Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change

Huw Powell; Aled Fychan; Christina Marley; Heather McCalman; Michael Humphreys

Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change

Huw Powell, Aled Fychan, Christina Marley, Heather McCalman, Michael Humphreys

Department of Life Sciences

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding (Non-Journal item)

Abstract

Extreme weather events like flooding and drought are becoming more prevalent as the effects of climate change begin to impact. To increase resilience to these, grass and clover breeders at IBERS are working to develop plants with stronger, deeper root systems and improved root-soil interactions leading to greater water-use-efficiency and improved soil hydrology. Certain Festulolium (ryegrass × fescue species' hybrids) have been shown to reduce surface run off by increasing soil porosity and enhancing soil-water retention. Using participatory research and working with industry partners, eight commercial development farms were selected to cover a range of soil types, geographical areas and livestock sectors (ruminant and mono-gastric) across the UK. Two 1 ha areas of single variety grass leys: Festulolium (cv AberNiche) and hybrid ryegrass (cv AberEve) were established in accordance with standard farm practice. The field performance of these novel grasses and clovers has been monitored by farmers and researchers together to study whether changes in individual plant design, when reproduced at the field scale, can deliver future resilient grassland varieties that provide excellent forage for livestock and improved soil hydrology

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands
Subtitle of host publication	27th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation
Editors	B. Horan, D. Hennessey, M. O'Donovan, E. Kennedy, B. McCarthy, J. A. Finn, B. O'Brien
Publisher	Teagasc
Pages	1013-1015
ISBN (Print)	9781841706436
Publication status	Published - 2018
Event	27th EGF General Meeting: Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands - Cork, Ireland Duration: 17 Jun 2018 → 21 Jun 2018 Conference number: 27

Publication series

Name	Grassland Science in Europe
Volume	23

Conference

Conference	27th EGF General Meeting
Country/Territory	Ireland
City	Cork
Period	17 Jun 2018 → 21 Jun 2018

Keywords

Festulolium
ryegrass
soil hydrology
resilient grassland

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Permanent link

Persistent link

Roots for the Future- A systematic approach to root design - SUREROOT
Humphreys, M. (PI), Marley, C. (PI), Collins, R. (CoI), Doonan, J. (CoI), Hegarty, M. (CoI), Scollan, N. (CoI) & Yadav, R. (CoI)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01 Apr 2014 → 31 Mar 2019
Project: Externally funded research

Cite this

Powell, H., Fychan, A., Marley, C., McCalman, H., & Humphreys, M. (2018). Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change. In B. Horan, D. Hennessey, M. O'Donovan, E. Kennedy, B. McCarthy, J. A. Finn, & B. O'Brien (Eds.), Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands: 27th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation (pp. 1013-1015). (Grassland Science in Europe; Vol. 23). Teagasc.

Powell, Huw ; Fychan, Aled ; Marley, Christina et al. / Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change. Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands: 27th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation. editor / B. Horan ; D. Hennessey ; M. O'Donovan ; E. Kennedy ; B. McCarthy ; J. A. Finn ; B. O'Brien. Teagasc, 2018. pp. 1013-1015 (Grassland Science in Europe).

@inproceedings{34aa4289391b4b52a252c60bd5a6bd81,

title = "Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change",

abstract = "Extreme weather events like flooding and drought are becoming more prevalent as the effects of climate change begin to impact. To increase resilience to these, grass and clover breeders at IBERS are working to develop plants with stronger, deeper root systems and improved root-soil interactions leading to greater water-use-efficiency and improved soil hydrology. Certain Festulolium (ryegrass × fescue species' hybrids) have been shown to reduce surface run off by increasing soil porosity and enhancing soil-water retention. Using participatory research and working with industry partners, eight commercial development farms were selected to cover a range of soil types, geographical areas and livestock sectors (ruminant and mono-gastric) across the UK. Two 1 ha areas of single variety grass leys: Festulolium (cv AberNiche) and hybrid ryegrass (cv AberEve) were established in accordance with standard farm practice. The field performance of these novel grasses and clovers has been monitored by farmers and researchers together to study whether changes in individual plant design, when reproduced at the field scale, can deliver future resilient grassland varieties that provide excellent forage for livestock and improved soil hydrology",

keywords = "Festulolium, ryegrass, soil hydrology, resilient grassland",

author = "Huw Powell and Aled Fychan and Christina Marley and Heather McCalman and Michael Humphreys",

year = "2018",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781841706436",

series = "Grassland Science in Europe",

publisher = "Teagasc",

pages = "1013--1015",

editor = "B. Horan and D. Hennessey and O'Donovan, {M. } and E. Kennedy and B. McCarthy and Finn, {J. A.} and B. O'Brien",

booktitle = "Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands",

address = "Ireland",

note = "27th EGF General Meeting : Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands ; Conference date: 17-06-2018 Through 21-06-2018",

}

Powell, H , Fychan, A , Marley, C, McCalman, H & Humphreys, M 2018, Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change. in B Horan, D Hennessey, M O'Donovan, E Kennedy, B McCarthy, JA Finn & B O'Brien (eds), Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands: 27th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation. Grassland Science in Europe, vol. 23, Teagasc, pp. 1013-1015, 27th EGF General Meeting, Cork, Ireland, 17 Jun 2018.

Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change. / Powell, Huw ; Fychan, Aled ; Marley, Christina et al.
Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands: 27th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation. ed. / B. Horan; D. Hennessey; M. O'Donovan; E. Kennedy; B. McCarthy; J. A. Finn; B. O'Brien. Teagasc, 2018. p. 1013-1015 (Grassland Science in Europe; Vol. 23).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding (Non-Journal item)

TY - GEN

T1 - Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change

AU - Powell, Huw

AU - Fychan, Aled

AU - Marley, Christina

AU - McCalman, Heather

AU - Humphreys, Michael

N1 - Conference code: 27

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Extreme weather events like flooding and drought are becoming more prevalent as the effects of climate change begin to impact. To increase resilience to these, grass and clover breeders at IBERS are working to develop plants with stronger, deeper root systems and improved root-soil interactions leading to greater water-use-efficiency and improved soil hydrology. Certain Festulolium (ryegrass × fescue species' hybrids) have been shown to reduce surface run off by increasing soil porosity and enhancing soil-water retention. Using participatory research and working with industry partners, eight commercial development farms were selected to cover a range of soil types, geographical areas and livestock sectors (ruminant and mono-gastric) across the UK. Two 1 ha areas of single variety grass leys: Festulolium (cv AberNiche) and hybrid ryegrass (cv AberEve) were established in accordance with standard farm practice. The field performance of these novel grasses and clovers has been monitored by farmers and researchers together to study whether changes in individual plant design, when reproduced at the field scale, can deliver future resilient grassland varieties that provide excellent forage for livestock and improved soil hydrology

AB - Extreme weather events like flooding and drought are becoming more prevalent as the effects of climate change begin to impact. To increase resilience to these, grass and clover breeders at IBERS are working to develop plants with stronger, deeper root systems and improved root-soil interactions leading to greater water-use-efficiency and improved soil hydrology. Certain Festulolium (ryegrass × fescue species' hybrids) have been shown to reduce surface run off by increasing soil porosity and enhancing soil-water retention. Using participatory research and working with industry partners, eight commercial development farms were selected to cover a range of soil types, geographical areas and livestock sectors (ruminant and mono-gastric) across the UK. Two 1 ha areas of single variety grass leys: Festulolium (cv AberNiche) and hybrid ryegrass (cv AberEve) were established in accordance with standard farm practice. The field performance of these novel grasses and clovers has been monitored by farmers and researchers together to study whether changes in individual plant design, when reproduced at the field scale, can deliver future resilient grassland varieties that provide excellent forage for livestock and improved soil hydrology

KW - Festulolium

KW - ryegrass

KW - soil hydrology

KW - resilient grassland

M3 - Conference Proceeding (Non-Journal item)

SN - 9781841706436

T3 - Grassland Science in Europe

SP - 1013

EP - 1015

BT - Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands

A2 - Horan, B.

A2 - Hennessey, D.

A2 - O'Donovan, M.

A2 - Kennedy, E.

A2 - McCarthy, B.

A2 - Finn, J. A.

A2 - O'Brien, B.

PB - Teagasc

T2 - 27th EGF General Meeting

Y2 - 17 June 2018 through 21 June 2018

ER -

Powell H , Fychan A , Marley C, McCalman H, Humphreys M. Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change. In Horan B, Hennessey D, O'Donovan M, Kennedy E, McCarthy B, Finn JA, O'Brien B, editors, Sustainable meat and milk production from grasslands: 27th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation. Teagasc. 2018. p. 1013-1015. (Grassland Science in Europe).

Research and farming working together to develop grassland varieties resilient to extreme weather events to mitigate climate change

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

UN SDGs

Permanent link

Fingerprint

Projects

Roots for the Future- A systematic approach to root design - SUREROOT

Cite this