Rothamsted

Rothamsted Discover the science of feeding the world! at a molecular level) as well as from their interactions with the environment (e.g. with air, soil, water etc.).

Established in 1843, our mission is to deliver the knowledge and new practices to increase crop productivity and quality and to develop environmentally sustainable solutions for food and bioenergy production. This is delivered through a comprehensive scientific strategy that uses a dynamic and integrated approach to crop science, allowing us to study plants from within (e.g. This strategy is deliv

ered through four interdependent programmes:
• 20:20 Wheat: Increasing wheat productivity to yield 20 tonnes per hectare in 20 years TM Designing seeds
• Designing Seeds: Harnessing our expertise in seed biology and biochemistry to deliver improved health and nutrition through seeds Delivering sustainable systems
• Cropping Carbon: Designing, modelling and assessing sustainable agricultural systems that increase productivity while minimising environmental impact
• Sustainable Systems: Optimising carbon capture by grasslands and perennial energy crops, such as Willow, to help underpin the UK's transition to a low carbon economy

These programmes are underpinned by four national capabilities:
• North Wyke (Devon) Farm Platform: a 250ha experimental farming system where inputs and outputs can be accurately measured in situ.
• The long-term experiments, sample archive and eRA database: running since the mid-19th century and provide a unique experimental system and archive.
• The Insect Survey: operates two national networks for monitoring insect populations in the UK.
• PHI-base: is a database of multiple pathogen-host interactions maintained at Rothamsted Research with considerable input from the international community. Rothamsted Research is truly unique, offering:
• 170 years’ experience of delivering agricultural science and innovation.
• extensive international and multi-sector collaborative networks developed over many years.
• a truly multi-disciplinary workforce, bringing together knowledge from many different fields.
• the ability to combine detailed laboratory studies (using state-of-the-art scientific equipment) with extensive fieldwork (over 700 ha of experimental land) all within a single facility.

Tomorrow at 5pm, the power of millet will be the topic of the next Café Scientifique! Completely free to attend and open...
16/11/2024

Tomorrow at 5pm, the power of millet will be the topic of the next Café Scientifique! Completely free to attend and open to everyone, join us at the Harpenden Arms pub to learn a little science👩‍🔬

1 WEEK TO GO until the next Café Scientifique! Join Dr Swati Puranik to learn more about the power of millet...Everyone ...
10/11/2024

1 WEEK TO GO until the next Café Scientifique! Join Dr Swati Puranik to learn more about the power of millet...Everyone is welcome 🤗

Our labs have changed a little in 170 years but our purpose remains the same: empowering society with the best scienti...
07/11/2024

Our labs have changed a little in 170 years but our purpose remains the same: empowering society with the best scientific knowledge to produce sufficient nutritious food, whilst caring for the environment.

Perfect for professionals, farmers and researchers in agriculture - join us for an insightful event where experts will d...
30/10/2024

Perfect for professionals, farmers and researchers in agriculture - join us for an insightful event where experts will discuss innovative strategies to protect crops from diseases, pests, and weeds. This will be an exciting blend of learning and networking with research experts and agri-tech start-ups and businesses. Plus, eligible participants can get 3 Basis/ NRoSO CPD points for attending the event.

Book your free place here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/rothamstedresearch/1432065

Agri-TechE

Not just for birds...the power of millet will be the topic of the next Café Scientifique! Please note this will take pla...
29/10/2024

Not just for birds...the power of millet will be the topic of the next Café Scientifique! Please note this will take place on Sunday 17th November, 5pm at the arms Arms. Everyone is welcome 🤗

28/10/2024

Swarming midges are attracted towards the centre of the group and repelled by one another in almost equal measure, according to a new study.

This pattern of behaviour maximises breeding success by attracting mates. Even when a female enters the swarm, and is pursued by a male, the swarm keeps its shape. Individuals may be drawn towards her, but this force of attraction is weaker than the negative "impulse" for the males to stay away from each other.

Read more: https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/midges-keep-their-distance

🚜Farmers and farm advisers - join us for a Soil Carbon Workshop on February 12th at our Harpenden site: https://www.tick...
28/10/2024

🚜Farmers and farm advisers - join us for a Soil Carbon Workshop on February 12th at our Harpenden site: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/rothamstedresearch/1376923

Our researchers will help to answer questions like:
🤔How do regenerative practices, such as reduced tillage, cover crops, compost management, or different fertiliser types change your soil?
🤔How can you manage it?
🤔Can these practices revitalise your soil from decades or centuries of compaction and synthetic fertiliser use?
🤔How long will recovery take?

Ever wondered why weeds always seem to win? Curious about how they outsmart our weed control methods and easily overcome...
23/10/2024

Ever wondered why weeds always seem to win? Curious about how they outsmart our weed control methods and easily overcome environmental challenges? Join Dana for this lunchtime talk at Farm ED.

Get your ticket now (includes a delicious lunch): https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/event-details.asp?calid=62

📣The next Global Sustainable Phosphorus Summit will be held in Ghana, Africa - the continent where the majority of the w...
22/10/2024

📣The next Global Sustainable Phosphorus Summit will be held in Ghana, Africa - the continent where the majority of the world’s rock phosphate is found.

will focus attention on priority actions for achieving sustainable phosphorus management in Africa and globally. The summit will enable communities and sectors to work together fostering new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and, capacity-development.

📅30th September-3rd October
📝Registration opens soon here: https://www.upcyclelakes.org/sps8africa

Lancaster University UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Look at the size of the old Rothamsted wormery! These mighty creatures break down organic matter using their gizzard and...
21/10/2024

Look at the size of the old Rothamsted wormery! These mighty creatures break down organic matter using their gizzard and turn it into castings (💩), which contribute to soil structure and nutrients.

The burrows they create help oxygen, water, and nutrients move through the soil - no wonder Darwin referred to them as "nature's ploughs"!

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West Common
Harpenden
AL52JQ

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Videos

Our sediment sleuths are digging up the past to help make farming more resilient in the future, here's how 👇📽️ Using soil cores, field trials, and computer modelling, Resilient Farming Futures aims to understand the resilience of agriculture production to future ecosystem stresses. Find out more here: https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/project/resilient-farming-futures #agriculture #soil

Swarming midges are attracted towards the centre of the group and repelled by one another in almost equal measure, according to a new study. This pattern of behaviour maximises breeding success by attracting mates. Even when a female enters the swarm, and is pursued by a male, the swarm keeps its shape. Individuals may be drawn towards her, but this force of attraction is weaker than the negative "impulse" for the males to stay away from each other. Read more: https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/midges-keep-their-distance #entomology #insects #physics

It's #NationalPastaDay 🍝Why is '00' Grade flour so good for making pasta? Why does dough need to rest? There are no fu-silli questions when it comes to the science of pasta! #pasta #wheat

To celebrate #UKFungusDay, why not see what spores are in the air around you? Here's how to set up a simple spore trap... UK Fungus Day - The flagship outreach of the British Mycological Society

There's something in the air...and our scientists are investigating every spore 🔍 Using spore-trapping devices, we hope to inform farmers about what's in their fields so they can make informed decisions when harvesting crops and using fungicides.

What could the future of pest management look like? Instead of shooting insecticides all over the field, Sam Cook suggests lasers instead… Machine learning could help identify pests and their natural enemies in the field, reducing the use of insecticides. Find out more 📽️ #IPM #agriculture #farming

In celebration of the 9th Resistance Conference at Rothamsted this week, we’re taking a look at the agricultural science of the past, present, and future tackling pesticide use. Did you know that the insecticides you might find in your mosquito repellent and flea treatments were discovered here at Rothamsted? Andrew Farnham explains his role in the development of synthetic pyrethroids… #Resistance2024 #pesticides #agriculture #farming

How are scientists creating a MAGIC oilseed rape population? It doesn’t involve a wand and a top hat… Dr Mollie Langdon explains 📽️ Scientists at Rothamsted Research and the John Innes Centre are breeding thousands of OSR plants to better understand their genetics – that’s MAGIC (Multi-Parent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross). This research will be used to build a community resource of genetic traits which will help inform farmers to grow OSR more sustainably. #OSR #agriculture #farming #agronomy #genomics

This #WorldOceanDay, help scientists protect our oceans by completing the short survey on king prawns below🦐👇 https://sites.exeter.ac.uk/kingprawn/2024/05/31/survey-of-king-prawn-consumption-in-the-uk/ The UK Sustainable King Prawn Project is exploring the potential to create a new, environment-friendly, food production sector for warm water king prawn (penaeus vannamei) in the UK. #fishing #sustainability University of Exeter University of Reading

Happening this Saturday at Rothamsted Manor - get your FREE ticket before it's too late! Stroll with our scientists and learn how to spot the signs of tree disease and what's growing on the world's oldest experiment... https://www.tickettailor.com/events/rothamstedresearch2/1215011 #StAlbans #Harpenden #hertfordshire @PlantDay18May #PlantDay

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Our Story

We are world-leading, non-profit research centre that focuses on agricultural science to benefit the environment, farmers and society worldwide. Our work addresses food security, malnutrition, poverty, climate change and the environment. Our people are experts in their field and come from all areas of the globe.

We are home to three unique National Capabilities that are open to researchers from all over the world; The Long Term Experiments, Rothamsted Insect Survey, North Wyke Farm Platform for grazing-livestock systems research.

Rothamsted Research is the oldest continually operating agricultural research station in the world. Its foundation dates from 1843 when John Bennet Lawes the owner of the Rothamsted estate appointed Joseph Henry Gilbert, a chemist as his scientific collaborator.