“Grain wizard” & plant breeder (@niabgroup - views own), proud husband & dad. Plants, ag, science, food, bread, countryside, cricket, adoption, FASD, NHS, etc.
Joined November 2016
- Tweets 2,258
- Following 461
- Followers 1,002
- Likes 3,597
386 Photos and videos
May 31
Many thanks to @Hodmedods who sent me these beauties yesterday in their capacity as Official Pea Supplier to the World Peashooting Championship. Can youhit the bullseye? Come to Witcham and try on July 11th from 11:30am, registration already open worldpeashoot.com/
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May 22
1/ Spent a few hours this week marking out plots for our @niabgroup ADOPT project, funded by @DefraGovUK, using agronomy to try and bring chickpea harvest earlier and make it a viable UK crop. We’re trying chickpea / cereal bicrops with oat, barley and wheat
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May 22
4/ Then next morning marking plots in organic oat/chickpea bicrops planted by @hanslope . Here the chickpeas were drilled between emerged standing rows of oats at a range of different seeding rates.
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May 22
5/ We will take them all through to yield and partners @Hodmedods will look at processing and market opportunities. In year 2 we will look at their legacy - how have they affected soil structure and fertility, how do the following rotational crops perform
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14 Sep 2025
Home-grown soybean is difficult. Hottest UK summer on record. In foreground maturity group ‘0000’ variety starting to split pods tho seed still slightly chewy and first pods touching soil. In background typical US variety with big biomass, but barely started flowering here
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25 Jun 2025
Shed some blood, sweat and tears setting up then working at Whittlesford, good times. Best wishes to the WW (and GBMA WB) teams
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18 Jun 2025
35 yrs ago I went on a formative field trip to West Wales with @MickyLachmann, @dave_baxter etc; transect all day and pub all night. Last week we learned Micky died in a climbing accident, so I raise a commemorative Double Dragon to him and to youthful optimism 🍻
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30 May 2025
This #InternationalPotatoDay let’s get behind the great research that’s going into making the crop more resistant to pests and diseases @niabgroup @cupgra @jonathandgjones
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20 May 2025
Privileged to be one of two @niabgroup keynote speakers alongside Ji Zhou at a @novonordiskfond project meeting in sunny Denmark
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HowellP retweeted
15 May 2025
Great day at @niabgroup Cambridge today to see official seed testing and field trials for new crop varieties @DefraGovUK @APHAgovuk
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16 Apr 2025
Fancy working on practical soultions to combat a fascinating fungal disease? Great new 4-year PhD opportunity @niabgroup & @plantsci but skates on, it's a short deadline! Unfortunately this is only open to UK applicants. See link in original post for details
16 Apr 2025
NEW PhD opportunity - 2 May deadline. Niab & @plantsci announce a fully-funded, 4 year doctoral studentship, start date October 2025, funded by The Morley Agricultural Foundation (TMAF) niab.com/sites/default/files… #plantsatcambridge #PhDposition #plantpathology
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HowellP retweeted
27 Jan 2025
#Niab is part of an @appg_agscience exhibit in Parliament this week, showcasing cutting edge agriscience innovation to MPs, Peers and staff. @JohnInnesCentre @roslininstitute @Rothamsted @LIATLincoln #SupportingAgriscience
ALT Man holding #SupportingAgriscience banner
ALT Niab posters and strawberry plants
ALT Big Ben
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HowellP retweeted
30 Jan 2025
Are you ready to lead operations at our Hereford Regional Centre? Join #Niab and you will manage field crop trials focusing on cereals, oilseed rape, pulses, and forage crops.
Full info and apply ➡️ow.ly/S7O850UQnhL #NowHiring #Vacancy
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HowellP retweeted
6 Feb 2025
New #Vacancy: If you’re an expert in statistical analysis with a passion for applying data to real-world agricultural challenges, this is your chance to lead, influence, and drive impact on both a national and international scale. Full info and apply➡️ ow.ly/S97p50UV1tn
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HowellP retweeted
7 Feb 2025
Niab will be giving birds a safe home this year thanks to the installation of some new nestboxes – built and painted by local schoolchildren➡️ow.ly/elxH50UUYFb
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HowellP retweeted
10 Feb 2025
Pulses are rich in protein, fibre & minerals, and require few inputs, boost soil fertility & help pollinators. Niab researches improved genetics, pathology & agronomy in pea, faba, lentil, chickpea, phaseolus & soybean, plus non-UK cowpea and Bambara Groundnut. #WorldPulseDay!
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HowellP retweeted
31 Jan 2025
This week's @appg_agscience week in Parliament showcased UK taxpayer-funded research and innovation and included the launch of a new innovation agenda for UK agriculture➡️ ow.ly/FuCE50URawB @JohnInnesCentre @roslininstitute @Rothamsted @LIATLincoln #SupportingAgriscience
ALT Agri-science Week in Parliament. George Freeman MP, Charlie Dewhirst MP and Daniel Zeichner MP, hold a #SupportingAgriscience banner.
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