Projects

Our In-Progress and Completed Projects

The Plant Health Centre funds projects to understand current and future threats, risks, and management strategies in maintaining plant health across sectors in Scotland.

The projects listed below are 'in progress' or 'completed'.  

Reports from completed projects can be searched here

There are 62 projects listed below.
Status
Image of Curreya pithyophila colonising Scots Pine

Understanding the drivers of emergence of Curreya pithyophila and associated impacts on Caledonian pine

Lead Author: Sarah Green

Greenhouse by Uwe Driesel from Pixabay

Scoping plant health and biosecurity training needs for Scottish horticultural and tree nurseries and community groups involved in plant supply

Lead Author: Maciej Kaczmarek

picture of woodpile by günter from Pixabay

The risk of firewood as a dispersal pathway for invasive forestry pests

Lead Author: Matt Elliot

Composite image of woodpecker, bats, spiders web, DNA puzzle and pest detection

Evaluating the potential of predator diet analysis as a monitoring tool for plant pests of concern

Lead Author: Alice Walker

Image of Potato by Jai79 from Pixabay

Developing new models to predict PCN species presence / absence in Scottish soils

Lead Author: Peter Skelsey

Wireworm - Image Credit: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org (CC) BY-NC 3.0

Understanding the risk to Scotland’s plant health arising from wireworm (click beetles) and the monitoring and Integrated Pest Management requirements

Lead Author: Kerry Leslie

Trossachs national park Image by Wolfgang Claussen from Pixabay

Developing resources for appropriate plant biosecurity assessments and implementation in natural habitats

Lead Author: Matt Elliot

Hemp plantation Image by HubertPhotographer from Pixabay

Developing an assessment framework to identify plant health benefits and risks for emerging novel crops in Scotland

Lead Author: Arthy Surendran

Lauriston Community Farm

Supporting Community Farm Biosecurity

Lead Author: Emma Brierley

Board, Post-It Notes, Pens (Rudy & Peter Skitterians from Pixabay)

Identifying key questions and leverage points for plant health in the natural environment

Lead Author: Ruth Mitchell

Sciarid fly caught on sticky trap

The impact of peat-free growing media and the emergence of sciarid flies (Sciaridae) as a pest or just a nuisance in Scotland

Lead Author: Arthy Surendran

Agriculture - Freddy from Pixabay

The impact of agricultural policy reforms on plant health risks in Scotland: guidance on maximizing plant health benefits.

Lead Author: Kairsty Topp

Digger (Pexels from Pixabay)

Scoping the risk of bulk aggregate (soil, sand, stone) movement into and within Scotland

Lead Author: Matt Elliot

Aphids - image by Kees Koertshuis from Pixabay

Accurate potato virus forecasts: developing new models to guide sustainable management of potato crops in Scotland

Lead Author: Peter Skelsey

Glensaugh ©The James Hutton Institute

Improved preparedness for Phytophthora prevention in Scotland

Lead Author: David Cooke

Potato Field by James Lynott

Assessment and mitigation of the threat posed by root-knot nematodes to potato production in the UK

Lead Author: James Price

Plant Waste Management

Plant waste management knowledge exchange

Lead Author: Matt Elliot

Flowers - Image by Marin at PixaBay

Plant Biosecurity Resources – increasing the accessibility of notifiable plant pest information for Professional Operators

Lead Author: Matt Elliot, Alistair Yeomans

Scots pine, Ben Eighe

Understanding an emerging health threat to Caledonian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Lead Author: Sarah Green

Landscape planning and ERZ hospice Glasgow

GIbase 2.0: Enhanced preparedness in Scotland’s Green Infrastructure

Lead Author: Harry Watkins

Pest Risk Register Drawings

Interdisciplinary analysis of plant health threats to arable and horticultural crops in Scotland

Lead Author: Daniel Bebber

Ips typographis - Bjørn Økland, Norwegian Forest Research Institute, Bugwood.org

Assessing long-term resilience of Scottish Sitka spruce forests to climate change and novel pests: A bark-beetle case study

Lead Author: Adam Kleczkowski

Images related to biocontrol

Potential of biocontrol for the sustainable management of plant diseases in Scotland: Opportunities and barriers

Lead Author: Helen Rees

Tractor Spraying - Image by No-longer-here from Pixabay

Understanding farmer / agronomist perceptions for decision making in crop health and the impact of that on key metrics such as IPM scores and pesticide usage

Lead Author: Henry Creissen

Tractor Spraying

A targeted analysis of the impact of insecticide withdrawals in Scotland, in the context of alternative control options.

Lead Author: Sarah Wynn

Collage of plant pictures

A review of gene editing for the benefit of plant health

Lead Author: Matt Elliot

Workshop picture

Action Research to gain a deeper understanding of large-scale biosecurity risks to Scotland

Lead Author: Mariella Marzano

Alder with phytopthora alni symptoms. Image by Andrej Kunca, National Forest Centre - Slovakia, Bugwood.org

Investigation into the causes of Alder mortality in Scotland

Lead Author: Steven Hendry

Biosecurity image collage

Biosecurity for plant health: better justification of precautionary measures

Lead Author: Chris Pollard

compost - Image by J Garget from Pixabay

Identifying the plant health risks associated with plant waste disposal and peat-free growing media, and developing best practice guidance for waste disposal and composting across sectors

Lead Author: Matt Elliot

Biosecurity station at New Zealand Park

Biosecurity practices to support plant health: a review of knowledge and practice

Lead Author: Matt Elliot

Tree network picture

Development of a Stakeholder Engagement Strategy for Scotland’s Plant Health Centre

Lead Author: Rehema White

Autumn Forest Image

A preliminary investigation into reports of declining health of Alder in Scotland

Lead Author: Steven Hendry

Plant Health Fellowship

Plant Health Fellowship

Lead Author: Ruth Mitchell

Modelling the spread of PCN

Modelling the spread of PCN in Scotland to identify the key factors responsible and the most appropriate management options for future mitigation

Lead Author: Peter Skelsey

Enhancing the Plant Health Centre's communication with stakeholders

Enhancing the Plant Health Centre's communication with stakeholders

Lead Author: Ashleigh Holmes

A preliminary investigation into the threat of Bronze Birch Borer (BBB - Agrilus anxius) for Scotland

A preliminary investigation into the threat of Bronze Birch Borer (BBB - Agrilus anxius) for Scotland

Lead Author: Katrina Dainton

Newspaper

Identifying links between farmer and agronomist perceptions on pest and disease risk, the information sources they use to determine pesticide usage and the uptake of IPM methods

Lead Author: Elliot Meador

Malaise Trap Samples

Improving knowledge of Xylella fastidiosa vector ecology: modelling vector occurrence and abundance in the wider landscape in Scotland

Lead Author: Daniel Chapman

Drone flying

Groundkeeper mapping for PCN control

Lead Author: Jim Wilson

tractor spraying

Economic impact of pesticide withdrawals to Scotland, with case studies

Lead Author: Fiona Burnett

PCN

Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) and the future of potato production in Scotland – Working Group

Lead Author: Ian Toth

forest

Assessment of large-scale plant biosecurity risks to Scotland from large scale tree plantings for environmental benefits

Lead Author: Mariella Marzano

Parkland

Assessment of large-scale plant biosecurity risks to Scotland from large scale plantings for landscaping and infra-structure projects

Lead Author: Mariella Marzano

computer with plant

Assessment of large-scale plant biosecurity risks to Scotland from non-specialist and online horticultural sales

Lead Author: Mariella Marzano

spore traps phytophthora

Metabarcoding analysis of Phytophthora diversity in spore traps and implications for disease forecasting in the P. ramorum management zone

Lead Author: Carolyn Riddell

pointing at a tablet

Expansion of PHC online Plant Health Resource

Lead Author: Katy Hayden

Ips typographus

Spatio-temporal modelling of great spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus Micans) in Scotland

Lead Author: Glenn Marion

Assessing spread of phytophthoras in Scottish forests by recreational and harvesting activities using comparative qPCR and metabarcoding techniques

Assessing spread of phytophthoras in Scottish forests by recreational and harvesting activities using comparative qPCR and metabarcoding techniques

Lead Author: April Armstrong

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Monitoring for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) Halyomorpha halys in Scotland

Lead Author: Alison Dolan

PCN

The future threat of PCN in Scotland

Lead Author: Vivian Blok

Xylella modelling

Using modelling to investigate the effectiveness of national surveillance monitoring aimed at detecting a Xylella fastidiosa outbreak in Scotland

Lead Author: Daniel Chapman

Tractor spraying field

Potential impacts arising from pesticide withdrawals to Scotland’s plant health

Lead Author: Andy Evans

Wheat climate change

Impact of climate change on the spread of pests and diseases in Scotland

Lead Author: Adam Kleczkowski

Scotland Landscape

Integration of Plant Health planning into the new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy

Lead Author: Katherine Hayden

Scottish Scenery Isle of Arran

Development of an online, user friendly plant health resource bank for the Natural Environment

Lead Author: Katherine Hayden

People networks

Network analysis – where do people in Scotland get their plant health information?

Lead Author: Rehema White, Elliot Meador

laptop in wood

The use of mobile technology to enhance plant health monitoring and awareness in Scotland

Lead Author: Sebastian Raubach

Risk map Scotland

Risk mapping of the likelihood and impact of a Xylella fastidiosa outbreak in Scotland

Lead Author: Kevin Watts, Samantha Broadmeadow

Spittlebug

Identify the presence of potential insect vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in Scotland

Lead Author: Kirsty Park

zebra chip

Assessing the potential of the psyllid Trioza anthrisci to vector Liberibacter solanacearum (Lso) in Scotland

Lead Author: Fiona Highet

Slug

Impact on Scottish crops if the molluscicide metaldehyde is withdrawn

Lead Author: Fiona Burnett