HC Deb 27 June 1985 vol 81 cc442-5W
Dame Judith Hart

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the research and development projects in agriculture and agricultural engineering, respectively, which were approved for financial support in 1985–86 by DAFS and those in each category from which support has since been withdrawn.

Mr. Younger:

Following is a list of the programmes of research approved for 1985–86 at the Scottish agricultural research institutes and the Scottish agricultural colleges. Support has been withdrawn from none.

Scottish Agricultural Research Institutes
Institute Programme
Animal Diseases Research Association Non-respiratory microbial diseases.
Diseases and nutritional and physiological disorders associated with reproduction.
Microbial respiratory diseases.
Mineral disorders: excesses and deficiencies of trace and macro elements.
Gastro-intestinal nematode parasites; production loss and immunity.
Sheep disease surveillance.
Hannah Research Institute Milk utilisation.
Limits to milk production.
Feeding for milk production.
Hill Farming Research Organisation Factors affecting production of herbage from hill and upland pasture.
Ecology of grazing systems.
Factors affecting sheep performance in hill and upland environments.
Factors affecting beef cow and calf performance in hill and upland environments.
The husbandry of red deer.
The effect of nutrient supply and supplement use on the digestion, metabolism and performance of grazing sheep.
Systems studies in ruminants.
Possible role for goats in hill sheep farming systems.
Macaulay Institute for Soil Research Mineral soils: their development, composition and properties.
Trace elements: their origin, distribution and specification in soils and plants in relation to their effects in agriculture.
Soil survey of Scotland.
Nature and properties of soil organic matter.
Role of micro-organisms in soils, especially in soil/plant relationships.
The survey, characterisation and monitoring of peat, land resources and terrain features.
Soil factors affecting crop production.
Factors affecting crop and plant composition.
Nutrition and distribution of plants and plant communities on organic and other marginal soils in Scotland.
Statistical methods for soil-crop research and the development and management of computer techniques and equipment.
Rowett Research Institute Metabolic and pathological consequences of inorganic element deficiencies.
Nature and mechanisms of action of antagonists of dietary copper.
Absorption and metabolism of inorganic elements.
Growth; energy expenditure, protein synthesis, degradation and turnover.
Growth; regulation, tissue deposition and turnover, measurement.
Growth; structural proteins and muscle fibres.
Growth; control and measurement.
Physiology of digestion.
Pigs; nutrition growth and reproduction.
Nutritional and physiological factors affecting productivity of sheep.
Nutritional and physiological factors affecting cattle and deer productivity.
Nutrition, growth, reproduction and husbandry of the commercial meat rabbit.
Metabolic and membrane-structural effects of dietary saturated cis-and trans-unsaturated, and methyblanched, fatty acids on animal tissues with specific reference to the cardio vascular system.
Plant dietary toxins.
Nitrogen metabolism in the rumen.
Digestion of fibre in the rumen.
Energy metabolism and feed utilisation.
Scottish Crop Research Institute Basic studies mainly relating to host/parasite interactions.
To provide improved cultivars of cereals and more effective breeding methods.
The biology and control of diseases and pests of cereal crops in northern Britain.
The biology and control of diseases and pests of forage crops in northern Britain.
To provide improvide cultivars of fodder crucifers and more effective breeding methods.
To provide improved cultivars of potatoes and more effective breeding methods.
Physiological mechanisms relating to the growth of arable crops.
The manipulation of factors influencing the yield and quality of arable crops grown in northern Britain.
The biology and control of weeds, diseases and pests of arable crops in northern Britain.
The biology and control of weeds, diseases and pests in soft fruit crops in northern Britain.
Physiological mechanisms relating to the growth of fruit crops.
The manipulation of factors influencing the yield and quality of fruit crops grown in northern Britain.
To provide improved cultivars of soft fruit and more effective selection methods.
The biology and control of diseases and pests of vegetable crops in northern Britain.
The manipulation of factors influencing the yield and quality of vegetable crops in northern Britain.
The biology and control of diseases and pests or ornamental crops in northern Britain.

Institute Programme
Scottish Institute of Agricultural Soil mechanics and cultivations.
Engineering Mechanisation of the production and handling of the potato crop.
Engineering for the uplands.
Liaison: general.

Scottish Agricultural Colleges
Programm Objectives
1. Dairy cattle: milk and products To improve reproductive performance and to reduce losses of young animals.
2. Beef cattle To improve genetic qualities related to productivity.
3. Sheep To improve the utilisation of conventional and novel feeds.
4. Pigs To reduce the effects of disease and to improve animal health.
To develop more efficient systems of production.
To improve consumer quality and safety of food product.
5. Poultry To improve reproductive performance and to reduce losses of young chicks.
To improve genetic qualities related to productivity.
To improve the utilisation of conventional and novel feeds.
To reduce the effects of disease and to improve animal health.
To develop more efficient systems of production.
To improve consumer quality and safety of food product.
6. Animals general To increase productivity and to improve product quality in relation to market requirements.
To increase productivity and to improve product quality in relation to market requirements.
To improve use of animal wastes and to reduce or remove pollution hazards.
7. Grass and forage legumes To promote improved output by variety testing and work related to genetical characteristics.
To increase input efficiency and improve crop management.
To improve sward characteristics of lowland, upland and hill grazings.
To reduce loss by improved control.
To assess environmental effects in order to alleviate adverse effects and to exploit favourable factors.
To evaluate economic factors.
To improve production methods and nutritive value of conserved forage.
To improve amenity grass and to establish cultivars suitable for various amenity purposes.
to promote efficient seed production.
8. Cereals To promote improved cereal production by variety testing and work related to genetical characteristics.
To increase input efficiency and crop management To reduce crop loss due to disease, pests and weeds.
To improve harvesting practices, storage and product quality.
9. Other arable crops, potatoes, roots, forage brassicae, pulses etc. To increase productivity and to improve product quality in relation to market/feeding requirements.
10. Horticultural crops To increase productivity and to improve quality and seasonal availability in relation to market requirements of field vegetables, soft fruit, protected crops and ornamentals.
11. Crops general To increase productivity and to improve product quality and seasonal availability in relation to market requirements.
13. Buildings and engineering To improve functional efficiency of farm buildings and to promote economical provision and use.
To improve functional efficiency of field machinery and to promote economical provision and use.
To improve functional efficiency of steading machinery and plant and to promote economical provision and use.
14. Economics To promote increased efficiency through better understanding of the economics of production and of the most cost effective practices.
To promote increased efficiency through better understanding of market requirements and of the supply/price outlook.
To provide economic information for policy purposes.
15. Soils and drainage To promote increased efficiency through better understanding of soil chemical properties and soil/plant nutrients.
To promote increased efficiency through a better understanding of soil structure and other soil physical properties.
To promote increased efficiency through a better understanding of factors determining the most cost effective drainage practices.
16. General studies To improve agricultural and horticultural productivity.