Key Takeaways:
- The James Hutton Institute received a £3 million investment from Scottish Enterprise for its high throughput phenotyping facility.
- The facility is part of the Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC) located at the Crop Innovation Centre (CIC) in Invergowrie.
- It uses sensors, lasers, automation, and AI to accelerate crop innovation and identify traits for climate-resilient crops.
- The project builds on the £62 million Tay Cities Region Deal investment that established the APGC and the International Barley Hub.
- The facility will support research collaboration across agriculture, horticulture, pharmaceuticals, and food sectors.
The James Hutton Institute Expands Advanced Plant Growth Research
The James Hutton Institute has secured a £3 million investment from Scottish Enterprise to establish a new high throughput phenotyping facility within its Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC), part of the Crop Innovation Centre (CIC).
The technology-driven facility will enable researchers to study plant architecture and health using lasers and sensors, mapping how genetics and environmental changes affect crop performance. By integrating automation and AI, the platform aims to speed up the discovery of new crop traits and shorten the path from research to market for plant breeders.
Building on Regional Investment
This funding complements the £62 million invested through the Tay Cities Region Deal by the UK and Scottish Governments, which created the APGC and the International Barley Hub (IBH) in partnership with the University of Dundee Plant Sciences Division.
The phenotyping platform can simulate both current and future climate conditions, allowing scientists to screen large plant populations under controlled environments. It integrates automated plant handling, irrigation, climate control, and imaging systems to help develop crops suited to future agricultural challenges.
James Hutton Institute Advancing Climate-Resilient Crop Innovation
Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive of The James Hutton Institute, said: “This is a very welcome investment from Scottish Enterprise as this equipment is facilitating some of the most pioneering research into crop resilience being carried out anywhere in the world.
“In a recent economic impact report from BiGGAR into the Hutton, it was noted that for every £1 of funding received, we deliver £15 in economic value for the UK economy, of which £9 is retained in Scotland. It’s thanks to this type of investment that we continue to make the impact we do, using science to secure a more sustainable future, keeping food costs down, protecting livelihoods and making a positive contribution to our economy.”
Supporting Scotland’s Innovation Ecosystem
Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Adrian Gillespie said: “The new phenotyping equipment, supported by Scottish Enterprise, builds on existing facilities at The James Hutton Institute including the International Barley Hub and the Advanced Plant Growth Centre.
“The cutting-edge facilities in Invergowrie combine innovative technology for the industrial biotechnology and agricultural sectors and will help create hundreds of new jobs, boost productivity and support scale-ups to benefit the Scottish economy. Our support will enable more businesses to use the facilities to translate world class research into commercial ventures with the potential to scale.”
Accelerating Industry Collaboration
Dr Rob Hancock, Deputy Director of the Advanced Plant Growth Centre, added: “This new facility accelerates the identification of key traits for crop resilience, yield improvement and stress tolerance, climate change adaptation, sustainable agriculture and precision farming. By leveraging Hutton expertise in genetics, we will enhance industry collaboration to bring the new varieties needed to support agriculture more quickly. Moreover, the facility directly supports new developments in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and vertical farming.”
