Grown Kent & Medway, Innovate UK as well as the Biotechnology and the Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have joined together for the first time during the upcoming Fruit Focus.
The Fruit Research Innovation Hub will show the ways they are investing in innovative ideas for the UK’s fruits industry by promoting research and development of new science, as well as its application to facilitate commercial innovations.
Attendees at Fruit Focus on 12th July in East Malling, Kent, can explore the latest research and innovations that are funded to address many of the greatest challenges faced by the sector of fruits.
There will be a display of cutting-edge advances in agricultural technology such as spectral imaging using Artificial Intelligence to machine learning that can predict the optimal time for fruit harvest. It will be possible to examine how our understanding of emerging and new diseases and pests are evolving. State-of-the-art research facilities from four Kent-based institutions will be showcased.
Dr Nikki Harrison, Programme Director, Growing Kent & Medway Dr. Nikki Harrison, Programme Director of Growing Kent & Medway “By taking action to meet the demands of local firms and by investing in the capacity of regional research organizations The Kent as well as the Medway region is beginning to emerge as an international pioneer in sustainable horticultural research.
“The fruit research innovation hub offers the perfect opportunity to examine the positive impact local and national funding has on both the region and the sector. The Hub will highlight the advantages as well as the value for UK firms collaboration-based funding strategies are able to provide.”
“Dr. Katrina Hayter, Executive Director, Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said: “Collaboration and sharing knowledge are essential in the creation of new ideas and taking them off the paper to reality. The Fruit Research Innovation Hub will let us showcase some of our successes and connect with a variety of specialists and possible grant applicants from the sector, who will collaborate and take on each one’s own role in helping develop the industry of food in the future.”
The Dr Karen Lewis, Executive Director for Capability and Innovation at BBSRC Dr Karen Lewis, Executive Director for Capability and Innovation at BBSRC said: “We share the ambition for growers to fund collaborative research and development that can aid the industry in achieving its economic sustainable, social and environmental objectives. In the Fruit Research Innovation Hub, we’ll showcase research initiatives from scientists across UK institutes and universities which are designed to address many of the pressing problems facing the horticulture industry and fresh fruit and vegetables.”
A few of the works that will be on display comprise:
— Fotenix Limited: integrating advanced camera equipment, 3D multi-spectral and laser-dot technology. AI services that will help improve UK production of food (Innovate UK)
— Machere Ltd: Identifying organic liquid fertilisers to be used in Aeroponics systems (Growing Kent and Medway)
Air-seq is a groundbreaking technology created by Earlham Institute that uses DNA sequencing to give early warning about infectious pathogens that are airborne (BBSRC)
— University of Greenwich and NIAB, East Malling: Pheromone of Apple Sawfly, developing new techniques to deal with a newly-resurfacing Pest (BBSRC)
The Fruit Research Innovation Hub will provide businesses in the supply chain to research funding and knowledge that will assist in creating innovation, and making the industry competitive and resilient in an ever-changing economy and environmental environment. The hub will also provide the opportunity to link the sector with public funds to assist in determining the direction for fruit research.
Its Fruit Research Innovation Hub can be located at booth 700 at Fruit Focus, East Malling, Kent on Wednesday 12th July. Three tours of the exhibitions of research be offered during the day, between 10:00 and 11:00, as well as 14:00.