The James Hutton Institute is proud to be a partner in PhenomUK, a £35million, six-year UK-wide research programme funded by UK Research and Innovation and led by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
PhenomUK will accelerate the development of more resilient crops by creating a national network to test how they grow and perform, from controlled environments to real-world field conditions
At the heart of the Hutton’s role is the Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC), a world‑class facility where crops are grown and monitored in controlled environments that can replicate future climates. Using advanced imaging, sensors and automation, researchers can assess how new varieties respond to challenges such as drought and heat before field testing.
Its Deputy Director, Dr Rob Hancock, said: “PhenomUK represents a fantastic opportunity to bring together the UK’s crop research capabilities and accelerate the time to producing new cultivars (a plant variety that has been produced by selective breeding), which are required to mitigate increasing environmental challenges in crop production.”
By linking the Hutton’s controlled‑environment facilities with field testing sites across the UK, PhenomUK will create a “seed‑to‑field” pipeline. A shared national approach to data and facility access will reduce duplication, boost collaboration between researchers and industry, and speed up innovation.
This investment comes at a critical time for UK agriculture. Through its role in PhenomUK, the Hutton is reinforcing its position at the forefront of UK crop science, driving innovation that supports resilient crops, sustainable farming and long‑term food security.
The APGC is part of a £62million investment through the Tay Cities Region Deal (TCRD), a partnership between local, Scottish and UK governments and the private, academic and voluntary sectors, supporting year‑round, low‑impact food production using advanced agricultural technologies.