New PhDs to look at how to sustainably support British hop growers
Gloucestershire's Royal Agricultural University (RAU) is inviting applications from people wanting to complete two PhD research projects concerning developing sustainable approaches to British hop production, which is on the decline.
Interviews are set to take place in November and the two successful applicants are expected to start in early 2025.
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Asahi UK and the Worshipful Company of Brewers, the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) and the University of Warwick are funding the PhDs.
Hop production, which is vital to making beers, in the UK has declined substantially, due to climate change and diseases, since the heyday in the 1800s when it is believed there were almost 3,000 hop growers and over 77,000 acres of hops. There are now just 45 hop growers, and only 2,000 acres of the crop.
Professor Duncan Westbury, dean of land and property management at the RAU, who will be supervising the PhDs, said: "Going forward, we need to support British hop growers and this includes developing approaches that make hop production more environmentally and economically sustainable.
"As well as the problems caused by a changing climate, growing hops in the UK is now also more difficult due to the increasing incidence of fungal pathogens in the soil, particularly a disease called Verticillium wilt which can significantly reduce yields.
"Hop growers currently do what they can to prevent disease and this includes the use of chemicals and regular cultivation of the alleyways between the hop bines.
"However, these practices not only significantly impact biodiversity and soil health, they are also carbon intensive meaning that, while they may support the short-term production of hops, they contribute to the long-term problem."
The two PhDs will look at ways to increase resilience to disease through the implementation of wildflower alleyways and the use of biochar, a carbon-rich, charcoal-like material.
It is hoped that use of these methods could also lock up more carbon in the soil thereby helping growers to address the climate emergency, enabling the sector to progress towards its goal of net zero.
Paul Corbett, director of the British Hop Association, added: "The use of biochar as a soil amendment needs to be proven in hop yards. The use of perennial wildflowers would be preferred but we need to overcome the concerns about Verticillium wilt and management practices.
"Both projects provide the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and improve our ambition to reach net zero and we are delighted to see this initiative," he added.
The students will be supervised by the RAU’s Professor Westbury and Professor John Clarkson from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick.
On successful completion, they will have gained key skills and expertise, which will enable them to seek a wide variety of employment opportunities in further research, or in a consultancy or advisory role.
More details can be found HERE.
