In this issue:

- CropMonitor
- Cyst nematodes
- Dormancy in grass weeds
- New final project report
PR453 Lightweight Eco-composites Based on Renewable Raw Materials

The CropMonitor website has been evolving and has a new live-monitoring page for winter wheat, which has been running for this season.  We would like your feedback on how you've found the new website to use.  Click on the link below to take you to the new live-monitoring home page then follow the link to the feedback form.

http://www.cropmonitor.co.uk/wwheat/wheat-intro.cfm 

We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete this short survey so we can continue to optimise the CropMonitor service.

A PhD study at Harper Adams University College is surveying the prevalence of cyst nematodes in UK oilseed rape fields. The results of this survey will help to identify the severity of the problem in the UK and may provide valuable information which could help to improve OSR yields.

Please participate in this survey by supplying soil samples from your OSR fields.  In return you will be supplied with information on the presence and population densities of cyst nematodes in your samples.

For more information and to request a sampling kit, including arrangements for free postage, please contact Stephen Kakaire (Tel: 01952 815018, Mob: 07528599097, Email: skakaire@harper-adams.ac.uk).

Can you help?

For one of our research projects we are looking for samples of black-grass, Italian rye-grass, barren brome and meadow brome for dormancy testing. If you are interested in becoming involved please contact Dr Sarah Cook at ADAS Boxworth (e-mail sarah.cook@adas.co.uk; Tel. 01954 268215) with your name, address and contact details, we will then send you a sampling pack.

For more information see the news item on the HGCA website:
http://www.hgca.com/content.output/4059/4059/News/News/Dormancy%20in%20grass%20weeds.mspx

(See below for abstract or click on link for full report)

PR453 Lightweight Eco-composites Based on Renewable Raw Materials
This project was initiated to develop Wheat-Based Foam (WBF) composites, their associated processing technologies, markets for WBFs and prototype products for the identified markets. The final report discusses all the above and also details the environmental benefits of using WBFs in comparison to petroleum-based equivalent materials.

http://www.hgca.com/publink.aspx?id=6393

The harvest results of the HGCA Recommended Lists trials will soon be coming through. To sign up for e-mail notification of the results, you can register on line at http://www.hgca.com/harvestregister 
If you have signed up in the past there is no need to contact us again, you will still be on our records. 

To keep up to date with the latest results follow this link: http://www.hgca.com/varieties 

PR453 Lightweight Eco-composites Based on Renewable Raw Materials by Prof. Jim Song Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH
HGCA Project No: 3086. Price 12.00

The aim of the project was to develop novel technologies for industrial production of lightweight eco-composites applicable in many industrial sectors. Wheat flour foam eco-composites are renewable and natural materials which are more sustainable than oil-based plastics. They can be made fully biodegradable and compostable which facilitates waste management by composting and helps reduce waste sent to landfill. A further environmental benefit of using wheat-based eco-composites is that the processing technologies utilise water as both blowing and bonding agents. This prevents the emission of hazardous chemicals that are currently used to manufacture oil-based polymer foams.

Wheat flour-based lightweight eco-composites have good mechanical, thermal insulation and sound barrier properties which may also be improved by: 1) using appropriate additives during extrusion foaming; 2) applying different coatings; 3) lamination of the foams with other renewable materials. Case studies demonstrated the potential of the materials for many applications in construction, packaging and consumer goods sectors including:

• Cool box thermal insulation panels for shipping chilled foods, beverages and pharmaceutical products without using refrigerated vehicles.
• Display boards for exhibitions.
• Cushioning planks/blocks and wrapping sheets in protective packaging.
• Antistatic packaging for electronic products.
• Fugitive foam for void creation in novel cast concrete structures.

In addition, wheat-based foams can be utilised in durable construction applications such as ceiling and partition panels for sound and thermal insulation. These applications require resistance to fire, mould growth and insect attack. The consortium developed a range of treatments suitable for modifying the properties of wheat-based foams used for the above construction applications.

A life cycle analysis study demonstrated the environmental impact of wheat-based foam materials compared with oil-based foams. The results indicated that wheat-based foams have a lower global warming potential than oil-based polymer foams.
By scaling up a novel processing line, the foam manufacturer established preliminary industrial production capacity of the wheat-based foams. In addition, a test-of-market trial of chilled food thermal packaging was successfully carried out.

Currently, wheat-based foams represent over 25% of the loosefill packaging market in the UK. The consortium anticipated that within five years, wheat-based foams will capture 15-25% of the UK plastic packaging and thermal insulation foam markets (worth approximately 50 and 70 million per annum, respectively). This will provide a significant increase in the use of wheat as an industrial feedstock.