Soils@Hutton - Soil and food security
Soil is at the heart of agriculture and in maintaining quality food production. However, food production and the land available for agriculture is under threat from compaction and soil sealing, nutrient loss, loss of biodiversity, contamination and pollution, salinization, decline in organic matter and erosion. At the James Hutton Institute, the approaches which are being made to enhance food security include optimisation of nutrient cycling between crops and the environment through the use of organic fertilisers, controlling of soil-borne pathogens, optimising crop breeding for resilience against drought and climate induced stresses using genomic technology and studying the mechanical and hydrological process in soil.
To find out more about the challenges that faces agriculture please visit "Delivering Sustainable Production Systems"
Contact Tim George for further information