Seminar by Dr. Davide Cammarano

“The Babel’s tower of modelling: Is it possible for crop, cell, and molecular modellers to speak the same language?”

Thursday 25th September 2014
Dr. Davide Cammarano
(Staff scientist, James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee)

Crop simulation models integrate the temporal and multiple interaction of stress on crop growth each day under different environmental and management conditions. They are used in many research areas and for different purposes; researchers can use them to extrapolate data beyond field experimentation. The aim of this seminar is to show how crop simulation models are used  as a tool for understanding the crop’s temporal and spatial variability within fields, and how farmers can use their outputs in making decisions for the season. And, their use in climate change impact studies.

Future increase in global food demand and population means keeping or increasing sustainable yields and better crop quality. The release of new genotypes that are adapted to the changes in climate is a significant effort that cannot be achieved in short time. The integration of fine-scale processes into a crop model helps gaining a better understanding of the interactions between what happens in the plant’s organs and the environmental conditions, and can lead to design better crops for the future. Can crop and cell/molecular modeller speak the same language and advance the integration between the two world?

12 noon
C.H Waddingotn Buidling, Kings Buildings Campus (seminar room 1.08)