Pietro (Pete) Iannetta (Prof.)

Head of Ecological Food Systems
Ecological Sciences
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

Pete is a plant biologist and ecologist, who studies the complex interactions which determine the sustainability of food- and feed-systems, including those of the brewing, distilling and aquaculture industries. He delivers key research programmes to support the Scottish Government’s strategic research program, and by securing layered funding builds international research and development networks and programmes. Pete is also an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Dundee, and his research is strongly focused on legume-supported cropped systems, from production to consumption. This includes developing the use of underutilised crops and novel cropped systems, plus the implementation of additional innovations beyond the farm-gate that encourage greater resource use efficiency, improved ecosystem functions, and realisation of circular economies. To facilitate this, Pete develops and exploits various system-function and -accounting tools from the genetics and genomics of plant growth promoting microbes and the soil microbiome, to tools which are ‘data driven’ - such as agri-food system modelling, including Life Cycle Analysis. He works very closely with a wide range of industry and applied-science stakeholders, and provides extension services to value-chain actors, including policymakers.

Pete is also a Visiting Professor (Auxiliary) at the Centro de Biotecnologia e Quimica Fina (BCQF), Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto; where he is also a lecturer, plus supervisor for under- and post-graduate students of: Nutritional Sciences - Production Systems and Sustainability (Degree); European Master's Degree in Food Science, Technology and Business (BiFTec); and, Food Engineering: Environmental Practices and Sustainability (MRes).

Research

  • EU-Horizon Europe ‘legumES’, Catholic Uni. Porto, leading, €6.3M, Coordinator.
  • DEFRA/InnovateUK, NUE-Leg, Germinal leading, £4.7M, PI/WP Leader.
  • DEFRA/InnovateUK, NCS Project, PGRO leading, £5.9M, PI/WP Leader.
  • EU-Horizon Europe ‘econutri‘, Agricultural Uni. of Athens leading, €6M, PI/WP Leader.
  • EU-H2020 ‘RADIANT’, Catholic Uni. Porto leading, 2021-25, €6M, PI/Deputy-Coordinator.
  • EU-H2020 ‘FRAMEwork’, James Hutton Institute leading, 2021-25, €9M, Co-I.
  • RESAS, Scottish Government, James Hutton Institute leading, 2022-27, CoI  for:
    • B2, ‘Impact of novel crops and farming practices on the Scottish agricultural landscape’; and.
    • C2, ‘Towards carbon positive through improved farming’.

Past research

  • Principal Investigator (2012-2016): Technology Strategy Board, Beans4feeds project. This project aims to deliver improved faba beans for sustainable protein production for (primarily) the farmed fish market
  • Partner:EU-FP7 AMIGA (2012-2016): Assessing and Monitoring Impacts of Genetically modified plants on agroecosystems
  • Partner:EU-FP7 PURE (2011-2015): Pesticide Use-and-risk Reduction in European farming systems with Integrated Pest Management
  • Principal Investigator (2011-2016): Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS): to work packages: 3.4, ‘Understanding of the responses of Scotland’s biodiversity to climate change and land-use change: to inform policy‘, and; 1.1, “Mapping key ecosystem services in Scotland at appropriate spatial and temporal scales“
  • Work package Leader (2010-14):Novel Rotation Design, EU-FP7 Legume Futures

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Iannetta, P.P.M. (2011) Capsella., In: Kole, C. (ed.). Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources – Oilseeds. 1st edition. Springer, Heidelberg, 37-62.
  • Parish, D.M.B.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2009) The contribution of arable weeds to biodiversity., In: Kingely, R. (ed.). Weeds: Management, Economic Impacts and Biology. Nova Publishing, New York, USA, pp61-76.

Technical / contract reports

  • Squire, G.R.; Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Karley, A.J.; Young, M.W. (2011) Scotland’s wild arable plants., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, pp21-23.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Murphy-Boken, D.; Rees, R.; Stoddard, F.; Topp, K.; Watson, C.; Williams, M.; Zander, P. (2010) Legume Futures consultation – contribution to an EU White paper., BIOECONOMY 2030: Towards a European Bioeconomy that Delivers Sustainable Growth by Addressing the Grand Societal Challenges
  • Murphy-Boken, D.; Rees, R.; Stoddard, F.; Topp, K.; Watson, C.; Williams, M.; Zander, P.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2010) Legume Futures Consultation Report., Third Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR), 40457, Brussels
  • Iannetta, P.P.M. (2010) A consultation report on the draft of the 3rd foresight expert group (FEG3)., Sustainable Food Consumption and Production in a Resource-Constrained World, Brussels.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.S.; Wishart, J.; Young, M.W.; Karley, A.J.; Valentine, T.A.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R. (2006) Common wild plants as biodiversity indicators., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2006, pp42-43.
  • Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Begg, G.S.; Elliott, M.J.; Parish, A.M.; Young, M.W.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2004) Persistence of GM herbicide-tolerant plants., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp167-168.
  • Birch, A.N.E.; Boag, B.; Newton, A.C.; Gordon, S.C.; Fenton, B.; Malloch, G.; Hallett, P.D.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Stephens, S.E.; Neilson, S.; Wright, G.M.; Marshall, B.; McKenzie, B.M.; Squire, G.R.; Gill, P.; Wheatley, R.E. (2004) The SCRI LEAF Innovation Centre: Agro-ecosystem research which develops and promotes sustainable agriculture strategies and policies for Scotland, UK and Europe., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp107-114.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Jones, C.S.; Stewart, D.; Taylor, M.A.; McNicol, R.J.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Multidisciplinary approaches to improve red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) fruit quality., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1997/98, pp99-103.

Conference papers

  • Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Birch, A.N.E.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R.; Young, M.W. (2011) Managing landscape cropping patterns in support of arable biodiversity., Association of Applied Biologists – Agricultural Ecology Research: It’s Role in Delivering Sustainable Farm Systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011 (Talk).
  • Karley, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Valentine, T.A.; Johnson, S.N.; Toorop, P.E.; Squire, G.R.; Young, M.W.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2011) Can arable weeds contribute to ecosystem service provision? Functional diversity in shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris L. Medik.)., Aspects of Applied Biology, Agricultural Ecology Research: Its role in delivering sustainable farm systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011, 109, pp31-38.
  • Young, M.W.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Karley, A.J.; Squire, G.R. (2011) Increasing the sustainability of arable yield and reducing the dependence on chemical N fertilisers., Aspects of Applied Biology, Agricultural Ecology Research: Its role in delivering sustainable farm systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011, 109, pp81-86.
  • James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2010) Nodulation of agriculturally and ecologically important legumes in East Scotland by Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. vicieae., Nitrogen and Global Change Conference, Edinburgh International Conference Centre, 11-14 April 2010.
  • Cristescu, C.; Harren, F.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2010) Continuous monitoring of ethylene emission from berries in planta., Berries: From Genomics to Sustainable Production Quality and Health, 28th International Horticultural Congress. Lisboa, Spain, 22-27 August 2010.
  • Deng, W.; Jeng, D.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2010) Mathematical modellingof mucilage expansion on myxospermous seeds of Capsella bursa-pastoris L. Medic (shepherd’s purse)., Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience Annual Symposium, West Park Centre, Dundee, 4 November 2010.
  • Watson, C.A.; Ball, B.C.; Hallett, P.D.; Hawes, C.; Hoad, S.P.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; McRoberts, N.; Squire, G.R.; Topp, C.F.E. (2010) Developing sustainable multi-functional cropping systems: integrating disciplinary approaches and scales., 11th Congress of the European Society for Agronomy, Montpellier, France, 29 August – 3 September 2010.
  • Karley, A.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Valentine, T.A.; Bingham, I.J.; Hoad, S.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R. (2010) Impact of plant traits on nitrogen-efficiency and compartmentation in arable systems., Association of Applied Biologists – Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Plants and Crops, Olde Barn Hotel, Marston, Lincs, UK 15-16 December 2010. Aspects of Applied Biology, 105, 89-96.
  • Begg, G.S.; Birch, A.N.E.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R. (2010) Engineering arable landscapes to balance the pros and cons of weeds., IOBC/wprs Working Group Meeting – Landscape Management for Functional Biodiversity, Cambridge, 22 June – 1 July 2010.
  • Osei, Y.; James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R.; Sprent, J.I.; Huss-Danell, K. (2009) Nitrogen fixation and genetic diversity of rhizobia nodulating native legumes in Sweden., 16th International Nitrogen Fixation Congress, Montana USA, 14-19 June 2009.
  • Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Begg, G.S.; Karley, A.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Young, M.W. (2008) Cumulative impacts of GM herbicide-tolerant cropping on arable plants assessed through species-based and functional taxonomies., Theorie in der Ekologie 14, Bremen, Germany, 2-4 April 2008.
  • Karley, A.J.; Binnie, K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Valentine, T.A.; Wright, G.M.; Young, M.W. (2008) Crop traits for crop-weed coexistence in reduced input arable systems., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2008, Imperial College, London, 3-5 September 2008.
  • Begg, G.S.; Elliott, M.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Cullen, D.W.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R. (2007) Localised heterogeneity, gene flow and the persistence of transgenes from genetically modified oilseed rape., 3rd International Conference on Coexistence Between Genetically Modified (GM) and Non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains, Seville, Spain, 20-21 November 2007, pp101-104.
  • Wishart, J.; Scriven, C.; Begg, G.S.; Neilson, R.; Valentine, T.A.; Squire, G.R.; Dale, M.F.B.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2007) Nematode mediated Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) infection in time-to-flowering (TTF) variants of Capsella., Scottish Root Group, University of Aberdeen, 14 September 2007.
  • Wishart, J.; Scriven, C.; Begg, G.S.; Cullen, D.W.; Squire, G.R.; Dale, M.F.B.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2007) Nematode mediated Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) infection in time-to-flowering (TTF) variants of Capsella., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Glasgow, 10-12 September 2007.
  • Wishart, J.; Begg, G.S.; Young, M.W.; Hackett, C.A.; Squire, G.R.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2007) Molecular biology and ecology of flowering-time variants of Capsella., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Glasgow, 10-12 September 2007.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M. (2007) The balance of trait extremes in arable ecosystems., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Glasgow, 10-12 September 2007.
  • Karley, A.J.; Valentine, T.A.; Greig, J.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2006) How does root morphology and response to nutrients relate to life history traits in ecotypes of Capsella bursa-pastoris?, 14th New Phytologist Symposium, The Royal Society, London, 23-24 January 2006.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Escobar, N.M.; Ross, H.A.; Souleyre, E.; Hancock, R.D.; Fairlie, J.; Davies, H.V. (2000) Tricarboxylic enzymes in ripening strawberry fruits., Proceedings of the Fourth International Strawberry Symposium, Tampere, Finland, 9-14 July 2000. ISHS Acta Horticulturae (2002), 567, 731-733.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Laarhoven, L.; Davies, H.V.; Harren, F. (2000) Alexander Graham Bell and strawberry fruit ripening., Minutes of the Scottish Society for Crop Research – Soft Fruit Committee, Scottish Crop Research Institute, 24 October 2000.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Stewart, D.; Davies, H.V. (2000) Strawberry fruit ripening and high-O2 modified atmosphere packaging: potential applications of the photoacoustic-LASER facility., Molecular and LASER Physics Department, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 9 February 2000.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Medina-Escobar, N.; Ross, H.A.; Souleyre, E.; Taylor, M.A.; Davies, H.V. (2000) Enzymes of the TCA cycle expressed in strawberry fruit during ripening., The Scottish Cell and Molecular Biology Group, St Andrews University, 28 January 2000.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; van den Berg, J.; Wheatley, R.E.; McNicol, R.J.; Davies, H.V. (1999) A causal role for ethylene in raspberry fruit ripening., Acta Horticulturae, 502, 427-428.
  • Stewart, D.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Changes in the raspberry cell wall during ripening: a compositional and structural study., Proceedings of the 7th International Rubus-Ribes Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, 9-15 January 1998. ISHS Acta Horticulturae, 505, 427-428.
  • Stewart, D.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Changes in the raspberry cell wall during ripening: compositional and structural studies., Abstracts of the 8th Scottish Cell Wall Group Meeting, Dundee, 8-9 April 1998.
  • Stewart, D.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Changes in the raspberry cell-wall during ripening. A compositional and structural study., 8th International Cell-Wall Meeting, John Innes Centre, Norwich, 1-5 September 1998.
  • Stewart, D.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Changes in the raspberry cell-wall during ripening: a compositional and structural study., Proceedings of the 7th International Rubus-Ribes Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, 9-15 January 1998. ISHS Acta Horticulturae, 505, 427-428.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; van den Berg, J.; Wheatley, R.E.; McMillan, G.; McNicol, R.J.; Davies, H.V. (1998) A causal role for ethylene in raspberry fruit ripening., Proceedings of the 7th International Rubus and Ribes Symposium. Melbourne, Australia, 9-15 January 1998. ISHS Acta Horticulturae, 505, 393-400.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Fry, S.C.; Stewart, D.; McDougall, G.J.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) fruit-cell composition: xyloglucan endotransglycosylase activity and xyloglucan content., 8th International Cell-Wall Meeting, John Innes Centre, Norwich, 1-5 September 1998.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Thow, G.; Minchin, F.R.; Simpson, C.G.; Sprent, J.I.; Williamson, B. (1998) Immunolocalisation of polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (PGIP) in white lupin., Proceedings of 8th Scottish Cell Wall Group Meeting, Dundee, 8-9 April 1998, 6.

Conference posters / abstracts

  • James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Kenicer, G.; Sprent, J.I.; Squire, G.R. (2011) Nodulation of Lathyrus and Vicia spp. in non-agricultural soils in East Scotland., Association of Applied Biologists – Agricultural Ecology Research: It’s Role in Delivering Sustainable Farm Systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011 (Poster).
  • Deng, W.; Jeng, D.S.; Toorop, P.E.; Hallett, P.D.; Squire, G.R.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2011) Capsella bursa-pastoris L. Medik, (shepherd’s purse) myxospermous seed mucilage mechanically stabilises clay soil., Association of Applied Biologists – Agricultural Ecology Research: It’s Role in Delivering Sustainable Farm Systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011. (Poster)
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R.; Rees, R. (2010) Legume futures: for more diverse and sustainable farm systems., National Institute for Agricultural Botany, Cambridge, 15 July 2010. (Poster)
  • Squire, G.R.; Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Young, M.W. (2009) Ecological properties of weed communities., XIII Colloque International sur la Biologie des Mauvaises Herbes, Dijon, France, 8-10 September 2009, 85.
  • Toorop, P.E.; Begg, G.S.; Wishart, J.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2008) Germination characters and myxospermy of shepherds purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic) time to flowering variants., 9th Conference on Seed Biology, Olszytn, Poland, 6-11 July 2008 (Abstract).
  • Broadley, M.R.; White, P.J.; Hammond, J.P.; Graham, N.; Bowen, H.C.; Emmerson, Z.F.; Fray, R.G.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; McNicol, J.W.; May, S. (2008) Evidence of neutral transcriptome evolution in plants., BBSRC Systems Biology Grantholder Workshop, Nottingham, 15-17 December 2008 (Poster).
  • Karley, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2005) Functional diversity in Capsella bursa-pastoris – the impact on insect herbivores., Abstracts of the Annual Main Meeting of Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) Annual Meeting, Barcelona, Spain, 11-15 July 2005 (Talk). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 141, S227.
  • Karley, A.J.; Valentine, T.A.; Haggarty, M.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2005) Does root morphology and nutrient acquisition explain life history traits in ecotypes of Capsella bursa-pastoris?, Scottish Plant Molecular Biology Meeting, February 2005 (Poster).
  • Souleyre, E.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Taylor, M.A.; Duncan, G.; Davies, H.V. (2000) Starch synthesis in strawberry fruit., Abstracts of the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting, Exeter University, 27-31 March 2000.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Laarhoven, L.; Davies, H.V.; Harren, F. (2000) Ethylene production by strawberry flowers and ripening fruit., Abstracts of the 9th International Workshop on LASER Based Photoacoustic Trace Gas Detection in Life Sciences, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 11-12 July 2000.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Medina-Escobar, N.; Ross, H.A.; Souleyre, E.; Hancock, R.D.; Fairlie, J.; Taylor, M.A.; Davies, H.V. (2000) Enzymes of the TCA cycle expressed during strawberry fruit ripening., Abstracts of the 4th International Strawberry Symposium, Tampere, Finland, 9-14 July 2000.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Wyman, M.; Neelam, A.; Jones, C.S.; Taylor, M.A.; Davies, H.V.; Sexton, R. (2000) Abscission endo-b-1,4-glucanase, ethylene and the machine harvesting of red raspberries., Abstracts of the 10th Scottish Cell Wall Group Meeting, Edinburgh University, 3-4 April 2000.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Sexton, R.; Neelam, A.; Jones, C.S.; Taylor, M.A.; Davies, H.V. (1999) The biochemical and molecular characterisation of raspberry fruit (Rubus idaeus L.) abscission cellulase., Abstracts of the 9th Scottish Plant Cell Wall Group Meeting, Glasgow University.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; van den Berg, J.; Wheatley, R.E.; McMillan, G.P.; McNicol, R.J.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Ethylene and cell-wall modifying enzyme activities in raspberry fruit ripening., Agri-Food Quality II: Quality Management of Fruits and Vegetables from Field to Table. Turku, Finland, 22-25 April 1998. Abstracts of the 2nd International Conference.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Stewart, D.; Jones, C.S.; Woodhead, M.; Deighton, N.; Wheatley, R.E.; Taylor, M.A.; McNicol, R.J.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Enhancing raspberry fruit quality., Physiological and Technological Aspects of Gaseous and Thermal Treatments of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, Madrid, Spain.

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