Retaining the Ashes: The potential for ash populations to be restored following the dieback epidemic
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: Crop Genetics
Abstract
Ash dieback has been a destructive disease of European ash since 1992 and was first seen in the UK in 2012. The fungus which causes this disease is native to East Asia and is thought to have arrived in north-east Europe during the 1980s. The dieback epidemic has serious implications for the UK given the ecological role of ash as a keystone species in nature, its economic value as timber, its amenity value in cities and parks, and its service value in landscaping and ecosystem functions, notably reduction of flooding by reducing water run-off from fields and consolidating river and canal banks. While most trees in heavily affected areas are severely damaged, a small minority are clearly less susceptible, raising a significant hope that this genetic variation might lead to the long-term recovery of ash in the UK and Europe generally.
This project aims to understand why this variation in dieback-resistance has evolved in European ash. This tree species is highly variable and the population in the UK has diverged substantially from that in continental Europe. Our hypothesis is that certain chemicals (secondary metabolites) confer resistance to damage by certain insects but increase the susceptibility of ash to dieback. As a resource for this project and for future research, we have collected 328 diverse ash genotypes from the UK, including numerous lines which have had low susceptibility to dieback even under intense disease pressure. This collection, known as JENNIFER, will be used to research the relationship between multiple traits to understand the ecological context of ash dieback.
Ash trees with low susceptibility to dieback may either have partial resistance to dieback, so their leaves are less easily infected by the fungus, or have a form of growth and development which leads to lower exposure to spores of the fungus, thus promoting disease escape. Objective 1 of the project is to characterise the diversity of low susceptibility to dieback in UK ash. We will measure disease severity in replicated field trials exposed to natural infection, investigate components of resistance, estimate contributions of resistance and escape to low susceptibility, and test if genetic resistance to dieback in UK trees has diverged from that studied previously in Denmark. Small-scale methods of studying infection by the dieback fungus, developed by the project partners, greatly increase the capacity to study variation in resistance.
In earlier research, low levels of iridoid glycosides, a class of secondary metabolite, were found to be associated with resistance to dieback but ash also contains many other secondary metabolites. Objective 2 is to test the hypothesis that diverse secondary metabolites in ash are associated with variation in dieback-resistance. We will use untargeted metabolite profiling to identify chemical features which most strongly discriminate infected and uninfected leaves of resistant and susceptible clones, combine metabolite and transcriptome analysis to determine the genetic basis of changes in secondary metabolites in response to infection, characterise temporal variation in levels of discriminant molecular features, and relate them to resistance in the JENNIFER panel.
Objective 3 is to test the hypothesis that secondary metabolites control contrasting responses of ash to dieback and to diverse herbivorous insects. This will be done by testing if variation in dieback-resistance and levels of key metabolites are associated with variation in insect feeding, growth and reproduction, and by assessing the susceptibility of the JENNIFER ash clones to attack by invertebrates in natural conditions.
This project aims to understand why this variation in dieback-resistance has evolved in European ash. This tree species is highly variable and the population in the UK has diverged substantially from that in continental Europe. Our hypothesis is that certain chemicals (secondary metabolites) confer resistance to damage by certain insects but increase the susceptibility of ash to dieback. As a resource for this project and for future research, we have collected 328 diverse ash genotypes from the UK, including numerous lines which have had low susceptibility to dieback even under intense disease pressure. This collection, known as JENNIFER, will be used to research the relationship between multiple traits to understand the ecological context of ash dieback.
Ash trees with low susceptibility to dieback may either have partial resistance to dieback, so their leaves are less easily infected by the fungus, or have a form of growth and development which leads to lower exposure to spores of the fungus, thus promoting disease escape. Objective 1 of the project is to characterise the diversity of low susceptibility to dieback in UK ash. We will measure disease severity in replicated field trials exposed to natural infection, investigate components of resistance, estimate contributions of resistance and escape to low susceptibility, and test if genetic resistance to dieback in UK trees has diverged from that studied previously in Denmark. Small-scale methods of studying infection by the dieback fungus, developed by the project partners, greatly increase the capacity to study variation in resistance.
In earlier research, low levels of iridoid glycosides, a class of secondary metabolite, were found to be associated with resistance to dieback but ash also contains many other secondary metabolites. Objective 2 is to test the hypothesis that diverse secondary metabolites in ash are associated with variation in dieback-resistance. We will use untargeted metabolite profiling to identify chemical features which most strongly discriminate infected and uninfected leaves of resistant and susceptible clones, combine metabolite and transcriptome analysis to determine the genetic basis of changes in secondary metabolites in response to infection, characterise temporal variation in levels of discriminant molecular features, and relate them to resistance in the JENNIFER panel.
Objective 3 is to test the hypothesis that secondary metabolites control contrasting responses of ash to dieback and to diverse herbivorous insects. This will be done by testing if variation in dieback-resistance and levels of key metabolites are associated with variation in insect feeding, growth and reproduction, and by assessing the susceptibility of the JENNIFER ash clones to attack by invertebrates in natural conditions.
Technical Summary
Ash dieback, caused by the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (Hf), has been a destructive disease of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) since 1992 and was first seen in the UK in 2012. While most trees are very susceptible to this alien pathogen, a small minority are less diseased. As ash in Europe was not previously exposed to Hf, this project aims to understand the evolutionary origin of this polymorphism in terms of the forces of natural selection which act on dieback-susceptibility.
We have assembled 328 diverse ash lines from the UK, including many which have low dieback-susceptibility even at heavily affected sites. In Objective 1, we will estimate the contributions of resistance and disease escape to low susceptibility in this collection in replicated field trials exposed to natural infection. We will use controlled inoculation in lab and greenhouse experiments to investigate components of resistance and assess the divergence of resistance in the UK from that in continental Europe.
In a limited sample of trees from Denmark, dieback-susceptibility was correlated with levels of iridoid glycosides in uninfected leaves. In Objective 2, we will combine untargeted metabolite analysis by LC-QToF-MS with transcriptome analysis to survey a very wide range of secondary metabolites (SM), both constitutive and induced on infection, and identify SM and biosynthetic pathways that discriminate responses of resistant and susceptible ash to Hf. We will then test the association between SM and responses to Hf across our panel of ash lines.
Diverse SM, including iridoid glycosides, reduce attack by invertebrate herbivores by acting as repellants, anti-feedants or toxins. In Objective 3, we will test the hypothesis that certain SM mediate a trade-off between responses of ash to dieback and to certain insects, by testing if dieback-resistance and levels of key SM in ash clones are correlated, positively or negatively, with insect feeding, growth and reproduction.
We have assembled 328 diverse ash lines from the UK, including many which have low dieback-susceptibility even at heavily affected sites. In Objective 1, we will estimate the contributions of resistance and disease escape to low susceptibility in this collection in replicated field trials exposed to natural infection. We will use controlled inoculation in lab and greenhouse experiments to investigate components of resistance and assess the divergence of resistance in the UK from that in continental Europe.
In a limited sample of trees from Denmark, dieback-susceptibility was correlated with levels of iridoid glycosides in uninfected leaves. In Objective 2, we will combine untargeted metabolite analysis by LC-QToF-MS with transcriptome analysis to survey a very wide range of secondary metabolites (SM), both constitutive and induced on infection, and identify SM and biosynthetic pathways that discriminate responses of resistant and susceptible ash to Hf. We will then test the association between SM and responses to Hf across our panel of ash lines.
Diverse SM, including iridoid glycosides, reduce attack by invertebrate herbivores by acting as repellants, anti-feedants or toxins. In Objective 3, we will test the hypothesis that certain SM mediate a trade-off between responses of ash to dieback and to certain insects, by testing if dieback-resistance and levels of key SM in ash clones are correlated, positively or negatively, with insect feeding, growth and reproduction.
Planned Impact
Ash dieback has caused severe damage to European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) since it was first observed in north-eastern Europe in 1992. It was first seen in the UK in 2012 but may have been present here since c.2000. Although the fungus kills juvenile shoots quickly, disease progress in mature trees is slow but relentless, causing death in 5-10 years. In the most severely affected counties of the UK, almost all trees are infected and some ashwoods have been devastated. It is striking, however, that a minority of ash trees are much less diseased than others of the same size and age nearby.
Ash is a keystone species in the natural environment which supports diverse wildlife, a source of high-quality timber for furniture, tools and sporting goods and an important tree for landscaping and shade in urban and rural settings including residential areas, car parks and industrial estates. Perhaps the most significant benefit of ash is for ecosystem services, including such as flood prevention by preventing run-off of rainwater from fields, soil erosion and collapse of river and canal banks.
We have assembled a panel of 328 ash genotypes, known as JENNIFER, for use in this project and as a resource for future research. An important impact of this project is that JENNIFER contains a substantial number of lines with strong partial resistance to dieback. Seed from trees such as these has the potential to re-establish ash for all the purposes mentioned above, although further selection will be needed to identify plants with good form for timber production. A previous project discovered genetic markers for resistance among trees from Denmark but they have limited power to predict resistance in ash from the UK. Moreover, reliance on a few markers should be avoided in plant breeding, to minimise the risk of pleiotropy or linkage drag with undesirable traits. Further understanding of the pathology, diversity and ecology of ash dieback in the UK is therefore required.
In a small sample of the Danish study population, certain secondary metabolites (SM), assigned as iridoid glycosides (IG), were associated with susceptibility to dieback. IG are well-known as compounds which deter insect herbivory in diverse plants but it is not yet known why low IG levels are associated with resistance to dieback. It is thus possible that if selection for dieback-resistance were to reduce levels of IG, susceptibility to herbivores such as insects could be enhanced, so replacing one destructive agent by another and thwarting attempts to restore ash populations. An insect of special concern is another invasive alien species, the emerald ash borer, which has been extremely destructive in the USA, Canada and Russia. Fraxinus species contain many diverse SM, however, so it may be possible to select for (or against) different metabolites which confer resistance (or susceptibility) to dieback and to herbivores, or even for metabolites which have positive effects on both types of bio-antagonist. Exciting advances in technology for identifying low levels of metabolites mean it will soon be possible to select F.excelsior breeding stock with a high probability of good resistance to dieback and to herbivores, based on sensing of multiple odours.
The project will also contribute essential information for informed selection and replanting of ash with lower susceptibility to dieback, for the benefit of public bodies, charities and forestry companies concerned with tree-planting. It will reveal the diversity of dieback-resistance in ash from the UK and indicate the risk of trade-offs between dieback-resistance and deterrence of herbivores mediated by secondary metabolites. In particular, it will help greatly to predict the likely damage by emerald ash borer, should that highly destructive beetle ever become established in the UK. It will also identify traits which can be selected in order to promote disease escape.
Ash is a keystone species in the natural environment which supports diverse wildlife, a source of high-quality timber for furniture, tools and sporting goods and an important tree for landscaping and shade in urban and rural settings including residential areas, car parks and industrial estates. Perhaps the most significant benefit of ash is for ecosystem services, including such as flood prevention by preventing run-off of rainwater from fields, soil erosion and collapse of river and canal banks.
We have assembled a panel of 328 ash genotypes, known as JENNIFER, for use in this project and as a resource for future research. An important impact of this project is that JENNIFER contains a substantial number of lines with strong partial resistance to dieback. Seed from trees such as these has the potential to re-establish ash for all the purposes mentioned above, although further selection will be needed to identify plants with good form for timber production. A previous project discovered genetic markers for resistance among trees from Denmark but they have limited power to predict resistance in ash from the UK. Moreover, reliance on a few markers should be avoided in plant breeding, to minimise the risk of pleiotropy or linkage drag with undesirable traits. Further understanding of the pathology, diversity and ecology of ash dieback in the UK is therefore required.
In a small sample of the Danish study population, certain secondary metabolites (SM), assigned as iridoid glycosides (IG), were associated with susceptibility to dieback. IG are well-known as compounds which deter insect herbivory in diverse plants but it is not yet known why low IG levels are associated with resistance to dieback. It is thus possible that if selection for dieback-resistance were to reduce levels of IG, susceptibility to herbivores such as insects could be enhanced, so replacing one destructive agent by another and thwarting attempts to restore ash populations. An insect of special concern is another invasive alien species, the emerald ash borer, which has been extremely destructive in the USA, Canada and Russia. Fraxinus species contain many diverse SM, however, so it may be possible to select for (or against) different metabolites which confer resistance (or susceptibility) to dieback and to herbivores, or even for metabolites which have positive effects on both types of bio-antagonist. Exciting advances in technology for identifying low levels of metabolites mean it will soon be possible to select F.excelsior breeding stock with a high probability of good resistance to dieback and to herbivores, based on sensing of multiple odours.
The project will also contribute essential information for informed selection and replanting of ash with lower susceptibility to dieback, for the benefit of public bodies, charities and forestry companies concerned with tree-planting. It will reveal the diversity of dieback-resistance in ash from the UK and indicate the risk of trade-offs between dieback-resistance and deterrence of herbivores mediated by secondary metabolites. In particular, it will help greatly to predict the likely damage by emerald ash borer, should that highly destructive beetle ever become established in the UK. It will also identify traits which can be selected in order to promote disease escape.
People |
ORCID iD |
James Brown (Principal Investigator) | |
Sarah O'Connor (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Brown JKM
(2021)
Ashes from ashes
in Quarterly Journal of Forestry
Showalter D
(2019)
Resistance of European ash ( Fraxinus excelsior ) saplings to larval feeding by the emerald ash borer ( Agrilus planipennis )
in PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET
Description | We showed that European ash, Fraxinus excelsior, is moderately resistant to emerald ash borer. |
Exploitation Route | The results of the research imply that if F.excelsior is not damaged, for example by ash dieback, it is unlikely to be attacked severely by emerald ash borer. While the epidemic of ash dieback is still in its early phase with many trees in the east of the UK being damaged but not yet killed, it is important to keep emerald ash borer out of the UK. This will allow time for seeds from healthy mother trees to germinate and establish. The policy implication is that firewood of ash as well as pallets and other unseasoned wood from countries where emerald ash borer occurs or from neighbouring countries, must be completely excluded from the UK. In the meantime, it is essential to promote the selection and dispersal of ash with increased resistance to ash dieback in order to minimise the likely damage that will occur if and when emerald ash borer arrives in the UK. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Energy Environment Retail Transport |
URL | https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10077 |
Description | Contribution to developing DEFRA policy for management of ash in the UK. Contribution to policy on imports of firewood and unseasoned timber of ash into the UK. Validation of accelerating natural selection as a viable strategy for revival of the UK's ash population. Establishment of a seed nursery to produce ash seed with enhanced frequencies of disease-resistance genes. |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy,Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Retail,Transport |
Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | Genetic Diversity for Resistance to Dutch Elm Disease in Field Elm from England |
Amount | £242,793 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2026 |
Description | Recovery of Ashwoods from Ash Dieback |
Amount | £248,802 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2026 |
Description | Wych Elm Seed Sourcing |
Amount | £113,732 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2025 |
Title | DIVA collection of ash seed |
Description | Collection of seed from 20 female ash trees in Norfolk with few symptoms of ash dieback. November 2018. DIVA = Diversity in Ash. Trees are named after female singers. A portion of seed has been deposited at RBG Kew's long-term storage facility at Wakehurst Place and the remainder has been kept at JIC. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Germination of seed for planting at a site in Norfolk. |
Description | Collaboration on emerald ash borer |
Organisation | East Malling Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Identification of suitable Fraxinus excelsior accessions from the JENNIFER collection for emerald ash borer trials. Data analysis. Leading the publication. |
Collaborator Contribution | RBG Kew: Formation of collaboration and planning experiments. EMR: Provision of plant material for EAB experiments. OSU: Conduct of experiments and data analysis. |
Impact | A paper has been published on response of UK Fraxinus excelsior to emerald ash borer in controlled trials. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Collaboration on emerald ash borer |
Organisation | Ohio State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Identification of suitable Fraxinus excelsior accessions from the JENNIFER collection for emerald ash borer trials. Data analysis. Leading the publication. |
Collaborator Contribution | RBG Kew: Formation of collaboration and planning experiments. EMR: Provision of plant material for EAB experiments. OSU: Conduct of experiments and data analysis. |
Impact | A paper has been published on response of UK Fraxinus excelsior to emerald ash borer in controlled trials. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Collaboration on emerald ash borer |
Organisation | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Identification of suitable Fraxinus excelsior accessions from the JENNIFER collection for emerald ash borer trials. Data analysis. Leading the publication. |
Collaborator Contribution | RBG Kew: Formation of collaboration and planning experiments. EMR: Provision of plant material for EAB experiments. OSU: Conduct of experiments and data analysis. |
Impact | A paper has been published on response of UK Fraxinus excelsior to emerald ash borer in controlled trials. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Potential for recovery of ashwoods following the ash dieback epidemic |
Organisation | Natural England |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Genetic analysis of ash dieback resistance |
Collaborator Contribution | Ecology of ashwoods |
Impact | Future-Proofing Plant Health grant awarded by DEFRA |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Potential for recovery of ashwoods following the ash dieback epidemic |
Organisation | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Genetic analysis of ash dieback resistance |
Collaborator Contribution | Ecology of ashwoods |
Impact | Future-Proofing Plant Health grant awarded by DEFRA |
Start Year | 2023 |
Title | Ash seed orchard |
Description | We have planted the first part of a seed orchard of ash trees which are likely to have resistance to ash dieback. A minority of these 471 trees were propagated as grafts while the majority have been transplanted from heavily diseased areas where they displayed much lower than average ash dieback symptoms. (Transplanting was done with the permission of the landowner, of course.) The second half of the nursery, largely consisting of seedlings grown from resistant mother trees, will mostly be planted in winter 2024/25 with a small proportion remaining to be planted in winter 2025/26. The nursery forms part of the Wendling Beck Environment Project near Dereham, Norfolk, a pioneering habitat creation, nature restoration and regenerative farming project. |
Type Of Technology | Physical Model/Kit |
Year Produced | 2024 |
Impact | The seed orchard will be rogued annually for the next 8-10 years so that the remaining trees are selected for high resistance to ash dieback. These trees will then interbreed, producing large quantities of seed with high frequencies of ash dieback resistance genes for distribution to the public sector, community groups and the commercial forestry sector. Payment for seed by commercial producers will help to recoup the costs of planting the nursery. |
Description | DEFRA Ash Research Workshop, 14/9/2022 |
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 | Presentation and discussion about breeding as a means of promoting recovery from ash dieback. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Defra Ash Research Strategy |
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 | Workshop on Defra Ash Research Strategy to develop policy on management of Chalara ash dieback in the UK. James Brown (JIC) gave a talk on prospects for evolution of resistance of ash to dieback by natural selection, and on possible trade-offs between resistance to dieback and responses to invertebrates. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Discussions with DEFRA about ash research requirements |
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 | Discussion with DEFRA officials about the impact of current research on ash dieback, notably research at JIC, for policy on control of ash dieback and for international trade in live plants, timber and firewood. These conclusions of the discussion fed into a strategy meeting held in January 2019 and will thus feed into a strategy document being written by DEFRA. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Dublin ash meeting |
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 | Dr Elizabeth Orton participated in a meeting on control of diseases and pests of ash, Dublin June 2022. As a result, she has been invited to lead a bid for establishing a network of researchers across Europe investigating pests and diseases of European ash, and has written a proposal to EUPHRESCO with DEFRA support. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Forest Pathology Workshop 2019 |
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 | Workshop on Forest Pathology, held at Bodmin and Bodelva, Cornwall and Powderham Castle, Devon. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | ICF Open Day at Holkham Estate |
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 | Participation in Institute of Chartered Foresters Open Day at Holkham Hall. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Meeting about Dutch elm disease |
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 | Meeting about recovery from Dutch elm disease, organised by South Downs National Park Authority. I presented on the potential for plant breeding to promote recovery from Dutch elm disease. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Norfolk Mardlers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Dr Elizabeth Orton spoke to Norfolk Mardlers, giving a presentation to farmers and estate managers about JIC ash and elm seed orchard. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Open day for ICF at JIC |
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 | Presentation during Open Day for members of Institute of Chartered Foresters at JIC. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Planning talk to general public on tree diseases to be given in October 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I held a meeting with staff of Norfolk County Council and Norfolk Museums Service to make plans for a knowledge exchange event on ash dieback and other tree diseaes, for the interested general public. This will be held as part of the Museums Service schedule of public events. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Presentation to Norfolk CC, DEFRA, farmers & others |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Talk about ash dieback and recovery from it to a tour party at Gorgate Farm, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk), organised by Norfolk County Council and including staff of other county councils (e.g. Cornwall, Kent), DEFRA, Norfolk farmers, environmental charities, etc. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Public involvement in collection of ash accessions |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Collection of seed from 20 ash trees in Norfolk which show clear indications of having resistance to Chalara ash dieback. The collection was made with input from farmers, charitable organisations and members of the general public. A portion of the seed has been deposited at RBG Kew's Millennium Seed Bank. The remainder will be used in research on genetics of ash dieback and in restoration projects (plans are in progress). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Retaining the Ashes, emerald ash borer: Farming Today |
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 | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Prof James Brown was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Farming Today programme about his work on emerald ash borer (Showalter et al. 2019, Plants People Planet). This was followed up by radio programmes on BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Radio Shropshire (2 programmes) and BBC Radio Norfolk; in online news by Yahoo! News UK & Ireland, PHYS.ORG, LongRoom.com, ScienceDaily, LongRoom.com, Tech A Peek and LiveNews.co.nz (New Zealand); and in printed and online newspapers: The Daily Telegraph, The Herald (Glasgow), East Anglian Daily Times, Eastern Daily Press, Barking Today, MailOnline, and Ipswich Star. The total audience for the radio outlets was 12,085,000 and the total circulation of the printed publications was 375,914. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/advances/rising-from-the-ashes/ |
Description | Retaining the Ashes: TV programme on BBC Look East |
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 | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Prof James Brown was interviewed and filmed on the BBC Look East regional news programme about his work on ash dieback and emerald ash borer (Showalter et al. 2019, Plants People Planet). Dr Emily Beardon and Miss Rachel Burns were filmed and interviewed about techniques for working with ash and ash dieback. The average viewing figure for BBC Look East is 289,000, making it the most watched BBC programme in the East Region. The film of JIC's ash work was also used in other regional news programmes; the total viewing figures for the 18.30 BBC Regional News programme (combined audience from around the regions) is 4.89m, making it is the most watched regular programme on BBC1. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpkQNxrWy6U |
Description | Rising from the Ashes: article in JIC's Advances magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Rising from the ashes - Advances article on the JIC website - 2,746 page views, with 450 likes and 89 shares on social media. This makes it the most popular of all the Advances articles that have appeared on the JIC website since we started putting them up in Summer 2017. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/advances/rising-from-the-ashes/ |
Description | Rising from the ashes JIC website article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Rising from the ashes JIC website article - 463 page views, Social Media (Twitter and Facebook 29 likes, 3 shares directly from JIC's account plus many others from personal FB and Twitter accounts). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/press-release/rising-from-the-ashes/ |
Description | Talk to Friends of Old Catton Park |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk to Friends of Old Catton Park on plant breeding as an approach to enabling recovery from ash dieback and Dutch elm disease. About 40 members of the Friends attended. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Talk to Institute of Chartered Foresters |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Members Hour: talk on recovery of UK ash from ash dieback to members of Institute of Chartered Foresters |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk to Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk to Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists Society. Attended mostly by members of NNNS, who are knowledgeable members of the general public, plus some interested scientists and a few professional foresters. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Talk to University of the Third Age, Cambridge branch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk about plant breeding as a method of enabling recovery from ash dieback and Dutch elm disease, to the University of the Third Age, Cambridge branch. About 60 U3A members attended. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk to members of Norfolk Wildlife Trust |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk to Norfolk Wildlife Trust on "Ashes from Ashes, Elms from Elms", at their Visitor Centre at Cley-next-the-Sea. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Three talks at Treescapes conference, July 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Treescapes conference, held on-line but based at the University of Birmingham. Presentation by Elizabeth Orton (JIC), co-authored by James Brown (JIC), on "Accelerating Natural Selection for Ash Dieback Resistance". Presentation by Emily Beardon (JIC) and John Sidda (University of Warwick), co-presenting, on "Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Insights into Ash Dieback Resistance". Presentation by Emily Beardon (JIC) and Matevz Papp-Rupar (NIAB East Malling Research), co-presenting, on "Is the Future of UK Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) Hanging in the Balance?" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.uktreescapes.org/ |
Description | Visit by DEFRA and Natural England to JIC |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I organised a visit to JIC by staff of DEFRA and Natural England to show them how ash is recovering in the natural environment and what constraints there are to its recovery. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Visit by Natural England to JIC |
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 | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Visit by staff of Natural England to see sites where ash is recovering from ash dieback in the natural environment. This resulted in plans for significant collaboration on research and knowledge exchange. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | iTeams project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Elizabeth Orton collaborated with UEA iTeams, a scheme to investigate commercial potential of scientific research, in a project on disseminating dieback-resistant ash seed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |