The day will focus on some of the HDC funded projects being worked on at East Malling Research and elsewhere, which are dedicated to finding solutions to some of the industry’s most pressing production problems.
Clare Sampson of Keele University will present the most recent information on the Defra Horticulture LINK project to develop control measures for western flower thrips. She will be presenting some of the latest findings on monitoring, control thresholds and trapping of the pest.
Professor Jerry Cross will offer the early findings of a new research project at EMRA to study the behaviour and control of spotted wing drosophila in the UK. The work seeks to understand the seasonal dynamics of the pest, how best to dispose of waste fruit, the development of ‘attract and kill’ technology and an assessment of different plant protection products for control.
Michelle Fountain will provide some interesting new information on the control of tarsonemid mite using predatory insects along with new information on how best to control potato aphid in strawberry. EMRA scientists will also offer new findings on the control of blueberry gall midge and blackberry leaf midge, whilst Graham Moore will present an overview of a project designed to improve our understanding of die-back in blueberry.
In addition, there will be up-dates on the progress being made in the East Malling Research Strawberry Breeding Club and the Raspberry Breeding Programme at James Hutton Institute.
Anyone wishing to attend the event, should contact Caroline Bloodworth at HDC on 0247 647 8677 or at caroline.bloodworth@hdc.ahdb.org.uk.