Tom Allen-Stevens and Dr. Dylan Phillips explain precision breeding to Thomas Vaughan, including its differences from genetic modification, PROBITY project aims, and potential benefits for crop performance and sustainability in this interview.
9 May 2025
Bees and Beyond
Welcome back to Agronomy Matters! In this latest episode, host Thomas Vaughan, Environment Manager at BASIS, ventures into the fascinating realm of insects , exploring why these tiny creatures play an outsized role in our ecosystems.
Joining Thomas is Kirk Mason, a passionate entomologist, science communicator, and wildlife photographer whose work has been featured by BBC Wildlife Magazine and Springwatch. Kirk has also collaborated with BASIS on a new microlearning series, shining a light on the often-overlooked champions of the insect world.
In this conversation, Thomas and Kirk explore the many services beneficial insects provide, from pollination and natural pest control to soil health, and delve into surprising lifecycles that reveal the complexity of these creatures. They discuss how insects interact with field margins, hedgerows and other landscape features, examine current population trends and successful conservation case studies, and consider which lesser-known groups deserve more attention.
Finally, they imagine what an ideal, insect-friendly UK countryside looks like and identify key species that signal a thriving ecosystem.
23 Apr 2025
From Rock to Root
In this episode of Agronomy Matters, we take you deep underground to explore Boulby Mine, home to the world’s only polyhalite mining operation. Located in East Cleveland, this extraordinary site is the UK’s deepest mine and a key player in sustainable agriculture.
Join us as we uncover the mining behind polyhalite, a unique multi-nutrient fertiliser, and hear from the workers here how the mining operation has changed over the years as well as learn about the mines fascinating history to its vast underground network stretching beneath the North Sea. We’ll also explore the challenges and innovations behind extracting this valuable mineral.
With on-site recordings from inside the mine, we bring you as close as possible to the action, though you may notice some variations in sound quality along the way. So, strap in as we descend into the depths of Boulby Mine and discover why polyhalite is shaping the future of agriculture.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
11,748
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
4.7 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
17
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
81
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