The Science & Research Strategy was presented by EMR’s Chief Executive, Professor Peter Gregory to Jim Paice, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food at Defra, during his visit to Fruit Focus hosted by EMR on 25 July.
The Strategy, which follows a year-long review of the institution’s strengths and how they could best assist growers improve their productivity and reinforce the country’s food security, is consistent with Defra’s Green Food Project.
Professor Gregory said: "EMR is committed to driving innovation in the industry and helping growers to compete internationally, and reduce imports, especially in perennial and clonally propagated crops.
"We believe the time is right to expand the intellectual capacity and research capabilities of EMR in order to support Defra, BBSRC and TSB in delivering on their strategic commitments to securing the long-term food security of the UK and sustainable food production. Thanks to the on-going and significant commitment of East Malling Trust, EMR is now better placed to deliver, but without government and industry support there is a concern that this may not be sustainable, and it is imperative that we win ongoing and future national funding bids.
"EMR is synonymous with rootstock development and this area of research will become increasingly important, especially as growers keep a closer eye on their energy and input consumption."
Will Sibley, Chairman of East Malling Trust, said: "Scientific research, and its application, underpins the UK’s ability to tackle the challenges it faces in adapting to climate change. It is also fundamental to ensuring the horticulture industry can grow more with less resources, such as water, pesticides and other inputs.
"For research institutions, such as EMR, to fulfil their full potential, it is imperative that there is a national framework for funding applied and strategic horticultural research."
Peter Gregory added: "At the heart of what EMR does is focus on the needs of the industry, and our research teams will be concentrating on a series of cross-cutting research themes. This will enable us to maximise the potential for knowledge transfer by pooling ideas and supporting inter-disciplinary research."
A key element of the EMR’s Science & Research Strategy is a series of five cross-cutting research themes, which include:
- A focus on its work with diploid strawberries will enable EMR to use this knowledge to promote a better understanding of perenniality and more efficient breeding programmes.
- Examining the genetic basis of interactions between crops and their pests and pathogens, whether aerial or soil borne, which will lead to a greater understanding of resistance and support breeding programmes.
- Research to examine how to enhance soils and substrates to improve the understanding of how it interacts between chemicals, physical and biological properties in order to promote fertility and improved rooting media across many crops.
- Special attention given to pre- and post-harvest practices in order to improve food chain performance and in particular enhancing storage, shelf-life and quality.
- How to promote more efficient and effective breeding programmes, by a greater understanding of the genetic basis of rootstock performance and the communication systems between root and shoot.
By 2017, Professor Gregory predicts that EMR’s scientific capabilities will have doubled its team of expert investigators to 25, thanks in a large part to the continued support of East Malling Trust. Recognising the growing national importance of food security, EMR is currently looking to strengthen its scientific capabilities in its Food Chain Quality team and improving storage and post-harvest performance.
The institution’s new Science & Research Strategy has three specific programmes with dedicated scientific teams researching into genetics and crop improvement; pest and pathogen ecology for sustainable crop management, and resource efficiency for crop production. The teams will be led by: Dr David Simpson; Professor Jerry Cross, and Deputy Chief Executive Dr Chris Atkinson, respectively.
ENDS
For more information:
Delphine Houlton
Maxim
Tel: +44 (0)1892 513033