Funding boost for food security project
A University of Glasgow research project which could help crop harvests keep pace with the world's growing population has been given a funding boost. The findings of the research project, led by Professor of Plant Cell and Molecular Biology Gareth Jenkins, could lead to the creation of a new breed of oilseed rape which is less appealing to insects, reducing the chance of crops being destroyed by pest attacks. The project has received a grant of up to £470,000 from the £7m Crop Improvement Research Club, a partnership led by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Scottish Government along with a consortium of 14 leading plant breeders, farmers and food processors. The Club has also given financial backing to five other research initiatives which are aiming to help secure the world's crops. Jenkins said: 'I'm pleased to have been awarded the grant from the Crop Improvement Research Club, which will support three years of research in collaboration with the John Innes Centre in Norwich. 'The world's population is projected to reach nine billion by 2050, making it more vital than ever to investigate ways in which staple crops such as oilseed rape can be protected in order to prevent food crises in the coming decades. We're looking forward to playing our part in developing crops which can meet the requirements of future generations.' The research builds on another of Jenkins? projects which identified the protein in plants which is responsible for detecting exposure to harmful UV-B wavelengths in sunlight.
