Plants, pests, and the past

Common ash is one of Ireland’s most beloved native trees: an icon of rural landscapes, it supports biodiversity and provides wood for hurleys. But over the last decade ash dieback disease has put its survival at risk. We’ll look at how researchers in Ireland have been dealing with the epidemic and explore ongoing work in the country – from understanding the tree-fungus relationships to breeding tolerant ash and exploring new forest management strategies.

Faba beans provide important ecological services by providing food resources to pollinators and naturally increasing soil fertility. However, a tiny insect, the bruchid beetle, threatens this crop by damaging seeds. I’ll talk about how we’re exploring alternatives to reduce insecticide treatments, such as trapping using odour attractants or tiny parasitoid wasps living and killing beetles from the inside, to protect crops and support farmers, food production and biodiversity.

From the wild forests of Kazakhstan, where Malus sieversii was first gathered and cultivated thousands of years ago, to tranquil Irish orchards, the apple’s story spans millennia. Carried along the Silk Road and refined by Persian, Roman, and monastic growers, it spread across Europe. Beyond agriculture, apples are rooted in folklore, mythology, and traditional medicine, and have a special importance at Samhain/Halloween in Ireland. Take a journey along the Silk Road to explore how apples have spread worldwide.

Gotta catch ’em all! Crop-damaging insects strike every year, but scientists are one step ahead with smart traps that target different pests. By tracking insect numbers, researchers can predict outbreaks early, giving farmers time to protect harvests and safeguard our food supply.