Professor Leon Terry BSc (Hons) ARCS MSc PhD PGCert FIAgrE FRSB FHEA

Director of Environment and Agrifood, Professor of Plant Science

Cranfield Soil and Agrifood Institute

Contact Professor Leon Terry

Tel: +44 (0) 1234 750111 x2732
Email: l.a.terry@cranfield.ac.uk

Areas of expertise

Background

Professor Terry has consistently secured funding as principal investigator (PI) from overseas and UK Government departments, and has developed a mature yet growing revenue stream with substantive repeat custom from key industrial clients. He has been PI for over 107 research projects either funded by government or industry and is currently PI to five Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) research grants and four PhD studentships.

In 2016 Professor Terry led Cranfield’s contributions to two of the four UK Government’s Agritech Centres (AgriEPi and ChaP) securing over £10 million in capital assets. In 2017 he was successful in leading Cranfield’s Queen’s Anniversary Prize.

Professor Terry has a BSc in Applied Biology from Imperial College London. His MSc and PhD are both in Postharvest Biology from Cranfield. He has supervised over 25 PhD students to completion and has published over 150 peer-reviewed publications and two patents in postharvest science.

Current activities

Professor Terry is a member of Cranfield University’s Senior Management Team and leads research and teaching in Environment and Agrifood at the University with line management over four institutes consisting of 100 staff and cohorts of 70 PhD and 100 MSc students. He is also head of the Plant Science Laboratory at Cranfield which, since its establishment in 2002, has become one of the largest and best equipped postharvest research groups in the world.

Professor Terry has extensive experience working with overseas partners on reducing food losses using innovative postharvest technology. His personal scholarship has been driven by a need to preserve and maintain the quality and safety of fresh produce by better understanding the physiological, biochemical and molecular changes which occur after harvest in order to reduce waste and thereby help ensure greater food security across the world.

Professor Terry is an appointed member of the UK Government’s Agriculture and Food Security Strategy Advisory Panel (AFS SAP) 2015-2018, and a long standing member of the Postharvest Biology and Technology [Journal] Editorial Board. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, the Higher Education Academy and the Institute of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE).

Clients

Unilever
PepsiCo
Johnson Matthey
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Articles In Journals

Conference Papers

Cools K, Alamar M, Terry L & Chope G. (2016) Spatial phytohormone profile of stored bulbs. In: VII International Symposium on Edible Alliaceae, Nigde, 21-25 May 2015.
Amoah R & Terry LA (2013) Biochemical and physiological changes in stored sweet potatoes as mediated by 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). In: 7th International Postharvest Symposium, Kuala Lumpur, 25 June 2012.
Magwaza LS, Opara UL, Cronjé PJR, Nieuwoudt HH, Landahl S & Terry LA (2013) Quantifying the effects of fruit position in the canopy on physical and biochemical properties and predicting susceptibility to rind breakdown disorder of 'Nules Clementine' mandarin (Citrus reticulate Blanco) using Vis/NIR spectroscopy. In: 2nd All Africa Horticulture Congress, Kruger National Park, 15 January 2012.
Collings E, García Cas JA, Ortiz JO & Terry LA (2013) A new real-time automated method for measuring in situ respiration rates of fresh produce. In: VII International Postharvest Symposium, Kuala Lumpur, 25-29 June 2012.
Elmi F, Meyer MD & Terry LA (2012) Extension of avocado storability using e plus (R) ethylene remover coated sheets in sea containers. In: 4th International Conference Postharvest Unlimited 2011, Leavenworth, Washington, 22-26 May 2011.
Landahl S & Terry LA (2012) Avocado Firmness Monitoring with Values Obtained by Means of Laser Doppler Vibrometry. In: 4th International Conference Postharvest Unlimited 2011, Leavenworth, Washington, 22-26 May 2011.
Ford HD, Tatam RP, Landahl S & Terry LA (2012) Investigation of Disease in Stored Onions Using Optical Coherence Tomography. In: 4th International Conference Postharvest Unlimited 2011, Leavenworth, Washington, 22-26 May 2011.
Thanaraj T & Terry LA (2010) Spatial and Temporal Profile of Non-Structural Carbohydrates in Pre-Climacteric Sri Lankan Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Fruit. In: 3rd International Conference Postharvest Unlimited 2008, Berlin, 4-7 November 2008.
Meyer MD & Terry LA (2010) Manipulating the Ripening of Imported Avocado 'Hass' Fruit during Cold Storage Using e plus (R) Ethylene Remover or 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). In: 3rd International Conference Postharvest Unlimited 2008, Berlin, 4-7 November 2008.
Somboonkaew N & Terry LA (2010) Effect of packaging films on individual Anthocyanins in Pericarp of imported non-acid treated Litchi. In: 10th International Controlled and Modified Atmosphere Research Conference, Antalya, 4-7 April 2009.
Smyrniotaki M, Landahl S & Terry LA (2010) Temporal changes in textural and taste-related characteristics of seven UK-grown sh-2 sweetcorn cultivars stored under controlled atmosphere conditions. In: 10th International Controlled and Modified Atmosphere Research Conference, Antalya, 4-7 April 2009.
Landahl S, Meyer MD & Terry LA (2010) Biochemical and textural ripeness assessment of avocado fruit from different origins. In: 3rd International Conference Postharvest Unlimited 2008, Berlin, 4 November 2008.
Landahl S & Terry LA (2010)
Textural, biochemical and micro-structural changes in mesocarp tissue of imported avocado from Peru during ripening
. In: Acta Horticulturae : 6th International Postharvest Symposium, 2009, Antalya, 1 January 2009.
Mena C, Yurt O, Terry L & Williams A (2010) Managing Waste in the UK Food Supply Chain: A Focus on Retailer-Supplier Relationships. In: EURAM 2010 - 10th European Academy of Management Annual Conference, Rome, 19 May 2010.
Landahl S, Terry LA & Meyer MD (2008) Spatio-temporal postharvest changes in texture and fatty acid profiles in avocado fruit from different origins. In: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2008, Providence, Rhode Island, 29 June 2008.
Mcgowan D, Bartlett MD, Terry LA, Vickers A & James IT (2008) The effect of soil compaction and water application on rooting in creeping bentgrass.. In: 1st European Turfgrass Society Conference, Pisa, 1 January 2008.
Terry LA, Chope GA & Bordonaba G (2008) Effect of water deficit on strawberry fruit quality. In: VI International Strawberry Symposium, Huelva, Spain, 3 March 2008.
Terry LA (2007) Recent practical advances in post-harvest storage. In: XVI International Plant Protection Congress, Glasgow, UK, 15 October 2007.
Bordonaba GJ & Terry LA (2007) Characterization of seventeen blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) cultivars based on chemometric profiling of health-related compounds. In: 2nd International Symposium on the Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables, Houston, Texas, USA, 9 October 2007.
Meyer M, Terry LA, Ilkenhams T, Poulston S, Rowsell L & Smith AWJ (2007) Comparison between palladium-promoted ehtylene scavenger and 1-methylcyclopropene in manipulating ethylene-induced ripening in avocado fruit. In: Johnson Mathey Symposium on Catalytic Technology, Nottingham, UK, 19 June 2007.
Terry LA, Meyer M, Reay N, Ilkenhans T, Poulston S, Rowsell L & Smith A (2007) Suppression of avocado ripening with new palladium-promoted ethylene scavenger. In: VI World Avocado Congress, Vina del Mar, Chile, 12 March 2007.
Chope GA & Terry LA (2007) The role of ethylene and abscisic acid in onion bulb dormancy. In: 5th International Symposium on Edible Alliaceae, Lelystad, The Netherlands, 29 October 2007.
Terry LA (2007) Prospects for postharvest elicitors to suppress postharvest disease. In: COST action 924 International Congress on Novel approaches for the control of postharvest diseases and disorders, Bologna, Italy, 3 May 2007.
Abayomi LA & Terry LA (2006) Development of two disposable pyruvate biosensors to determine pungency in onion. In: National Allium Research Conference (NARC), College Station, Texas, USA, 7 December 2006.
Ilkenhans T, Poulston S, Rowsell L, Smith AWJ & Terry LA (2006) Development of a new palladiam-based ethylene scavenger. In: The 7th International Symposium on the Plant Hormone Ethylene, Pisa, Italy, 18 June 2006.
Abayomi LA, Terry LA, White SF & Warner PJ (2005) Defining onion pungency using amperiometric biosensors. In: International Workshop on Biosensors for Food and Safety and Environmental Monitoring, Agadir, Morocco, 10 November 2005.
Chope GA, Terry LA & White PJ (2005) Temporal changes in abscisic acid concentration in onion bulbs during controlled atmosphere storage. In: Information and Technology for Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Production. Frutic 05, Montpellier, France, 12 August 2005.
Chope GA, Terry LA & White SF (2005) Temporal changes in abscisic acid concentration in onion bulb during controlled atmosphere storage. In: Information and Technology for Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Production, Fruitic 05, Montpellier, France, 12 September 2005.
Terry LA (2004) Biosensors: current state of the art. In: AgEng 2004: engineering the future, Leuven, 12 September 2004.
Chope GA, Terry LA & White PJ (2004) Abscisic acid concentration in stored onions. In: Adcances in Applied Biology: providing new opportunities for consumers in the 21st century, Oxford, UK, 15 December 2004.
Terry LA (2004) Future developments in soft fruit quality control. In: ADAS/East Malling Soft Fruit Conference, 23 November 2004.
Terry LA, Joyce DC & Darras AI (2004) Variable efficacy of plant activators in suppression of Botrytis cinerea on strawberry fruit and fressia flowers. In: XIII International Botrytis Symposium, Antalya, Turkey, 25 October 2004.
Pompodakis NE, Terry LA, Joyce DC, Lydakis D & Papadimitrios M (2004) Storage Effects on vase life of 'First Red' and 'Atiko' roses grown in Crete. In: 5th International Post Harvest Symposium, Verona, Italy, 6 June 2004.
Terry LA (2004) Application of biosensors to the Food Industry. In: Sensors for the Food Industry-Novel Applications, Leatherhead, UK, 3 March 2004.
Abayomi LA, Terry LA, White SF & Warner PJ (2004) Development of a biosensor to determine pungency in onions. In: The Eigth World Congression Biosensors, Granada, Spain, 24 May 2004.
Terry LA (2004) Elicitors of induced disease resistance in harvested horticultural crops. In: Advances in Applied Biology: providing new opportunities for consumers and producers in the 21st century, Oxford, UK, 15 December 2004.
Terry LA, Joyces DC & Khambay BPS (2003) Preformed antifungal compounds in Geraldton waxflower tissues. In: Eighth International Congress of Plant Pathology, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2 February 2003.
Terry LA, Law KA, Hipwood KJ & Bellamy PH Non-structural carbohydrate profiles in onion bulbs influence taste preference.. In: Information and technology for sustainable fruit and vegetable production FRUITIC 05, Monpellier France.