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Philip White

Staff picture: Philip White
Ecological Sciences
Ecological Sciences
Programme Leader
philip.white@hutton.ac.uk
+44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

The James Hutton Institute
Invergowrie
Dundee DD2 5DA
Scotland UK

 

Professor Philip J. White graduated from Oxford University with a BA in Biochemistry in 1983. He was awarded a PhD in Natural Sciences (Botany) from the University of Manchester in 1987, followed by a DSc in 2016. He has worked at the Universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge and, from 1992 to 2006, was employed by Horticulture Research International. Between 2006 and 2011, he led the successful Environment Plant Interactions Programme at the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Dundee.

He is currently a Full Professor (Chair) in Biology at King Saud University (Saudi Arabia), a Guest Professor at Huazhong Agricultural University (China), an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham (UK) and a Visiting Associate Professor at the Comenius University (Slovakia). He sits on the Science Boards of The Centre for Fertilization and Plant Nutrition (Israel) and The International Magnesium Institute (China). He has been Consultant to the Universities of Nottingham and Warwick, to Defra (UK), to The World Bank and to the FAO/IAEA for projects related to plant mineral nutrition and the biofortification of edible crops. He has served on many committees, including those assessing the quality of research in UK Higher Education Institutions (REF2014).

He has published over 200 refereed papers and has an h-factor >60. He has featured in Clarivate Analytics’ list of Highly Cited Researchers in Plant & Animal Science since 2014. He is a Member of the International Council on Plant Nutrition and was Convenor of the Plant Transport Group of the Society of Experimental Biology (2000-2011), for whom he organised meetings on solute transport in plants and fungi, and Co-convenor of Soil Management for Sustainable Agro-Food Systems at the European Geoscience Union General Assembly (2010-2014).

He was a commissioned contributor to Trends in Plant Science and BioMedNet (2001-2003) and currently writes articles on Citation Classics for Botany One. He has served on the Editorial Boards of ten periodicals, including Annals of Botany and Plant and Soil, and has been a Guest Editor for Journal of Experimental Botany (Fruit Development and Ripening, 2002; Genetics of Plant Mineral Nutrition, 2004; Below Ground Processes, 2005; Compartmentation in Plant Cells, 2007; Transport of Plant Growth Regulators, 2008; Plant Responses to Belowground Stresses,2011; Future Roots of Productivity, 2013), Annals of Botany (Plant Nutrition for Sustainable Development and Global Health, 2010; Matching Roots to their Environment, 2013), Applied and Environmental Soil Science (Soil Management for Sustainable Agriculture, 2012, 2013), and Plant and Soil (Improving Crop Mineral Nutrition, 2014; Zinc for Better Crop Production and Human Nutrition, 2017).

He has edited books on Plant Nutritional Genomics and The Ecophysiology of Plant-Phosphorus Interactions and contributed several chapters to the classic textbook Marschner’s Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants.

Current research interests

He is engaged on projects addressing plant mineral nutrition, from the genes to the harvest, collaborating closely with Tim George, Lionel Dupuy,  Martin Broadley (University of Nottingham), John Hammond (University of Reading), Chunjian Li (China Agricultural University) and Lei Shi (Huazhong Agricultural University). His research encompasses three broad aims.

The first aim is to optimise the use of mineral fertilisers in crop production and, thereby, reduce fertiliser inputs and pollution. In recent years, this work has focused on improving the phosphorus (P) nutrition of both horticultural and arable crops and has included the development of molecular diagnostics for P-starvation, the identification of P-efficient varieties, and the trialling of sustainable P-fertilisers.

The second aim is to reduce the entry of toxic elements into the food chain. This work has focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms by which radioisotopes and toxic elements are accumulated by plants, and developing strategies to reduce their concentrations in edible tissues.

The third aim is to improve the nutritional quality of edible crops through their biofortification with essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, selenium and zinc. These collaborative projects include the development of commercial products and intervention studies.

Current Projects

2017-2022: SolACE: Solutions to improve agroecosystem and crop efficiency, EU
2017-2021: TRUE: Transition paths to sustainable legume-based systems, EU
2017-2020: TomRes: Approaches to increase multiple stress tolerance, EU
2017-2019: Field evaluation of new fertiliser products, Groupe Roullier
2016-2019: Supply forecasting of broccoli, RESAS
2015-2020: Sensing soil processes for nitrogen bioavailability (SENSOILS), ERC
2014-2019: Sodium accumulation in the Caryophyllales, KSU
2014-2018: Renewable Industrial Products from Rapeseed, BBSRC

 

Past research

2017: The beauty of roots – an exhibition of root art, RESAS
2016-2017: Efficacy of foliar Mg-fertilisers, Headlands
2015-2017: Zinc interaction with phosphorus in root uptake, EU
2015: Climate change impact report card – arable crops, NERC-LWEC
2013-2015: Proteaceae and calcareous habitats (DP130100005), ARC, Australia
2013-2015: Biofortification of edible crops, CNPq, Brazil
2013-2014: Heat in the soil form (NIA-NGGT0017), National Grid
2013: Mineral analyses of leaves and crops, Agrinos/PenDragon
2012-2015: Root phenotyping for arable crops (BB/J019534/1), BBSRC
2011-2014: Mineral analyses of biofortified crops (Project 16738/RO), IAEA
2011: Potential uses of calcium sulphate filter cake, WTG
2010-2014: COST Action FA0905: Mineral biofortified crops, EU
2010-2013: Crops for the future (BB/H021345/1), BBSRC
2009-2014: NUE-CROPS: Improving nutrient efficiency in European crops, EU
2009-2014: Improving nutritional quality in crops (CRP#1487), IAEA
2009-2013: Biofortifying Brassica with Ca and Mg (BB/G013969/1), BBSRC
2007-2011: Genetic diversity in PUE of B. napus (WQ0119), Defra
2007-2011: Barley mutation grid (Project 13618/RO), IAEA
2007-2008: Neutral evolution of the Brassicaceae leaf transcriptome, SCRI
2006-2011: Reducing N requirements of new rape varieties (LK0979), Defra
2006-2010: MYCOREMED: Effect of AM fungi on plant radiocesium, EU
2006-2009: BAGELS: Biofortification of wheat with selenium (LK0974), Defra
2006-2009: Evaluation of low-phytate wheat (LK0973), Defra
2006-2008: EU-Sol: High quality Solanaceous crops, EU
2006-2007: Support for trials of composted products (ORG0056), WRAP
2006: Estimates of the source of P in UK waters (WT0701CSF), Defra
2005-2010: Targeting fertiliser to wide-row crops (HH3509SFV), Defra
2005-2010: Genetic analysis of root traits for water use (HH3615SPC), Defra
2005-2006: Assessing allelic diversity in a B. oleracea core collection, BBSRC
2005: Dissecting QTL for chilling tolerance in tomato, FONDECYT
2004-2009: Interactions between N, P and K supply (HH3507SFV), Defra
2004-2009: Genetic markers for water-use efficiency (HH3608TX), Defra
2004-2005: Phytotoxicity studies of unconventional fertilizers (NT2605), Defra
2004: Potential to reduce N and P inputs in farm systems (ES0201), Defra
2003-2008: Sustainable P-fertilisation of potatoes (HH3504SPO), Defra
2003-2006: The mechanisms and manipulation of cation transport, BBSRC
2003-2005: Reducing 137Cs in the food chain, Royal Society
2003-2005: Is struvite a valuable phosphate source for agriculture? Entrust
2003-2004: Mineral and nutritional content of produce (HH3720SX), Defra
2002-2007: Genetics of NUE in Brassica (HH3501SFV), Defra
2001-2002: Gene expression under nutrient deficiency (HH3502SFV), Defra
2001-2002: QTL affecting PUE in Brassica (HH1408SFV+), Defra

Bibliography

  • White, P.J. (2020) Potassium in crop physiology., In: Rengel, Z. (ed.). Achieving Sustainable Crop Nutrition. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, pp213-236.
  • George, T.S.; White, P.J. (2020) Advances in understanding crop processing of phosphorus., In: Rengel, Z. (ed.). Achieving Sustainable Crop Nutrition. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Part 2, Chapter 4, pp83-114.
  • Castro, D.A.; Souza, J.H.R.; Moraes, M.F.; Wilson, L.; Broadley, M.R.; Tardin, A.B.B.; Lima, R.M.B.; Silva, K.E.; White, P.J. (2019) Accumulation and distribution of selenium in Brazil nut tree and its regulation by soil selenium availability., In: Bañuelos, G., Lin Z-Q., Liang, D. & Yin, X-B. Selenium Research for Environment and Human Health: Perspectives, Technologies and Advancements. CRC Press, Leiden, The Netherlands, pp69-70.
  • White, P.J.; Neugebauer, K. (2019) The genetics of selenium accumulation by plants., In: Bañuelos, G., Lin, Z-Q., Liang, D. & Yin, X-B. Selenium Research for Environment and Human Health: Perspectives, Technologies and Advancements, CRC Press, Leiden, The Netherlands, pp37-38.
  • White, P.J.; Holland, J.E. (2018) Calcium in plant physiology and its availability from the soil., In: White, P.J. & Holland, J.E. Proceedings of the International Fertiliser Society 827: Calcium in Plant Physiology and its Availability from the Soil. International Fertiliser Society, UK, 32pp. ISBN 978-0-85310-464-3
  • White, P.J. (2018) Selenium in soil and crops., In: Michalke B (ed.). Selenium (Molecular and Integrative Toxicology). Springer International Publishing, Cham, Switzerland, Chapter 2, pp29-50.
  • White, P.J. (2018) Improving nutrient management in potato cultivation., In: Wale, S., Lacomme, C., Kerr, J., White, P., Knox, C., Harper, G., de Meulenaer, B. & Andrade, J. (eds.). Achieving Sustainable Cultivation of Potatoes. Volume 2: Production and Storage, Production and Sustainability. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited, Cambridge, UK, Chapter 3, pp45-67.
  • White, P.J.; Pongrac, P. (2017) Heavy-metal toxicity in plants., In: Shabala, S. (ed.) Plant Stress Physiology. 2nd edition. CABI Publishing, Oxfordshire, UK, Chapter 12, pp330-331.
  • White, P.J. (2017) The genetics of selenium accumulation by plants., In: Pilon-Smits, E., Winkel, L. & Lin, Z.Q. (eds.). Selenium in Plants: Molecular, Physiological, Ecological and Evolutionary Aspects. Springer, Dordrecht, Volume 11, pp143-163.
  • White, P.J. (2017) Ion transport., In: Murphy, T.B. & Murray, D.G. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Applied Plant Sciences. Volume 1. Second Edition, Academic Press, London. Volume 1, pp238-245.
  • White, P.J. (2016) Profile: Norman Borlaug., In: Battey, N.H. & Fellowes, M. (eds.). 30-Second Biology, Ivy Press, Lewes, UK, pp96-97.
  • White, P.J. (2016) Biofuels - Controversy., In: Battey, N.H. & Fellowes, M. (eds.). 30-Second Biology. Ivy Press, Lewes, UK, pp108-109.
  • White, P.J. (2016) Nutrition., In: Battey, N.H. & Fellowes, M. (eds.). 30-Second Biology. Ivy Press, Lewes, UK, pp102-103.
  • White, P.J. (2016) Photosynthesis., In: Battey, N.H. & Fellowes, M. (eds.). 30-Second Biology. Ivy Press, Lewes, UK, pp98-99.
  • White, P.J. (2015) Calcium., In: Barker, A.V. and Pilbeam, D.J. (eds.). Handbook of Plant Nutrition. Second edition.CRC Press, Boca Baton, Florida, USA, pp165-198.
  • White, P. (2013) Benefits of breeding crops for yield response to soil organisms., In: de Bruijn, F.J. (ed.). Molecular Microbial Ecology of the Rhizosphere. Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, New Jersey. Volume 1, Chapter 3.
  • Bennett, A.E.; Daniell, T.J.; White, P.J. (2013) Benefits of breeding crops for yield response to soil organisms., In: de Bruijn, F.J. (ed.). Molecular Microbial Ecology of the Rhizosphere. Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, New Jersey. Volume 1, pp17-28.
  • White, P.J.; Greenwood, D.J. (2013) Properties and management of cationic elements for crop growth., In: Gregory, P.J. & Nortcliff, S. (eds.). Russell’s Soil Conditions and Plant Growth. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 12th edition, pp160-194.
  • Engels, C.; Kirkby, E.; White, P.J. (2012) Mineral nutrition, yield and source-sink relationships., In: Marschner, P. (ed.). Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. 3rd edition, Academic Press, London, Chapter 5, pp85-133.
  • White, P.J. (2012) Heavy metal toxicity in plants., In: Shabala, S. (ed.). Plant Stress Physiology. CABI, Wallingford, Oxon, pp210-237.
  • White, P.J. (2012) Ion uptake mechanisms of individual cells and roots: Short distance transport., In: Marschner, P. (ed.). Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. 3rd edition. Academic Press, London, Chapter 2, 7-47.
  • White, P.J. (2012) Long-distance transport in the xylem and phloem., In: Marschner, P. (ed.). Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. 3rd edition. Academic Press, London, Chapter 3, 49-70.
  • George, T.S.; Fransson, A.; Hammond, J.P.; White, P.J. (2011) Phosphorus nutrition: Rhizosphere processes, plant response and adaptations., In: Buenemann, E., Oberson, A. & Frossard, E. (eds.). Phosphorus in Action - Biological Processes in Soil Phosphorus Cycling. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, Chapter 10, 245-271.
  • Hawkesford, M.J.; Horst, W.; Kichey, T; Lambers, H.; Schjoerring, J.; Skrumsager, M.I.; White, P.J. (2011) Functions of macronutrients., In: Marschner, P. (ed.). Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. 3rd edition. Academic Press, London, Chapter 6, 135-189. ISBN: 978-0-12-384905-2
  • White, P.J.; Karley, A.J. (2010) Potassium., In: Hell, R. & Mendel, R. (eds.). Plant Cell Monographs, 17, Cell Biology of Metals and Nutrients. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp199-224.
  • White, P.J.; Wiesel, L.; Broadley, M.R. (2010) Cation channels and the uptake of radiocaesium by plants., In: Demidchik, V. & Maathuis, F. (eds.). Ion Channels and Plant Stress Responses. Springer, Dordrecht, 47-68.
  • Broadley, M.R.; White, P.J. (2010) Plant minerals., Blackwells, Oxford.
  • White, P.J.; Bengough, A.G.; Bingham, I.J.; George, T.S.; Karley, A.J.; Valentine, T.A. (2009) Induced mutations affecting root architecture and mineral acquisition in barley., In: Shu, Q.Y. (ed.). Induced Plant Mutations in the Genomics Era. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, pp381-384
  • Karenlampi, S.; White, P.J. (2009) Potato proteins, lipids and minerals., In: Singh, J. & Kaur, L. (eds.). Advances in Potato Chemistry and Technology. Academic Press, Burlington, MA, USA, Chapter 5, 99-126.
  • White, P.J.; Hammond, J.P. (2008) Phosphorus nutrition of terrestrial plants., In: White, P.J. & Hammond, J.P. (eds.). The Ecophysiology of Plant-Phosphorus Interactions. Springer, Dordrecht, Chapter 2, 51-81.

  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Black, K.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.j.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Newton, A.; Squire, G.R.; Walker, G.; White, P. (2017) Teaming up for good: intercropping and farming-science partnership at the James Hutton Institute., NGO Report for www.LEAF.org, 8 November 2017.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Black, K.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.J.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Newton, A.C.; Squire, G.R.; Walker, G.; White, P.J. (2017) Sustainable legume systems for improved primary produce., SAB Annual Report, May 2017.
  • Squire, G.; Cammarero, D.; Daniell, T.; Newton, A.C.; White, P.J. (2016) Agriculture and forestry climate change report card technical paper. 3. Arable Crops., Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) Network with additional support from the Scottish Government.
  • Hough, R.L.; Bengough, A.G.; Chapman, S.J.; Daniell, T.; Matthews, R.; Squire, G.; Towers, W.; White, P.J. (2014) Heat in the soil form (NIA-NGGT0017)., Interim Report for National Grid.
  • Sneddon, C.; White, P.J. (2013) Limits to the biofortification of cabbages with zinc., Report on a Rank Prize Funds Vacation Studentship, September 2013.
  • White, P.J.; Broadley, M.R.; Subramanian, N.K.; Ramsay, G.; Bradshaw, J.E.; Bryan, G.J.; Hackett, C.A.; Hammond, J.P.; Thompson, J.; Wright, G. (2011) Biofortification of potato tubers with zinc., Report of the Second Co-ordination Meeting of FAO/IAEA.
  • White, P.J.; (2011) World Bank 'STAR' Project: Better Fertilising Initiative 2011., Report on Three Workshops for Advisors Specialising in Arable and Vegetable Crop Production, 21 April 2011.
  • Berry, P.; White, C.; Carvalho, P.; Foulkes, J.; Teakle, G.; Jennaway, R.; Bowman J.; Nightingale, M.; Padbury, N.; White, P.; Seymour, J.; Grundy, A.; McVittie, J.; Saunders, B.; Waterhouse, S.; Roques, S. (2011) Breeding oilseed rape with a low requirement for fertiliser N., Final Report for LINK Project KK0979.
  • Berry, P.; Foulkes, J.; Carvalho, P.; Teakle, G.; White, P.; Roques, S. (2011) Breeding oilseed rape with a low requirement for nitrogen fertiliser., HGCA Project Report No 479.
  • White, P.J. (2011) Sustainability., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, 35-36
  • Subramanian, N.K.; Bryan, G.J.; Hackett, C.A.; Ramsay, G.; White, P.J. (2011) Breeding potatoes to address mineral malnutrition., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, pp31-32.
  • Davis, J.; McKenzie, B.M.; White, P.; Towers, W.; Coull, M.C. (2011) Agricultural applications for calcium sulphate filter cake and reclaimed gypsum in Scotland., Report for William Tracey Recycling and Resource Management Group.
  • Hammond, J.P.; White, P.J. (2010) Strategies to reduce phosphorus inputs to horticulture: targeting fertiliser applications to roots of wide-row crops., Final Report on Defra Project HH3509SFV.
  • White, P.J. (2010) Sustainability., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2009, pp37-38.
  • White, P.J. (2010) Selenium bioforitification of bread., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2009, pp31-33.
  • Prashar, A.; George, T.S.; Ramsay, G.; Hallett, P.D.; Jones, H.G.; Hedley, P.E.; McNicol, J.W.; Dale, M.F.B.; White, P.J.; Bryan, G.J. (2010) Water use efficiency in potato., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2009, pp42-44.
  • White, P.J. (2009) Mineral analysis and biofortification of crops., Report of the First Research Co-ordination Meeting of SAO/IAEA Research Project.
  • George, T.S.; Wishart, J.; Brown, L.K.; Ramsay, G.; Bradshaw, J.E.; Gregory, P.J.; White, P.J. (2009) Variation in drought tolerance in potatoes., BPC Report.
  • White, P.J. (2009) Environmental plant interations., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2008, pp41-47.
  • Hammond, J.P.; White, P.J. (2008) Optimising interactions between N, P and K supply., Final Report on Defra Project HH3507SFV.
  • Hammond, J.P.; White, P.J (2008) Sustainable phosphorus fertilisation of potatoes., Final Report on Defra Project HH3504SPO.
  • White, P.J. (2008) Environment plant interactions., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2007, pp37-39.
  • George, T.S.; Brown, L.; Wishart, J.; Thompson, J.; Wright, G.M.; Ramsay, G.; Bradshaw, J.E.; White, P.J. (2008) Phosphorus efficient potatoes., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2007, pp42-43.
  • Hammond, J.P.; White, P.J.; Broadley, M.R. (2007) Characterising the genetic of nutrient-use efficiency in Brassica., Final Report on Defra Project HH3501SFV.
  • White, P.J. (2006) Environment plant interactions., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2005, pp37-39.
  • White, P.J. (2006) Environment plant interactions., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2006, pp37-39.

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The James Hutton Research Institute is the result of the merger in April 2011 of MLURI and SCRI. This merger formed a new powerhouse for research into food, land use, and climate change.