Press release

Dr Buckeridge has 35 years of operational management experience in the life science and agribusiness industries. With a PhD in genetics and plant sciences from the University of Wales, David began his career with AstraZeneca, spending 20 years in a variety of management positions globally. After serving as Group CEO of Advanta BV, the largest independent agronomic seed business in the world at that time, David led its exit from private equity ownership and advised on its successful initial public offering to the Indian stock market in 2007.

NIAB chief executive Professor Mario Caccamo presented the prestigious industry awards to KWS’s William Compson, Kirsty Richards and Mark Dodds and Limagrain’s Ron Granger and Ian Foot at the 2023 Cereals Event.

It will also enable new revenue sources through a carbon marketplace and support enhanced value chains for industries such as textiles and construction.

Stuart Knight, Director of Agronomy at NIAB, explains that visitors can take a look at diverse range of the UK’s underutilised and novel crops that may become more popular over the next few years on farm, and discuss crop management options with NIAB specialists and advisors. “With five herbal grazing ley mixtures alongside buckwheat, quinoa, grain maize, durum wheat, hybrid rye and triticale growers have the option to view the crops above and below ground in the 20 metre long NIAB Soil Hole,” says Mr Knight.

The NIAB Fruit Annual Review 2023 includes results of ongoing and recently completed projects relating to fruit crop protection and crop science carried out at NIAB’s East Malling site in Kent.

Dr Kemp, who is already well known to the UK wine industry, brings 18 years of international experience - most recently as Principal Scientist in Oenology, the science of wine and wine-making, at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) in Ontario, Canada, and previously in New Zealand and UK posts.

NIAB’s Head of Crop Science and Production Systems Dr Mark Else explained that Dr Kemp’s appointment is hugely exciting for UK viticulture and wine as NIAB, and the sector, will benefit enormously from her wealth of experience and existing links.

NIAB chief executive Professor Mario Caccamo said:

“The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act brings our rules into line with other countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Brazil and Argentina, by taking the products of more precise breeding techniques such as gene editing out of the scope of the restrictive rules applied to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), where those products could have occurred spontaneously in nature or as a result of conventional breeding methods.

Trial results from the Straelen/Cologne-Auweiler Horticultural Test Centre in Germany has shown that the double-cropping raspberry variety is well adapted to local growing conditions, achieving high yields. In 2022, long-cane trials of Malling™ Bella®, planted in late March, started producing fruit in mid-June and kept producing continuously for about seven weeks. The variety achieved a total yield of 8.31 kg/m (4.5 canes/m) or 1.85kg/cane, 17% more than the standard benchmark variety in the trial.

Malling™ Fruits has issued grower guidelines for Malling™ Centenary, its most successful variety that has become the strawberry industry’s standard Junebearer variety.

Bred by the East Malling Strawberry Breeding Club (EMSBC) and released in 2013 to commemorate 100 years of research at NIAB’s East Malling site, Malling™ Centenary replaced the previous standard Elsanta, with its high quality fruit, increased Class 1 percentage and reduced picking costs.

Places are available for a free-to-attend technical webinar featuring the latest research and advice for UK and overseas tree fruit growers and farmers, trade and scientists. Run by NIAB, the Tree Fruit Day event is taking place online on 21st February 2023.