Research over the past 27 years has focused on developing genetic markers to explore and understand diversity within the extensive assembled collections of barley germplasm, including cultivars, globally distributed landraces and wild progenitors. Following technological advances our emphasis has shifted from cataloguing diversity to recognition of the genetic value of these resources for sustainable and resilient barley production. Recent research has focussed on developing novel ‘breeder-ready-to-go’ germplasm.
Recently we have begun to explore diversity in barley at the gene level by exploiting genomics and informatics technologies via EU and Generation Challenge Program funding, collaborating with European and North American groups and colleagues at the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).
Several studies focussing on comparative genomics and the development of polymorphic markers (SNPs) for adaptive variation in economically important European tree species have been funded through EU collaborations. Research has also been carried out on tropical tree species including, Calycophyllum spruceanum, Theobroma cacoa and Cocos nucifera, as well as important indigenous fruit trees, Prunus Africana and Allanblackia species from sub-Saharan Africa. Much of this work has been in collaboration with colleagues at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).
Sequencing and developing gene-based markers in species of high conservation priority offer novel insights into biodiversity, including relating sequence diversity and biological function. Focus of this work is on biodiversity within Scotland and includes a wide-range of plant species including: sub-arctic willow scrub, which is essentially restricted to the Scottish mountains; the rare species Anastrophyllum joergensenii, a dioecious leafy liverwort restricted to cool montane high-rainfall areas; Athyrium distentifolium, a diploid out-crossing fern of montane areas; Koenigia islandica, a diminutive annual and; Scots pine along with associated ground flora. Collaborations are with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh and the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh.