Peas of mind: Morphogenetics for brain and body

We are pleased to invite you to attend the Inaugural Lecture of Magdalen’s Sherardian Professor of Botany and Keeper of the Oxford Botanic Garden, Lars Østergaard entitled, Peas of mind: Morphogenetics for brain and body.

This lecture will present how fundamental research into plant growth and development can be exploited to improve the performance of legume crops, facilitate the domestication of wild progenitors, and help move towards more sustainable agricultural practices.

Nobel Laureate and Father of the Green Revolution, Norman Borlaug, famously said, “Food is a moral right for all who are born into this world.” With climatic changes threatening crop production worldwide and a global population increase, humanity is faced with obstacles that massively challenge our ability to live up to Borlaug’s statement. At the same time, sustainable production of crops is a central requirement for agriculture in the face of these global challenges related to food security and climate change.

Legumes comprise a globally important source of protein-rich and high-quality food with a vast diversity of crop types suited for highly different environments. Moreover, the growth of legume crops reduces environmental impact with lower emissions of greenhouse gasses and reduced use of nitrogen fertiliser. Legume crops are therefore likely to play a major role in future cropping systems.

Please book your place below.