Information and Computational Sciences
June 6, 2022
After a two-year enforced hiatus, the James Hutton Institute’s return to the Royal Highland Show was a success: a steady stream of visitors visited the marquee including farmers, research partners and families, as well as a significant...
June 6, 2022
June 6, 2022
Research and innovation underpinning Scotland’s road to net-zero: come and see it at the #RHS200 (News)
The Royal Highland Show (23-26 June 2022, Ingliston, Edinburgh EH28 8NB) is one of Scotland's most iconic events, and while it showcases the very best of farming food and rural life, it could be argued that it is actually a science, research...
May 5, 2022
Finance secretary visits Dundee campus to discuss national strategy for economic transformation (News)
The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Kate Forbes MSP, visited the James Hutton Institute’s Dundee campus to discuss the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, which sets out a clear commitment to support a...
April 4, 2022
Dr Mike Rivington, a senior scientist within the James Hutton Institute’s Information and Computational Sciences department, has contributed evidence to a session of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee of the...
April 4, 2022
The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, visited the James Hutton Institute’s Glensaugh Research Farm, near Laurencekirk, site of our Climate-Positive Farming Initiative.
Climate-...
March 3, 2022
Arthropod pests are estimated to destroy up to 20% of annual crop production worldwide. In recent years, key pesticides used in soft fruit production have been withdrawn, leaving crops vulnerable to attack. Researchers have been developing...
March 3, 2022
The annual Hutton Postgraduate Student Event, which showcases the excellent science being undertaken by postgraduate students at the James Hutton Institute, returned to its traditional in-person format at the Birnam Arts and Conference Centre,...
February 2, 2022
The latest issue of Hutton Highlights, our quarterly review showing how Hutton science is driving the sustainable use of land and natural resources, is now available from our Hutton Highlights pages.
Our February 2022 issue includes:
February 2, 2022
Dr Mike Rivington, a senior scientist within the James Hutton Institute’s Information and Computational Sciences department, has contributed evidence to a session of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee of the...
December 12, 2021
Following on the back of COP26, planning proposals are being put forward to build the UK’s first purpose-built tall tower for directly measuring greenhouse gases from land at the James Hutton Institute’s Balruddery Farm, in Angus near...
November 11, 2021
New opportunities for PhD projects from the James Hutton Institute's annual competitive joint-studentship and EASTBIO DTP 3 programme are now being advertised on FindAPhD.com.
PhD projects are funded jointly between the Institute and...
October 10, 2021
The latest issue of Hutton Highlights, our quarterly review showing how Hutton science is driving the sustainable use of land and natural resources, is now available from our Hutton Highlights pages.
Our October 2021 issue includes:
September 9, 2021
Bioinformaticians at the James Hutton Institute are supporting a 10-year, US$58m initiative launched by the Crop Trust and the Government of Norway to improve global food security and climate resilience.
The newly announced BOLD (Biodiversity...
June 6, 2021
Scotland has a legally binding commitment of being net-zero by 2045, and a 31% reduction is required in emissions from agriculture by 2032. This topic will be under discussion in the fourth Arable Conversations session on 29th June 2021 at 6:00...
June 6, 2021
The James Hutton Institute has announced the appointment of Professor Chris Gilligan to its Board of Directors, effective from the 1st of June. Professor Gilligan is Head of Epidemiology and Modelling Group in the Department of Plant Sciences at...
April 4, 2021
A research project examining the potential of using crushed basic silicate rocks as a soil input, for enhanced carbon sequestration and soil biodiversity, has reported positive results.
February 2, 2021
The advantages of Flapjack, the James Hutton Institute’s multi-platform application providing interactive visualizations of high-throughput genotype data, were demonstrated at a recent workshop organised with the purpose of helping wheat...
February 2, 2021
To mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the James Hutton Institute is highlighting its ‘Women in Science’ booklet, which spotlights the roles of 21 of its 204 female scientists. The collection illustrates some of...
January 1, 2021
BreedingValue: Developing new breeding strategies for resilient and highly nutritious berries (News)
Increased demand in berries across Europe meets the challenges brought on by climate change, environmental preservation and the need for new cultivation systems as well as high-quality produce. The new research project BreedingValue, a European...
November 11, 2020
New opportunities for PhD projects at the James Hutton Institute are now being advertised on FindAPhD.com. PhD projects are being offered by all five of our science departments covering many aspects of our work. All projects are funded jointly...
November 11, 2020
Moorland management in Scotland has come under the spotlight in a series of reports assessing the socio-economic and biodiversity impacts of driven grouse moors and the employment rights of gamekeepers.
October 10, 2020
A bioinformatics platform developed at the James Hutton Institute which allows users to import, visualize, explore and share project data for plant genetic resources has been recognised by being named a global ‘Hub Pilot’ by the...
August 8, 2020
The James Hutton Institute's bioinformatics group within the Department of Information and Computational Sciences has unveiled a new version of Germinate, the Institute's open-source, fully featured plant database infrastructure and...
August 8, 2020
British and Indian experts are joining forces to investigate the impact that releasing antibiotics from antibiotic manufacturing into India’s waterways has on the spread of potentially fatal drug-resistant infections.
An estimated 58,000...
July 7, 2020
Capturing carbon in soil is a frequent feature of climate change mitigation measures, but the variability in soils and greenhouse gas emissions makes it difficult to evaluate results. A new £1 million research project led by James Hutton...
May 5, 2020
Hyperspectral imaging, a growing area in remote sensing, holds the promise of providing a solution for crop monitoring over large areas, and scientists at the James Hutton Institute are working with partners in industry and academia to...
May 5, 2020
The diverse and multi-faceted impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on UK and global food nutrition security are at the centre of a multi-disciplinary research initiative led by the James Hutton Institute and funded with a £341,000...
March 3, 2020
An international research team featuring scientists from the James Hutton Institute is exploring the potential of biochar - a carbon-rich type of charcoal - to address air pollution, climate change, food security and farmers’ incomes in...
January 1, 2020
A new report co-authored by a James Hutton Institute scientist and published in Nature Sustainability examines the potential impacts on food production of zero-budget natural farming, a farming system that is sweeping India.
Zero-budget...
December 12, 2019
The experiences of three Hutton members of staff who have chosen Scotland as a place to live and work have been highlighted by their designation as Talent Ambassadors by TalentScotland, part of Scottish Enterprise, the country’s economic...
December 12, 2019
A report commissioned by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and ClimateXChange, Scotland’s centre of expertise connecting climate change research and policy, explores potential changes to snow cover caused by climate change on...
October 10, 2019
Scientists based at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen have developed a brand-new, web-based portal to improve access to spatial data on Scotland’s natural assets, including soils, land, biodiversity and cultural heritage.
The new...
October 10, 2019
Policy translation from the international down to the local scales can be rather like a game of Chinese whispers: what you end up with is often not what was intended. Part of the problem is that the best laid plans become ruthlessly exposed to...
April 4, 2019
European citizen renewable energy projects are more diverse now than at any time in the past 50 years, and they are likely to act as incubators for social innovation in all aspects of energy. However, efforts must be made to ensure the...
April 4, 2019
Public authorities are enabling citizens to be better stewards of the environment through greater access to environmental information, but there is a need to improve online information to meet people’s needs.
February 2, 2019
Scotland’s agriculture needs to improve its resilience, Hutton climate change researcher says (News)
Scotland’s agricultural landscape will need to adapt to new levels of variation in climate, policy and local and global markets if it is to successfully tackle the growing trend of climate change; that was one of the key messages of Dr Mike...
November 11, 2018
Hutton Android app Buntata has been featured in the first issue of Global Potato News, a newly launched international business-to-business magazine serving the entire potato industry from farm to fork.
Originally unveiled in 2017 and named...
November 11, 2018
New opportunities for PhD projects at the James Hutton Institute are now being advertised on FindAPhD.com. PhD projects are being offered by all five of our Science Groups covering many aspects of our work. All projects are funded jointly between...
November 11, 2018
A new research study aims to demonstrate how the combination of digital X-ray signatures with data-driven approaches can replace the time-consuming elements of expert led mineral identification and allow for new insights into the role of soil...
October 10, 2018
The James Hutton Institute's Information and Computational Sciences group have announced a web version of Buntata, the free mobile application launched last year to help potato growers identify plant pests and diseases in the field....
October 10, 2018
A University of Dundee scientist based at the James Hutton Institute has been awarded almost £1.25 million to study the interaction between plants and soil microbes, with the ultimate aim of boosting sustainable food production.
Dr Davide...
August 8, 2018
Researchers from the James Hutton Institute have discovered the apparent benefits of workplace sharing with regards to reducing commuting times and CO2 emissions can be negated by corporate culture and organisational structure.
Using an agent-...
May 5, 2018
Scientists from the James Hutton Institute are supporting the Asian Agricultural Long-Term Experiment (ALTER) with the aim of providing scientific basis and management options for soil sequestration and agricultural sustainability in Asia and...
May 5, 2018
A young Brazilian plant scientist whose research focusses on molecular biology and gene expression has been awarded the prestigious Peter Massalski Prize for Meritorious Research for 2018.
Dr Cristiane Calixto is a post-doctoral researcher in...
April 4, 2018
The James Hutton Institute's Information and Computational Sciences group has announced a new version of Buntata, a free Android app to help potato growers identify plant pests and diseases in the field.
Produced with support from the...
April 4, 2018
Hydro Nation scholar presents research at international water, food, energy and climate conference (News)
A Hydro Nation scholar carrying out research on common challenges across water, energy and food and their connections to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) presented her PhD research during a session on “...
January 1, 2018
China's North Plain is one of the country's most important - and densely populated - agricultural regions, producing crops such as corn, cereals, vegetables and cotton. A research project led by the James Hutton Institute and China...
November 11, 2017
New opportunities for PhD projects at the James Hutton Institute are now being advertised on FindAPhD.com. PhD projects are being offered by all five of our Science Groups covering many aspects of our work. All projects are funded jointly between...
November 11, 2017
Hutton expertise to support 1.2 billion dollar Indian initiative aimed at combating climate change (News)
Research from the James Hutton Institute will be utilised in a new initiative, with a potential spend of 1.2 billion dollars, aimed at tackling climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in India. One of the major impacts of...
October 10, 2017
Following a recruitment exercise, the James Hutton Institute is pleased to confirm the appointment of Professor Lesley Torrance and Professor Deborah Roberts to the posts of Directors of Science on a permanent basis with immediate effect.
October 10, 2017
The SIFSS (Soil Indicators for Scottish Soils) app has recently been updated to improve usability. Aimed at growers, farmers and land managers in Scotland, the app allows them to quickly identify soil type in their area.
August 8, 2017
Major changes in agricultural practices will be required to offset increases in nutrient losses due to climate change, according to research published by a scientific consortium including the James Hutton Institute.
To combat repeated,...
April 4, 2017
An international scientific consortium has reported the first high-quality genome sequence of barley, a development which will assist crop breeders in developing more resilient barley varieties suited to the requirements of the brewing,...
February 2, 2017
The Commonwealth Potato Collection (CPC), a unique repository of potato germplasm held in trust by the James Hutton Institute with support from the Scottish Government, has made the first-ever seed deposit by a UK institution into the Global Seed...
December 12, 2016
Scientists have developed an improved technique for capturing longer DNA fragments, doubling the size up to 7000 DNA bases that can be analysed for novel genes which provide plants with immunity to disease.
By using the RenSeq method,...
December 12, 2016
New risk criteria which aim to transform the performance of potato late blight alert systems were revealed today (7th December) at AHDB’s Agronomists’ Conference in Peterborough.
Arising from research undertaken by the James Hutton...
November 11, 2016
How can social innovation change the face of marginalised rural areas in Europe and beyond? What are the most appropriate approaches, methods and tools that can be used for assessing social innovations? What does policy support to social...
September 9, 2016
Bioinformaticians at the James Hutton Institute are contributing to a major research effort which seeks to deliver better maize and wheat varieties to over 40 countries around the world, with the aim of improving resilience to farmers’...
May 5, 2016
Risk modeller Dr Rupert Hough has been appointed to the leadership of the Information and Computational Sciences group at the James Hutton Institute, following the semi-retirement of Dr David Marshall.
The James Hutton Institute's...
January 1, 2016
A new study from researchers at the James Hutton Institute, the University of Aberdeen, the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health and the Alpen-Adria University in Vienna shows that the UK’s food self-sufficiency has decreased...
October 10, 2015
Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are a significant threat to the UK fresh and processing potato markets, with an annual estimated cost of £50 million to the potato industry. A new study by UK scientists has brought us one step closer towards...
August 8, 2015
June 6, 2015
A free, open source modelling platform that seeks to become a vibrant network of agricultural greenhouse gas researchers, model developers and students has been launched on World Environment 2015.
February 2, 2015
Plant diseases cost the world enough food to feed at least half a billion people, equivalent to 100 times the population of Scotland, every year. The interaction between plants, microbes and insects is a key battleground in the global fight for...
February 2, 2015
Global wheat production can be expected to fall by 6% for each degree centigrade of temperature increase together with increased variability of yield across regions and seasons; that is the main finding of an international consortium of...
July 7, 2012
A team, led by scientists from the University of Dundee and the James Hutton Institute, have become the first researchers in the world to apply a new technique to sequence the genes of the plant Arabidopsis.
The technique has the potential to...
July 7, 2011
An international team of scientists – led in the UK by researchers at The James Hutton Institute in Scotland – have succeeded in mapping the genome of the potato, the first major UK crop plant to be fully sequenced. UK partners...
June 6, 2011
The foundation of the James Hutton Institute has taken a major step forward with the announcement of the senior science leadership team.