The Combinable and Energy Crops Sub-committee seeks to represent many facets of the cereal and oilseed rape industry in Scotland. Its members include growers, advisers, agronomists and representatives of the malting and distilling industries.
This enables effective dialogue with members of scientific staff at The James Hutton Institute, who are kept informed of the commercial, political and environmental challenges facing cereal growers and thus have a focus for their research. The need to ensure end-user relevance, reflected in the changing emphasis of government funding for research and the desire to improve knowledge transfer will give the committee a significant voice in discussions with the Scottish Government, HGCA and other relevant funding bodies. The committee, itself, provides moderate levels of funding to initiate research in areas of interest to the Scottish industry. This can lead to scientific publication as well as the development of larger research projects appropriate for higher level funding.
Reports
Reports from events organised by the sub-committee and projects receiving SSCR funding can be provided on request.
Meetings and Events
The sub-committee has met on an annual basis in recent years, where discussion has largely focused on the progress of projects funded by SSCR. These have included the causes of groat discolouration in oats and the characteristics of barley grain that may increase the likelihood of splitting. Most recently, the use of wheat variety mixtures for grain distilling was explored, with the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, which is represented on the sub-committee, kindly donating a significant number of analyses.
An annual field event, Cereals in Practice, has been staged since 2005 to showcase cereal research at The James Hutton Institute. Discussions with other relevant organisations to increase the scope and appeal of the event will be undertaken.
- PDF file: Cereals in Practice 2016 brochure
- PDF file: Cereals in Practice 2015 brochure
- PDF file: Cereals Winter Meeting 2015 programme
- PDF file of presentation: Tom Sewell, Nuffield Scholar and Minimum Tillage Farmer
- PDF file of presentation: Mark Ballingall, SRUC
- PDF file of presentation: Tim George, James Hutton Institute
- PDF file of presentation: Colin McGregor, McGregor's Farms
- PDF file of presentation: Blair McKenzie, James Hutton Institute
Contact details
The sub-committee is currently chaired by Dr Keith Dawson and the secretary is Dr Joanne Russell, a research scientist at The James Hutton Institute.
Chairman
Keith Dawson
Tel: 07795 645112
Email: drkpdawson@aol.com
Secretary
Joanne Russell
Cell and Molecular Sciences
The James Hutton Institute
Invergowrie
Dundee
DD2 5DA
Tel: 01382 562731
Email: joanne.russell@hutton.ac.uk
