The winning image was taken by taken by Fiona Hutton, Teagasc plant pathology research laboratory manager, currently working at the Department of Crops, Environment and Land Use, at Oak Park This photograph, taken at the Crops and Technology Open Day last June, shows a flowering phacelia cover crop alive with pollinators such as this bumblebee, an example of how good soil management and biodiversity can thrive together. The TillageCare project is helping to show how practices such as cover cropping and the use of organic manures can improve soil health, store more carbon, and reduce nutrient losses to water. By combining research, farmer experience, and data from real fields, the project supports industry and policymakers in developing a roadmap towards climate-neutral Irish crop production.
The photo competition, which has been running since 2015, is open to all Teagasc staff and students with entrants aiming to visually capture the wide variety of research innovations related to their area of work.
