Tag Archives: R&D

£150K potato storage fellowship cultivates cutting edge fruit research

Dr Richard Colgan, of the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is to build on crop storage work from the horticultural sector in one of three AHDB Potatoes awarded fellowships.

Using apparatus and expertise from the fruit sector, the three year programme will investigate the effects of mineral nutrition on the storage behaviour of tubers. Specifically, the work will examine resistance to senescent and low temperature sweetening, alongside the impact of respiration and diffusion characteristics on the long-term storage potential of tubers.

Assisting Dr Colgan in the project will be Cláudia Gonçalves da Silva Carvalho. She will initially undertake short placements within industry before commencing an 18 month postdoctoral position in the second half of the Fellowship.

Commenting on the project, Adrian Cunnington, head of the Sutton Bridge storage facility, said, “Potatoes coming out of storage have to meet specific customer quality levels or else be threatened with rejection. Having the ability to identify and assess threats and predict what happens next in storage helps growers to make the right choices to keep tuber quality consistent; and this project will bring forward the ability to make those decisions.”

Photo Credit: University of Greenwich

The post £150K potato storage fellowship cultivates cutting edge fruit research appeared first on Hort News on 10 Feb 2016.

Boost for UK crop science as NIAB and EMR join forces

Two of the best known names in UK crop research are to join forces.

Kent-based East Malling Research (EMR) has become part of the NIAB group in a move which claims it will strengthen NIAB’s ambition to lead the UK in crop innovation. According to the two organisations, EMR brings international leadership in top fruit and soft fruit research, complementing NIAB’s scientific expertise in arable crops, potatoes and ornamentals.

In research terms, the integration will align EMR’s internationally renowned capabilities in horticultural and environmental science, including expertise in plant breeding, soil science, water use and biological pest control, alongside NIAB’s existing strengths in genetics and pre-breeding, variety evaluation, agronomy research, precision farming and informatics.

The combined organisation, employing more than 300 staff and have a turnover in excess of £22 million. NIAB EMR will be established as a wholly owned subsidiary of NIAB, and will continue to operate from its existing site at East Malling in Kent.

CEO of the combined organisation, Dr Tina Barsby, commented, “This move creates a potent new force in independent applied research, bringing together the scientific expertise required to support progressive crop production at all levels, and represents a major step forward in NIAB’s plans. Our experience of merger and acquisition in recent years – including the successful integration of TAG and CUF as part of the NIAB business – puts us in a strong position to realise the full potential of a combined organisation.”

Photo Credit: NIAB

The post Boost for UK crop science as NIAB and EMR join forces appeared first on Hort News on 10 Feb 2016.

BBSRC to invest in farm research

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and 12 industry partners are to fund six research projects to improve the sustainability of UK farming.

The grants totalling £4.7 million are part of the first round of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Innovation Club (SARIC), which was developed by BBSRC, NERC and industry partners, which pay a subscription fee to be part of SARIC, to support innovative projects that will provide solutions to key challenges affecting the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of the UK crop and livestock sectors.

Dr Celia Caulcott, BBSRC Executive Director, Innovation and Skills, said, “These studies will help address important challenges for the UK’s farming industry, which is worth billions to our economy, and help progress towards sustainable agricultural systems for the future.

“The collaboration between industry and the Research Councils as part of SARIC will streamline the translation of findings from these studies into tangible benefits for producers and consumers, and help us meet the challenge of sustainably feeding a growing world population.”

The funded projects include a study to look at the impacts of different vegetation in riparian buffer strips on hydrology and water quality.

The second call for SARIC applications is now open for grant proposals with up to £5M available in research grants and research translation grants. The theme of the call is ‘predictive capabilities for sustainable agriculture’. For more information about the second SARIC call visit: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/opportunities/2015/saric-apply/

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