John Hammond

Functional characterisation of the EgPAL5 promoter from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) reveals its potential roles in plant growth and adaptation to drought Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is a globally important oil crop whose genome contains five phenylalanine ammonia lyase (EgPAL) genes. In this study, we characterised the regulatory architecture of the EgPAL5 promoter by generating transgenic plants carrying the EgPAL5 promoter fused to GUS...

Functional characterisation of the EgPAL5 promoter from oil palm (#Elaeis guineensis) reveals its potential roles in plant #growth and adaptation to #drought.
To read this article in JHSB 101:1, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#OilPalm #Lignin

Impact of pre-cooling on fruit quality attributes during storage of apple cv. ‘Jeromine’ The study aimed to provide research-based knowledge for apple growers about the application of pre-cooling and its impact on fruit quality characteristics of a newly introduced ‘Delicious’ group cv...

Impact of pre-cooling on #fruit quality attributes during #storage of new #apple cultivar 'Jeromine'.
To read this article in JHSB 101:1, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#Malus #PostHarvest

Harnessing carbon nanotubes in Moringa oleifera micropropagation for enhanced morphological traits, phytochemicals, and phytohormones production Moringa oleifera, a highly valued medicinal plant, rich in bioactive compounds, has low regeneration efficiency that limits its large-scale production. This study evaluated the potential of CNTs to enhance in-vitro micropropagation...

Harnessing carbon #nanotubes in #Moringa oleifera #micropropagation to enhance morphological traits, #phytochemical content, and #phytohormone production.
To read this new article in JHSB, visit:

Very excited to be the new Senior Editor for @jhortscib.bsky.social. My editorial in this years first issue outlines my plans for the journal and the importance of peer review for high quality and impactful research that serves the #horticultural industry.

Food will be more affordable — if we double funds for agriculture research now A global drop in public and private investment in agricultural science in the past four decades is partly to blame for high food prices, an analysis reveals.

Comment in @nature.com: "Food will be more affordable — if we double funds for agriculture research now" www.nature.com/articles/d41...

A global drop in public and private investment in agricultural science in the past four decades is partly to blame for high food prices, an analysis reveals.

Thermal Image of Brassica flowers

Another new #PhD opportunity, in collaboration with Maurice Bosch & John Doonan and me, based @aberuni.bsky.social investigating how #heat stress effects flowers and ultimately seed production in #Brassica. Find out more at research.reading.ac.uk/foodbiosyste...

Fruit set is moderately dependent on insect pollinators in strawberry and is limited by the availability of pollen under natural open conditions Modern strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) cultivars are hermaphrodite and have fertile flowers, with the anthers releasing viable pollen. Cultivars are self-compatible and do not require cross-p...

#Fruit set is moderately dependent on #insect #pollinators in #strawberry and is limited by the availability of #pollen under natural open conditions.
To rediscover one of our most read articles in JHSB 98:6, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#Bees #Flies #Flowers #Fragaria

Specific wavelength LED light pulses modify vitamin C and organic acids content in raspberry and blackberry fruit during postharvest Light-emitting diodes (LED) have emerged as a non-polluting and energy-saving technology in fruit postharvest. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of different LED light pulses during r...

Specific wavelength #LED #light pulses during #postharvest modify vitamin C and organic acids content in #raspberry and #blackberry #fruit.
To rediscover one of our most read articles in JHSB 98:5, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#Rubus #Nutrition #VitaminC #OrganicAcids

Evaluation of rootstocks resistant to gummy stem blight and their effect on the fruit yield and quality traits of grafted watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai) Three gummy stem blight (GSB) resistant watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) genotypes (IIHR-82, IIHR-617 and BIL-53), two resistant bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) genotypes (BG-95, BG...

Evaluation of #rootstocks resistant to gummy stem #blight and their effect on the #fruit yield and quality traits of grafted #watermelon (#Citrullus lanatus).
To rediscover one of our most read articles in JHSB 98:5, visit:

CPPU and salicylic acid application improved fruit retention, yield, and fruit quality of mango cv. Dusehri The present investigation was aimed at assessing the efficacy of N1-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N3-phenylurea (CPPU) and salicylic acid on fruit retention, yield, and quality of mango cv. Dusehri. The res...

#CPPU and salicylic acid application improve #fruit retention, yield, and fruit quality of #mango cv. Dusehri.
To rediscover one of our most read articles in JHSB 98:5, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#Mangifera #SalicylicAcid #FruitQuality

Conventional and modern breeding technologies for improving dwarf coconut cultivars: A review Coconut (Cocos nuciferaL.) is a multipurpose plantation crop with versatile uses, including as a refreshing drink, edible oil, and, nutraceuticals. Its nutraceutical properties have increased demand in global markets...

Conventional and modern #breeding technologies for improving dwarf #coconut cultivars: A #review.
To rediscover one of our most read articles in JHSB 98:5, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#Cocos

Changes in physical, carbohydrate, and antioxidant properties of sweet acorn squash during development and cold storage Acorn squash are a conveniently sized, inexpensive, nutritious vegetable, but the fruit quality of traditional cultivars is often unsatisfactory. New, sweet-tasting acorn squash were developed recently, but data on their fruit development and storability are limited...

Changes in physical, #carbohydrate, and #antioxidant properties of sweet acorn #squash during development and cold #storage
To read this new article in JHSB, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#Cucurbita #fruit #AcornSquash

A review on nanotechnological advancements in tomato: a model plant In modern agriculture, sustainable production and efficiency are unimaginable without the use of agrochemicals such as pesticides, fertilisers, herbicides, etc. Nanotechnology has the potential to ...

A #review on #nanotechnological advancements in #tomato: a model #plant. An introduction to #nanotechnology and the implications for the #crop.
To rediscover one of our most read articles in JHSB 98:5, visit: doi.org/10.1080/1462...

#Nanomaterial #Solanum

More details available here blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/c... Please note, this project is only available to students with Home fee status.

Very excited to announce a new #Phd opportunity with myself at the University of Reading and Silvia Pressel and Anne Jungblut @nhm-london.bsky.social investigating #heat ☀️ and #drought 💧 stress on #root #soil interactions. Deadline for applications is 12 Jan 2026.

📣 We're hiring! Great opportunity for someone to join us in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development at the University of Reading working on #crop #protection #agronomy. See jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai... for all the details.

Sustainable agriculture through legume-cereal intercropping The EU-funded LEGUMINOSE project aims to establish legume-cereal intercropping as a mainstream method in sustainable agriculture.

We're recruiting a Postdoc in Soil and Crop Sciences to work on the LEGUMINOSE Project www.leguminose.eu during the final year to collect additional data in the field and the laboratory, undertake data analysis, write papers, and share data with stakeholders. jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...

Where at Groundswell, so come and see the Transforming UK Food Systems programme of projects and bag a free sample of faba bean at stand E17 in the pasture field

Looking forward to hosting this @aabiologists.bsky.social conference on #legumes in June at the University of Reading. Some great speakers lined up, so get your abstract in soon to join them😀🥜☘️

It's that time of year again... #PhD studentship calls are open. We have 38 projects advertised as part of our www.research.reading.ac.uk/foodbiosystems #doctoral training programme, including a couple with me😁 We also offer a mentoring scheme for applicants (deadline for mentor 17 Jan). Good luck!

Šumperk town hall

Winter fodder pea and triticale

Just spent a great week with colleagues from our www.legumiose.eu project in Šumperk, Czech Republic at AgriTec talking about all things #intercropping Thanks for hosting us😀

You and me both🤣 I only signed up yesterday - did you find a starter pack for soil scientists?