Research into Use: The Strawberry and Brassica crops - National

12 Pages·2011·0.44 MB·English

Research into Use: The
Strawberry and Brassica crops

National Horticultural Forum
April 2011

The National Horticultural Forum is supported by the East Malling Trust for Horticultural Research, Horticultural

Development Council, Horticultural Trades Association, National Farmers Union, Royal Horticultural Society, Institute of
Horticulture, Society for Chemistry and Industry, and the members of the R&D Providers Group.
NHF Research into use 1
1 Introduction and aims

The Food Research Partnership “issues group” on translation of research into use (FRP: see note1)h
posed the following question in 2010: How can the translation and exploitation of food research be
improved, and what is the balance of roles between public and private sectors?
1. What are the key issues or problems relating to translation and exploitation of research
within the supply chain?
2. Are these problems specific to a particular part of the supply chain? (e.g. research, pre-
production, processing, post-production).
3. What methods of knowledge transfer /communication channels have been found to be the
most effective?
4. Are there case studies that illustrate effective translation and exploitation of research?
5. What possible metrics exist to measure the degree of success in translation of research into
use?
6. How do stakeholders go about communicating their needs to other parts of the supply chain?
7. What incentives exist /should exist for producers to take up new technologies or methods?
8. What possible actions or recommendations would help to address the issues?
The NHF has been asked to contribute to this study, focussing on the strawberry and Brassica crops.
This paper seeks to identify innovations which have come into practice over the last 10-15 years in
the strawberry crop (Part I) and the Brassica crop (Part II) and their technological origins and
processes of research translation. Part III provides an analysis of key issues in research translation in
horticulture.

Part I: Strawberry
2 Strawberry Market Context 1995-2010
The UK strawberry industry has had a dramatic fifteen years with increases in market value and
home production outpacing imports on a broadly unchanged overall area of production (FIG 1, 2).
UK Production 1995-2008
250 UK Market Value 1995-2008 120.0
200 100.0
Production K Tonnes
150 HOME 80.0
M PRODUCTION
£ eulaV 100 60.0
IMPORTS
40.0
50
20.0
0 Area K Ha
1995 2000 2005 2008
0.0
1995 2000 2005 2008

FIG 1, 2 UK market value and production of strawberries. Source, Defra Basic Horticultural
Statistics 2009.
The remarkable production improvements have been underpinned by technological innovation in
multiple areas. This study has attempted to identify the pathways by which these interacting
innovations have come about and the implications for underpinning future industry changes.
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3 Strawberry: Technological Innovations and their Origins
The primary driver for innovation has been buoyant consumer demand leading to the widespread
introduction of polytunnels to provide extended seasons for UK production. During this period,
strawberries became fruits available year round in supermarkets; the UK supply system has
successfully adapted to provide UK crops for more than 9 months of the year and smoothed the
production peak in June and July.
A: Innovation in Polytunnels.
Tunnel Structures: The 1980’s saw the first use of single span structures for season extension. Multi-
span polytunnels were imported from Spain in the 1990’s by a Herefordshire fruit grower, Angus
Davison of Haygrove Ltd. A tunnel supply business with local research, testing and production was
subsequently developed, which has now developed internationally. Intellectual property was
obtained for engineering innovations in tunnel design and operational elements. Innovations in
engineering are developed by five research and production engineers. Experimentation is largely
carried out by the company each season with ideas also flowing back from customers at their field
days. Although there have been no substantive links to the UK engineering base in developing these
areas, the company has collaborated in developments in biological areas.
Plastics: The plastics used to cover tunnels have changed over the years to improve crop
performance. Companies such as BPI Agri offer coverings with a range of properties relating to light
diffusion, heat retention, uv absorbance and spectral quality. Light diffusion and heat retaining films
are widely used at present. The origins of these products in research arise from DTI and LINK funding
for novel photochemistry and biological assessments at Reading and Lancaster Universities. An
important supplier produces horticultural plastics in Greece; where a key executive had studied at
Reading and then re-directed the company into this specialised area.
B: Innovations in growing systems and nutrition
Moving the growing system under tunnels has been extended (but only partially) to moving the crop
out of soil into other growing media. This has been encouraged by the withdrawal of soil sterilant
chemicals (most notably methyl bromide), disease pressures and introduction of new planning laws
leading to more permanent structures.
The science behind soil-less systems (peat-based) has emanated from research in Belgium (Merle);
Research towards such systems in the UK was undertaken through a Link project (1999-2004)
involving a broad cross-section of the industry and science-based partners. The tomato and
strawberry industries evolved different tailored technical solutions for soil-less production systems
after considerable applied experimentation (eg strawberry nutrition calculator from HDC). The
tomato industry’s ‘closed loop’ growing systems for nutrition are far in advance of current nutrition
and irrigation systems in strawberries, perhaps because of the temporary nature of installations and
differing disease pressures. Renewed research focus on water use is generating options for the
future (Defra and HDC funded projects).
C: Innovation in scheduling and production
Innovation in propagation, chilling and storage allowed regular planting of cold stored plants to fruit
later in the year, followed by crops ‘in season’ in subsequent years. This research was undertaken in
the 1970’s at research centres such as Breda/ Wageningen (Netherlands) and Merle/Tongeren
(Belgium). Overall, a shift from perennial to two-cycle crop production systems made the potential
for rapid turnover in certain cultivars feasible (subject to choices of supermarket buyers).
Innovations in propagation systems and methods to optimise reliable uniform plant growth and
cropping, were funded by propagation companies, and often maintained as proprietary knowhow.
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The HDC funded important generic work on crown size and yield to underpin these production
improvements. Basic plant physiology ( Link-funded) was harnessed to address the problems of
thermo-dormancy leading to reconfiguration of tunnel temperature control systems
Ergonomic work to optimise human picking operations was supported by HDC which allowed an
increase in productivity of up to 30%; however, automated harvesting systems are still at a
development stage.
D: Innovations in genetics
Although Elsanta (a June bearer) has remained the staple cultivar, other varieties bred in the public
sector (East Malling Research (EMR)) provided choices to growers. Everbearer varieties were
developed to extend the season, initially coming from USA and Holland, but later via breeding
investment from international companies (Driscoll’s), locally-based companies (Edward Vinson Ltd,
Redeva) and the public sector (EMR). Everbearers now account for approximately 40% of the area
and the sweet variety Driscoll Jubilee is acknowledged as leading the way in the premium berry
sector. Genetics does not seem to be an enormously important source of innovation during this
period, perhaps because of the difficulties of breeding an octoploid, but this situation is likely to
change in the future.
One set of innovations which has not reached the market, concern the use of genetic modification.
In principle, single gene modifications of a vegetatively propagated crop, can rapidly alter particular
traits while preserving the background genotype (eg. disease resistance, sweetness and other
modifications). Considerable efforts within the science base (EMR, Reading) and industry, on the
genes and manipulations required, has not yet been taken up and formidable regulatory barriers
remain.
E: Innovation in crop protection.
The re-engineering of the entire cropping system has required and enabled new approaches to crop
protection. Different pests and diseases have become important. The ability to deploy biological
control within tunnel structures has allowed biological control systems used in protected crops, such
as tomatoes and flowers, to be adapted for the control of two-spotted mite and whitefly in
protected strawberry. The science behind the biology of these predators and parasitoids was well
established by the mid-1990s from public sector research (e.g. GCRI, USDA). However, bio-control
companies such as Certis BCP, Koppert and Syngenta Bioline have improved their predator
production systems and robustness of delivery. The adaptation and testing of the pest and disease
control systems to strawberries relied on public sector expertise at EMR, ADAS and elsewhere, with
funding from Defra to a great extent as well as HDC, industry directly and Link.
Pheromone-based trapping systems for monitoring capsid pests, and for controlling strawberry
blossom weevil, have completed large-scale field testing and are about to be implemented. This
development and the biological work on which is based was public sector work at EMR and NRI,
funded by Defra, HDC and industry via Link. The emerging problem of pesticide western flower
thrips is being addressed through a current HortLink project (2010-2015), the last of such projects to
be approved.
Public sector research on pathogen biology and epidemiology has led to the development of a
predictive model of the impact of weather on Botrytis infection and disease development,
eliminating the need for fungicides on early covered June-bearers (EMR). Similarly, a forecasting
model for mildew has enabled a disease management system with reduced fungicide input. These
two systems have completed large-scale field trialling and are about to be implemented.

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Public sector work on correlating verticillium inoculum levels in soils with disease intensity led to the
development of a soil test for the industry (EMR). Subsequent withdrawal of methyl bromide led to
a biofumigation project in LINK as a means of suppressing verticillium (EMR/NRI Greenwich); this is
being followed up in a TSB project (led by BerryGardens).

Part II: Brassica
5: Brassica market context 1995-2010
In contrast to the positive market development for strawberry production, the overall market for
Brassica crops has remained static over the last 15 years with a marked dip in production around the
turn of the millennium (Fig 3)

250
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
200 Sprouts Turnip Kale
Swede
Broccoli
150
M BrusselSprouts Cabbage
£ eulaV 100 Cauliflower
50
Cabbage
Broccoli
0
Cauliflower
1995 2000 2005 2008
Year

Fig 3: Market value of the principal UK Fig 4: Relative areas of UK Brassica crops in
produced Brassica crops 1995-2008. 2009 (Source: Brassica Growers Association)
(Source Defra basic horticultural statistics)

During this period, total imports rose from about 25% to constitute about 30% of the UK production
value, with this figure being stable over the last five years. The UK market is self sufficient from June
to November. The biggest change in the market has been the increase in the production of the
broccoli (calabrese) crop within the overall mix. In 2009 broccoli accounted for 23% of the planted
area (Fig 4) as well as being the highest value major crop.

6: Technological innovations in the Brassica crops and their origins.

A: Innovations in genetics: Crop Types

The principal source of innovation in the Brassica crop has been from genetics providing new
products to be put before consumers. This has arisen from the development and introduction of
new crop types, such as the large-headed Broccoli introduced from the early 1990’s, and more
recently the introduction of new, long-stemmed Broccoli types with price premiums and exclusive
marketing arrangements (egTenderstem, Bellaverde).

B: Innovation in genetics: improved varieties.

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Alongside the development of new crop types, a vigorous and competitive international seed trade
has been developing varieties with improved performance. The market is almost entirely for F1
hybrids, and is served by five major breeding groups. The cost of seed is a significant proportion of
the cost of production so the uptake of improved varieties is rapid. Crop establishment from
purpose-raised transplants is nearly universal as this provides uniformity and scheduling precision.
This investment again pulls though genetic improvements very quickly. Genetic improvements have
been seen in yield (15-20% over 15 years) and quality (Class I product increased from 85-95% of the
crop over this period).

These gains have arisen from private sector investment in breeding and trialling, with each of the
five breeding groupings employing at least 4 breeders for the international markets, so probably an
investment overall of at least £5M/yr. UK Brassica seed sales are more than £40M.

This private sector investment leverages five aspects of public research investment
 Germplasm collections: UK and EU (NL, D) germplasm collections, and their curation,
characteristation and distribution to all of the breeding programmes. UK Vegetable Brassica
collection based at Warwick and funded by Defra (although initiated by Oxfam)
 Doubled haploid technology (microspore culture) is universally used in Brassica breeding
programmes to speed up development of new varieties. The basic research to establish
protocols was carried out in 70’s and 80’s in many labs worldwide including JIC and Warwick
in UK (Funded by BBSRC).
 The technology for F1 hybrid seed production uses either self-incompatibility (based on
research at Warwick in 70’s and 80’s) or cytoplasmic male sterility based on Japanese
“Ogura” system or new versions developed by INRA in France.
 DNA markers. Marker technology now universally applied in Brassica breeding programmes.
The early development of markers was undertaken at John Innes Centre and Warwick with
strong links to developments in public and private labs in Oilseed Rape. UK Funding came
from Defra, BBSRC and industry consortia. Strong links exist to international efforts in
Canada, Korea, USA.
 Trait biology. Basic research on the physiology and genetics of important traits such as shelf
life, seedling vigour, pest and disease resistance undertaken in public sector funded by
Defra, BBSRC and leveraged industry schemes.

It is a harder to identify specific impacts from the “blue sky” research in plant biology using the
model Arabidopsis over the period to 2010. However, the understanding of genetics, genome
organisation and trait biology in this model, which is genetically related to the Brassica’s, has
undoubtedly informed the development of the existing DNA marker technology and identified
important genes as candidates to improve shelf life, human health benefits, disease response,
nutrient efficiency, seedling vigour and crop development in current research projects (as evidenced
by industry involvement in BBSRC Crop Science initiative grants based on Arabidopsis background).

C: Innovation in the supply chain

Over the period from 1995, the supply chain has become completely integrated such that the
planting schedule is specified by retail orders and the product at harvest in the field is bagged and
labelled for the retail customer. The driver for these changes has been the relentless elimination of
costs in the system. The approach has been imported by the industry from “lean manufacturing”
allied with sophisticated computerisation of supermarket operations to allow “just in time” delivery.
For the bagged salad market, the integrated cool chain, which had become established in the 1980’s
was an essential component for success.

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In contrast to the consolidated producer organisations in strawberry production, the producer base
in Brassicas remains more dispersed. The largest operator, Produce World, has less than 15% of the
production in its control.

The supermarkets have also driven innovation in assessment of the sustainability or carbon footprint
of the production chain. A British Standard has been established, based on academic research and
consultancy funded by retailers (eg at Bangor, Manchester), by HDC, Defra and, interestingly,
several NGO’s (WWF, RSPB).

D: Innovation in Crop Protection

Loss of active ingredients for control of insects, disease and weeds has played a significant role in
driving changing practices as costs have escalated with removal of generic compounds such as
treflan (herbicide) and chlorpyrifos (insecticide). Significant new insecticides and fungicides have
been introduced, based on Agrochemical company research. Three companies introduced
Strobilurin fungicides in the mid-90’s, based on a natural product described by German academics in
1977. Applied research, funded by companies and HDC was used to tailor application regimes and
ensure registration or SOLA (offlabel approval) for all appropriate crops, particularly for extensions
from Oilseed Rape. Long term insecticide resistance monitoring, particularly in aphid pests, provided
resistance management guidelines alongside pest forecasting and decision support systems; all this
is based on public sector science (Rothamsted and Warwick, funded by Defra, BBSRC and industry).

Non-conventional approaches have included development of companion planting protocols, now
widely used in organic systems, and bio-pesticides. Challenges to their more extensive deployment
of bio-pesticides include a need for more efficacy optimisation and a regulatory framework
perceived to be more burdensome than elsewhere in US/ EU.

Disease forecasting is now widely used in Brassica production to minimise fungicide use while
retaining excellent control of multiple diseases. The elements of forecasting (temperature, rainfall
and crop stage allied with biology and life cycle of pathogens) were developed at Warwick with
Defra and HDC funding and are now incorporated into commercial systems offered by SMS text
message direct to growers or agronomists. The detailed disease biology relies on a long history of
study of plant pathogen interaction and disease epidemiology. The spore counting devices are
developed from antibody-based medical diagnostic devices, although in the future this might be
replaced by DNA-based tests, using genomic information.

A notable innovation in physical weeding (in-row hoe) has encompassed machine vision guidance
systems, engineering new weeding blades and tractor mounting. The pathway to commercial
uptake in 2008 encompassed student projects, a large Link project involving weed scientists,
engineers and end users (2005-2007) and continued investment from the engineering company
involved to take the product to market. Extension of use of the machine vision to deliver spot
herbicide application is currently under development.

E: Innovation in Agronomy

Incremental improvements in scheduling and crop nutrition are based on Defra and LINK-funded
research undertaken over the years to develop RB209 fertilser recommendations and physiological
crop development algorithms (Warwick). The crop scheduling research has latterly been informed
by fundamental research into vernalisation and flowering control in Arabidopsis and other model
plants.

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F: Innovation in labour and automation
Planting and harvesting operations as for strawberries, are enormously labour intensive and account
for more than half of the costs of production. The varieties of Brussels Sprouts have been developed
for uniformity, allowing “single pass” harvesting, but this is not yet the case for cauliflower, or
broccoli types. An automated planting system has been developed, based on investment from
propagators and the engineering supply industry over 2-3 years. Commercial models were
introduced in 2009. Other attempts to co-ordinate innovation, for instance a Link project on
cauliflower cutting, have not led to translation into practice . It is perhaps surprising that new
processes and systems have not been developed in any systematic way. There does not appear to
be any basic engineering or science being applied to address the considerable challenges.

G: Baby leaf Brassicas as a novel salad ingredient.

Brassica crops have been introduced into leafy salads, an innovation that has all taken place over
the last decade, helping to drive the retail value of prepared salads to over £330M. The area of
cultivation of baby leaf brassicas is becoming significant; it increased by 60% between 2007-2009 to
105ha. This compares to the estimated 300 ha each of purple sprouting broccoli and kale in 2009.
This market innovation was underpinned by applied research, taking examples of production
systems from US industry and adapting pest and disease control for these high density crops with
HDC funding. Components of the production system which needed to be established concerned
food microbiological safety and nutritional quality; one company, Vitacress, has had a long term
relationship with Southampton University leading to both proprietary advances in these areas and
recruitment of trained staff. Unlike for the other Brassica crops, seed is direct drilled at high density.
Nevertheless seed value is high supported by specialist breeding operations.

Part III: RESEARCH INTO USE: Conclusions
8 Key issues relating to translation and exploitation of research within the supply chain
Key Issue 1: Timescales
Even innovations which might appear short term and applied capitalise on research over long time
scales. The strobilurin fungicides for Brassicas were developed from natural product leads
described in the 1970’s, biological control of two spotted mite in strawberry was based on long term
research focussed on glasshouse tomato production. Genetics, in particular, has long breeding
timescales and draws on a wide science base in crop genetics and genomics and decades of genetic
resource collection. It has had a major impact in Brassica and will be hugely important in future for
the strawberry crop as well.
Recommendation 1: Systematic steps should be taken by funders and industry bodies to
document, showcase and evaluate examples of innovations and their origins to underpin support
from public and private sector of long term support for research.
Key Issue 2: Funding
Dramatic changes in the volume and organisation of research have occurred over the last 15 years.
Given the considerations above, it is likely that the impacts of these changes will work through in the
coming years.
In both the strawberry and Brassica cases, it is striking how many of the innovations in crop
protection and genetics have involved the input of the institutions of Horticulture Research
International and its predecessors and successors, whose funding came primarily from Defra and
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who have been subject to significant shrinkage and organisational change as this source of public
funding declined. Given the importance of the remaining skills and capabilities in these institutions
it is important for the industry to recognise and support their strategic roles. There is a particular
need for continuity of skills and dialogue along the research pipeline to maintain the flow of
innovation against this backdrop of change.
Recommendation 2: Food Research Partnership should support development of mechanisms for
the whole industry to have a greater role in support of the applied component of the research
pipeline in order for innovation to be maintained.

Key issue 3: Joined up pipeline.
Many innovations have been based on prior basic research in diverse areas. For instance, the success
of high value F1 hybrids in Brassicas is built on research in genetics, nutrition, pathology as well as
applied research on agronomy and quality testing. To ensure a joined up pipeline in the future,
mechanisms are required to communicate industry challenges to the science base (and provide
funding to address them). The flow needs to be two way so that the industry is kept aware of new
science-based opportunities and options arising from and has access to leveraged funding schemes
to encourage exploration of early stage discoveries. For instance, who is aware and mulling the
opportunities from a basic science discovery of how plants sense temperature and co-ordinate their
growth responses[2]? Is this a long term route to growing tropical crops in the UK climate or to
improve the flavour of chilled fruit?
Recommendation 3: Systematic mechanisms are required between funders and industry to ensure
two-way flow of information concerning science challenges and opportunities and that there are
effective mechanisms to fund research translation.
Recommendation 4: The concept of a BBSRC Horticulture Industry Club as a specific way to ensure
the engagement of the science base in industry defined challenges should be progressed.
Recommendation 5: The USDA outreach system where academics are paid for a percentage of
their time in outreach activities is a potential avenue to explore in UK academia
Key issue 4: Innovation is contingent, unpredictable and non-linear.
It is notable from the analysis undertaken that the role of individuals has been so important. Thus, a
PhD student from Reading transformed his family plastics business into a major supplier to the
strawberry industry and a former Rover Car engineer spearheaded the development of a new
Brassica planter. The clearest innovation successes arise from industry funded work to address an
industry problem or opportunity (e.g. improvements of strawberry tunnel technology or
introduction of premium broccoli lines). Publicly funded strategic research has a role therefore to be
exploring relevant areas, generating options and training new generations for the industry. Industry
can then access these skills and fund or co-fund research to address particular problems or
opportunities. An example of this access to relevant skills and knowledge is where the strawberry
industry harnessed public sector knowledge of pests and diseases emerging from the move into
tunnel production systems. By contrast, engineering innovations have not successfully accessed
engineering expertise in the public sector to the same extent.
Recommendation 6: Engineering innovation could benefit from a TSB call to galvanise
collaboration in horticulture.
Key Issue 5: International Dimension
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The analysis demonstrates that innovation does not respect national boundaries and needs to be
considered in an international context. Spain, Belgium, France, Netherlands and USA have all
contributed to the innovations identified in this study. In addition, both strawberry and Brassica
industries are now international in ownership and outlook as a result of consolidation and year
round supply requirements. Basic science is itself highly international; however, the strategic and
applied science base, whilst it has shrunk almost everywhere in Europe, still remains strongly nation-
based. At the producer end, other nations are the competition which can inhibit co-operation.
For the large, international and research intensive companies in crop protection and genetics, the
need to secure their attention and engagement to the UK market is aided by access to a world class
research base.
Recommendation 7: Systematic exploitation of international applied research should be
encouraged by suitable mechanisms
Key issue 6: Role of the public sector.
The role, size and scope of the public sector research base has changed dramatically over the study
period. The funding, skills base and institutions which contributed to the delivery of innovations
have changed and continue to do so. It is widely perceived that the incentives and drivers in
University research (eg RAE/ REF) work against the individuals and groups working in more applied
research areas.
It has been argued that the renewed emphasis on global food security requires a new investment in
public research [3]. In the current financial climate it will be essential to maximise any investments
based on key roles and outputs. Four roles for the public sector to support innovation can be
exemplified from this study:
1. Support and enable industry innovation through providing pre-competitive options (exemplified
by pre-breeding material or the forecasting models and understanding of crop diseases).
2. Pull basic science through into worked examples ready for development and testing in crops
(exemplified by development of DNA markers and systems for F1 hybrid production)
3. Develop skilled practitioners to move into industry.
4. Work with industry through direct or leveraged funding mechanisms to drive innovations closer
to market (exemplified by Link and TSB projects).
Recommendation 8: An explicit description of what the public sector can be expected to deliver
should be discussed and agreed with the industry to secure their support (cf recommendation 2).
Key Issue 7: Role of private sector
During the period of this study, the innovations described in the private sector benefitted to a
greater or lesser extent from direct access to skills and resources maintained and directed by Defra
as a proxy-industry customer. The levy body and crop associations focussed primarily on near
market problem solving (exemplified by the SOLA programme and multiple projects for pest and
disease control ).
For the future, it is likely that industry will need to become much more deeply engaged with the
development of strategy, advocacy for research and leveraged research funding schemes if the
relevant innovation capabilities and skills are to be maintained during times of extreme research
funding pressures. It is likely that this will be a critical determinant of the volume of funding for
strategic and applied research (cf recommendation 2).
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