The future of Scottish barley production, including the potential for gene editing and new hybrid varieties, will be explored at an event in Montrose this week.
Three PhD researchers from the James Hutton Institute will present their work at The Night Afore: A Dram of Science at Montrose Playhouse on Thursday, September 10, as part of this year’s LandxSea Film Festival.
The researchers are part of the BARIToNE collaborative training programme, which brings together academic and industry partners to investigate ways of reducing the environmental impact of the barley supply chain while helping the crop adapt to a changing climate.
James Grieves will look at the environmental pressures associated with intensive farming and how agricultural systems could be developed to meet food production needs more sustainably.
Shanzay Qumar will discuss the use of gene editing in barley and its potential to improve malting quality, disease resistance and resilience to climate change.
The third speaker, Ella Southin will focus on hybrid barley and how combining different varieties could bring together useful genetic traits to improve the crop.
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The work is supported by the James Hutton Institute’s International Barley Hub, the University of Dundee Faculty of Life Sciences and the University of Nottingham.
BARIToNE programme manager Dr Daniel Squair said the research was addressing some of the key challenges facing the barley and whisky industries.
He said: “Barley and whisky are central to Scotland’s identity and economy but securing their future means tackling some real challenges, from climate change to pest control and much more.
“Our students have made real progress in addressing these issues and seeing them present with such clarity and passion is a genuine privilege.”
The event will combine the research talks with whisky tastings for guests aged 18 and over.
The Night Afore: A Dram of Science will open the fourth LandxSea Film Festival, which runs at Montrose Playhouse from September 11-13.
The festival coincides with the 300th anniversary of the birth of James Hutton, after whom the research institute is named.
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