British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has announced that top fruit growers will continue to commission industry-relevant R&D following the cessation of AHDB activities in horticulture.
The BAPL R&D Group, chaired by Rob Saunders, works actively to enable growers to meet the challenges of the future. In a statement, BAPL said, ‘The Group has agreed a focus on projects that directly address the issues that become more challenging as the crop protection landscape changes. These include woolly aphid, hard-bodied insects, and codling moth. On the disease front, the immediate focus will be on scab and canker.’
The first call for crop research proposals went out in early 2023, and the BAPL R&D Group received shortlisted presentations on 8 March 2023.
Research proposals were evaluated for funding by the BAPL R&D Group to ensure they offered value for money and had a realistic chance of making a difference for growers. As a result, some proposals were not accepted.
NIAB EMR will undertake work on woolly aphid, blossom weevil (anticipating the loss of acetamiprid), codling (in anticipation of the loss of indoxacarb), scab (anticipating the loss of dodine and captan) and canker.
ADAS will undertake work on woodlice, which has become a significant, though localised problem in recent years.
“The demise of AHDB research is both a threat and an opportunity for the top fruit industry.” Explained Rob Saunders, BAPL R&D Group Chair. “The threat was that without AHDB research the sector would have no mechanism to tackle the pest and disease challenges brought about by regulatory change, climate instability and the arrival of new pests, along with the challenge of our journey to net zero.
“The opportunity was to create a highly focused, grower-led team to identify priorities, invite research tenders, and commission research that has a strong chance of making a difference for top fruit growers.”