Environment, Food and Rural Affairs CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

1. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is one of seven Research Councils established by Royal Charter and funded by Government through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). As the UK’s leading funder of academic research and training in the non-clinical life sciences in universities and research institutes, the Council funds internationally-competitive research to understand and exploit biological systems, together with related postgraduate training, knowledge exchange and innovation, and public engagement activities. Its scientific remit spans the microbial, plant and animal kingdoms, and all levels of biological organisation from molecules and cells to whole organisms and populations.

2. BBSRC welcomes the opportunity to comment on aspects of the EFRA Select Committee’s inquiry into tree health and plant biosecurity. The Council is not able to address most of the specific questions posed by the Committee, and its comments (which do not necessarily reflect the views of the Science and Research Group of BIS) are relevant mainly to the following:

“Are there sufficient resources for research to provide effective evidence on the emergence of new threats to trees and plants and for management of existing threats? Is there sufficient coordination of research effort and does the UK have an adequate pool of the right skills to draw upon?”

and:

“Are sufficient resources being put into developing effective responses to plant health threats, such as improving resistance, biocontrols and chemical or management responses?”

3. Throughout its existence, BBSRC has supported a substantial body of research on the pathology and epidemiology of pathogens and pests of agricultural and horticultural crops, some of which (eg species of Phytophthora) are closely related to tree diseases or pests of current concern. Forestry and tree health also fall within the scope of the Council’s remit, but BBSRC’s expenditure in that area has been modest (and largely confined to work on the breeding of willow for biomass or feedstock production for biofuels)—primarily because of the small number of proposals submitted by eligible institutions, which reflects the size of a currently rather small academic community with relevant interests. (The bulk of existing research into tree health and related plant biosecurity is carried out by Forest Research, and the Food and Environment Research Agency, two institutions that are not eligible to receive funding directly from the Research Councils.) The few “responsive-mode” tree proposals that are received by BBSRC are considered for possible funding—in competition with those on other topics—against the Council’s usual criteria of scientific excellence, strategic relevance and potential impact of the proposed work.

4. There is potential for research on tree health to benefit from related advances in understanding gained from studies of the diseases or pests of farmed crops, or from the application of new biological technologies developed for other purposes. In that context, and in the light of concerns about growing threats to tree health from emerging and potential new pathogens or pests—exemplified by, but by no means confined to, the recent widespread outbreak of Chalara ash dieback—BBSRC is participating in a Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Initiative (THAPBI) with DEFRA, the Forestry Commission, and other potential funders (Economic and Social Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and Scottish Government). THAPBI is being led by BBSRC under the auspices of the Living With Environmental Change Partnership, along similar lines to the earlier Insect Pollinators Initiative.1

5. The THAPBI consortium has established a joint multidisciplinary initiative with a “common pot” of funding (of at least £6.5 Million). Its aim is to bring the widest possible range of research expertise to bear on tree health and associated plant biosecurity issues. Each of the funders has a different mission and remit, but all of them agree that there is an urgent need for innovative, cutting-edge research to help sustain the health and resilience of the UK’s trees and woodlands, and their associated ecosystems. The initiative will support the objectives of the DEFRA/Forestry Commission Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Action Plan (October 2011). Its scope will also be informed by the gaps in knowledge identified in the interim report (November 2012) of DEFRA’s Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Expert Taskforce.

6. The purpose of THAPBI is to generate natural and social scientific knowledge to inform the development of innovative ways of addressing current and emerging threats to trees and woodland ecosystems from pathogens and pests. It is intended to facilitate collaboration between specialists in tree or forest research, and leading-edge scientists from the wider natural, biological, social, economic or other relevant research communities who have broader, complementary expertise that could be brought to bear on increasing concerns about tree health.

7. The Initiative aims to exploit understanding gained from studies of crop pests or diseases, as well as relevant technical advances from other fields—for example:

understanding at the molecular level of host plant-pathogen interactions and potential resistance mechanisms—and the application of state-of-the-art genomic technologies;

chemical ecology approaches to the understanding and manipulation of plant-pest-environment interactions;

new technologies for pest or disease detection and monitoring—including remote-sensing, environmental sampling, “crowd-sourcing” and “citizen science” approaches; and

advances in epidemiological and ecological modelling.

8. THAPBI seeks to exploit knowledge and technologies from studies of crop pathogens or pests and its integration with ecological and environmental research. Interdisciplinary and systems approaches are particularly encouraged, including relevant social science and economic aspects, where appropriate, to maximise the relevance and potential impact of work in the biological and environmental sciences.

9. The scope of THAPBI covers pathogens and invertebrate pests (but not vertebrate pests or weeds) of trees in forest, woodland or urban environments, and of commercial, environmental or social value (but not orchard trees grown solely for food production), together with related plant biosecurity (risks to trees from pests or diseases spread by human activity, eg from the movement of plants or plant products). The Initiative does not specify requirements for work on particular pathogens or pests, but the policy and practical relevance of the proposed research and its potential impact is a major criterion—alongside the quality of the science—in the consideration of applications for funding.

10. Research under THAPBI is invited to address challenges under one or more of the following themes (which are not intended to be prescriptive or exclusive). It may include work at any level of biological organisation from the molecule to the population or ecosystem, as well as interactions with the environment, or wider systems studies including social or economic aspects. Relevant examples of the latter might include: identification and valuation of economic and social impacts in policy appraisal; process and impact evaluation of interventions, including behavioural alternatives to regulation; establishment of the rationale for intervention (and by whom) and prioritisation of options through social cost-benefit analysis (including non-monetary evidence).

Biology: improved fundamental understanding of pest/pathogen and host interactions and biology, as well as the application of genomics and post-genomic methods and modelling, to improve tree health and underpin and inform pest and disease management.

Detection: improved methods and approaches for early detection of tree-related pests and pathogens and for surveillance and monitoring, especially including use of new or emerging technologies as well as through improved public and stakeholder engagement.

Systems: improved tree and forest health that supports the sustainability of trees, woodlands and their associated biodiversity in a changing environment (including climate change and increased international trade in plants and plant products), through, for example, the better use of genetic resources, the application of ecological principles, integrated control strategies, and improved policy and governance frameworks.

Biosecurity: improved biosecurity through better regulation, management and awareness—including understanding and use of behavioural insights—of both stakeholders and the public, together with an improved understanding of how biosecurity policies can best be developed and implemented.

11. The funders of THAPBI are keen to encourage innovative proposals from multidisciplinary groupings of researchers that bring together new combinations of skills, particularly collaborations between existing tree or forest scientists and leading-edge researchers from other communities who have relevant expertise that could be brought to bear on current concerns about tree health.

12. THAPBI comprises two phases:

Phase 1 (closed): short-term capacity and consortium-building awards funded and administered by DEFRA;

and:

Phase 2: longer-term substantive research projects, funded from the “common pot” and administered by BBSRC, a call for which is expected to be announced in February 2013.

January 2013