News

For the only time in 2009, Bradbourne House and Gardens will be open to the public in aid of the National Gardens Scheme, on a date which we hope will coincide with the arrival of blossom on the garden's fruit trees.

The Hatton Fruit Garden, formerly the walled kitchen gardens of Bradbourne House, consists of demonstration fruit tree plantings of particular interest to amateurs. Originally planted in 1945 and inspired by the fruit plantings in Louis XIV kitchen garden at Versailles, the fruit garden was set up as a memorial to the art of tree training and pruning and as a source of information for gardening enthusiasts. The concept was to establish a fruit garden with trees planted at appropriate spacings to show the economic use of ground, without over-crowding. Although selective tree removal and replanting has occurred, many examples of the original planting remain.

Staff from East Malling Research will show how the fruit trees have been trained and pruned to produce cordons, espaliers, goblets, pyramids, fans, arches, crowns, le bateau, arcure forms etc. In fact, 25 different training methods are on display. In addition, there are examples of 47 varieties of apple, 28 varieties of pear and individuals of medlar, nectarine, peach and fig.

Bradbourne House, a privately owned, Grade 1 listed house will also be opened to visitors. The house displays excellent examples of Queen Anne period architecture disguising an original Tudor period house, with fine rooms, halls, staircases and a unique collection of watercolours and portraits.

There will also be displays by scientists from the world renowned horticultural research organisation, East Malling Research, plus plant sales, music, children�s quiz and refreshments.

Admission �3.50. Children (under 16) free. Entrance on New Road, East Malling, Kent off the A20.

Fruit Focus

22nd July 2009

East Malling Research, East Malling, Kent

Fruit Focus is the key business event for all those involved in the production, distribution and sales of soft and top fruit, showcasing every aspect. Fruit Focus 2009 provides a unique chance to get updated with the latest technologies and industry developments, exchange views and network with fellow producers. Featuring over 100 leading suppliers, crop plots, live demonstrations and free Fruit Forums. For more information please visit www.fruitfocus.co.uk.

EMR research at Fruit Focus 2009

Two new strawberry varieties, one raspberry variety and one cherry variety 'Z�e' will be launched from EMR's stand, number 38, at Fruit Focus. They include 'Fenella', a late season, June bearing strawberry variety; 'Lucy', a mid-season, June bearing strawberry and pest and disease resistant and primocane raspberry 'Autumn Treasure'.

Visitors to the show can also sign up at EMR�s stand for a walking tour around nearby plots to learn more about research in the following areas:

Improving water use efficiency and fruit quality in field grown strawberry (HL0187) � Dr Mark Else

On average, UK strawberry growers use 70 tonnes of irrigation water to produce one tonne of class 1 fruit. Some more �water conscious� growers use only 50 tonnes while others use three times that amount. Consequently, abstraction rates in the major strawberry growing regions are already unsustainable and are set to rise by a further 30% in the next few decades. All growers will have to comply with legislation designed to protect the environment and so they will have to demonstrate a continued need for, and an efficient use of, irrigation water. This must be achieved without reducing marketable yields of high quality, flavoursome, healthy fruit.

At Fruit Focus 2009, research leader Mark Else will discuss recent results from Horticulture LINK project HL0187, which aims to develop irrigation strategies to help growers increase their water use efficiencies (WUE). Results from 2008 field trials showed that commercial yields (equivalent to 10 tonnes Class 1 per acre) could be produced from main season �Elsanta� plants using 75% less water than current �best practice.� Only ten tonnes of water were used to produce each tonne of high quality, class 1 berries.

Mark will explain how irrigation scheduling tools developed by EMR, Earthcare Environmental Ltd and Peter White Water Management were used to reduce water use. When irrigation was scheduled effectively, sweetness of tertiary berries was also improved and concentrations of important bioactives (e.g. ellagic acid) were increased. Results confirmed that if irrigation is unscheduled and applied irrespective of weather conditions or the soil moisture content in the rooting zone, a large proportion of the applied water will percolate through the rooting zone and be lost.

Mark will also discuss this year�s trials in which deficit irrigation techniques are being developed to deliver further water savings while improving berry quality. Work with substrate-grown �Elsanta� has already shown that flavour volatile production and berry vitamin C content can be improved under deficit regimes and project consortium members will be on-hand to discuss the latest results. A key part of this year�s work is to develop a �low risk� irrigation strategy that delivers substantial water savings and maintains yields and quality. This strategy will be trialled on growers� farms in 2010-2011.

Integrated Pest and Disease Management for high quality protected raspberry production. Jerry Cross

The UK market for raspberries is under-supplied outside of the main season, but good new varieties are emerging to provide new opportunities. Retail surveillance has demonstrated that more than 50% of UK produced raspberries contain some pesticide residues (although usually below the Maximum Residue Limits). There is market demand to reduce, ideally to eliminate, the occurrence of residues. However, it is estimated that 60% of raspberry plantations are infected by pests and diseases. Assuming 25% of the crop is foregone as a result, this is equivalent to 2000 tonnes of waste raspberries worth �7M.

A 5-year Horticulture LINK project (HL0175) started 1 April 2006, aims to develop sustainable methods of management of raspberry pests and diseases. The methods developed to date have been combines into an Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) programme. Priority has been given to non-chemical methods in order to produce quality fruit with minimal risk of detectable insecticide or fungicide residues at harvest. For diseases, the main target is botrytis but consideration has also been given to control of other diseases (e.g. can blight, can spot, mildew, rust). The disease management programme is based on integration of five components: (1) tunnel hygiene, (2) crop management, (3) fruit cooling, (4) natural products and (5) targeted use of fungicides. For pests, the main targets are raspberry beetles, cane midge and aphids.

Fruit Focus 2009 is the first opportunity for research leader, Jerry Cross to demonstrate and describe some of the elements of this programme to growers. These will include:

A SPLAT formulation method for raspberry can midge sex pheromone, identified by East Malling Research and the Natural Resources Institute, for mating disruption
A trap and monitoring system developed by scientists at SCRI for raspberry beetle which can be used to direct sprays only where they are needed
Rapid cooling of fruit post-harvest to prevent Botrytis development

The IPDM system is being tested on a commercial scale on two farms in 2009 and 2010.

Concept Pear Orchard. Graham Caspell

Unproductive old English pear orchards are being grubbed at an alarming rate with many being replaced by apple orchards. According to the recent �Feeding Britain� report between 1997 and 2006 there was a 40% decline in the area planted with pear leading to a 14% decline in production. This is putting �Conference� the UK�s favourite pear on the commercial �endangered list�.

Sainsbury�s, Chingford Fruit Ltd and East Malling Research have joined forces facilitated through East Malling Trustee Will Sibley, to create the Sainsbury�s East Malling Concept Pear Orchard. Using technology that has transformed the Dutch pear growing industry, the intensive pear orchard will deliver 55 tonnes per hectare when established, compared to only 20-22 tonnes produced in traditional orchards.

The East Malling orchard evaluates four different planting regimes (traditional bush, multi-V system, double head system and single stem �Run Thru�) and demonstrates that it is possible to increase productivity per hectare in the UK and make pear growing an attractive commercial proposition for the grower. The orchard should demonstrate to British growers which of the four growing techniques is most productive in the British climate and how they can improve the commercial viability of home-grown Conference pears. The orchard should produce its first fruits in 2010, compared to an orchard planted in a traditional system, which is unlikely to fruit until 2015 and it should produce nearly three times the yield of fruit.

Currently, only 12,500 tonnes of pears sold in the UK are British grown, the deficit currently being sourced from the continent. However, if growers were to adopt the new improved techniques, growers would potentially be able to increase this amount to approximately 36,000 tonnes.

The Workshop held at East Malling Conference Centre was Chaired by the Environment agency with presentations from the leading players in the relevant research all of which can be viewed by following the links below:

Biochar production - available technology Aspirations for co-production facilities
Andrew Heggie

Regulatory Regime - What is required under Waste Regulations in different applications,
protocols, exemptions and standard licences
Jon Atkinson - Environment Agency

In this the 200^th anniversary of the planting of the first Bramley apple tree, EMR's stand (P13) will feature the range of research conducted at East Malling over many years, that has helped to develop this fruit into the Nation's favourite cooking apple.

In addition on day one of the show, fruit breeder Feli Fernandez will speak on the theme of "DNA fingerprinting in fruit crops" at 2.15pm in the newly introduced Speaker's Corner.

A general history of the evolution and spread of the apple with special reference to Bramley's Seedling on this the 200^th anniversary of the planting of the first Bramley tree.

The Amos Lectures were established in 1947 in memory of Jesse Amos, Manager/Recorder at the East Malling Research Station. EMR continue to support these public lectures, delivered by a recognised authority in a particular field, to highlight important advances and issues in horticultural science.

Dr Juniper is an Emeritus Reader at the University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford. His research interests include the interaction between people, their animals and the evolution of crop plants. His talk on "Origin of the Apple" will fascinate those who wish to know more about the origin and natural history of the apple, apple growers, researchers and students with an interest in the genealogy of the apple, and anyone with an interest in diet, well-being and the benevolent effects of plants on the emergence of humankind. He is co-author of "The Story of the Apple".

This event takes a practical look at the issues involved in supplying fresh produce. Subjects like food security, health and successful waste management are currently in the headlines. Through this event, we hope to shed light on what science has to offer the grower and others involved in the food industry.

09.45	*Registration and Coffee*
10.15	Apple zero residue production: optimism versus reality	Dr Angela Berrie, EMR
	Optimum treatment timing to reduce overwintering codling moth populations	Prof. Jerry Cross, EMR
	Using pheromones to monitor capsids in UK fruit crops	Dr Michelle Fountain, EMR
	Fruit maturity in relation to infection by Nectria in Bramley	Dr Xiangming Xu, EMR
	Overview of apple fingerprinting of the National Fruit Collection	Felicidad Fernandez, EMR
12.20	*Lunch*
13.20	Improving water use efficiency in apple rootstocks	Dr Olga Grant, EMR
	Using quality compost in apple production: does it affect soil biodiversity and crop growth?	Dr Jean Fitzgerald, EMR
	Developing biocontrol methods and their integration in sustainable pest and disease management in plum and cherry production	John Leigh-Pemberton and Prof. Jerry Cross, EMR
14.35	*Tea*
15.00	Amos Memorial Lecture
16.00	Depart

10.00	*Arrival and Coffee*
10.30	Welcome & introduction	Oliver Doubleday EMR Chairman
	The UK pear market and industry	Adrian Barlow English Apples and Pears Ltd
	Retailer / customer perspective	Theresa Huxley Sainsbury�s PLC
	Improving pear growing at A. Scripps Ltd	James Simpson A. Scripps Ltd
	Limiting factors in UK pear growing	Tim Biddlecombe FAST Ltd
	The economics of intensive pear production	Wouter van Teeffelen WTE Fruitadvies, NL
12.30	*Lunch (optional visit to concept pear orchard)*
13.30	The Concept Pear Orchard	Francis Wheatley Chingford Fruit Ltd Henk Nooteboom Verbeek Nursery, NL
	Pear breeding for the �Alternative Variety�	Jean-Paul Reynoird Pepinieres Georges Delbard, FR
	Application of water research at EMR to pear growing	Mark Else East Malling Research
	Pear sucker research	Jerry Cross East Malling Research
	Conclusions: Changing pear industry attitude and investment	Discussion led by Adrian Barlow, English Apples and Pears Ltd
16:00	*Tea and close*

East Malling Research will host an interactive National Science and Engineering Week event for 16 -18 year olds on the morning of Tuesday 16 March.

We hope to offer students a dynamic learning experience offering insights in applied research that cannot be gained in the school environment.

The event will consist of hands-on activities in the field and laboratory followed by a series of interactive lectures. Refreshments and lunch will be provided along with up to �10 in travel costs.

4 keen students are invited per school. Although total places will be limited this will benefit students by allowing the activities to be hands-on, encouraging them to become involved, allow more individual attention and compliance with laboratory health and safety.

12.05 Refreshments and snacks available back at Conference Centre for students, teachers and staff to bring into auditorium

Activity 1. The group will work in a molecular biology laboratory, where they will be split into four work stations each with three students. This will allow all students to be actively involved in the practical and it will make it easier for additional helpers to move between the groups to explain the methodology at each stage. They will use a BioRad Explorer ELISA kit which is designed for use in schools to detect a protein. They will learn how the information can be applied to various real world applications ranging from medical detection kits, to a technique to determine the movement of insects in the field using protein markers which is currently being used in an actual research project.

Activity 2 � The students will collect insects from trees which have been banded overwinter in the orchard and adjacent windbreaks. They will identify the insects with the aid of magnifying lenses and keys themselves under supervision of the task leaders. The students will determine and compare numbers of insect species and numbers present in different species of tree. They will learn about insect predation and how the presence of predatory insects can be used in the development of integrated pest control strategies. They will determine whether there are any differences between the numbers and species in the different species of tree.

Each task should take one hour after which groups will swop and complete the other activity

Auditorium presentations will include a mixture of applied techniques and theoretical biology.

For more information or to book places, please contact Ursula Twomey or Penny Greeves on 01732 843833 or email ursula.twomey@emr.ac.uk