My job has three parts: 1) Research in biodiversity and agricultural genetics; 2) Critical evaluation of other research through journals and reviews; and, perhaps most imprtantly, 3) Telling people about the value, interest and importance of the natural and agricultural environment. I was delighted to visit Dinghu, the first Chinese National Nature Reserve, founded in…
Tag: agriculture
Messages for COP29 : UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC-COP29
The annual conference for the UN treaty took place in the middle two weeks of November. The first week largely involves formal work and statement by Government ministers and Presidents, while the second week gave many opportunities for contribution to panels and documents. COP29 of UNFCCC is arguably the highest profile event with impact on…
Food from Grass: Genetics and Digital Twins to optimize ruminant agricultural sustainability
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, generated by ruminants (cows, sheep, goats) in their rumen. The genetics of the animal, the feed and the microbiome all affect the production of methane, and digital twins are being developed to optimize productivity and reduce methane emissions from animals.
Launching a new journal: Biological Diversity
Biological Diversity is a new, open access, not-for-profit journal specializing in research that explores biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of resources. It integrates botanical, zoological, microbiological, taxonomic, phylogenetic, genomic, ecological, climatological, economic, and sociological disciplines. Wiley is the publisher.
Allowing pseudoscience into EU risk assessment processes is eroding public trust in science experts and in science as a whole- The bigger picture
329. Dietrich DR, Dekant W, Greim H, Heslop-Harrison P, Berry C, Boobis A, Hengstler JG, Sharpe R. 2016. Editorial: Allowing pseudoscience into EU risk assessment processes is eroding public trust in science experts and in science as a whole: The bigger picture. Chemico-Biological Interactions 257: 1-3. 21 July 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2016.07.023 ($$££€€). Author version pasted below. See also https://molcyt.org/2016/07/25/eu-safety-regulations-dont-mar-legislation-with-pseudoscience/ for associated correspondence in…
Agriculture and Climate Change in Southeast Asia and the Middle East: Breeding, Climate Change Adaptation, Agronomy, and Water Security
313. Noorka IR, Heslop-Harrison JS 2014. Agriculture and Climate Change in Southeast Asia and the Middle East: Breeding, Climate Change Adaptation, Agronomy, and Water Security. In: Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, Ed Leal Filho W. 1-8. Springer Berlin Heidelberg http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40455-9_74-1 Link to NoorkaHeslopHarrisonBreedingClimateChangeAuthorVersion with colour figures. Link to typeset first page of publication. The agriculture of Southeast Asia and the Middle East…
Plant Virus Evolution and Pararetroviruses in Petunia
TS. Hohn T, Richert-Pöggeler KR, Staginnus C, Harper G, Schwarzacher T, Teo CH, Teycheney P-Y, Iskra-Caruana M-L, Hull R. 2008. Evolution of Integrated Plant Viruses. Chapter 4 pp 53-81. In: Plant Virus Evolution Ed Roossinck MJ. Springer: Berlin Link to Publisher homepage about the book with links to downloadable copies of the whole book or the chapter….
Descriptors for Crocus (Crocus spp.)
312. Molina RV, Guardiola JL, García-Luis D, Renau-Morata B, Sanchis E, González-Nebauer S, de los Mozos M, Rodríguez-Conde MF, Santana O, Pastor-Férriz MT, Fernández JA, Santaella M, Roldán M, Tsimidou M, Polissiou M, Heslop-Harrison JS, Branca F, Mathew B. 2015. Descriptors for Crocus (Crocus spp.). 74pp. Bioversity International, Rome. ISBN-13: 978-92-9043-999-8 Full document: http://www.bioversityinternational.org/uploads/tx_news/Descriptors_for_Crocus_1872_01.pdf Abstract…
Chromosomal evolution in Brachiaria forage grasses with Fabiola Carvalho Santos
Fabiola Santos from University of Londrina, Brazil, is working on the Chromosomal evolution and the organization of repetitive DNA sequences in diploid and polyploid Brachiaria forage grasses in the molecular cytogenetics group in Leicester. Brachiaria is most important cultivated forage grass genus in Brazil (with billion-dollar production), and the genus includes diploid and polyploid species with similar…
Water stress and spring wheat – genetics and Pakistan
TS. Noorka IR, Schwarzacher T. 2013. Water a response factor to screen suitable genotypes to fight and traverse periodic onslaughts of water scarcity in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). International Journal of Water Resources and Arid Environments 3(1): 37-44. ISSN 2079-7079 Pakistan lies in a semi arid to arid region with neither sufficient nor reliable rainfall….
Dr Ijaz Rasool Noorka – Collaborator from University of Sargodha, Pakistan and Visiting Research Fellow
Dr Ijaz Rasool Noorka has broad interests in the development of productive and sustainable agriculture for Pakistan and developing countries. His interests complement those of the Molecular Cytogenetics Group, and have enabled us to extend our consideration of the outcomes and impact of our work on exploitation of biodiversity by chromosome engineering. Ijaz has been…
Molecular cytogenetics, genome evolution and agricultural genomics 