The wheat in biscuits, potatoes in chips and barley in beer are all likely to have begun life in fields alongside the Mil. In recent years the Agricultural and Food Research Council's Plant Breeding Institute near Cambridge has been very successful in developing new and popular varieties of the country's staple foods.
Colin Tudge explores what scientists and breeders are doing today to bring further improvements to crops. Producer DEBORAH COHEN (Postponed from 24 June)