With few conventional aphicides left to control aphids in soft fruit crops, reliable alternative natural control methods are desperately required. Previous studies have shown that hoverflies can make a significant contribution to aphid control under protection with a single larva able to consume hundreds of aphids. Find out how this Innovate UK project is testing and developing bespoke native hoverfly species blends to control key aphid pests.

With increasing demand for high fruit quality over an extended season, it is become more important than ever for growers and marketing groups to find ways of storing fruit in perfect condition for longer.  Learn about some of the latest innovations in fruit storage including results of Growing Kent & Medway funded projects to extend the storage life of cherries and to improve the energy efficiency of apple cold stores without compromising the quality of the fruit.

Take a tour of the Niab/GK&M stand to learn more about research into bait sprays for SWD and earwig management, brown marmorated stink bug, commercial recycling of coir for soft fruit growers, non-destructive disease detection in cherry, decontamination of strawberry to improve shelf life, and the production of biochar from dead wood using retorts and its beneficial impact on field soils.

In controlled growth rooms, Niab has demonstrated that yields of everbearer strawberries can be more than doubled when exposing plants to optimum light, temperature and humidity over a period of 12 months. Join this tour to learn more about these results and how Niab is now exploring innovative approaches to vertical farming of strawberry which aims to enhance productivity, optimise resource use, and improve profitability for UK TCEA fruit businesses.

A previous project developed a prototype orchard ‘Precision Variable Rate Spray’ system that takes account of tree size and applies a measured volume of spray to match the canopy size of individual trees, thereby reducing overall spray use. Find out how this new Innovate UK project will develop techniques to quantify canopy density, fruit load and presence of pests and diseases, and calculate yield estimates and prescription maps to manage tree growth, crop load and spray application.

Niab is supporting the expanding UK grape industry through its research vineyard. Learn more about the results of a project examining the impact of different groundcover management practices on soil health, and a project that is employing satellite imaging and machine learning artificial intelligence, to accurately detect and predict early infection by Botrytis, powdery and downy mildew to replace inefficient methods of monitoring.

With increasing demand for high fruit quality over an extended season, it is become more important than ever for growers and marketing groups to find ways of storing fruit in perfect condition for longer.  Learn about some of the latest innovations in fruit storage including results of Growing Kent & Medway funded projects to extend the storage life of cherries and to improve the energy efficiency of apple cold stores without compromising the quality of the fruit.

Following the conclusion of the Niab Plum Demonstration Centre in March, Niab secured Innovate UK funding to work with some of the Centre funders to develop sensor-based precision fertigation of stone fruit crops. Visit the trial site to learn more about the early work in this project which aims to lower inputs and emission, and improve production efficiency of plums.

With few conventional aphicides left to control aphids in soft fruit crops, reliable alternative natural control methods are desperately required. Previous studies have shown that hoverflies can make a significant contribution to aphid control under protection with a single larva able to consume hundreds of aphids. Find out how this Innovate UK project is testing and developing bespoke native hoverfly species blends to control key aphid pests.

Take a tour of the Niab/GK&M stand to learn more about research into bait sprays for SWD and earwig management, brown marmorated stink bug, commercial recycling of coir for soft fruit growers, non-destructive disease detection in cherry, decontamination of strawberry to improve shelf life, and the production of biochar from dead wood using retorts and its beneficial impact on field soils.