Gates - Grand Challenges 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce took part in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation "Grand Challenges 2016" meeting. He contributed to discussion in the Crop Research stream |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Gates Workshop - Plant Communication for Agricultural Innovation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation organised a workshop, described as follows: "The goal of this convening is to bring together leading scientists working in plant-plant and plant-pest communication to discuss the current state of research in this area, consider how recent advances may be leveraged to improve agricultural productivity, and to brainstorm prospective research areas worthy of future exploration. Although we do not currently have approval to fund such research, we hope this meeting will serve to inform our thinking on possible future investment areas." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Gordon Research Conference - Plant volatiles |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce gave an invited lecture - Plant volatiles in Biocontrol |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=15108 |
Description | Guest Lecture - University of Nottingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Gave a lecture to M.Sc. students |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Guest Lecture at University of Nottingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | My invited talk formed part of the World Agroecosystems course and had information about our current research in Africa |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Innovate UK Biopesticides event, Invited plenary lecture, London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Innovate UK Biopesticides event, Invited plenary lecture, London, 12 April 2018 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | International Congress of Entomology (Helsinki, Finland) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Gave two invited talks at the leading international conference for Entomology |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.icecouncil.org/upcoming-congress |
Description | Invited Plenary Lecture at SIP 15, 15th International Symposium on Insect-Plant Relationships, Neuchatel, Switzerland, 19 Aug 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Talk was well received and stimulated discussion a request to write a paper |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www2.unine.ch/sip15 |
Description | Invited Seminar at Newcastle University (3 April 2019) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited Seminar at Newcastle University |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited Seminar at University of Warwick (2 May 2019) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited Seminar at University of Warwick (2 May 2019) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | JIC visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce - Visit to the John Innes Centre for discussion and to give a talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | News Item in The Guardian |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | News Article about pesticides and crop protection in The Guardian |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/14/miniature-robots-could-cut-pesticide-use-on-farm... |
Description | Nuffield students visit to Rothamsted |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce organised and took part in Nuffield farming scholarship students visit to Rothamsted |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Presentation to British Herbs |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce gave a talk about crop protection during visit of British Herbs to Rothamsted |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Push Pull Phone App |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Information about how to get started with Push-Pull is provided to farmers via this phone app. This has helped reach more people who can benefit from project findings and was particularly useful during covid restrictions on in person meetings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
URL | https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pushpull.tech&hl=en&gl=US |
Description | Royal Holloway lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce - talk about protecting harvests with fewer pesticides |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | SCPRID Connections workshop (Windsor) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This workshop, organised by the Gates foundation, drew together the SCPRID project teams to discuss connections between projects and pathways to impact. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Shamba Shape Up, the leading TV programme for farmers in Kenya |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Our project has featured several times on Shamba Shape Up, the leading TV programme for farmers in Kenya. It has a reach of 5 million viewers across Africa and aims to educate and help viewers. Please see links to video: • Feature 1: https://vimeo.com/388205962 • Feature 2: https://vimeo.com/388206820 • Feature 3: https://vimeo.com/388208129 • Feature 4: https://vimeo.com/388209102 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://vimeo.com/388205962 |
Description | Syngenta - Good Growth Plan |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce attended a discussion meeting with Syngenta about their Good Growth Plan and collaboration with Rothamsted |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | The Future of Crop Protection |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | On November 1st, 2022, 140 professionals from the horticultural industry met at the World Horti Center to discuss the innovations that are needed to make crop protection future-proof. By 2030, the EU wants the use of plant protection products to be halved. The central topic of the day was: what needs to be done to deal with this challenge? What should companies, research institutes, and other organisations in the horticultural industry do to turn this upcoming demand into an opportunity? I gave an invited keynote talk and took part in discussions at this event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://impact2025.nl/en/event/the-future-of-crop-protection/ |
Description | UK-US Plant Health Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Toby Bruce attended a discussion meeting at the UK embassy in Washington DC to discuss Plant Health and write a whitepaper with other delegates. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://blogs.fco.gov.uk/stefaniadimauronava/2016/10/13/blog-at-the-root-of-it-all/ |
Description | Visits to plant breeding organisations and seed companies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Discussions made intended beneficiaries aware of the project outputs and how it could help them and also gave us a chance to discuss their requirements After my visits companies were aware of the project benefits and we are working with them to ensure uptake of project outputs |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |
Description | World BioProtection Summit - invited lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Gave a talk about "Innovation in crop protection: challenges and opportunities" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.worldbioprotectionforum.com/bioprotection-summit-and-awards-2022/ |
Description | • Society of Experimental Biology Annual Meeting, Manchester, UK. "Chemical communication between insects and plants - dynamic and complex interactions that have evolved over millions of years but act in milliseconds" 3-4 July 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Talk was well received and stimulated questions Invited to write a paper in JXB about the talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.sebiology.org/meetings/Past_Meetings/Manchester/Manchester.html |