Welsh and Irish scientists team up to tackle potato blight disease threat

Scientists will work on new ways to tackle a disease that causes significant crop losses worldwide, including blight in potatoes, thanks to a new research grant.

Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences and Department of Life Sciences are among the recipients of a prestigious new Research Alliance Award, announced by the Welsh and Irish governments.

The €584,378 initiative will support eight cross-border research collaborations, with Aberystwyth University playing a key role in a project addressing one of agriculture’s most persistent threats.

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'Plant destroyer'

Working alongside University College Cork, Aberystwyth researchers will lead a new scientific alliance to address the threat of Phytophthora infestans, also known as the ‘Plant Destroyer’.

The disease, which has major economic and food security implications, is responsible for devastating crops across the globe, including late blight in potatoes.

Professor John Doonan, Director of the National Plant Phenomics Centre at IBERS and Co-Lead on the project, said: “This award recognises the power of international collaboration in solving global agricultural challenges. Phytophthora infestans continues to threaten food production systems across Europe.

"By combining our expertise in AI and Prof Luis Mur’s expertise in metabolomics with plant pathology researchers in Cork, we aim to build the foundations of a long-term research partnership that can develop sustainable solutions that reduce the need for chemical disease control.”

The Ireland-Wales partnership is funded by the Wales Innovation Network (WIN) and Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, as part of a strategic effort to deepen academic collaboration and enhance access to Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship funding programme for research and innovation.

Announcing the awards, Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, said: “The Research Alliance Award highlights the strong ties between Ireland and Wales and the immense potential of our academic communities working together.

"By investing in these innovative projects, we are paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and solutions that will benefit both our countries and the wider European community. We look forward to seeing how these collaborations develop into larger-scale initiatives that deliver real-world impact.”

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Partnerships

Wales’ Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans MS, added: “We want to create a dynamic future for ourselves, championing innovation and new technologies to support a greener Wales, with better health, better jobs and prosperity for all.

"The Research Alliance Award funding is a fantastic opportunity for academic organisations in Wales and Ireland to forge new partnerships in a bid to tackle complex challenges with government support – per the ambitions of the Ireland-Wales Shared Statement and Joint Action Plan 2021 to 2025.

"I look forward to seeing this initiative further build Wales’ reputation as a magnet for collaboration and excellence in innovation.”

The seed funding will support project activities for up to 12 months, including researcher exchanges, joint workshops, and preparatory work for future European funding applications.

Other projects funded under the scheme span areas such as neurodegenerative disease, AI for seizure detection, freshwater clean-up, and next-generation batteries.

Aberystwyth University is one of four Welsh institutions participating in the programme, alongside Cardiff, Swansea, and Bangor universities. The partner universities in Ireland are University College Dublin, University of Limerick, University College Cork, and Dublin City University.