̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia

Blue and great tits deploy surprisingly powerful memories to find food, a new study shows

ta385 — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 14:58:00 +0000

Blue and great tits recall what they have eaten in the past, where they found the food and when they found it, a new study shows. In the first experiment of its kind to involve wild animals, blue and great tits demonstrated ‘episodic-like’ memory to cope with changes in food availability when foraging. ̽��ֱ��same study may suggest that humans leaving out seeds and nuts for garden birds could be contributing to the evolution of these memory traits.

Maternal microbiome promotes healthy development of the baby

jg533 — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 08:23:10 +0000

A new study has found that a species of gut bacteria, known to have beneficial effects for health in mice and humans, changes the mother’s body during pregnancy and affects the structure of the placenta and nutrient transport - which impacts the growing baby.

̽��ֱ��bacteria, Bifidobacterium breve, is widely used as a probiotic so this study could point to ways of combating pregnancy complications and ensuring a healthy start in life across the population.

̽��ֱ��research involved scientists from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, the Quadram Institute, and the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia and is published today in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences.

Microbes in our gut, collectively called the gut microbiome, are known to play a key role in maintaining health by combating infections, and influencing our immune system and metabolism. They achieve these beneficial effects by breaking down food in our diet and releasing active metabolites that influence cells and body processes.

Little is known about how these interactions influence fetal development and the baby’s health pre-birth. To address this, Professor Lindsay Hall from the Quadram Institute and ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia, and Dr Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri and Dr Jorge Lopez-Tello from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge analysed how supplementation with Bifidobacterium bacteria affected pregnancy in mice.

Hall has been studying Bifidobacterium and the microbiome in very early life, previously showing how providing specific probiotics can help premature babies. These bacteria rise in numbers in the microbiome during pregnancy in humans and mice, and alterations in its levels have been linked to pregnancy complications.

Sferruzzi-Perri said: “Pregnancy disorders affect around one in ten pregnant women. This is worrying, as pregnancy complications can lead to health problems for the mother and her baby even after the pregnancy.”

“This study, carried out in mice, identifies the maternal microbiome as a new player in the communication between mother, placenta and fetus. Finding out how this form of communication works and how to improve it may help many women who develop pregnancy complications, as well as helping their developing child.”

‘Germ-free’ mice - lacking any microbes – can be bred to allow comparisons with other mice that have a ‘normal’ microbiome. This can provide valuable insights into the role of the microbiome in health - such studies can’t be carried out in humans.

In this study, the researchers also looked at the effect of feeding germ-free mice the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve.

In the germ-free mice, the fetus did not receive adequate sugar and failed to grow and develop properly. Excitingly, providing Bifidobacterium breve to germ-free mice improved fetal outcomes by restoring fetal metabolism, growth and development to the normal levels.

Lacking the maternal microbiome also hampered the growth of the placenta in a way that would affect fetal growth, and more detailed analysis identified a number of key cell growth and metabolic factors that appear to be regulated by the microbiome and Bifidobacterium breve.

“ ̽��ֱ��placenta has been a neglected organ, despite it being vital for the growth and survival of the fetus. A better understanding of how the placenta grows and functions will ultimately result in healthier pregnancies for mothers and babies,” said Lopez-Tello.

̽��ֱ��researchers also found that the microbiome affected key nutrient transporters, including those for sugars within the placenta that would also influence the growth of the fetus.

“Our findings reveal that the maternal microbiome promotes development of the placenta and growth of the fetus,” said Hall.

“We think that this is linked to the altered profile of metabolites and nutrients, which affects nutrient transport from mother to baby across the placenta. Excitingly it appears that adding in a probiotic Bifidobacterium during pregnancy may help to boost how the placenta functions, which has positive effects on the baby’s growth in the womb.”

These findings are strong indicators of a link between the microbiome of the mother and the development of the baby, but in this first study of its kind there are limitations.

This study focused on one single bacterial species, and whilst this showed that Bifidobacterium breve had positive effects on germ-free mice during pregnancy, this is not a natural situation. Future studies are needed to confirm these effects in a more natural and complex microbiome.

̽��ֱ��study was carried out in mice and cannot automatically be translated into treatments for humans. ̽��ֱ��knowledge provided in this proof-of-concept animal study is critical for guiding future studies in humans - to uncover whether the human maternal microbiome has similar effects. If that is the case, it could provide a relatively simple and low-cost way to help improve pregnancy outcomes with positive benefit for the life-long health of the mother and her child.

̽��ֱ��research was funded by Wellcome and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Reference

Lopez-Tello, J et al: ‘Maternal gut microbiota Bifidobacterium promotes placental morphogenesis, nutrient transport and fetal growth in mice.’ Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, June 2022. DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04379-y

Adapted from a press release by the Quadram Institute.

Researchers studying mice have found the first evidence of how a mother’s gut microbes can help in the development of the placenta, and the healthy growth of the baby.

This study, carried out in mice, identifies the maternal microbiome as a new player in the communication between mother, placenta and fetus.”

Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri

Hall Lab, Quadram Institute

Bifidobacterium breve

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Robot uses machine learning to harvest lettuce

sc604 — Sun, 07 Jul 2019 23:00:59 +0000

̽��ֱ��‘Vegebot’, developed by a team at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, was initially trained to recognise and harvest iceberg lettuce in a lab setting. It has now been successfully tested in a variety of field conditions in cooperation with G’s Growers, a local fruit and vegetable co-operative.

Although the prototype is nowhere near as fast or efficient as a human worker, it demonstrates how the use of robotics in agriculture might be expanded, even for crops like iceberg lettuce which are particularly challenging to harvest mechanically. ̽��ֱ��results are published in ̽��ֱ��Journal of Field Robotics.

Crops such as potatoes and wheat have been harvested mechanically at scale for decades, but many other crops have to date resisted automation. Iceberg lettuce is one such crop. Although it is the most common type of lettuce grown in the UK, iceberg is easily damaged and grows relatively flat to the ground, presenting a challenge for robotic harvesters.

“Every field is different, every lettuce is different,” said co-author Simon Birrell from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “But if we can make a robotic harvester work with iceberg lettuce, we could also make it work with many other crops.”

“At the moment, harvesting is the only part of the lettuce life cycle that is done manually, and it’s very physically demanding,” said co-author Julia Cai, who worked on the computer vision components of the Vegebot while she was an undergraduate student in the lab of Dr Fumiya Iida.

̽��ֱ��Vegebot first identifies the ‘target’ crop within its field of vision, then determines whether a particular lettuce is healthy and ready to be harvested, and finally cuts the lettuce from the rest of the plant without crushing it so that it is ‘supermarket ready’. “For a human, the entire process takes a couple of seconds, but it’s a really challenging problem for a robot,” said co-author Josie Hughes.

̽��ֱ��Vegebot has two main components: a computer vision system and a cutting system. ̽��ֱ��overhead camera on the Vegebot takes an image of the lettuce field and first identifies all the lettuces in the image, and then for each lettuce, classifies whether it should be harvested or not. A lettuce might be rejected because it’s not yet mature, or it might have a disease that could spread to other lettuces in the harvest.

̽��ֱ��researchers developed and trained a machine learning algorithm on example images of lettuces. Once the Vegebot could recognise healthy lettuces in the lab, it was then trained in the field, in a variety of weather conditions, on thousands of real lettuces.

A second camera on the Vegebot is positioned near the cutting blade and helps ensure a smooth cut. ̽��ֱ��researchers were also able to adjust the pressure in the robot’s gripping arm so that it held the lettuce firmly enough not to drop it, but not so firm as to crush it. ̽��ֱ��force of the grip can be adjusted for other crops.

“We wanted to develop approaches that weren’t necessarily specific to iceberg lettuce so that they can be used for other types of above-ground crops,” said Iida, who leads the team behind the research.

In future, robotic harvesters could help address problems with labour shortages in agriculture, and could also help reduce food waste. At the moment, each field is typically harvested once, and any unripe vegetables or fruits are discarded. However, a robotic harvester could be trained to pick only ripe vegetables, and since it could harvest around the clock, it could perform multiple passes on the same field, returning at a later date to harvest the vegetables that were unripe during previous passes.

“We’re also collecting lots of data about lettuce, which could be used to improve efficiency, such as which fields have the highest yields,” said Hughes. “We’ve still got to speed our Vegebot up to the point where it could compete with a human, but we think robots have lots of potential in agri-tech.”

Iida’s group at Cambridge is also part of the world’s first Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in agri-food robotics. In collaboration with researchers at the ̽��ֱ�� of Lincoln and the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia, the Cambridge researchers will train the next generation of specialists in robotics and autonomous systems for application in the agri-tech sector. ̽��ֱ��Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has awarded £6.6m for the new CDT, which will support at least 50 PhD students.

Reference:
Simon Birrell et al. ‘A Field Tested Robotic Harvesting System for Iceberg Lettuce.’ Journal of Field Robotics (2019). DOI: 10.1002/rob.21888

A vegetable-picking robot that uses machine learning to identify and harvest a commonplace, but challenging, agricultural crop has been developed by engineers.

For a human, the entire process takes a couple of seconds, but it’s a really challenging problem for a robot

Josie Hughes

Robot uses machine learning to harvest lettuce

Yes

Sea Change

sc604 — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 09:13:26 +0000

̽��ֱ��coast is an intrinsic part of British identity – and perhaps nowhere is it more at risk than in the East of England. Cambridge researchers are working with communities and organisations across the region to manage the coast for the future, by working with nature rather than against it.

‘Keep it local’ approach to protecting the rainforest can be more effective than government schemes

sc604 — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 09:00:00 +0000

Researchers from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia (UEA) and the Peruvian Ministry of Environment assessed the effectiveness of different approaches to conservation in the Peruvian Amazon between 2006 and 2011. They found that while all were effective at protecting the rainforest compared with non-protected areas of land, the areas protected by local and indigenous communities were on average more effective than those protected by the government.

However, the effectiveness of the conservation strategies also depended on what non-protected areas they were compared to, and the land use restrictions in place in the non-protected land. Future assessments of the impacts of different conservation strategies should therefore pay closer attention to land use restrictions in place in non-protected lands. ̽��ֱ��results are reported in the journal Scientific Reports.

Although the Amazon rainforest and its unique biodiversity are rapidly disappearing, little is still known about which protection mechanisms make a difference and how different conservation strategies compare.

̽��ֱ��study looked at areas protected by the national government, indigenous communities or civil society and the private sector are, compared to non-protected areas and land destined for timber and mineral extraction. ̽��ֱ��researchers assessed each approach for how well it was able to curtail deforestation, defined as total forest cover loss, and forest degradation, defined as other human-induced disturbances, such as selective logging, logging tracks and fire.

̽��ֱ��researchers combined remote sensing data with environmental and socio-economic datasets to assess each approach, and controlled for other factors that are expected to affect deforestation and forest degradation.

“Our results that these diverse types of protected areas were effective at reducing deforestation and forest degradation compared to non-protected areas are very encouraging,” said lead author Dr Judith Schleicher, from Cambridge’s Department of Geography. ̽��ֱ��larger reduction in deforestation and forest degradation in areas led by indigenous communities and grassroots groups suggests that local ownership and support for protecting the Peruvian Amazon can be a particularly effective approach.

“Policy makers must focus on a more diverse set of mechanisms for protecting the rapidly disappearing tropical forests,” said Schleicher. “Our analysis shows that local stewardship of the forest can be very effective at curtailing forest degradation and conversion in the Peruvian Amazon. Local conservation initiatives deserve more political, financial and legal support than they currently receive.”

“Our analysis shows that there is no single way of protecting tropical forests, and multiple approaches are required to stem the relentless tide of forest conversion and degradation,” said co-author Professor Carlos Peres from UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences.

̽��ֱ��research was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Cambridge Political Economy Society, Cambridge Philosophical Society, St John’s College, and the Department of Geography.

Reference:
Judith Schleicher et al. ‘Conservation performance of different conservation governance regimes in the Peruvian Amazon.’ Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10736-w

Conservation initiatives led by local and indigenous groups can be just as effective as schemes led by government, according to new research. In some cases in the Amazon rainforest, grassroots initiatives can be even more effective at protecting this vital ecosystem. This is particularly important due to widespread political resistance to hand over control over forests and other natural resources to local communities.

Policy makers must focus on a more diverse set of mechanisms for protecting the rapidly disappearing tropical forests.

Judith Schleicher

Anna & Michal

In Peruvian Amazon Rainforest

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Rotating molecules create a brighter future

ps748 — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 18:30:00 +0000

Writing in Science this week, the team, from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia and the ̽��ֱ�� of Eastern Finland, describes how it developed a new type of material that uses rotatable molecules to emit light faster than has ever been achieved before. It could lead to televisions, smart-phone displays and room lights which are more power-efficient, brighter and longer lasting than those currently on the market.

Corresponding author, Dr Dan Credgington, of the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory, says:

“It’s amazing that the very first demonstration of this new kind of material already beats the performance of technologies which have taken decades to develop. If the effect we have discovered can be harnessed across the spectrum, it could change the way we generate light.”

Molecular materials are the driving force behind modern organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Invented in the 1980s, these devices emit light when electricity is applied to the organic (carbon based) molecules in them. OLED lighting is now widely used in televisions, computers and mobile phones. However it has to overcome a fundamental issue which has limited efficiency when it comes to converting electrical energy into light.

Passing an electric current through these molecules puts them into an excited state, but only 25% of these are ‘bright’ states that can emit light rapidly. ̽��ֱ��remaining 75% are ‘dark’ states that usually waste their energy as heat limiting the efficiency of the OLED device. This mode of operation produces more heat than light just like in an old fashioned filament light bulb. ̽��ֱ��underlying reason is a quantum property called ‘spin’ and the dark states have the wrong type.

One approach to tackle this problem is to use rare elements, such as iridium, which help the dark states to emit light by allowing them to change their spin. ̽��ֱ��problem is this process takes too long, so the energy tied up in the dark states can build up to damaging levels and make the OLED unstable. This effect is such a problem for blue emitting materials (blue light has the highest energy of all the colours) that, in practice, the approach can’t be used.

Dr Le Yang holding one of the most efficient OLED devices, developed in Cambridge

Chemists at the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia have now developed a new type of material where two different organic molecules are joined together by an atom of copper or gold. ̽��ֱ��resulting structure looks a bit like a propeller. ̽��ֱ��compounds, which can be made by a simple one-pot procedure from readily available materials, were found to be surprisingly luminescent. By rotating their “propeller”, dark states formed on these materials become twisted, which allows them to change their spin quickly. ̽��ֱ��process significantly increases the rate at which electrical energy is converted into light achieving an efficiency of almost 100% and preventing the damaging build-up of dark states.

Dr Dawei Di and Dr Le Yang, from Cambridge, were co-lead authors long with Dr Alexander Romanov, from the UEA. He says:

“Our discovery that simple compounds of copper and gold can be used as bright and efficient materials for OLEDs demonstrates how chemistry can bring tangible benefits to society. All previous attempts to build OLEDs based on these metals have led to only mediocre success. ̽��ֱ��problem is that those materials required the sophisticated organic molecules to be bound with copper but has not met industrial standards. Our results address an on-going research and development challenge which can bring affordable high-tech OLED products to every home.”

Computational modelling played a major role in uncovering this novel way of harnessing intramolecular twisting motions for energy conversion.

Professor Mikko Linnolahti, of the ̽��ֱ�� of Eastern Finland, where this was done, comments:

“This work forms the case study for how we can explain the principles behind the functioning of these new materials and their application in OLEDS.”

̽��ֱ��next step is to design new molecules that take full advantage of this mechanism, with the ultimate goal of removing the need for rare elements entirely. This would solve the longest standing problem in the field – how to make OLEDs without having to trade-off between efficiency and stability.

Co-lead author, Dr Dawei Di, of the Cavendish Laboratory, says:

“Our work shows that excited-state spin and molecular motion can work together to strongly impact the performance of OLEDs. This is an excellent demonstration of how quantum mechanics, an important branch of fundamental science, can have direct consequences for a commercial application which has a massive global market.”

Reference:

Dawei Di et al: “High-performance light-emitting diodes based on carbene-metal-amides” is published in Science 30th March 2017

DOI 10.1126/science.aah4345

Scientists have discovered a group of materials which could pave the way for a new generation of high-efficiency lighting, solving a quandary which has inhibited the performance of display technology for decades. ̽��ֱ��development of energy saving concepts in display and lighting applications is a major focus of research, since a fifth of the world’s electricity is used for generating light.

If the effect we have discovered can be harnessed across the spectrum, it could change the way we generate light

Dr Dan Credgington

Molecules in a test tube giving off light

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Widening participation in higher education in East Anglia

ta385 — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 10:12:58 +0000

NEACO brings together Anglia Ruskin ̽��ֱ��, Norwich ̽��ֱ�� of the Arts, ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia, ̽��ֱ�� of Suffolk, and the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge as Consortium Partners, with Cambridge acting as lead partner.

NEACO is part of the national Network for Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP), which aims to:

Double the proportion of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Higher Education (HE) by 2020;
Increase by 20 percent the number of students in HE from ethnic minority groups;
Address the under-representation of young men from disadvantaged backgrounds in HE

̽��ֱ��project launches in January 2017 and runs until December 2018, with the possibility of a further two years of funding to take the project to the end of 2020. ̽��ֱ��East Anglia funding allocation is approximately £9 million for the first two years of the project.

̽��ֱ��universities will work closely with FE Colleges offering HE provision in the region, as well as dozens of target schools, colleges and other stakeholders. Advisory Groups in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are being set up to ensure a wide range of experience can feed into the project.

̽��ֱ��programme will work closely with schools and colleges in the region to identify and support students in Years 9-13 from disadvantaged areas (HEFCE GAP wards). ̽��ֱ��network will deliver a range of targeted outreach activities to raise aspirations, explain the full range of Higher Education options available to students, and provide crucial advice about how to make successful applications.

Tom Levinson, Head of Widening Participation at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and interim NEACO Project Manager, said:

“This programme provides an unprecedented opportunity to widen participation to Higher Education and improve social mobility in East Anglia. ̽��ֱ��funding which the Government has allocated to East Anglia recognises the fact that we have thousands of bright young people in the region with huge potential, and the ability to take their education further.

“Cambridge is delighted to be leading a collaborative partnership which aims to show the region’s young people the array of HE options available to them as well as providing practical support to help them achieve their goals. Our region offers world-class courses taught in leading centres of research, and vocational courses with excellent links to business and the professions. ̽��ֱ��Network brings together a huge amount of expertise and experience and we will be making the very most of this opportunity for the region.”

Tim Greenacre, Registrar and Secretary at the ̽��ֱ�� of Suffolk, said: “ ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Suffolk is delighted to be a member of the NEACO consortium and contributing to widening participation in the region. A central part of the ̽��ֱ�� of Suffolk mission is to raise HE participation and widen participation and this project will complement and enhance our existing widening participation activity.”

Dr Trevor Bolton, Pro Vice Chancellor for Partnerships at Anglia Ruskin ̽��ֱ��: "We are delighted to be working with regional partners to widen participation in higher education. At Anglia Ruskin we firmly believe we should make higher education opportunities available to as many people as possible - raising the education and skills levels of our region and nation is vital to our prosperity."

Charlotte Wheatland, Assistant Head of Outreach at ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia said: “We look forward to strengthening our already strong outreach work with schools and colleges in Norfolk through the NEACO consortium.”

Jerry White, Deputy Principal, City College Norwich said: "On behalf of the New Anglia Colleges Group (NACG), City College Norwich is keen to support this project as we want to see young people from disadvantaged backgrounds given the same chances as anyone else to go on to Higher Education and benefit from the life-changing opportunities this brings.

" ̽��ֱ��NACG colleges can and do play a key role in supporting the widening participation agenda. As well as having higher proportions of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds studying with colleges, we are also the major providers of Higher Education for students from our local communities in Norfolk and Suffolk. We are looking forward to working with NEACO to develop new ways to overcome barriers and open up opportunities to young people from some of our most disadvantaged communities."

From January 2017, East Anglia’s five Higher Education Institutions, working in close partnership with the region’s Further Education Colleges and other stakeholders, will start to deliver a major Government-funded collaborative outreach programme, the Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach (NEACO).

This is an unprecedented opportunity to widen participation to Higher Education and improve social mobility in East Anglia

Tom Levinson, Head of Widening Participation

A ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge outreach session in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.

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Yes

Cambridge leads UK institutions in agreement on crop science with Indian government

ts657 — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 17:06:24 +0000

India’s Department of Biotechnology and a consortium of British research institutions, led by the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, signed a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday at the Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi for the establishment of a joint UK-India crop science programme.

̽��ֱ��aim of the agreement is to enhance collaborative research, promote knowledge exchange, and support capacity building to develop resilience in food security.

̽��ֱ��agreement was signed on behalf of the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Leszek Borysiewicz, Professor Krishnaswamy VijayRaghavan of India’s Ministry of Science and Technology, and Director of the Research Councils UK India Dr Nafees Meah, on behalf of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

It was also signed by representatives from NIAB in Cambridge; the John Innes Centre and the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia, in Norwich and Rothamsted Research.

Professor Leszek Borysiewicz said: “This collaboration builds on the close links already established between leading researchers in the United Kingdom and India and is another great example of both countries’ commitment to growing our partnerships in translational and applied research.

“This collaboration will create opportunities for leading experts in the UK and India to come together to tackle global challenges in the areas of food security, crop science and biotechnology.”

Professor VijayRaghavan said: “ ̽��ֱ��United Kingdom has been a long-standing partner with the Government of India in Science and Technology, a collaboration that has grown from strength to strength.

“On the foundation of this excellence we are delighted to take a very new and very important direction in crop science. Our partners are the best in the UK and together we can be the best anywhere, working together to address a key global problem.”

Dr Tina Barsby, CEO and Director of NIAB, said: “We are delighted to be part of this international collaboration to develop and improve the translation of fundamental crop research into agronomic practice.

“We want to give farmers and growers throughout the sub-continent access to the most advanced developments in agricultural science and technology; essential for them to meet the challenges of growing crops in the face of changing climatic conditions and increasing food security demands.”

All parties agreed on the importance of crop science as an area of enormous potential for scientific collaboration, and its central role in driving global food security in India and beyond.

̽��ֱ��agreement foresees joint projects focusing on the fundamental science underpinning yield enhancement, disease resistance and drought resistance; research into crop re-breeding; and the translation of fundamental research into sustainable agriculture practice.

It also contemplates the establishment of a joint Indo-UK Plant Science Centre in India.

A collaboration between leading scientists in the UK and India will focus on tackling global food shortages with research into increasing crop yields and improving disease and drought resistance.

This collaboration will create opportunities for leading experts in the UK and India to come together to tackle global challenges in the areas of food security, crop science and biotechnology.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Leszek Borysiewicz

ICRISAT

Pearl millet

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