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Local authorities, the UK government and the European Commission have benefitted from the widespread application of new molecular methodologies, developed in 2005 and applied by the University of Reading's Vertebrate Pests Unit (VPU) to identify and quantify anticoagulant rodenticide resistance in rodent populations. Rodents are a major global pest that consumes our food, causes contamination with urine and faeces, damages structures through gnawing, transmits diseases, and impacts on species of conservation concern. Due to historical success and recent regulatory restrictions, anticoagulant rodenticides are the most common control method for these pests. However, physiological resistance to anticoagulants is now widespread and the VPU has been involved in mapping this resistance and identifying the genetic basis for the resistance. Their research has led to new methodologies to identify anticoagulant resistance that have been adopted by the global plant science industry and to new guidance in treating resistant populations that has been adopted by the European biocides industry.
Weak acids (e.g. sorbic acid) are used by food manufacturers to prevent fungal contamination of food and beverages. Professor Archer in the Molecular Microbiology group determined the fungal species that cause such contamination, and identified fungal genes and enzymes that confer resistance to sorbic acid during initial outgrowth of fungal spores. They characterised the biochemistry of the resistance mechanism, enabling design of improved mould inhibitors. These inhibitors, used at the correct time, have improved manufacturing processes to prevent mould contamination and product wastage. Knowledge of mould genetics has also been applied to other industries to improve food additive and biofuel manufacturing processes.
Research using novel techniques of genetic marker-aided selection enabled the development of new high yield, disease- and drought-resistant pearl millet hybrids, of which HHB67-Improved was released throughout India. HHB67-Improved is the first product of marker-assisted breeding to reach cereal producers in India and has spread rapidly since its release, preventing yield losses to downy mildew of up to 30% (valued at £7.8M) per year, and providing £2.6M additional annual grain yield. By 2011, it was grown on over 700,000 ha and currently three million people have improved food security as a direct result of this international development focused work.
Sea lice are the principal disease constraint for world Atlantic salmon culture and cost >€33m yearly in the UK and >€305m globally in terms of control measures and lost production. Research conducted by the University of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture (IoA) has provided tools and strategies for sea louse control in farmed salmon worldwide. Impacts have been delivered through an integrated pest management approach which involves
(1) introduction of management tools including fallowing, single year-class stocking and area management
(2) screening, development, licensing and monitoring of veterinary medicines
(3) development of alternative strategies such as use of cleaner fish (wrasse) and sea louse resistant salmon
(4) incorporation of integrated pest management principles into public policy and legislation.
These tools and approaches are now being used by the U.K. and global Atlantic salmon industries.
Antibiotic resistance has become one of the great challenges to human health in the 21st century with increasing numbers of isolates of many pathogenic bacteria being resistant to front line, therapeutic antibiotics. Recent evidence has suggested that antibiotic resistance can be selected by exposure to biocides, which are commonly used as disinfectants and preservatives.
Research at the University of Birmingham has shown the common mechanistic links between antibiotic and triclosan (a commonly used biocide) resistance. This research was used by the European Commission as evidence to support two reports published in 2009 and 2010 to inform opinions as to the safety of biocide use. These reports recommended specific new research avenues be funded and that possible selection of antibiotic resistance by biocides is a valid concern and were used as part of the evidence base in preparation of a new law which has come in to force across the European Union.
Biocide use and sales in Europe have been controlled by the Biocidal Products Directive since 1998. This legislation has been superseded by the EU Biocides Regulation (published May 2012, legally binding from September 2013). This new legislation now includes a requirement for new biocides to be demonstrated not to select resistance to themselves or antibiotics in target organisms before achieving registration; this addition was informed by University of Birmingham research. This will prevent biocides entering the environment that exert a selective pressure and favour the emergence of mutant bacteria with increased biocide and antibiotic resistance. Thus the research described has had an impact on policy debate and the introduction of new legislation.
Impact: Economic: The first fungicide-based control schemes minimising UK barley yield losses (saving approx. 516K tonnes / £95.1M per annum). A risk assessment method, which minimised pesticide usage.
Significance: Barley is the second most popular cereal crop grown in the UK — in 2012, 5.52 million tonnes of barley were grown (market value £1.02 billion). The research led to savings to the UK farming industry of ~£5.4 million per annum
Beneficiaries: Farmers, malting and brewing industries, UK tax revenue.
Attribution: Drs. Oxley, Havis, Hughes, Fountaine, and Burnett (SRUC) identified the pathogen and produced a field test for early identification of infestation.
Reach: Barley growing, malting and brewing sectors, seed and agrochemical industries UK-wide and in Ireland.
Since 2004, researchers in Cambridge have developed a series of generic and flexible models to predict the spread of plant diseases in agricultural, horticultural and natural environments. These now underpin policy decisions relating to the management and control of a number of such diseases, including sudden oak death and ash dieback in the UK (by Defra and the Forestry Commission), and sudden oak death in the US (by the United States Department of Agriculture). This has subsequently had an impact on how practitioners manage these diseases in the field, and on the environment through the implementation of disease mitigation strategies. In the case of ash dieback, the Cambridge work has also directly contributed to public involvement in mapping the spread of the disease.
Aston University has developed systems thinking, specifically soft systems thinking, into a new approach known as the Process Orientated Holonic (PrOH) Modelling Methodology which has been used to model, debate and implement changes to strategy and operational processes in service and manufacturing organisations. Through PrOH Modelling our research has changed the awareness, use, and long term legacy effect in a variety of organisations as exemplified here by 4 cases in which considerable operational and financial impacts have accrued. These impacts have been achieved by (i) increasing awareness of systems thinking, particularly soft systems thinking, by management (ii) implementing use of soft systems thinking (as PrOH modelling) to give demonstrable organisational improvement in specific change projects, and (iii) ensuring a legacy effect of systems thinking practice, as managers' use of systems thinking is more effective after an initial Aston University led project has been completed.