2. Founded in 1919 to improve British crops. “Better Seeds; Better Crops”
Privatised in 1996.
Since 2005 – new emphasis on plant genetic research and pre-breeding programmes.
2016 NIAB EMR joined the Group
Important part of the UK innovation infrastructure built over 100 years.
Invested our own Trust’s money to move into new technologies such as breeding
Have significant horticultural activity including world leading work on potatoes but with the addition of NIAB EMR….

3. NIAB EMR is the UK’s largest horticultural research and development organisation, undertaking work in perennial and clonally propagated crops sector. It is an international leader in top fruit and soft fruit research with may industrial partnerships and commercial projects (e.g. IUK)

4. Turnover: £6.5m pa (and growing)
Plant science: to defend and respond to environmental change and develop opportunities (inc application of bio-technology, aerospace, digital/information, engineering etc.)
Available industry investment for fruit innovation? 0.5% of sector turnover gives only £3.5M
Public funding is critical (BBSRC, IUK, AHDB)

5. NIAB is very good at supporting, identifying and delivering innovations which satisfy industry needs and support publicly funded initiatives. We GEAR.
We also provided trusted and commercial services to industry based on our technical expertise.

6. Some industry outcomes:
Sustained and improved productivity
Increased efficiency
New products and services.
Displaced imports and increased exports
New UK solutions (and companies) entering the global agri-food market place.

7. Some areas of innovation:-
Genetics (novelty, robustness, superior quality, health)
Physiology, entomology, bio informatics (pest & disease, plant performance, decision support)
Robotics (harvest, weeds, packaging)
Digital (productivity, supply chain, decision support)
Productivity & control (resource use efficiency, environment)
Packaging (shelf life/waste, product, ‘reach’)
New Crops to the UK

8. Malling Centenary, an efficient strawberry
Setting the standard for quality, one of Malling Centenaries greatest advantages is its ‘pickability’. Optimising it performance is key. Its progeny will be stronger reducing waste, resource and chemical use. With engineering solution partners, the WET centre was launched this year to optimise use of water for UK strawberry growers whilst NIAB EMR’s genetics research accelerates selection of disease resistance progeny and work progresses with a UK technology start up to produce a robotic harvesting solution.

9. Recent launch of the
WET Centre

10. Digital potato crop management (PCM)
In 2017 NIAB, working with digital start-up Kisan Hub, quadrupled the area of UK potatoes supported by our potato crop management decision support suit. We are now discussion global opportunities. Developed and delivered by its scientists, NIAB models can predict yield & distribution well in advance of harvest and provides improved crop management. Digitisation is removing limits on scale and geography. Global use and optimisation may have an impact on this ‘efficient’, nutritious crop globally.

11. Exporting UK Red-fleshed Apples
Decades of NIAB EMR apple breeding have produced unique, delicious, red-fleshed apple varieties with potential for real health benefits through the red-pigment. NIAB EMR and one of the UK leading retailers have invested in the UK’s first hectare of pink apples. This also represents a strong candidate for export. Supply of 8 other varieties is being pursued globally with South Africa-based “re:inc”.

12. ‘From Vine to Wine’
UK wine is a rapidly expanding, £200M pa industry. Leading wine-makers are now partnering NIAB EMR in a consortium to ensure a world-class future for this rising UK sector. Representing a large proportion of the UK’s investment in production, the consortium will use NIAB EMR’s soft fruit expertise and international network within the consortium to introduce fresh-produce efficiencies and harness the UK’s unique environment to produce best-in-class quality wines.

13. Breeding the Best
With commercial partners and customers NIAB EMR is breeding next generation strawberries, cherries, apples, raspberries, root-stocks. After decades of focus it has many varieties available for consideration, including plums and coloured apples, with potential to impact the UK retail and international supply chains and uses. In raspberries, an expanding breeding Consortium brings together leading UK growers with European, American and Australian organisations to commercialise and accelerate decades of research and introducing new fruit to UK retail and global markets.

14. Perfected for Process
Technology and plant varieties originally developed for fresh produce are presenting new benefits for fruit processors. NIAB EMR is working with local, national and international processors of fruit to optimise application-specific, quality requirements for processors, such as fresh juices, fruit crisps and dried blends. We select from thousands of unique cultivars and using new technologies to optimise fruit quality characteristics to enable new uses and improved yield and quality.

15. The UK has a unique combination of world class elements (e. g
The UK has a unique combination of world class elements (e.g. retail supply chain, technology sectors, funding, Universities) which when ‘catalysed’ by the ‘NIABs’ give it an opportunity to develop and launch products based on technologies across the spectrum for UK companies to compete in one of the worlds largest markets – food & drink, where primary production is key.