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Novel Growing Technologies (WP1) advances novel hydroponic growing technologies via fundamental research that has the potential to transform the quality of food we grow while minimising its environmental impact.
Dates: January 2021 to December 2023
Research Questions:
How do synthetic microbial communities (Syncomms) and complex microbial communities establish in hydroponic systems?
Can Syncomms suppress crop and human pathogens in hydroponic systems through induced systemic resistance?
Is Syncomm-mediated disease suppression scaleable and how do Syncomms influence product quality (in lettuce and tomato)?
Academic Team
Lead:
Stephen Rolfe
Professor of Plant Science in the School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield.
Working with:
Jurriaan Ton
Professor of Plant Environmental Signalling in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield.
Jonathan Leake
Professor of Plant-Soil Interactions at the University of Sheffield.
Anthony Ryan
Professor of Physical Chemistry and Director of the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures at the University of Sheffield.
Sam Wilkinson
Research Associate at the University of Sheffield.
Jacob Nickles
Knowledge Exchange Associate in the Faculty of Science at the University of Sheffield.