And the winner is… revealing our Bac In The Picture photo competition results

Over the last few months we have been inviting researchers in our project teams to share their adventures in plant pathology by submitting entries to our first photo competition. We are thrilled to announce the winners.

Bac in the Picture was an opportunity for all BPD Programme-supported researchers to share images that demonstrate their work – the field, in the lab, or anywhere else. We received 60 entries across 5 categories with pictures that that tell a story or spark curiosity or even just make us laugh.

The winners have been selected in two ways. Firstly, we invited anyone who might be interested to vote for their favourites on our competion Padlet. The winners received the highest average ratings and most votes. Secondly, we put together a judging panel. The judging panel included Sarah Green and Sarah McLusky of the BPD Coordination Team, Debbie Harding from BBSRC, Rebecca Gosling from Woodland Trust and ecoartscotland.net founder Chris Fremantle. The judging panel were looking for pictures which were both aesthetically accomplished and also clearly representative of bacterial plant pathology.

Congratulations to all of our winners, particularly the overall champions – scroll right to the bottom to see who they are!

All the category and overall winners will receive garden centre gift vouchers to bring some (hopefully healthy) plants into their lives. And look out for these wonderful images popping up in our communications in the near future.

CATEGORY 1: BAC TO THE FIELD

Pictures taken in the field or glasshouse

Bac to the Field Winner (Public vote): Getting a field for the problem by Jennifer Cole & Adam Bryning, BRIGIT

Getting a field for the problem by Jennifer Cole and Adam Bryning: Touring vineyards in the Napa Valley in Northern California as part of a study visit for the BRIGIT project to gain knowledge and experience around Xylella fastidiosa. A tough job but someone has to do it…

Bac to the Field Winner (Jury): ‘Digging’ for the underlying cause of blackleg by Xingshui Dong, DeS-BL

Our judges were really impressed with the composition of this photo and the way the rows of plants lead the eye down to the river. It also shows some of the day to day reality of plant pathology field work.

Digging for the cause of Blackleg by Xingshui Dong: On the afternoon of November 19, 2021, we are drilling soil samples from the James Hutton Institute crop cover field. These soil samples will be subjected to genetic sequencing and nematode isolation culture with the aim of identifying the causative agent of blackleg disease.

Bac to the Field Runners Up (Public and Jury)

  • ‘Overlooking the River Tay’ by Anonymous
  • ‘I spy black rot’ by Shannon Greer
  • ‘Training the next generation’ by Carrie Brady
  • ‘A bright red cherry picker’ by Usman Hussain
  • ‘Everything the light touches’ by Sylvia Breslin

CATEGORY 2: BAC IN THE LAB

Pictures taken in the laboratory, including microscopy

Bac in the Lab Winner (Public vote): The ‘Holey’ Leaf by Usman Hussain, BAC-STOP

The ‘holey’ leaf by Usman Hussain: This leaf was sacrificed to test and develop the most suitable method for collecting leaf samples from the field and to test DNA extraction methods. A hole punch was used to create leaf discs.

Bac in the Lab Winner (Jury): Microbe Hunting by Natalie Barratt, Disease Suppressive Microbes

The judges loved the creativity behind this image and the fact that it does exactly what the creator intended – it transports us into a microbial world.

Microbe Hunting by Natalie Barratt: How fun, yet scary, would it be to be able to shrink down to a tiny size walk amongst the microbes? In our work we are hunting for disease suppressive microbes from soil samples. One of these agar plates has some of the fungal population growing and the other has the bacterial. [3D printed scientist on agar plates]

Bac in the Lab Runners Up (Public and Jury)

  • ‘Sticky Situation’ by Greig Cahill
  • ‘Under the microscope’ by Shannon Greer
  • ‘Lab in the Bac’ by James McDonald

CATEGORY 3: BAC TOGETHER

Pictures of research teams undertaking project work

Bac Together Winner (Public): Reflecting upon our progress at Loch Lomond by Mike MacDonald, DeS-BL

Reflecting upon our progress at Loch Lomond by Mike Macdonald: It took a while, but eventually we managed to get together for an in person DeS-BL meeting at SCENE. For me this was my first time meeting any of the project partners. And what a location to ‘reflect’ upon the past year’s remote working.

Bac Together Winner (Jury): And they’re off… by James McDonald, Future Oak

The judges liked the way that this image so encapsulates current times. A team together in person for the first time, outdoors and socially distant – the reality of COVID-era teamwork.

And they’re off… by James McDonald: The first opportunity for some of the Future Oak team members to meet in person, observe Acute Oak Decline symptoms, and discuss plans for the field work. Pictured (left to right): Sandra Denman, Norman Dandy, Alejandra Ordonez, Jim Downie.

Bac Together Runners Up (Public and Jury)

  • ‘Cord’ by Usman Hussain
  • ‘Life is a picnic: sampling oak processionary moths in a London park’ by Darren Evans and James Kitson
  • ‘Log surgery’ by Sandra Denman

CATEGORY 4: BAC TO THE FUTURE

Pictures which reflect new discoveries or understanding

Bac to the Future Winner (Public): Beautiful old oak tree at a SSSI site by Sandra Denman, BAC-STOP

Beautiful old oak tree at a SSSI site by Sandra Denman: This is an old Quercus cerris (turkey oak). It sprouted and grew long before any of us were born. It has seen many changes of our times and will see many more beyond us if it can survive. Rooted in the past for the future.

Bac to the Future Winner (Jury): Leaf-miner by Usman Hussain, BAC-STOP

The judges particularly like the striking colours and crispness of this photograph. It also shows very clearly exactly what the photographer intended.

Leaf Miner by Usman Hussain: Something new I learned during the project is the cause of this green patch on this oak leaf. This phenotypic pattern is called the green-island and is caused by certain leaf-miners. They prevent the senescence of the leaf to prolong their feeding resource.

CATEGORY 5: BAC IN THE GAME

Unusual, eye-catching or funny moments from project research

Bac in the Game Winner (Public): Snail’s Pace by Greig Cahill, DeS-BL

Snail’s Pace by Greig Cahill: Wondered why nothing was coming out when trying to water my field trial. Gave the watering can a shake and out popped this guy!

Bac in the Game Winner (Jury): Beetle Mania by Jennifer Newton, CALIBER

The judges thought that this image is both beautifully shot and funny. What a moment to have been lucky enough to capture!

Beetle-mania by Jennifer Newton: No social distancing observed here(!) – three leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) found while sweep net sampling for psyllids during CALIBER fieldwork.

Bac in the Game Runners Up (Public and Jury)

  • ‘Extreme plant pathology’ by James McDonald
  • ‘The Oak Watch’ by Marine Cambon

OVERALL WINNER – PUBLIC VOTE

Overall Winner (Public Vote): Snail’s Pace by Greig Cahill, DeS-BL

Snail’s Pace by Greig Cahill: Wondered why nothing was coming out when trying to water my field trial. Gave the watering can a shake and out popped this guy!

OVERALL WINNER – JURY

Overall Winner (Jury): ‘Digging’ for the underlying cause of blackleg by Xingshui Dong, DeS-BL

Digging for the cause of Blackleg by Xingshui Dong: On the afternoon of November 19, 2021, we are drilling soil samples from the James Hutton Institute crop cover field. These soil samples will be subjected to genetic sequencing and nematode isolation culture with the aim of identifying the causative agent of blackleg disease. 
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