Niab soft fruit day shares latest research results

This year the event is a hybrid event offering delegates the choice of attending either in person at Niab’s East Malling site in Kent or online

Three sessions are lined up for the day, one focussing on new developments in pest management and soft fruit storage, one on improving resource use efficiency and one on the new soft fruit genetic improvement network project (Soft Fruit GIN).

Topics to be included in the first session include novel approaches to controlling the large raspberry aphid, the use of hoverflies for controlling aphids in strawberry, modern technology for thrips identification, optimising predatory mite release, parasitoids for SWD control and improving post-harvest storage of soft fruit.

The second session offers up-dates on Niab research to manage pollinators in protected soft fruit crops, coir recycling, maximising yield potential of strawberry using vertical farming and matching nitrogen supply to demand in strawberry.

In the final session, delegates will learn how the Soft Fruit GIN project is working to provide new genetic resources to support commercial breeding programmes to breed new cultivars that use water and nutrients more efficiently and have resistance to pests and diseases.

Niab Knowledge Exchange manager Scott Raffle, commented, “We are delighted that this year we are able to run the Niab Soft Fruit Day as a hybrid event which will allow some delegates to meet and network at the Orchards Events Venue at East Malling whilst those located outside the south east of England can join the day virtually. Niab and its partners continue to manage a wide portfolio of research projects on soft fruit funded by Growing Kent & Medway, UKRI and other funding bodies and this event allows us to share some key results with the industry.” 

The event takes place on Wednesday 3^rd December starting at 9.00am and running through until 4.15pm. 

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