Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Research in the Farrar lab focuses on increasing biomass yield in energy crops in order to replace fossil fuel usage, sequester atmospheric carbon, & ultimately contribute to climate change mitigation. In order to achieve this, there are two main research areas: Plant developmental biology & genetics and Plant-soil-microbe interactions.
Specialties
- Energy crops
- Perennial grasses
- Bacterial endophytes
Current Projects
Lab members:
Sarah Hawkins (Lab Manager), Gareth Raynes ('Endophytic bacteria: co-existence and chemical warfare', BBSRC iCASE studentship), Rebecca Entwistle (‘Targeting extremophilic bacterial endosymbionts for plant growth promotion and phytoremediation applications’, IBERS PhD studentship), TBA (Dissecting perenniality – molecular & physiological factors regulating rhizome formation and function, BBSRC/IBERS PhD students
Additional information
I participated in the first UKERC/NESTA Carbon Crucible programme, and subsequently the establishment of the THE award winning Welsh Crucible. I have a personal interest in promoting diversity among the research community, and have been appointed an Aberystwyth University Equalities Champion.
I co-organise the BioEnergy Grass Genomics workshop at the annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference.
Profile
I graduated in 1996 with a Plant Sciences degree from the University of Edinburgh. I obtained a PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Durham and spent three years (2000-2003) as a postdoc at Aberystwyth University. I have worked at IGER/IBERS since January 2004 as a postdoc (2004-2007) and started as a BBSRC Institute Career Path Fellow here on July 1st (2007-2013) and most recently as research group leader for Energy Crop Biology (2011-present).
Research in my lab aims to understand both plant development and plant-microbe interactions, with a focus on the energy grass Miscanthus. Miscanthus is a tall C4 grass from South East Asia which grows to a height of several metres even in temperate climates. Increasing biomass yield is essential in order to replace petroleum-based energy, liquid transport fuels, and bulk chemicals.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Profiles
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Harry Pollitt
Person: Doctor of Philosophy
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Species selection determines carbon allocation and turnover in Miscanthus crops: Implications for biomass production and C sequestration
Briones, M. J. I., Massey, A., Elias, D. M. O., McCalmont, J. P., Farrar, K., Donnison, I. & McNamara, N. P., 20 Aug 2023, In: Science of the Total Environment. 887, 13 p., 164003.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Differential expression of starch and sucrose metabolic genes linked to varying biomass yield in Miscanthus hybrids
De Vega, J. J., Peel, N., Purdy, S. J., Hawkins, S., Donnison, I., Dyer, S. & Farrar, K., 19 Apr 2021, In: Biotechnology for Biofuels. 14, 1, 15 p., 98.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile139 Downloads (Pure) -
Draft genome assembly of the biofuel grass crop Miscanthus sacchariflorus
De Vega, J., Donnison, I., Dyer, S. & Farrar, K., 18 Jan 2021, In: F1000Research. 10, 11 p., 29.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile43 Downloads (Pure) -
Genome biology of the paleotetraploid perennial biomass crop Miscanthus
Mitros, T., Session, A. M., James, B. T., Wu, G. A., Belaffif, M. B., Clark, L. V., Shu, S., Dong, H., Barling, A., Holmes, J. R., Mattick, J. E., Bredeson, J. V., Liu, S., Farrar, K., Głowacka, K., Jeżowski, S., Barry, K., Chae, W. B., Juvik, J. A., Gifford, J., & 22 others, 28 Oct 2020, In: Nature Communications. 11, 1, 11 p., 5442.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile277 Downloads (Pure) -
Linkage mapping evidence for a syntenic QTL associated with flowering time in perennial C4 rhizomatous grasses Miscanthus and switchgrass
Jensen, E., Shafiei, R., Ma, X. F., Serba, D. D., Smith, D. P., Slavov, G. T., Robson, P., Farrar, K., Thomas Jones, S., Swaller, T., Flavell, R., Clifton-Brown, J., Saha, M. C. & Donnison, I., 10 Dec 2020, In: GCB Bioenergy. 13, 1, p. 98-111 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile83 Downloads (Pure) -
Plant Power: Opportunities and challenges for meeting sustainable energy needs from the plant and fungal kingdoms
Grace, O., Lovett, J. C., Gore, C. J. N., Moat, J., Ondo, I., Pironon, S., Langat, M. K., Pérez-Escobar, O. A., Ross, A., Abbo, M. S., Shrestha, K. K., Gowda, B., Farrar, K., Adams, J., Cámara-Leret, R., Diazgranados, M., Ulian, T., Sagala, S., Rianawati, E., Hazra, A., & 3 others, 29 Sept 2020, In: Plants, People, Planet. 2, 5, p. 446-462 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile141 Downloads (Pure) -
Optimizing Miscanthus for the Sustainable Bioeconomy: From Genes to Products
Farrar, K., Heaton, E. A. & Trindade, L. M., 25 Jun 2018, In: Frontiers in Plant Science. 9, 878.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
Open AccessFile819 Downloads (Pure) -
An interyear comparison of CO2 flux and carbon budget at a commercial-scale land-use transition from semi-improved grassland to Miscanthus x giganteus
McCalmont, J., Mcnamara, N., Donnison, I., Farrar, K. & Clifton-Brown, J., 31 Jan 2017, In: GCB Bioenergy. 9, 1, p. 229-245 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile118 Downloads (Pure) -
Genetic relationships between spring emergence, canopy phenology and biomass yield increase the accuracy of genomic prediction in Miscanthus
Davey, C., Robson, P., Hawkins, S., Farrar, K., Clifton-Brown, J., Donnison, I. & Slavov, G., 12 Oct 2017, In: Journal of Experimental Botany. 68, 18, p. 5093-5102 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile112 Downloads (Pure) -
Impact of drought stress on growth and quality of miscanthus for biofuel production
van der Weijde, T., Huxley, L., Hawkins, S., Sembiring, E. H., Farrar, K., Dolstra, O., Visser, R. G. F. & Trindade, L. M., 08 Mar 2017, In: GCB Bioenergy. 9, 4, p. 770-782 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile178 Downloads (Pure) -
Partitioning of ecosystem respiration of CO2 released during land-use transition from temperate agricultural grassland to Miscanthus x giganteus: Ecosystem respiration under Miscanthus
McCalmont, J., McNamara, N., Donnison, I., Farrar, K. & Clifton-Brown, J., 01 Apr 2017, In: GCB Bioenergy. 9, 4, p. 710-724 GCB-B-OR-16-031.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile111 Downloads (Pure)
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IBERS- IAE- ISPG- CCG- IDG- SVCG- BBSRC Core Funding 23/34
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01 Apr 2023 → 31 Mar 2028
Project: Externally funded research
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Miscanspeed-accelerating Miscanthus breeding using genomic selection- Phase2-BEIS
Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
13 Jun 2022 → 31 Mar 2025
Project: Externally funded research
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Chemophytostabilization of contaminated mine soil using perennial energy crops and beneficial bacteria.
03 Dec 2018 → 02 Dec 2021
Project: Internally funded research
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ISPG-Resilient Crops & Core Capability Grant
Donnison, I., Bosch, M., Clifton-Brown, J., Farrar, K. & Robson, P.
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01 Apr 2017 → 31 Mar 2022
Project: Externally funded research
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RCUK-CONFAP Newton Fund Research Partnership Award BB/M029271/1 - Brazilian Funds
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
15 Oct 2016 → 29 Dec 2016
Project: Externally funded research
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Understanding and Exploiting Biological Nitrogen Fixation for improvement of Brazilian Agriculture
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01 Feb 2016 → 30 Sept 2019
Project: Externally funded research
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DryGro- Nutrient and water use efficiency
15 Nov 2015 → 31 Dec 2015
Project: Externally funded research
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Endophytic Bacteria: co-existence and chemical warfare - Ind CASE BBSRC
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01 Oct 2015 → 30 Sept 2019
Project: Externally funded research
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Comparative genomic and physiological analysis of beneficial C4 plant-microbe symbiosis for biological nitrogen fixation, drought tolerance and sustainable agriculture
01 Jan 2015 → 30 Sept 2018
Project: Externally funded research
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Genomic Regulation of Tillering and Nodal Propagation in the Energy crop Miscanthus
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01 Oct 2013 → 30 Sept 2020
Project: Externally funded research
Press/Media
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Phyte club: inside the plant microbiome
Gareth William Raynes & Kerrie Farrar
18 May 2017
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media contribution
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Invited speaker at ASPB 2019
Kerrie Farrar (Speaker)
04 Aug 2019Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Bacterial Endophytes for Sustainable Agriculture
Kerrie Farrar (Invited speaker)
12 Jan 2019Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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British Science week
Kerrie Farrar (Speaker)
14 Mar 2017 → 16 Mar 2017Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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Comparative genomic and physiological analysis of C4 plant-microbe symbiosis
Kerrie Farrar (Speaker)
28 Apr 2016Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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Aberystwyth University Access All Areas
Kerrie Farrar (Participant)
27 Jun 2015Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Festival or Exhibition