Submitted by H.L. Jones on Mon, 19/07/2021 - 15:54
The Department's PhD students Jake Moscrop and Hamish Symington's film Improving Flowers to Help Feed the World has been screened at the Bristol Science Film Festival. The festival aims to highlight and support the work of science film-makers. Jake and Hamish's film was shortlisted from more than 400 entries and screened at the festival over the weekend as part of the Earth Explained programme, a selection of science fact and fiction films on the theme of earth and environment.
Their four-minute film was created to engage a wider audience with their research, which could mitigate rising food demand and a decline in insect numbers by making flowers better at being pollinated by insects. Their work could allow plant breeders to produce varieties which use pollinating insects more efficiently, meaning the same number of insects could pollinate more flowers per day. Jake and Hamish also investigate the nectar and pollen rewards provided by the plants, to identify varieties which give the insects the best reward for providing their pollination services.
Jake said: “Both Hamish and I enjoy getting more people engaged with our research. The video was fun to make and we’re so excited to be shortlisted.” You can watch Jake and Hamish's film here.