Fruit

The findings of recent trials led by NIAB research assistant Adam Walker indicate commercial volatiles are effective at attracting and retaining aphid-feeding hoverflies in soft fruit crops and can be used to improve integrated pest management practices.

Contrary to the current grower practice of monitoring pest thrips with below tabletop traps, placing the traps level with or slightly above the strawberry crop significantly improves their effectiveness, sensitivity, and value to growers, NIAB research has shown.

The retail sale of peat in horticulture will end in Wales, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced.

A new science-based strawberry forecasting tool called BerryPredictor is in the last stages of development at NIAB’s WET Centre and is expected to launch on the market by 2024.

At the 2022 NIAB Soft Fruit Day technical webinar, WET Centre operations manager Trevor Wignall outlined the benefits of efficient water use in strawberry crops and shared details of successful research into precision irrigation and rainwater harvesting systems.

With labour shortages being a constant battle with UK growers, Kirkland UK says it has researched and sourced the ideal machinery solutions for this seemingly perpetual problem.

Soaring energy costs combined with a continued lack of people to pick crops are posing a serious threat to the future of the UK’s fruit and vegetable industry, the NFU said today (15th November), as it reiterated the need for access to affordable energy and a skilled and secure workforce.

Her Royal Highness drew a crowd as she formally opened this year’s National Fruit Show in Kent.

Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex will be in attendance at the opening morning of this year’s National Fruit Show, where she will meet with industry leaders and observe the education team during a careers session with local secondary school children.

The Bayer stand at this year’s National Fruit Show will feature the outcomes of the company’s latest innovative research, including how to maximise the efficiency of biological crop protection products and a new digital residue management program aimed at promoting sustainability.

The broadcaster and writer will be chairing “an informative and lively discussion” at The National Fruit Show, Kent, in November.

Following the request of the horticulture industry, the AHDB board has agreed, in principle, to transfer surplus levy funds to Horticulture Crop Protection Ltd (HCP).