b'Barley research thus illustrates a com- This project demonstrates how plant plete chain: from the gene level, throughbreeding and agronomy can intersect farming practices, to consumer productswith wider social trendshere, the shift and cultural heritage. towards sustainable textiles and circular economies.FLAX: REVIVING AN OLD SCOTTISH FIBRE CONNECTING CROPS AND While potato, oat and barley researchCHALLENGESfocuses on improving staple crops, flax repre- Taken together, these four examples high-sents something different: a return to a croplight the breadth of crop research underway that once thrived in Scotland. Historicallyin Scotland. From conserving potato diver-grown for linen, flax production declinedsity against future threats, to stabilising with the rise of cotton and synthetic fibres.oats for healthier diets, to sustaining barley Yet the fashion industrys environmentalfor whisky, to testing flax for textiles, the impact is now driving renewed interest inHuttons work reflects both global chal-natural fibres. lenges and local opportunities.The Hutton, together with SoilThe unifying theme is resilience Association Scotland and industry part-whether against disease, climate var-ners, has been assessing the potential ofiability, or unsustainable consumption flax under Scottish conditions. Trials acrosspatterns. While each crop poses different farms and community sites have testedchallenges, the Huttons interdisciplinary three varietiesDelta, Tango and Avianapproach allows lessons to travel across pro- under different cultivation methods. AtFlax could again become a viable crop forjects: barley genomics informs oat research; the Huttons Balruddery Farm, researchersScotland. potato conservation parallels flax revival.examined sowing densities, nitrogen treat- As the Euroseeds Congress gathers in ments and tillage practices. Results showEdinburgh in 2025, the work of The James that factors like undersowing with cloverbeen harvested by hand, with fibre qualityHutton Institute offers a reminder that the can influence stem length and potentiallytested in collaboration with Fantasy Fibrefuture of crops depends not just on genet-fibre quality. Mill and Heriot-Watt University. The find- ics or yields, but on how science connects Harvesting remains a challenge sinceings suggest that flax could again become awith society, culture and environment. In Scotland currently lacks specialised equip- viable crop for Scotland, though more workScotland, plant breeding continues to seed ment for flax. Much of the trial crop hasis needed to scale production and processing. innovation for the decades ahead.The International Barley Hub is dedicated to ensuring barley stays resilient under climate change while continuing to meet the high standards of brewers and distillers.SEPTEMBER 2025|SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPEISEED WORLD EUROPE I 11'