British researchers have discovered a novel chemistry to protect crops from fungal diseases that threaten global food security.

The growing threat of microbial resistance against fungicides means scientists are racing to find new developments to safeguard food production.

In a new study published in Nature Communications, University of Exeter researchers report the identification of novel mono-alkyl chain lipophilic cations (MALCs) in protecting crops against Septoria tritici blotch in wheat and rice blast disease.

A vital knowledge gap about England’s environment has been uncovered by soil campaigners. They have discovered that just 0.41% of the cash invested in environmental monitoring goes on examining the soil.

That’s despite the fact that soils round the world – including in the UK – are said to be facing a crisis. The figures are startling: £60.5m goes to monitoring water quality, £7.65m to checking on air – but just £284,000 to auditing soil. The mismatch was revealed in a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by the Sustainable Soils Alliance (SSA).

A new £25 million facility that aims to enhance both food security and the health and welfare of livestock has opened in Edinburgh.

The Large Animal Research and Imaging Facility will research ways to produce livestock that are genetically more resistant to disease.

The new centre, operated by the University of Edinburgh, will also research and develop improved vaccines for farmed animals.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has pledged to more than double spending on UK government research and development (R&D) by 2024.

Mr Sunak promised an increase of 15% for next year with further increases in successive years.

The pledge means that the government may exceed its target of boosting the proportion of private and public R&D spend from 1.7% to 2.4% by 2027.

Scientists say further research should be undertaken to determine the viability of vertical farming as 'little information' is available on pest and disease management.

New methods of food production - including vertical farming - have offered hope for optimising the productivity of agriculture as the world population continues to grow.

But scientists warn there is currently insufficient information on the cons of adopting this novel approach to farming.

Badger culling to tackle the spread of TB in livestock is to be phased out to be replaced with a cattle vaccine, the government has announced.

Defra, the environment department, said trials of a vaccine will take place over the next five years, and there are plans to vaccinate more badgers.

The current EU rules on genetically modified organisms (GMO) are not fit for purpose anymore, leading scientists warn in a newly released EASAC commentary. They call for a radical reform of the legal framework.

“There is a societal cost of not using new genome editing techniques or being slow in adoption. We have no time to lose in resolving our shared problems for food and nutrition security,” says Robin Fears, Director of EASAC’s Biosciences Programme.

Neonicotinoids were a key point of discussion at the NFU Conference, following the high number of imports from countries that still use the chemical.

Since July 2019, the UK has imported almost 100,000 tonnes of oilseed rape from Ukraine, where neonicotinoid insecticides are still used, costing UK arable farmers almost £95 million in lost opportunity and mass crop failure, according to the NFU.

When questioned over the differing standards, Defra secretary George Eustice said Brexit had created the opportunity to ‘look afresh’ at legislation, but Government will not take risks with public health or the environment.

The industry needs to make ‘absolutely clear’ that gene editing (GE) is very different to genetic modification (GM) if it is to sell the technology to the UK public.

Speaking during the plant health session at NFU Conference, Tom Bradshaw said: “GE is very different to GM. We need to be absolutely clear that GE is speeding up plant breeding. It could be done by current plant breeding methods. If we confuse that discussion, then we are going to confuse the public and we won’t win [the debate]. It’s critical we’re absolutely clear that GE should be allowed.”

The UK will endeavour to continue within a €100bn (£85bn) EU science programme after Brexit. The news was revealed within a document setting out the government's approach to negotiations with the EU.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave the green light for the UK to negotiate its continued participation within the Horizon Europe research programme. Horizon Europe provides funding to scientists, students and industry for research.