The Warwick Crop Centre is part of Warwick University’s School of Life Sciences and is located on the Wellesbourne campus where research on outdoor and protected crops, particularly field vegetables, has been undertaken for over 60 years. We deliver high quality research and training for land-based industries and our research expertise includes: crop breeding, plant pathology, entomology, agronomy, crop nutrition and environmental research.
The Vegetable Genetic Resources Unit (vegetable gene bank) forms part of the Warwick Crop Centre. This has a remit for collection, conservation, characterisation, documentation and research for a range of vegetable crops and their wild relatives and is active in various international crop working groups and networks.
We provide innovative research, science-based solutions and information for a range of stakeholders through research and development projects and knowledge transfer/exchange activities. Our work is focused particularly on the challenge of increasing the productivity and quality of crops, whilst reducing their environmental impact. The Genetic Resources Unit (GRU) seed collections are available for pure and applied scientific research and educational purposes throughout the world and GRU staff are active in a variety of international groups and networks.
Members of the Crop Centre team work closely with other researchers in the School of Life Sciences who provide additional expertise in crop genetics, genomics and breeding, particularly the biology and genetics of traits that would reduce inputs, insect biology including honey bees, plant pathology, weed research, water use efficiency, soil biology, environmental research and statistics, including experimental design. Wider multi-disciplinary interactions include colleagues working in political science, sociology, engineering, maths, business studies, complexity science, medicine and law.
The School of Life Sciences, including Warwick Crop Centre, offers a range of training opportunities which include post-graduate studies (research (PhD, MSc) and MSc courses) and bespoke training. The School of Life Sciences also offers undergraduate courses.
Warwick Crop Centre works closely with government, industry and charitable organisations through directly-funded projects, levy-funded projects and schemes such as TSB, LINK, BBSRC Industrial Partnership Awards and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.
