British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has secured £200,000 in funding for two applied research projects through the ADOPT programme. The projects are aimed at addressing fertiliser use, soil management, and establishment practices in commercial UK apple orchards.
The funding supplements research already supported by growers through BAPL's voluntary levy and allows for an expansion of trials focused on sustainability, productivity, and orchard performance. According to BAPL, both projects are designed to generate data under commercial growing conditions so results can be applied directly at the farm level.
Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL, said the funding would extend existing research activity and support evidence-based decision-making for growers, particularly in relation to fertiliser inputs and soil management.
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The first project will examine the use of alternative nitrogen technologies in apple orchards and assess whether they can reduce or replace conventional foliar fertiliser applications without affecting yield or fruit quality. The 24-month trial will begin in November 2025 and will be carried out in two commercial apple orchards in England.
Two products will be tested. R-Leaf is a daylight-activated foliar spray designed to capture nitrogen pollutants from the air and convert them into nitrate on the leaf surface. Vixeran is a microbial biostimulant intended to support natural nitrogen fixation in the root zone. Both products will be evaluated individually and in combination as partial or full substitutes for standard foliar nitrogen treatments. With scientific oversight from Niab, the trial will measure tree nutrition, yield, fruit quality, storage outcomes, and greenhouse gas impacts.
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The second project will focus on orchard establishment and investigate whether soil amendments applied at planting can improve early tree development, reduce losses, and support soil condition. The study will assess charged biochar, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and Trichoderma, applied individually and in combination, at a commercial scale.
The project will be led by A C Hulme & Sons, with Ian Overy Farms as a second host site. BAPL will oversee the work and manage communication with growers, while Skylark Carbon will supply charged biochar produced from removed apple trees. Measurements will include early growth, survival, yield, soil structure, and economic performance. The work builds on earlier Innovate UK-funded research into the use of orchard wood as a biochar input.
Both projects form part of BAPL's wider research programme, which is guided by grower input and targets challenges related to orchard management, resource use, and long-term viability.
© British Apples & PearsFor more information:
British Apples & Pears
Tel: +44 (0) 1507 353778
Email: [email protected]
www.britishapplesandpears.co.uk
