NEWS RELEASE – Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
5 June 2013
Levy board search now on to find future student research stars
A new look, cross-industry studentship programme has today opened its call for new research
projects to start in the 2014/15 academic year.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has restyled its £1.5m studentship
programme to reinforce its focus on delivering new science with practical industry benefits.
Applications are now invited under a newly harmonised process that brings together the three-tofour-year programmes previously run independently by the levy board’s six divisions – BPEX
(pigs), EBLEX (beef and lamb), DairyCo (milk), HGCA (cereals and oilseeds), HDC (horticulture)
and Potato Council (potatoes).
This call for new projects, open to all research institutions, will close on 2nd August (midday), with
successful projects announced in the autumn. Historically funding a total of 15-20 new projects per
year, and around 50-60 at any one time, AHDB is looking to maintain the same scale of projects
and level of investment as in previous years.
However, the new look programme aims to deliver more value from its post-graduate studentships
in terms of backing useable scientific developments that are relevant to industry priorities. The new
focus is also very firmly fixed on the challenge to develop the next generation of technical experts
for the agriculture and horticulture industries.
“We are taking a more strategic approach to the type of studentships we support, now managing
them under one cross-sector, co-ordinated programme that is closely integrated into our broader
R&D objectives,” said Kim Matthews, Head of Research and Development for AHDB’s beef and
lamb division and chair of the joint studentship programme.
“We’re looking to attract high quality people and high quality projects and so secure a degree of
excellence that will prove a definite asset to the future of UK agriculture and horticulture.”
Previous sector programmes have raised the profile of agricultural R&D within the young science
community. This has not only trained the next generation of knowledge professionals but also
created a steady supply of relevant know-how for the agriculture and horticulture industries.
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Full details on how to make an application to the AHDB studentship programme (including a
PhD studentship proposal form and proposal guidelines) are available on the AHDB website
For further information, or details of the contractual terms for these awards, applicants are
invited to email studentships@ahdb.org.uk indicating in the subject heading to which AHDB
sector the query is addressed.
Notes to editors
1. AHDB recognises that the Research Councils UK levels of funding represent a fair cost for a PhD
studentship. Currently this is £22626 per annum (comprising a stipend of £13726, indicative fees of
£3900 and experimental costs of £5000 based on BBSRC awards). It should be noted that not all
AHDB divisions can fund at these levels and applicants should check the sector websites for the
levels of award available. Applicants are expected to indicate their plans to meet any shortfall
between the AHDB award available and these rates.
2. Examples of studentships previously funded by AHDB divisions include:
BPEX – pigs
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Climate change adaptation of pig buildings: Development of novel designs and energy
conservation strategies to reduce the carbon footprint – Harper Adams
Predicting leg soundness through bio-mechanical assessment of gait in pigs – University of
Newcastle
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DairyCo – milk
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Social components of health and productivity in dairy cattle – University of Exeter
Identifying how digital dermatitis is transmitted between dairy cows – University of Exeter
EBLEX – beef & lamb
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Variation in structure and virulence of the microbial community of sheep udders – University
of Warwick
Use of stable isotopes to quantify C sequestration in managed grasslands - The James
Hutton Institute
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HDC - horticulture
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Minimising post-harvest losses in radish through an understanding of pre and post-harvest
factors that influence root splitting – Harper Adams University College
Genetic mapping and high throughput phenotyping of fruit quality traits in Fragraria X
ananassa – East Malling Research
HGCA – cereals and oilseeds
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Bioenergy from wheat straw – University of Nottingham
Transmission and spread of TuYV infection in oilseed rape and its influence on quality traits
– John Innes Centre
Potato Council – potatoes
 Structure and function of cell wall polysaccharides in relation to tuber mechanical properties
and bruise susceptibility – University of Leeds
 The changing Phytophthora infestans population: Implications for late blight epidemics and
control – James Hutton Institute.
3. A selection of three mini case studies of past AHDB sector studentship projects is attached
to this news release. Photographs of the featured students are available from AHDB
corporate communications (see contact details below)
4. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is an evidence-based levy board with
a pivotal role to make the industry sectors it supports more competitive and sustainable. It
undertakes research and development (R&D) and farm-level knowledge transfer (KT) and
knowledge exchange (KE) activity. It also provides essential market information to improve supply
chain transparency, delivers marketing promotion activities to help stimulate demand and also works
to maintain and develop export markets.
AHDB is funded by the agriculture and horticulture industries through statutory levies. It works to
support the sectors of meat and livestock (cattle, sheep and pigs) in England; horticulture, milk and
potatoes in Great Britain; cereals and oilseeds in the UK - in all, it represents about 75% of total UK
agricultural output. The responsibility for setting strategic priorities and recommending levy rates is
delegated to the advisory boards (comprised of levy payers and industry representatives) of its six
sector divisions – BPEX, EBLEX, DairyCo, HGCA, HDC and Potato Council.
Media enquiries contact Jeremy Waterfield, AHDB corporate communications, on
0247 6478890 or 07801 418952 or jeremy.waterfield@ahdb.org.uk
AHDB studentships – Three case studies
Anna Kaye Jones – Bangor University (Oct 2010 – Oct 2013)
Identifying and costing climate mitigation options for sheep farmers in England & Wales
Anna’s PhD focused on providing an evidence base on the most cost-effective greenhouse gas
(GHG) mitigation options suited to the main types of sheep farm found in England & Wales. The
project produced marginal abatement cost curves that demonstrated which are the most cost
effective options for GHG mitigation, based on cost per tonne of carbon saved.
“The carbon footprints and models developed through Anna’s research will increase industry
understanding of baseline emissions and opportunities for mitigation,” said Kim Matthews, Head of
Research and Development for AHDB’s beef and lamb division (EBLEX) and chair of the joint
AHDB studentship programme.
“Anna’s expert and farmer surveys highlighted priority measures for inclusion in mitigation
strategies and in the case of some mitigation measures, trade-offs between effectiveness and
practicality.
“The development of marginal abatement cost curves will enable individual farmers and the
industry as a whole to identify the most cost effective mitigation options for a range of sheep farm
types.”
Anna is grateful for a unique opportunity that allowed her to pursue her research interests under
the guidance of academic and industry experts: “I had the freedom to travel across the UK for data
collection and networking purposes and in the course of three years I developed the skills needed
to take a research project from planning through to the reporting stage,” she says.
“I’m hoping this will enable me to pursue a career in research."
Vanessa E. McMillan – Rothamsted Research, Herts (Oct 2008 – Sept 2011)
Identification and characterisation of resistance to the take-all fungus in wheat
Take-all disease, caused by the soil-borne fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, is the
most devastating root disease of wheat around the world. Typical take-all symptoms show as black
necrotic lesions on the roots and when severe can cause premature ripening and stunting of the
wheat crop, resulting in poor grain quality and yield loss.
Vanessa’s project worked to identify resistance to take-all within wheat. By identifying susceptibility
and resistance among current commercial wheat cultivars, the project will aid growers in variety
selection according to disease risk. Vanessa’s identification of resistance containing wheat will
allow breeders to identify markers relating to this trait and potentially in future breeding
programmes.
After gaining her PhD with this project, Vanessa was appointed Leader of Take-all Research at
Rothamsted Research. Vanessa has continued this research project, alongside others, in her new
role.
“Vanessa’s PhD is a shining example of how our studentship programme is meeting its aim to
provide research that benefits the industry while also raising the profile of agricultural research
within the young science community and training the next generation of agricultural researchers,”
says Jenna Watts, Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager (Crop Protection) for AHDB’s
cereals and oilseeds division (HGCA).
“This project, which fits under our strategic research and knowledge transfer area of increasing
crop yields through variety testing and disease control, has the potential to improve take-all control
in wheat via two distinct genetic approaches.
“Vanessa has not only completed an excellent PhD project but she remains within the industry
having successfully secured an agricultural research post at Rothamsted Research,” adds Jenna.
Vanessa, herself, was thrilled by the opportunity: “Studying for a BBSRC-AHDB/HGCA funded
PhD was a fantastic experience. It was exciting to carry out such applied research with potential
practical outcomes and advice to benefit growers,” she says.
Agnese Balzani – Newcastle University (Oct 2012 – Oct 2015)
Improving udder quality traits in sows to aid survival, health and lifetime performance of
piglets
The increase in sow prolificacy which has been occurring over the last decade as a result of
genetic selection strategy in specialised damlines now poses serious challenges for piglet survival.
Litter size in the Top 10% of UK herds now averages 13.4 piglets, compared with 12.4 ten years
ago. An increasing number of litters are therefore born in which the number of piglets equals or
exceeds the teat capacity of the sow.
The aim of Agnese’s research project is to develop methods to classify and improve udder traits
(such as conformation, ease of colostrum extraction, colostrum quality) in sows and so enhance
piglet survival, immune status and long term performance.
The project will:
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Review current knowledge on the measurement and genetic control of udder traits in pigs
and other species.
Develop practical measures of udder conformation, colostrum extraction ease and
colostrum quality in sows, and assess their relationship to piglet survival and lifetime
performance.
Determine how udder conformation measures change over the reproductive cycle and
lifetime of the sow.
Estimate the heritability of key udder traits and their genetic correlations with other
important maternal selection criteria.
Piglet mortality is a major source of financial loss to the British pig industry. Each year, 1.5 million
liveborn piglets do not survive until weaning - this number is likely to increase as genetic changes
in prolificacy reach production herds.
Since the overhead cost of sow feeding and maintenance is essentially unchanged by litter size,
the more piglets that are reared the greater the biological and financial efficiency of the enterprise,
and the lower the environmental footprint of pig meat production (BPEX LCA report 2009).
It has been estimated (BPEX 2011 Pig Yearbook) that a 5% reduction in total piglet mortality will
reduce cost of production by 3p/kg carcass. Addressing the issue of piglet mortality is also a key
factor in managing industry reputation. The importance of the acquisition of passive immunity in the
first 24 hours of life for subsequent lifetime health and performance makes this a key contributory
factor in raising the health status of the British herd, a key AHDB/BPEX objective, and to overall
farm profitability.
“In addition to hopefully reaching a deeper knowledge of animal breeding and pig production, I see
this project as a great opportunity to help improve organisational capacity within the industry,
building the critical thinking, decision-making and communication skills needed to be competitive,
both in terms of research and farm practice,” says Agnese.
Agnese’s tutor, Sandra Edwards, Professor of Agriculture at Newcastle University, is equally
hopeful: "This AHDB/BPEX studentship helps us to sustain the close relationship between
Newcastle University and the British pig industry and to deliver practical impact from the research
that we carry out."
Katja Stoddart, Research Projects Manager (Welfare & Production Efficiency) for AHDB’s pigs
division (BPEX) gives the AHDB perspective: “Agnese is an excellent example of the type of
student BPEX looks for when it comes to studentships; she has impressed us with her drive and
desire to research issues of importance to the pig industry,” says Katja Stoddart, Research
Projects Manager (Welfare & Production Efficiency) for BPEX.
“She is well placed to carry out this practically minded project which has potential direct benefits for
the pig sector and so could become a real asset to the industry.”
Media enquiries contact Jeremy Waterfield, AHDB corporate communications, on
0247 6478890 or 07801 418952 or jeremy.waterfield@ahdb.org.uk