United Kingdom
June 18, 2026
Field plots at Balruddery Farm
The James Hutton Institute, Scotland’s pre-eminent interdisciplinary scientific research institute for the sustainable management of land, crop and nature resources, is hosting a cereal walk on Tuesday 7th July at its Balruddery Farm, near Dundee. The farm is home to more than 5,000 field plots demonstrating the wide range of research projects that are part of the International Barley Hub (IBH) programme.
The International Barley Hub (IBH), hosted by the Hutton, promotes scientific discovery and innovation to future-proof barley, the predominant crop grown in Scotland. It is part of a £62m investment through the Tay Cities Region Deal (TCRD) a partnership between local, Scottish and UK governments and the private, academic and voluntary sectors.
Dr Kelly Houston, Deputy Director of the IBH, said, “Our scientists are using genetic diversity to tackle the challenges faced by the barley industry. Through our science we can support the barley supply chain, from breeders and growers to the Scottish malting and animal feed industry and play an important role in global food security.
All the projects we will be showcasing aim to increase resilience to the changing climate and reduce barley’s carbon footprint.
Dr Kelly Houston – Deputy Director of the International Barley Hub
With climate change accelerating environmental pressures and global demand for barley continuing to rise, research into crop genetics, resilience and sustainability has never been more critical.
The cereal walk will provide attendees with direct insight into pioneering research projects and their real-world impact, as well as the chance to engage with the scientists. Featured topics include:
- Barley productivity and nitrogen losses under climate change in Scotland
- Malting quality in a changing climate
- Crossing wild barley with modern barley cultivars
- Breeding high-nutritional organic oats
- How Scandinavian spring barley varieties perform in Scottish conditions
- The potential of oil-based cover crops for energy production
- Evaluating seaweed biostimulants to improve nitrogen use efficiency in barley
Tickets are free and can be booked here.
Topics
Species
