East Malling Research (EMR) will showcase recent results and new projects in fruit research at Fruit Focus 2008, focusing particularly on water use in strawberry production and issues like bio-control, developing zero residue protocols for strawberries and new developments in funding of breeding research.

Preliminary results from the 2008 growing season suggest that water use efficiency in strawberry can be increased by up to 50 per cent, without reducing berry yields. Technologies developed at EMR are now being tested in commercial field trials and will be discussed by Dr Mark Else at the event.

Three scheduling tools are being used to develop irrigation strategies that reduce water use and also maintain yields of class 1 fruit. The effects on fruit quality are currently being determined, but improvements in berry flavour, bioactive content and shelf-life potential are expected, compared with fruit produced under conventional irrigation regimes.

Another project, which explores drought tolerance in strawberry, an issue that may become important in a changing climate, will be discussed by Nada Šurbanovski. The relative drought tolerance of different species in the strawberry genus Fragaria are being characterised by Nada, and in particular, the response of aquaporins, which are water channel proteins that when open allow movement of water molecules through plant cells, to water deficits in the roots, the site of water uptake.

Visitors can sign up to hear about these projects at EMR’s stand on the walking tour offered by EMR around nearby plots. A third project on the tour presented by Dr Jean Fitzgerald, will look at assessing the effect of ground cover on predators in orchards.

Topics