Horticulture Research International
Encyclopedia
Warwick HRI, formerly part of Horticulture Research International, is an United Kingdom
organisation tasked with carrying out horticultural research and development
and transferring the results to industry in England.
Warwick HRI was formed on 1 April 2004 following the integration of Horticulture Research International’s (HRI) sites at Wellesbourne
and Kirton
with the University of Warwick
. The HRI was constituted in May 1990 from the AFRC
Institute of Horticultural Research Stations at Wellesbourne
(the National Vegetable Research Station), East Malling (the East Malling Research Station) and Littlehampton (the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute), the Hop Unit at Wye College
and the ADAS Experimental Stations of MAFF
at Efford, Kirton and Stockbridge. The Wellesbourne site covers an area of 191 hectares and contains protected crop facilities, state-of-the-art glasshouses, a Bioconversion Unit, controlled environment units and first-class laboratory facilities including the Genomic Resource Centre. The Kirton site, which was closed by the university in February 2009, spans 50 hectares, with modern seed handling equipment and a 4-hectare organic area.
Research at Warwick HRI falls within four main areas: plant science, crop and environmental sciences, applied microbial sciences and applied horticultural research. The department is home to internationally recognised research scientists and is at the forefront of teaching in these areas with a number of taught MSc courses and also research degrees leading to MSc, MPhil or PhD.
Warwick HRI is a member of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).
In November 2009 Warwick University announced that it "has decided to close Horticultural Research International, which it took over in 2004, as the centre was losing the university £2 million a year". Warwick HRI was merged with the University's Department of Biological Sciences into a new School of Life Sciences in October 2010.. For details of the closure, see 'What's Going on at Wellesbourne?'. Some research work on vegetable genetic improvement continues at the Crop Centre.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
organisation tasked with carrying out horticultural research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
and transferring the results to industry in England.
Warwick HRI was formed on 1 April 2004 following the integration of Horticulture Research International’s (HRI) sites at Wellesbourne
Wellesbourne
Wellesbourne is a large village and civil parish in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of the UK. In the 2001 census the parish, which also includes the village of Walton, had a population of 5,691 Wellesbourne is a large village and civil parish in the county of Warwickshire,...
and Kirton
Kirton, Lincolnshire
Kirton, or Kirton in Holland is a village and civil parish within the Borough of Boston, in Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Kirton is on the A16, B1397 and B1192 south of Boston, near Frampton and Sutterton. Several satellite villages and hamlets take their name from Kirton, including Kirton...
with the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
. The HRI was constituted in May 1990 from the AFRC
Agricultural and Food Research Council
The Agricultural and Food Research Council , was a British Research Council responsible for funding and managing scientific and technological developments in farming and horticulture....
Institute of Horticultural Research Stations at Wellesbourne
Wellesbourne
Wellesbourne is a large village and civil parish in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of the UK. In the 2001 census the parish, which also includes the village of Walton, had a population of 5,691 Wellesbourne is a large village and civil parish in the county of Warwickshire,...
(the National Vegetable Research Station), East Malling (the East Malling Research Station) and Littlehampton (the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute), the Hop Unit at Wye College
Wye College
The College of St. Gregory and St. Martin at Wye, more commonly known as Wye College, was an educational institution in Kent, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1447 by John Kempe, the Archbishop of York, as a college for the training of priests. It is located in the small village of Wye, Kent, 60...
and the ADAS Experimental Stations of MAFF
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom government department created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889 and at that time called the Board of Agriculture, and then from 1903 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and from 1919 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries...
at Efford, Kirton and Stockbridge. The Wellesbourne site covers an area of 191 hectares and contains protected crop facilities, state-of-the-art glasshouses, a Bioconversion Unit, controlled environment units and first-class laboratory facilities including the Genomic Resource Centre. The Kirton site, which was closed by the university in February 2009, spans 50 hectares, with modern seed handling equipment and a 4-hectare organic area.
Research at Warwick HRI falls within four main areas: plant science, crop and environmental sciences, applied microbial sciences and applied horticultural research. The department is home to internationally recognised research scientists and is at the forefront of teaching in these areas with a number of taught MSc courses and also research degrees leading to MSc, MPhil or PhD.
Warwick HRI is a member of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).
In November 2009 Warwick University announced that it "has decided to close Horticultural Research International, which it took over in 2004, as the centre was losing the university £2 million a year". Warwick HRI was merged with the University's Department of Biological Sciences into a new School of Life Sciences in October 2010.. For details of the closure, see 'What's Going on at Wellesbourne?'. Some research work on vegetable genetic improvement continues at the Crop Centre.
See also
- BotanyBotanyBotany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
- PhytopathologyPhytopathologyPlant pathology is the scientific study of plant diseases caused by pathogens and environmental conditions . Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, viruses, viroids, virus-like organisms, phytoplasmas, protozoa, nematodes and parasitic plants...
- Plant physiologyPlant physiologyPlant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology , plant ecology , phytochemistry , cell biology, and molecular biology.Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition,...
- Evolutionary history of plantsEvolutionary history of plantsThe evolution of plants has resulted in increasing levels of complexity, from the earliest algal mats, through bryophytes, lycopods, ferns to the complex gymnosperms and angiosperms of today...
- Sustainable AgricultureSustainable agricultureSustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment...